The Giants brought big name free agent Logan Ryan on board last week to help out with their secondary, and the New Jersey native is excited to be back home.

Ryan, who played college football about 20 minutes or so from the Giants practice facility, spoke to reporters for the first time wearing Big Blue's colors and talked about his return to the area and playing under Joe Judge again, among other things.

Here are the takeaways from his Zoom call Monday...

On his return to New Jersey

Ryan grew up in Voorhees Township, NJ and then played for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights for three seasons from 2010 to 2012, before declaring for the 2013 NFL Draft and winding up up in New England.

"Coming home was definitely something I always thought about," Ryan said. "...To be able to come home and play 20 minutes from Rutgers and an hour from where I grew up, I mean it's a dream come true. I'm so grateful for the opportunity honestly."

"Hopefully I can show (kids from New Jersey) that if they work hard and you're from the area, you can come and play for the home team, and bring that familiarity and humility home to the Jersey kids."

On how he got to where he is today

A four-star recruit out of high school, Ryan had two All-Big East seasons before becoming a third round pick by the Patriots in 2013, and he credits it all to work ethic.

"I'm just a hard-working kid, I was raised that way," Ryan said. "I went to Rutgers out of New Jersey, worked hard for every win and every loss. Got drafted in the third round by New England, I wasn't guaranteed a dang thing and worked hard every single day."

"When you're 21 years old leaving Rutgers a junior and you're on the practice field with Tom Brady a few months later, you have to grow up quick. So I had to take those losses against Tom Brady and that really grew me up and here I am. ...I'm just a guy with average ability who worked really hard at it."

On playing for Joe Judge and Patrick Graham again

Judge and Graham were both coaches in New England during Ryan's four season with the Patriots. Ryan said he spent a lot of time under Judge being on special teams as a rookie.

"Joe Judge, the familiarity with him, and Patrick Graham, was definitely a huge swing in that favor (on coming to the Giants)," Ryan said.

"(Judge's) language didn't clean up, so he definitely spoke the same....He was intense....He was detail-oriented, he was serious, but he was more of a players guy than he might want to come off. I think he can relate to the player and he does a good job of connecting to you..."

On where he fits into the defense

"I'm 100 percent prepared and learning all the positions," Ryan said. "...I think the evolution is to be a DB and study all the positions and the arts of it. ... Whatever the team needs me to do from week-to-week I think gives great versatility with myself and Jabrill Peppers, Julian Love. ... This is a matchup league. ... The more position flexibility you have, I think gives you the ability to do more stuff on defense."

"I told Joe when I signed up, I'm going to come in, do whatever you need me to do, whatever position that may be. Whether that requires leadership or practicing every play or taking every snap, I'm willing to do that for the team and for this city, because this is where I'm from, this is what I represent and I'm thankful for the opportunity."

On his jersey number

Throughout his career, Ryan has worn No. 26. But that number of course is taken by Saquon Barkley on the Giants. However, Barkley offered the number up to Ryan for a price.

Ryan's response?

"I think it's probably out of my price range," he said jokingly. "I don't think I've got a contract sizable (enough) to pay Nike to get 26 from Saquon."

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