Irv Smith Jr. centered a bunch formation to Kirk Cousins' right side. The elusive Vikings rookie tight end then displayed in a training camp practice why the team remains high on the second-round draft pick, even as Smith faces the same learning curve that weighs down most NFL rookie tight ends.
A 6-2, 242-pound blur sped past linebacker Kentrell Brothers. Smith then stopped his crossing route in front of Cousins, juking his head like an NBA guard. Cousins pump-faked, Brothers left his feet and Smith continued his crossing route unguarded into a touchdown catch.
"He's shown he can roll," Cousins said. "He's got great movement skills."
Smith, the Alabama product and son of former New Orleans Saints tight end Irv Smith, is a key part of the Vikings' vision to run more "12" personnel — one running back, two tight ends — with Kyle Rudolph, and make it harder for defenses to guess if plays are run or pass. Smith also has high expectations for himself, joking he would like to catch 10 touchdowns as a rookie to come near his father's career total.
But lofty expectations come with the context of an NFL trend for rookie tight ends — only three have eclipsed 600 receiving yards in the 2000s — and Smith's continued education in the Vikings offense. Tight ends need to know pass protection, like offensive linemen; they need to know the routes, like wide receivers; and in Smith's case, they need to know how to lead block, like a fullback.
Learning the playbook has been a work in progress, he said.
"It's definitely something I'm trying to improve on," Smith said. "It's a big transition, but [offensive coordinator Kevin] Stefanski and [tight ends coach Brian] Pariani are doing a great job of getting me involved and just trying to work on getting better at it."
He is getting no shortage of reps in training camp, especially with last year's No. 2 tight end, David Morgan, on the physically-unable-to-perform list. Smith has worked primarily with the second-team offense and backup quarterback Sean Mannion, but he has mixed in with the starters as well.