James Bradberry bringing massive ‘chip on shoulder’ to Giants

James Bradberry thinks the Giants were the best fit for where to continue his NFL career, which is why the Carolina Panthers free agent agreed to a three-year, $45 million contract to be a shutdown cornerback on the field and a leader in the locker room. His dad thinks the Giants were the best fit, …

James Bradberry thinks the Giants were the best fit for where to continue his NFL career, which is why the Carolina Panthers free agent agreed to a three-year, $45 million contract to be a shutdown cornerback on the field and a leader in the locker room. His dad thinks the Giants were the best fit, too, and vowed the big contract won’t end his son’s quest to prove his doubters wrong.

Bradberry, 26, has been doing that since coming out of Pleasant Grove High School in Alabama, where he was shunned by SEC and ACC schools and eventually wound up at Samford University.

“He’s still got that chip on his shoulder from his senior year in high school,” James Bradberry Sr. told The Post. “From some reason, the ACC and the SEC schools said he was too slow even though he led the state in interceptions. He was 6-foot, 205 pounds and ran a 4.5, and they were recruiting players that were slower than him. He’s still got that chip on his shoulder about that. He’s always out to prove himself.”

Asked what Giants fans can expect from his son, Bradberry Sr., 52, described someone who should fit in with the Giants culture that new coach Joe Judge is trying to create.

“He’s real disciplined,” the elder Bradberry said, speaking by telephone from his home just outside of Birmingham, Ala. “He’s studious and he’s a quiet leader. He’s going to do his job, and he’s not going to make a lot of noise about it.”

Most of all, the elder Bradberry is glad his son is out of Carolina, which is undergoing a rebuild under new coach Matt Rhule, formerly of Baylor. The Panthers made a big splash by releasing quarterback Cam Newton while replacing him with Teddy Bridgewater and adding former Jets receiver Robby Anderson. However, Bradberry Sr. was more concerned about what was being done on the defensive side.

The Panthers signed Vikings defensive end Stephen Weatherly to a two-year contract and former Browns defensive end Chris Smith to a one-year deal. They also added former Raiders linebacker Tahir Whitehead for one year, lured former Browns safety Juston Burris with a two-year deal and safety Tre Boston was re-signed for three years.

What bothered Bradberry Sr. was the release of safety Eric Reid and a lack of commitment to keeping a dominant defensive line together.

“They’re cleaning house,” Bradberry Sr. said of the Panthers, who selected his son in the second round of the 2016 draft. “They had a defensive line that was second in the league in sacks. But it’s like a new athletic director in college. When a new AD comes in, he finds ways to get their own players in there.

“They gave Rhule a big contract, but he hasn’t proven anything. He comes from the Big 12, which is an offensive-minded conference. You can rebuild the offense, but keep that defense together. You need defense to win in the NFL.”

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That was part of the Giants’ thinking in signing his son. Bradberry said the Giants initially had eyes for Cowboys cornerback Byron Jones, who eventually went to the Dolphins on a reported five-year, $82.5 million contract with $57 million guaranteed.

“The Giants first wanted the guy from Dallas and were really going after him,” Bradberry said. “When they didn’t get him, they had my son second and they matched the number that he wanted.”

The Giants now have a quiet leader with a chip on his shoulder in James Bradberry. Just ask his dad.