EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The New York Giants were hoping Chris Snee would be their starting right guard for one more season.

When Snee was forced to retire at the start of training camp due to injuries, the Giants had to move on to Plan B -- Brandon Mosley.

The 25-year-old Mosley, a fourth-round draft pick by the Giants out of Auburn in 2012, has held on to the starting position thus far.

"I’ve still got a lot room for improvement," Mosley said Thursday. "Hopefully I can be that guy."

The 6-foot-5, 318-pound Mosley began his college career at Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College, where he played defensive end and tight end, before transferring to Auburn and shifting to the offensive line.

He spent his rookie season with the Giants on injured reserve because of an ankle injury, but played in 13 games in 2013, including one start in the second to last game of the regular season.

Mosley gave up a quarterback hit in the Hall of Fame Game against the Buffalo Bills 11 days ago, and was flagged once for holding last Saturday against the Pittsburgh Steelers. But he also delivered a crushing block on a Steelers linebacker that sprung running back Rashad Jennings free for a 73-yard touchdown run. (See Mosley, No. 75, deliver the block here.)

"It’s a great feeling," Mosley said, "to get out there and do that, execute that really well."

All eyes will be on left tackle Will Beatty on Saturday in Indianapolis, as he makes his preseason debut, his first game action since suffering a broken right leg in the regular-season finale last year. But Mosley bears watching, too.

The Giants have other options at right guard. John Jerry, a five-year veteran brought in from Miami in the offseason, has much more experience -- 57 games played in four seasons with the Dolphins, including 45 starts. And the Giants' second-round draft pick this spring, Weston Richburg, played center at Colorado State but has gotten reps at guard during training camp as well.

Many people expect Richburg or Jerry to beat Mosley out, but it's still Mosley's job to lose going into this game against the Colts.

He did have the benefit of being around Snee, a possible Hall of Famer, for two years. And Mosley says Snee continues to stay in touch with him and the rest of the offensive line via text message, offering advice from time to time.

"It’d be tough to be as good -- hopefully one day I’ll be as good as him," Mosley said. "But he taught a lot of us a lot of stuff while he was here -- a lot of technique, watching film, what to look for, what not to. So it helped a lot."

This is Brandon Mosley's chance to prove it.