Gary Nova won't have to travel far to reach the next stop on his rollercoaster ride of a career. The quarterback, who experienced many highs and lows as a four-year starter at Rutgers, has accepted an invitation to tryout at the Giants' rookie minicamp next weekend, according to a source with knowledge of Nova's situation.

The Giants have two inexperienced quarterbacks behind veteran starter Eli Manning. Ryan Nassib, a fourth-round pick in 2013, is the top backup, and the team signed Ricky Stanzi, who has yet to throw a pass in his four-year career, to a reserve/future contract in January. The Giants carried just two quarterbacks — Manning and Nassib — last season. The 34-year-old Manning has made 178 consecutive starts, including the playoffs.

Nova, who grew up a diehard Jets in Elmwood Park, participated in the Giants' local pro day last month. His first workout with an NFL team was an eye-opening experience.

"It really sunk in," Nova said earlier this week. "Walking in and seeing the Lombardi Trophies in the lobby, sitting in the team meeting room and then going into the locker room like it was a regular day of work, it hits you that it's here. If you're fortunate to get an opportunity, you have to make the most of it."

Nova should be prepared for whatever the NFL has to throw at him after his Rutgers career. He finished his career as the program's all-time leader in touchdown passes; he also ranked second in career interceptions.

Nova's physical skills have never been questioned. The sturdy 6-foot-1, 222-pounder has a strong arm and ran a surprising 4.61-second 40-yard dash at Rutgers' pro day in March.

But Nova was plagued by poor decision-making and inconsistent mechanics. Playing for four different offensive coordinators in four years didn't help Nova's elusive quest for consistency.

Nova had his best season as a senior under the tutelage of offensive coordinator Ralph Friedgen. Nova led the Scarlet Knights to an 8-5 record in their first season in the Big Ten, setting career-highs in completion percentage (57.2), yards (2,851) and touchdowns (22). He threw 12 interceptions, which was down from the previous two seasons.

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Nova arrived at Rutgers as a heralded recruit after leading Don Bosco Prep to a 24-0 record and two state titles in two seasons as the powerhouse's starting quarterback. He started five games as a true freshman at Rutgers before winning the starting job full-time as a sophomore.

Nova made 23 straight starts before coach Kyle Flood benched the inconsistent quarterback for the final three games of the 2013 season. Nova, who was a captain at the time, handled the demotion with maturity. He reclaimed the starting job before the 2014 season and was again named a team captain.

Nova drew praise for his leadership last season, mostly winning over a fan base that had been harshly critical of his play. Nova capped his senior season by earning team MVP honors.

After his Rutgers career finished Nova earned invitation to the Medal of Honor Bowl. He struggled in the all-star game and didn't receive an invitation to the NFL Scouting Combine in February.

Nova shrugged off the snub and continued to train with former Miami Dolphins quarterback Jay Fiedler. Nova showed off improved mechanics at Rutgers' pro day, and he believes he's still developing as a quarterback.

"I learned so much," Nova said before the draft. "I'd like to say I got a lot better, but you don't really find out until you get on the field and you go against another defense. So I'm looking forward to getting the opportunity to do that."

Nova will get his chance to prove his progress with the Giants.

Dan Duggan may be reached at dduggan@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @DDuggan21. Find NJ.com Rutgers Football on Facebook.