Joe Judge's coaching style is different. At Giants training camp, that method -- already questioned by some, as SNY's Ralph Vacchiano examined Thursday -- has been on full display.

Having coached under a pair of all-time greats in college and the NFL -- the New England Patriots' Bill Belichick (2012-19) and Alabama's Nick Saban (2009-11) -- Judge stems from two respected coaching trees.

With Saban is where rookie safety Xavier McKinney, whom the Giants selected from Alabama with the No. 36 overall pick in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft, comes into play.

"It's very similar," McKinney said Thursday, comparing Giants training camp with Judge to his three-year career from 2017-19 under Saban at Alabama. "Basically, when I figured out and (Judge) kind of discussed some of his rules and how he wanted things to be handled and how he wanted us to be as a team, it was almost like a mirror version of how it was at 'Bama for me. So as far as that, it was an easy adjustment for me because I've already been in this type of system. So it wasn't that hard of a transition."

As he enters his 14th season at Alabama, Saban is 152-23 overall and 86-15 against Southeastern Conference opponents The Crimson Tide have won five national championships (three Bowl Championships series, two College Football Playoff), plus two more title game appearances.

McKinney was on the most recent national championship-winning team, the 2017 season, getting his feet wet as a freshman in a career that blossomed. He eventually totaled 175 tackles (13 for loss), six sacks, five interceptions (15 pass breakups) and four forced fumbles (one recovery) in 32 games.

As he embarks on his NFL career with the Giants, he keeps a simple approach.

"Of course, it's a little different, the transition from college to the pros -- definitely a different level of speed and just tempo," McKinney said. "But ... it's still a bit similar, as far as kind of what we do. But as far as tempo wise, it's a little bit faster. But it has a lot of similar ways to it.

"I'm just trying to get better, each and every day," McKinney added. "I'm not exactly where I want to be right now and ... whatever role that they want me to play, whatever they want me to do so the team is successful, I'll make sure that I do that. So for me, my main focus as a rookie is trying to get better, is trying to earn the respect of my teammates, trying to earn the trust from my teammates and that's what I'm going to do."

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