'Hey, this is a guy we can work with' - How NY Giants found massive rookie DT Jordon Riley

EAST RUTHERFORD - The tape did not match the talent.

But the New York Giants saw something in Jordon Riley, and defensive line coach Andre Patterson was unwavering in his belief of the player he could become if Big Blue got the Oregon defensive lineman in the building.

"He had the traits that we were looking for: big, long, athletic and so, that’s what piqued my interest at the beginning," Patterson told NorthJersey.com on Wednesday, sharing insight into the pre-draft process and the close work he did with general manager Joe Schoen and his staff when evaluating Riley. "Obviously, the play on film didn’t match his skill set. So, we had to get to know him. Between myself and [assistant defensive line coach] Bryan Cox, and our scouting staff, spending time with him, going out there and working him out, understanding his background. We said, ‘Hey, this is a guy that we can work with and see if we can get his play to match his physical gifts.’"

The early returns on the 25-year-old Riley are matching what Patterson and the Giants' scouts envisioned when they looked beyond the lack of production for three different schools (North Carolina, Nebraska and Oregon) - plus a junior college program - over six seasons. It's been a team effort that has contributed to Riley's development this summer, and why he has managed to stand out on the practice field alongside All-Pro star Dexter Lawrence and Leonard Williams.

"What I learned most is how to battle adversity," Riley said. "No matter where you end up, it's pushing through toward the end goal, never looking back, and trying to move forward."

There's a reason the 6-foot-5, 325-pound Riley has not just faded into the background despite being in a position room with such big personalities (and men) like Lawrence, Williams, A'Shawn Robinson and Rakeem Nunez-Roches, nicknamed "Nacho."

"I knew I belonged here. I’m here for a reason or they wouldn’t have drafted me.," Riley said. "But, just seeing all this talent and how we can piece it all together, it’s exciting and special. It’s something I look forward to every day."

The Giants have changed Riley's stance, instilled in him the importance of using his hands on the interior, and how that plus his footwork generates the power with which he needs to take his game to another level. He's taken a step forward in the quest to lock down a spot on the 53-man roster.

"It’s the NFL, so a lot of guys are just as strong, just as big, just as talented," Riley said. "Technique is really what’s going to separate you. You don’t have to be the most talented, you don’t have to be the fastest, but strong technique can take you a long way. Soaking all that in, there’s always something you can get better on. The old guys do a great job of picking a part of your game and helping you get better."

The influence of Patterson and Cox doesn't go unnoticed, either.

"Those have kind of been the guys in my career that I’ve jumped on to coach," Patterson said. "And hopefully he can be the next one who ends up being a really good player in this league. He’s got a long way to go, and I’m happy where is right now, but he’s not at the end, he’s at the beginning and I think he understands that."

Riley has impressed his coaches and teammates with his mindset, and he believes the advice doled out by the veterans in the room - those who are today where he wants to be - has accelerated the learning curve for him as a pro.

"It’s not all going to come in one day," Riley said. "So just try to find one thing to get better at one day and then try to find another thing the next day and start stacking them together."

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Jordon Riley: Why NY Giants believe in the rookie's promising start