Giants CB Prince Amukamara is being scrutinized in New York

Prince Amukamara. He was one of the unforgettable names in the 2011 draft. Coming out of Nebraska, the CB was deemed a steal for the Giants when they grabbed him with the number 19^th pick overall.

His rookie year was deemed a wash mostly thanks to injuries but now in his second year his struggles to become a bonafide starter that can live up to his draft stock are becoming apparent.

So much so that his coach Tom Coughlin and the defensive secondary’s leader safety Antrel Rolle recently gave comments posted in the New York Post in regards to what Amukamara needs to do step his game up.

Rolle let it be known that Amukamara will be the cornerback that opposing offenses pick on.

“As an offensive coordinator, that’s probably going to be the angle,’’ Rolle said. “He has to understand that, and I’m sure he’s aware of that. You have to continue to grow. You have to turn into a man overnight.

There’s no time for babying, and he understands that. He’s going to be fine. I have all the confidence in the world in Prince, and I’m sure he’s going to get the job done.’’

Coach Coughlin feels that all of his troubles will fade to black if he continues to make more plays like he did in training camp where he fought off Domenik Hixon to intercept a pass thrown by Eli Manning.

“That’s all he needs … make a couple of those,’’ Coughlin said. “That interception was a nice play. Well done. His teammates will look at that and not as much heat will be sent his way.’’

Veterans especially ones with multiple Super Bowl rings are capable of making the heat intense on a kid that comes into a team with a basketful of hype and fails to live up to it.

Rolle pointed out the young man’s see-saw preseason performance against the Jaguars where he gave up a touchdown and caused a turnover as an example of his current dilemma.

“I think they came at him a little bit,’’ Rolle said. “They tried to test him out early, which we already told him that was going to be the case. He has to clean some things up. He’s still new to the system, new to the game. We don’t make any excuses for him. We told him, ‘You’re going to have to be that guy there,’ and he understands that. He came back, and was smarter in the next series with an awesome play, forcing the turnover.’’

For all of the positive and negative shots sent his way, Amukamara is keeping his head up.

“I think in the NFL, you do have to have thick skin, and not let things get to you, Amukamara said’’. “The greatest get beat, week in and week out, so it’s just great just to develop that short-term memory, and just forget about things.’’