New York Giants: Akeem Hunt a diamond in the rough

There’s been a lot of talk this offseason about what the New York Giants have done to improve their rushing attack.

The team went out and signed former New England Patriot Shane Vereen, and the offensive line looks to be the best its been in a while. The trio of Vereen, Rashad Jennings and Andre Williams will be the main guys in Ben McAdoo’s rushing offense, but that doesn’t mean the Giants are without depth.

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A less-publicized move the Giants should be applauded for is taking a chance and signing un-drafted running back Akeem Hunt from Purdue.

Hunt will be fighting a roster spot as the fourth or — depending on how many backs the Giants want to keep — fifth back, but he has all the tools and attributes to contribute to the team.

The 5-10, 183 running back isn’t as big as other backs on the Giants, but this kid can absolutely fly. At his pro day, Hunt ran a 4.36 40-yard dash time.

In his final year at Purdue, Hunt recorded 949 yards and six touchdowns. According to Sports Reference, Hunt finished his career with 2,035 rushing yards, 11 touchdowns, as well as 841 receiving yards and six touchdowns. Hunt also finished his collegiate career with a remarkable 5.5 yards per carry.

Despite his less-than-desirable size, Hunt has a whole lot to offer the Giants.

Hunt is arguably the most versatile back the Giants currently have. He can run, catch and he has experience — has a 99 and 100-yard kick return to his name — returning kicks. Hunt can be used all over the field. The Giants can put him in the slot, out wide or in the backfield.

All this kid needs is a little crease to rack up a lot of yards.

Watching his film, it’s hard to not compare him to speedsters like DeSean Jackson or Tavon Austin. It’s like every time he touches the ball, he has a chance to hit pay dirt.

While Hunt has great, game-breaking speed, he also possesses impeccable balance.

He’ll get knocked around a lot, but he’s very good at maintaining his footing. Another thing Hunt has is his familiarity with the system.

“Coach [McAdoo] he knew about me, and he knew how he could use me into this offense,” Hunt said, according to Giants.com. “The offensive coordinator and everybody know I come from a west-coast offense.”

In a sense, Hunt could play the same role Randall Cobb plays in Green Bay, or the same role Darren Sproles plays in Philadelphia.

Hunt knows how valuable his versatility, specifically his pass-catching ability, can be to the team.

“Oh, that’s a big part of my game,” Hunt said, when asked if he thinks his receiving ability is a big part of his game. “I feel like that’s what sets me apart from the other running backs, because as you can see, my stature is not as big as other running backs, but my speed and my versatility out of the backfield [sets him apart] … you can line me up in the slot or at wide receiver, and I can run slant routes, I can run hitch routes.”

If Vereen goes down with an injury, it seems like Hunt is ready to step in and fill that roll in a pinch.

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New York Giants

While he likely won’t be an every-down back in the NFL, Hunt can be a player who can create mismatches in the open field. Utilizing a player like Hunt on an offense already featuring a bevy of talent would give defensive coordinators fits.

Hunt’s biggest competition to make the team is likely Orleans Darkwa, who played well last year. As serviceable as Darkwa was, Hunt’s versatility might prove to make him a more valuable player to the Giants.

The Giants haven’t had a return man who possesses blazing speed since David Wilson was on the team, so Hunt could possibly find a niche there.

The former Boilermaker seems to have the right attitude, as well.

“An energetic [player]. They call me the catalyst every time I step on the field, because I give energy to the team,” Hunt said, when asked what Giants fans can expect from him. “You’re just gonna get someone that plays with high passion, and gets everybody involved and gets everybody’s emotion into the game.”

Hunt also noted that he models his game after Chicago Bears Pro-Bowl running back Matt Forte, citing Forte’s ability to catch passes from all over the field. If the Giants can get Hunt to be half the player Forte is, there will be a lot of happy Giants fans.

Definitely keep an eye on Hunt during the preseason.

Next: Giants: Examining the quarterbacks

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