When a player enters the NFL, there’s always something to adjust to.
For Vikings tight end Irv Smith Jr. it’s been the speed of the game, even though he’s coming from a program with so many pro players at Alabama.
“Playing at Alabama we had a lot of guys that played in the league, so they would come back and tell us different [things],” Smith Jr. said Wednesday. “Everybody wanted to know how it is in the NFL, because that’s ultimately everybody’s goal. So I would just ask them what the biggest difference. In college, the game is fast, but in the NFL it’s even faster. And everybody has speed, so that’s what coaches are looking for. I say definitely the speed of the game, for sure.”
Smith Jr. was drafted in the second round to be the tight end of the future, but don’t be surprised if he starts to take a few looks away from Kyle Rudolph sooner rather than later. Smith Jr. has the athleticism that Rudolph doesn’t have.
It’ll be fun to see what Smith Jr. can offer once preseason starts up.
