The Vikings drafted tight end Irv Smith Jr. this year with the hopes that he can be the tight end of the future.
We have a ways to go before we get to that point. It’s the summer of his rookie season, and we haven’t seen him in a real game. But despite his young age, he’s been turning heads during OTAs.
“With Irv, I just go back to I think he is 20 years old. I think it’s so impressive for a kid — and maybe it speaks to his program, it probably speaks to his parents — he is here and is very serious about minding his business,” Vikings offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski said. “We have some fun with him and that but I am just impressed by the kid. He breaks the huddle, most of the time he knows what to do. He is playing fast. I could see a kid where he is young but I can see this kid developing into a veteran who knows what to do every single time.”
This is a good sign for the Vikings. Whatever happens with Kyle Rudolph’s situation, it seems the team feels pretty comfortable with their new rookie if they need to play him more than they expected.
