Transcript: Tight End Daniel Bellinger

2022 Fourth Round Draft Pick Tight End Daniel Bellinger

April 30, 2022

Q. What was going through your head when you got the call from the Giants? And had you been talking to them during the pre-draft process?

DANIEL BELLINGER: I was just super excited. My heart was pounding when I got the call. It was a great process with them. I enjoyed every single second talking to the coaches and the assistant GM. It was a great process with them.

Q. What would you say the strength of your game is?

DANIEL BELLINGER: I would say blocking, blocking and being versatile in both the passing game and blocking game because I think I can do a good job blocking and I can stretch the field and make plays when I need to.

Q. What do you think about coming to this team? The depth chart isn't very flush here at your position.

DANIEL BELLINGER: I'm just excited to get in and just play football and really just help the team any way I need to.

Q. You mentioned talk to the assistant GM. Was that like a Zoom call or something?

DANIEL BELLINGER: We had a pre-pro day dinner.

Q. Have they talked to you about how they envision using the tight end position in this offense?

DANIEL BELLINGER: Not too much. I just know that whatever they need me to do, I'm going to come in and compete and just be the best tight end that I need to be.

Q. Where did you go to dinner with Brandon Brown?

DANIEL BELLINGER: We went to this rooftop place in San Diego. I think it was Lilly's. It was a great place.

Q. Is there really a bad place in San Diego?

DANIEL BELLINGER: It was just overlooking the water and can't beat the views too much in San Diego.

Q. Do you feel like as a pass catcher, you were under-utilized in the offense you ran in college?

DANIEL BELLINGER: A little bit but at the end of the day what our goal at San Diego State was to win games and whether that was me getting a hundred receptions or me getting no receptions, whatever it took for us to win was our main goal. I would say a little bit, but it really came down to game plan and schemes that we needed to do for that week. And if I didn't get enough balls, that's all right as long as we got the win.

Q. How much do you take pride in your sure handedness? I saw you didn't drop any passes last year. How much pride to you take in that?

DANIEL BELLINGER: Tremendous pride. I've been playing the game since I was six years old. So just playing catch with my dad and never dropping the ball, because he would get mad at me even as a little kid dropping the ball. So I take a lot of pride in making sure I don't drop the ball too much.

Q. What do you like being in the backfield? You lined up at fullback a little bit?

DANIEL BELLINGER: Absolutely. I just love football. Whether I'm in the backfield, attached, detached, whatever it means to go hit the guy across from me.

Q. Nowadays, the way tight ends have blown up in this league, you ask a guy who they model their game after and you are getting these pass catchers. For you growing up, are there any tight ends that you watched to pick up your blocking and your love for the way you block?

DANIEL BELLINGER: The guy I watched a lot, especially the last few years, is definitely George Kittle. He's a guy that can do both. When I think of George Kittle, I think of a great run blocker and a pass catcher. I try to implement my technique and things after him and guys like Dallas Goedert and guys like Travis Kelce in the passing game a little bit. Dallas Goedert in the run game and George Kittle in the run game as well.

Q. Do you like be attached or detached?

DANIEL BELLINGER: I like to do both. If I had to pick, I would say attached. I feel comfortable attached, but I really feel comfortable doing both as well. I think it's fun to be detached and be one-on-one with a linebacker, but it's also a lot of fun being attached and going to go against a D-end.