Smith impressing, but don’t jump the gun

By Adam Sweeney  |   Wednesday, June 03, 2009  |  Comments( 10 )

Miami Dolphins
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The Miami Dolphins' draft selections of cornerbacks Vontae Davis and Sean Smith make a lot of sense when you consider the AFC East wide receivers they will be going up against, a list which includes Randy Moss and the always adorable Terrell Owens. Physicality is a must-have if you don't want to be watching them blow by you. While Davis is a smaller 5-foot-11, he can crush a receiver. Smith, however, seems to have the perfect body to match up against a No. 1 receiver. It could explain why he has jumped to the first team in organized team activities.

Smith has outplayed Eric Green so far, which may not come as a surprise to many. It is a bit of a stunner that Davis isn't adjusting as quickly, given the hype surrounding him. But then again, he is the brother of Vernon Davis, a physical freak but a bit of a letdown, and I am being polite when I use that term. But there is plenty of time for Davis to catch up.

OTAs are interesting in the sense that they give certain positions huge advantages. Because there isn't exactly ferocious blocking going on, defensive linemen can use the counterpart offensive blockers. No hitting is allowed, so receivers like Patrick Turner have the corners' number. It's easy to catch a pass when you aren't worried about getting laid out going up the middle. And Turner took advantage of that in Miami's first session by using Smith. But Smith adjusted and that is what the Dolphins are looking for. As long as he continues to improve, Smith can get the starting spot, assuming Will Allen is opposite him at corner.

Things could drastically change when training camp starts. The coaches know that and the fans should know it. Once the pads are on and the hits start coming, expect Davis to catch up to Smith. That's when his talent really shows. Then again, maybe Smith is just one of those players who is taking advantage of the opportunity and won't ever look back. If that is the case, then Davis could eventually be considered a bust. But it's too soon to get too high on Smith or low on Davis. It's a three-horse race as of now. We will see who's at the finish line come September.
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About Adam Sweeney

Adam Sweeney spent 4 years as an opinions and arts & entertainment columnist with the Lone Star Lutheran, also working with Sports Illustrated.com. Along with his work on Realfootball 365 he currently is a contributor for Film School Rejects, SLAM Online, Talkhoops.net, and C-Heads ...
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