The New York Giants selected former Washburn University cornerback Corey Ballentine in the sixth round of the 2019 NFL Draft.
A few hours later, Ballentine reportedly suffered a gunshot wound as the result of an off-campus shooting on Sunday in an incident that also resulted in the death of one of his Washburn teammates.
BREAKING: Washburn football player Dwane Simmons was killed and #Giants draft pick Corey Ballentine was injured in an off-campus shooting early Sunday morning.
— Tyler Greever (@Tyler_Greever) April 28, 2019
The Giants issued a statement on the matter after learning of the situation:
“We are aware of the tragic situation and continue to gather information,” reads an official statement released by the Giants. “We have spoken to Corey, and he is recovering in the hospital. Our thoughts are with Dwane Simmons’ family, friends and teammates and the rest of the Washburn community.”
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network also shed some light on the situation while confirming that the Giants newcomer did not suffer a life-threatening injury as a result of the incident.
More on the health of #Giants 6th-round pick Corey Ballentine: The gunshot wound is not life-threatening, source said. In fact, doctors told him the recovery is just a matter of weeks. Horrific situation, as his roommate Dwane Simmons was killed in the shooting following a party.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 28, 2019
Although he now finding himself in the midst of his unfortunate situation, it appears as though Ballentine will ultimately make his way to the NFL ranks as a member of the Giants.
“Explosive, NFL-caliber athlete with outstanding speed and plus short-area quickness to match routes and drive on throws,” reads Ballentine's 2019 NFL Draft profile on NFL.com. “Ballentine's long speed, play strength and twitch will be coveted by teams looking for man-cover talent. While he could find early reps as a plus special teams performer, his trip to the Senior Bowl should give teams an early indication of how quickly he can acclimate to a step up in competition in coverage.”
The Giants will undoubtedly continue to monitor Ballentine's situation moving forward.
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