Before they arrived from different parts of the country to convene at Giants rookie mini-camp, Will Hernandez had already heard from Saquon Barkley.

“That was pretty cool,’’ Hernandez said Friday.

The two coveted NFL draft prospects met for the first time at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis and now, in some ways, their futures are tied together as they embark on their Giants careers. Where Hernandez leads, Barkley will follow.

“I’d like to try to tell him to follow me wherever I go,’’ Hernandez said, smiling. “I’ll wait for him to get his food and then he’ll walk right behind me? Yeah. Try to get used to it.’’

There are protectors and those who need that protection. Hernandez is a proud member of the first group. What would happen, for example, if someone wanted to get to Barkley for an interview that was not previously arranged?

“You’d have to talk to him behind me,’’ Hernandez said.

The Giants envision this as a beneficial partnership for years to come. Hernandez, taken in the second round out of Texas El Paso, was brought in to be an immediate starter — he will begin his NFL life working primarily at left guard, head coach Pat Shurmur said — where Hernandez started 49 games in college. Barkley was taken with the No. 2 overall pick to instantly make an impact as a running back, carrying the ball and catching it as a centerpiece of Shurmur’s offense. The plan is for Hernandez to pave the roadways for Barkley to traverse.

It has been well-documented that the Giants targeted Barkley, but it is Hernandez whom they coveted, with reservation, as they were not at all confident he would be there early in the second round. Chris Mara, the Giants’ vice president of player evaluation, called Hernandez “probably my favorite player in the draft.’’

At first glance, it is not difficult to see why. Hernandez is 6 feet 2 and carries his 327 pounds with ease, a naturally huge 22-year-old with broad shoulders, massive hands and thick, bulging calves. The Giants describe him as being “cranky’’ on the field. He prefers “nasty’’ even though he is soft-spoken and polite off the field.

“If you’re a football player, you should be referred to as nasty, on-the-edge player,’’ Hernandez said. “I think that’s the way everybody should play. I think that’s the reason why the sport is so popular. I definitely consider myself that.’’

Shurmur told the rookies prior to this camp how he wanted them to comport themselves, instilling his sense of the culture he wants to bring to the Giants. Saying “please’’ and ‘’thank you’’ is a good start, Shurmur said.

Can good manners co-exist with nastiness?

“It’s not hard at all,’’ Hernandez said. “It’s kind of like a split personality deal. I don’t purposely try and change, but as soon as that helmet comes on, it’s just a completely different mindset. I can say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ on the field too, maybe after I’ve done my job.’’