Giants' Vince Anderson knows this is his chance

Vince Anderson was hit with a double whammy when New York Giants training camp opened.

He came to the Giants as an undrafted free agent cornerback from tiny Webber International, an NAIA school. He showed up for the first day of training camp and found out he would be playing safety.

"It's a big transition for me," Anderson said. "Going from corner, having the calls made to you and going to safety having to make the calls to the corner. Basically the quarterback of the defense.

"At times it gets frustrating, but I get through it because I'm confident in myself. I know I can do it."

Anderson, 24, knew there was a possibility he would play a little bit of safety with the Giants. He didn't know, however, that he would be doing it full time. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound Anderson said he sees the move as a good thing.

I really don't look at it as a negative situation," he said. "I know they're trying to help me. I'm proud they did it, I'm willing to do whatever it takes for this team."

I'm just gonna gvie 110 percent every time, even if I'm right or wrong. I'm gonna do it."

Michael Johnson and Kenny Phillips are the starting safeties, and free-agent acquisition C.C. Brown is the primary backup. There is likely one spot on the 53-man roster available, and Anderson is fighting Travonti Johnson, acquired as a free agent last season, and another undrafted free agent, Sha'reef Rashad, for that spot.

Athletically, Anderson is probably the most gifted of the three. His inexperience as a safety, though, is the primary obstacle to his making the season-opening roster.

'Whatever happens, happens," he said. "If you go to thinking about all of those different numbers and how you're gonna make the team. I have so much to learn I don't even worry about that. Whatever the Lord wants to happen, that's exactly what's gonna happen."

I asked Anderson about getting the opportunity to make the jump from an unlikely place like Webber International all the way to an NFL team. He didn't seem surprised at all to have this chance with the Giants.

"When I first got to Webber International I made up my mind before I even got there, I said if I go there I'm gonna work my butt off and try to make it to where I get an opportunity to play at the next level," Anderson said. "I always had that in my heart that I was gonna at least get one chance to make it to the NFL. I knew that I was gonna get a shot. I knew if I stayed focused and just worked hard it would all pay off. I'm a firm believer in the Lord.

"My parents taught me 'If it's meant for you, it's meant for you,' and I always live by that, to this day."

Anderson is looking forward to showing off his skills Monday night. When I asked him about his first NFL game, however, I found his answer to be pretty typical of the realistic, thankful attitude Anderson showed throughout our discussion.

"It's a big game, but every game is a big game. I'm a rookie, I come from a small school, so being here in the NFL is a blessing. This is my first game, and it might be my last, so I'm gonna play each and every game like it's a big game."

With his limited experience, Anderson is a guy whose best hope might be that the Giants stash him on the practice squad for a season while he learns the ropes. After chatting with him, though, I know he is a guy I will be rooting for to come up big against Carolina.