John Munson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

What we saw ...

We saw a lot at Thursday's Giants practice. So we decided to add two takeaways to the mix.

Click through the slideshow for 12 observations from the day at practice.

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John Munson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

A good day for Victor Cruz

Victor Cruz had his most active day of training camp, and I think the Giants have to be quite pleased with what they saw. Is Cruz a bit rusty? Is his explosion not quite there yet? Yes. But the guy hasn't played football in almost two years, remember. This is a process. Thursday was a positive step forward in that process.

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Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Sterling Shepard is special

The rookie wide receiver has gone beyond hype. He has been one of the best players on the field every day since camp started. Shepard is going to be a star, and a home run draft pick for general manager Jerry Reese.

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Dan Duggan | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

A veteran win

Finally, the Giants were able to land a veteran role player who can make their team better. Leon Hall was a smart signing, and he makes their secondary and defense better (and gives them flexibility) if healthy.

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Seth Wenig | AP Photo

Just not seeing it

The Hall move probably makes this a moot point. But the coaching staff keeps on saying all the corners are working in the slot, and yet we never see Eli Apple or Janoris Jenkins there during practice. Yes, they likely work there in walk-throughs. But still - practice is practice.

As for the right tackle spot: Still waiting for Bobby Hart to take meaningful first team snaps there, too.

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William Hauser | USA TODAY Sports

OV all over the place

The $85 million man has been great so far in camp, consistently stopping run plays in the backfield and pushing the pocket against the past. The Giants signed Vernon betting he was a good young player about to become a star. He's looked like one over the past week.

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Rich Schultz | AP Photo

JPP looks very good

I had my doubts about how Jason Pierre-Paul's hand would hold up this year, even after surgery. And I still want to see how he fares once the Giants get into game play. But JPP has looked sensational so far. He's disruptive and all over the place, using the hand with ease. He is in tremendous shape, and it shows. I think JPP may be set for a monster year.

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WATCH: QB Ryan Nassib goes deep to WR Darius Powe #GiantsCamp https://t.co/eCSp5GvT97 — New York Giants (@Giants) August 4, 2016

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Good and bad for Darius Powe

On Thursday morning, I wrote that Powe has had a quiet start to training camp. He had a mixed bag day Thursday. He made a couple of catches in team drills, including a nice grab along the sideline, but he also had a bad drop. There's still time, but Roger Lewis Jr. and Tavarres King are beginning to separate themselves at wideout.

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Ed Mulholland | USA TODAY Sports

Johnson and Whitlock, together

It was one play, but the Giants had both fullback Nikita Whitlock and H-back Will Johnson on the field during team drills Thursday. I'm still not convinced Whitlock makes the team, but his chances are better than I first assumed.

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John Munson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Feisty on the line

We're still waiting on our first training camp fight. But guard John Jerry and defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins gave each other the business for a few moments after a run play during team drills. On Wednesday, rookie linebacker B.J. Goodson slapped a lineman in the head (it looked like center Weston Richburg).

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John Munson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Perkins busts through

Rookie running back Paul Perkins had a long run in team drills, busting through the line. He has looked good so far in camp.

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Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Anthony Dable sighting

The intriguing French wideout made his first catch (that I've seen) of camp during team drills, and he looked good doing so. Dable jumped up, boxed out cornerback Michael Hunter (who he does have four inches on) and caught the ball at its highest point, out away from his body. Dable is still incredibly raw, but he flashed on that play.

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Julio Cortez | AP Photo

Thomas slowing down

Logan Thomas did not have a good day, and he's been pretty inconsistent on the whole the past few practices. We'll see what happens in the preseason games, but for now he's not making much of a case.

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James Kratch | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

WATCH: Breaking down the Hall signing

Giants beat writer James Kratch breaks down what the signing of veteran cornerback Leon Hall means for the team.