1969 Giants Defensive Back Profiles

WILLIE WILLIAMS
Cornerback
No. 41
Grambling
"When Willie Williams first turned up at the Giant training camp in 1965, the coaching staff fingered him as a future star. They liked his quickness and his instincts.
He spent his rookie season as a reserve defensive back and came down with one interception. He was gone the following year, signing on with the Oakland Raiders. But in 1967 he returned with the Giants, and slowly began winning his way back into the lineup. By season's end he had a regular job.
Then last year he took hold at cornerback and merely led all NFL defenders in interceptions with ten.
He's come a long way in a short time, and Willie owes it to a determined spirit. He studies pro receivers so he knows what to expect, and rarely gets caught making the same mistake twice."

-Jack Zanger, Pro Football 1969


SCOTT EATON
Cornerback
No. 20
Oregon State
Scott has a habit of being in the right place at the right time when the opposing quarterback passes the football. His great speed and quick reactions make him an instinctive player who always seems to know where to be. Scott is also a strong open-field tackler.


BRUCE MAHER
Strong Safety
No. 21
Detroit
"Every unit on a football club needs a leader in order to be truly effective, and the Giants' deep four did not really gel until they acquired Bruce Maher from Detroit. A young old pro of nine NFL seasons, the wiry 5-11, 185-pounder took charge of the secondary and turned the crew into a band of ball thieves.
Maher plays with a fire and a finesse that seemed to rub off on the younger men in the secondary, and he provided the steadying influence it never had before. It was Bruce's big interception and 89-yard return of a Don Meredith pass that played an important part in the Giants' upset win over Dallas last season."

-Jack Zanger, Pro Football 1969


SPIDER LOCKHART
Free Safety
No. 43
North Texas State
"Even though he wears the same uniform as his teammates, Spider Lockhart still sticks out like a soloist. Maybe it's his tentacular body, loose jointed and wiry, or the way he struts on the field, or the way he rubs his hands together while the enemy quarterback barks signals.
But it's probably the way he plays the free safety position more than anything else that makes Spider such an individualist. The free safety has more freedom and more latitude than anyone else on the football field, and the Spider takes full advantage of it. He anticipates, guesses, gambles, and more often than not, is right.
Playing free safety for the second time in his four years in the pros, Spider intercepted eight passes last year to place third in the league, and he ran two of them back for touchdowns. One of his TD's came on a 72-yard play. For a guy who weighs only 175 pounds, he's a hitter who really stings the ball carrier.
Spider - his straight name is Carl - came to the Giants from North Texas State as their 13th round draft pick in 1965."

-Jack Zanger, Pro Football 1969