Patrick Peterson had built a Hall of Fame résumé before Isaiah Hodgins entered college in 2017, let alone began finding his way in the NFL. 

But the unheralded Hodgins made one of the great cornerbacks of this generation learn his name Saturday by making big catch after big catch to set career highs in the first half, and by holding his own in a trash-talking battle. Hodgins had receptions on three straight plays for the Giants, a scramble-drill touchdown, a full-extension grab and then … 

Peterson got the ultimate laugh for the Vikings with an interception that took “at least three points” in head coach Brian Daboll’s estimation and wound up haunting the Giants in their 27-24 loss at Minnesota. 

“I just told him to stay patient, it’s a four-quarter game: ‘Trust me, I am going to get a pick today,’ ” Peterson said on NFL Network. 

It is no surprise that Hodgins — who finished with eight catches for 89 yards as the Giants’ passing playbook opened up as it hadn’t all season — isn’t intimidated by legends. He grew up around NFL stars who were teammates with his Super Bowl-winning father, James, from 1999-2006 on the Rams, Cardinals and Jets. 

“It was fun, kind of crazy to me,” Hodgins said of matching up against Peterson. “Pro Bowler or not a Pro Bowler, I’m in that attack mentality all the time and trying to show I belong in this league. It’s a week-by-week league. Every week I’m trying to prove it.” 

The retired Larry Fitzgerald is a common link between Hodgins, the 24-year-old receiver, and Peterson, the 32-year-old cornerback. Hodgins emulated Fitzgerald growing up, and Peterson was teammates with Fitzgerald for 10 seasons on the Cardinals, during which time he made eight Pro Bowls and became a three-time First-Team All-Pro. 

When Hodgins and the Giants joined forces on Nov. 2 via a waivers claim, it was a perfect match of a 2020 sixth-round draft choice hungry to get out of Bills star Stefon Diggs’ shadow and find an opportunity and a team desperate for any perimeter playmaking. Hodgins quickly proved to be more helpful to Daniel Jones than overpaid $72 million free-agent Kenny Golladay and now-traded draft bust Kadarius Toney ever were. 

En route to five catches for 63 yards by halftime, the sure-handed Hodgins woke up a slow-starting offense on a long drive that ended in a turnover. It turns out he was just getting started — about to add his third touchdown catch in four games (it would have been his fourth in five if not for one negated by penalty) to trail only Saquon Barkley and Jones for the team lead in TDs. 

“The coaches have been doing a good job of utilizing what I can do and realizing I can help in the red zone,” Hodgins said. “I just try to do my part.” 

Hodgins extended his crossing route to run with a scrambling Jones and settled into open space for a 7-yard score. On the next possession, he made a fully outstretched diving 29-yard catch to move the ball out of the shadow of the Giants’ end zone. Feeding the hot hand, Jones went back to Hodgins and drew a 9-yard defensive pass interference penalty against the boundary-side corner Peterson, who got to his feet shaking his head as if suddenly aware that he was in for a challenge. 

Peterson responded with a blitz that created a split sack for two teammates and forced the Giants out of thinking about attempting a long tying field goal and instead led to a punt. It was only his second biggest play of the game — enough to offset a mistimed jump on a 2-point conversion that prevented the Giants from tying the score at 24-24 with less two minutes remaining.