Is Dane Belton Ready for a Bigger Role on Defense?

Dane Belton, Safety

Height: 6-foot-1 | Weight: 205 pounds
2022 Stats: GP 15 / GS: 5. 31 tackles, 24 solos (1 tackle for a loss), 2 ints.

Dane Belton was the New York Giants' fourth-round selection (No. 114) in the 2022 NFL Draft. He made a name for himself as a prep star in Tampa, Florida, playing high school football at Jesuit High School, where he was a standout player at both defensive back and wide receiver positions.

He was a four-star recruit and chose to play for the Iowa Hawkeyes in college. Belton proved to be a versatile player in college, playing both safety and cornerback. During his final season as a Hawkeye, he intercepted five passes.

Belton found a niche in the Giants' defense as a dime defender as a rookie because he was not afraid to come downhill and hit. In his three starts in the 2022 season, he filled in admirably and proved that he was a much better third-level pass defender than many believed he might be initially when coming out of college.

Belton finished his rookie campaign with a team-high two interceptions. His rookie season performance, which was initially slowed by a broken collarbone suffered in training camp, most likely made the team feel a little more comfortable knowing they have a potential replacement for Julian Love, who signed with the Seahawks during free agency.

Best Case Scenario

The front office and coaching staff would no doubt be happy if Belton could pick up where Love left off. Love was able to play effectively at all three levels in the defense. Belton is a couple of inches taller and about 10 pounds heavier, so he is built perfectly to fill that role.

Belton would not only fill a need but also do it in Year 2 of his rookie deal. For a team with players that need to get paid, that's not bad to have a starting defender on a fourth-round rookie deal for the next three seasons.

Belton will have to win the job--his competition is Bobby McCain, Jason Pinnock, rookie Gervarrius Owens, and Trenton Thompson--but he certainly has the skill set to be as productive as Love was for the Giants in a defense that should be improved against the run thanks to some key offseason additions.

Worst Case Scenario

Yes, Belton has better size, but does he have the speed to cover ground like Love did at all three levels? If the answer is no, then Belton will likely return to his role in this defense as a situational player in an ensemble cast.

That would then leave the Giants searching for a long-term replacement for Love. Between the other journeyman defensive backs and rookie (Gervarrius Owens), who is raw, it would probably be a disappointment if Belton can't be a full-time answer for the defense.

What to Expect in 2023

There will be a few guys on this roster who believes that the safety opposite Xavier McKinley is theirs for the taking, and hopefully, Belton is one of them. He should get the first crack at it, and we think the job could be his to lose, and it might be difficult for other competitors to unseat him.

If the run defense is improved, Belton won't be called on to produce a triple-digit tackle season as Love did last year. However, something in the range of 75-90 would be ideal.

Belton showed while in college that he could produce that kind of number. As he becomes more comfortable with the Giants' scheme, he should be able to make plays, including getting his hands on some passes. The Giants hope Belton can become the longer-term answer rather than a temporary stop-gap solution.