Former Hawkeye safety Dane Belton has a great shot at a significant role in his rookie season in the NFL.

The New York Giants’ fourth-round pick garnered first-team All-Big Ten honors from coaches and media after he recorded 46 total tackles and a team-high five interceptions as a junior at Iowa in 2021-22. He was taken with the 114th overall selection of April’s NFL Draft.

Belton starred at Iowa’s “Cash” position ­­­— a linebacker-safety hybrid position spanning the field from sideline to sideline — as a junior. He sports a 6-foot-1, 205-pound frame, which is ideal for a free safety or nickel cornerback in the NFL.

Belton started four games as a freshman at Iowa and then every contest during his sophomore and junior seasons.

Belton boasted the best coverage stats of his career in his junior season, earning an 83.2 grade from Pro Football Focus (PFF). He projects as a versatile defensive weapon for New York, as he can play any position in the defensive backfield or even slide down to outside linebacker if necessary.

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He has a solid chance to snatch up a starting role in the Giants’ defensive backfield as a rookie this fall. Incumbent starter Julian Love gave up a far from ideal 108.7 passer rating in the slot in 2021, so his job at free safety is up in the air.

The Giants’ depth chart contains just two proven veterans on the back end after letting James Bradberry IV, Jabrill Peppers, and Logan Ryan walk earlier this offseason. Corner Adoree’ Jackson and safety Xavier McKinney are projected to start, and both are still relatively young with solid potential.

Jackson will enter his sixth season in the league and second with the Giants. He played four seasons in Tennessee to begin his career and tallied over 70 tackles in each of his first two years. Last season, Jackson made 62 tackles in 12 starts.

McKinney was drafted by New York in 2020 and started all but one game a year ago.

It appears the rest of the backfield is open for the taking, though. Belton’s main opponents for playing time are Love, Henry Black, Darnay Holmes, and 2022 third-rounder Cordale Flott.

ESPN currently projects Belton as the Giants’ third-string free safety. However, if he can slide down into the nickel corner or nickel safety spot, he will see plenty of playing time on passing downs.

During mini camp, Belton told reporters that the Giants’ defense is similar to Iowa’s.

“It’s very similar, just talking about how the safeties control the defense,” he said. “In college, I was called on to get the call from the sideline and distribute our part of the call to our defense. It’s very similar in that aspect”

NFL pundits are sold on Belton’s potential to be a game changer in defensive coordinator Wink Martindale’s system. PFF selected him as the Giants’ “biggest draft gem” for 2022, saying “getting such an impactful talent in Belton during the middle rounds is a valuable asset for Martindale.”

Belton has every opportunity to seize significant playing time, or even a starting role, during the preseason. All signs point to him making a big contribution in his rookie season and beyond.