With training camp on the horizon, New York Giants undrafted rookie running back Jon Hilliman has his eyes set on cracking the 53-man roster this summer.

While it will definitely be an uphill battle as one five running backs competing for a spot, Hilliman has a more than impressive resume that got him in this position.

Born and raised in New Jersey, the tailback starred at the esteemed high school football power house of St. Peter’s Prep in Jersey City from 2011-2013. This ultimately earned him a scholarship to Boston College, where he rushed for 1,378 yards and 15 total touchdowns in 29 games.

After a redshirt freshman season, plus a three-year career of carrying the rock at BC, Hilliman would return back home to finish out his collegiate career at Rutgers in 2018. The running back led the Scarlet Knights with six rushing touchdowns last fall.

I had the pleasure of catching up with Hilliman recently, who expressed his excitement to get started in his first training camp, as a pro.

Check it out below.

Pat: After going undrafted, how exciting was it to get that phone call from the Giants? Where were you when you got the call and do your remember your reaction when you saw a familiar area code pop up?

Hilliman: I was really excited getting the call from the Giants on draft day. I remember them displaying the most interest out of all the teams I worked out for. I was at my best friends house with friends and family and I remember going from [expletive] off about not being drafted to overjoyed that I’d be staying home to play pro ball

Pat: As an N.J. native, how surreal was it for you to be able to remain close to home after getting picked up by the Giants?

Hilliman: It still hasn’t hit me yet that I’m still playing football in my home state as a professional. I’m sure it will once training camp and preseason starts.

Pat: Did you grow up a Giant fan?

Hilliman: I grew up a Giants fan, so being selected by them was a life long dream come true.

Pat: How much of a privilege is it for you to be able to learn and play behind such a special player in running back Saquon Barkley?

Hilliman: It’s definitely a dope experience to play with a high caliber running back like Saquon. It’s interesting to see what makes him the guy he is and to bounce ideas off each other.

Pat: Besides Barkley, you are joining a very solid group of veterans in the running back room. What’s it like competing against each other, are you guys tight as a unit? How much has this group taught you as a whole so far?

Hilliman: It’s always great to compete with those guys. I learned a lot from them in a short period of time. We’re a pretty tight group and they explained to me that it’s not always like that everywhere so that’s special in itself.

Pat: How has it been playing for head coach Pat Shurmur? What’s he like? What’s the biggest challenge in adjusting to not only his system but a pro style playbook in general compared to your BC and Rutgers day’s?

Hilliman: Coach Shurmur is a great guy. He’s big on guys understanding why they are doing what they’re doing on the field rather than just what they have to do. He also encourages players to let their personalities show on the field which is pretty cool. The play book was pretty tough at first but like anything if you continue to stay on it and dissect it, it becomes understandable.

Pat: For those who do not know, you are now teammates with your former N.J. high school prep school rival in fellow newcomer Jabrill Peppers, who played at Paramus Catholic. Are you excited to be able to lineup against him in practice everyday and compete against each other again like back in the old days?

Were you guys close before landing on the Giants together? Who would win in a race?

Hilliman: Me and Brill go way back, it’s kinda weird to see him at practice everyday since we’ve competed against each other for so long. He’s a special player and competing with him always brought the best out of my own game. I can’t wait to see what he brings to the team this year.

As far as a race goes, he might have me by a step or two. Homie can run.

Pat: How ready are you to start your first professional training camp?

Hilliman: I’m ready physically and mentally to compete for the opportunity to live a life long dream. Very excited to get going and see how life in the NFL is like. I dream to do this for a little while and this is the first step so I can’t wait.

Hilliman enters camp looking to jostle for reps behind second-year star running back Saquon Barkley. The 23-year-old joins an already crowded Giants backfield that features last year’s backup Wayne Gallman, ex-Cowboy Rod Smith, and former forgotten starter Paul Perkins.

While Hilliman certainly has his work cut out for him in earning a spot on the active roster, he without a doubt has the drive, talent and demeanor to earn a spot. What’s even more impressive is that the youngster ran a 4.44 40-yard dash at his pro day, which was only a few ticks behind reigning rookie of the year Saquon Barkley’s 4.40 a year prior.