Sean Smith on Rookies Peters and Nelson

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Player Spotlight – Cornerback Sean Smith talks Marcus Peters, Steve Nelson

 

Coming off one of the best seasons of his six-year career a season ago, cornerback Sean Smith finds himself as one of the veteran leaders amongst a Chiefs group that has two top-three round rookie draft picks, including first-round pick (No. 18 overall) Marcus Peters.

“He's a tremendous athlete and the guy is very smart,” Smith said of Peters. “We all know he was gifted and talented. He was a first-round draft pick and that's what you expect. But the way he's picked up the defense and just the smaller things that myself and the rest of the coaching staff are trying to explain to him, he’s come a long way and he's picked it up very fast."

Smith explained the kinds of things he’s helping Peters out with during practice and in meetings.

“Read concepts, understanding splits and the West Coast offense versus a traditional offense, or a spread offense. It all varies with splits and it can help you knowing which route the receiver's going to give you.

“Anything I can do to help those guys, I'm always willing."

Smith also likes what he sees from third-round pick, Steve Nelson.

"Nothing bothers him,” Smith explained of Nelson. “He has a smile on his face and a really short memory. The guy has a lot of fire under him—always willing to learn and he's always going to give you 100 percent every time he's out there."

Smith explained that part of playing cornerback in the NFL is learning how to deal with failure, something Nelson has already shown an ability to do.

“You're going to get beat; it's the National Football League,” he said. “Guys are good, they get paid too. He'll get beat on a deep ball, come back and smile in the huddle like it never happened. You don't want that play to happen, but you appreciate a guy who can let it go and move on."

The ability to have a “short memory” is something you don’t always see from a young cornerback, but Nelson impressed his teammates with his actions on Sunday.

“He got beat on a play and he took the next three reps,” Smith explained. “He skipped me and then the guy behind me. He said, 'No, I need this work.'

“You appreciate that.

“Some guys get beat, coach (Andy Reid) yells at them and they kind of fade to the back of the line and get down on themselves. But to see a guy who's hungry and wants to take the reps, to prove that he can do this, you like that.

“That's what you want to see."

As a young player for the Miami Dolphins back in 2009, Smith played over 900 snaps as a rookie second-round pick.

Smith recalled the veterans who helped him out as a young player.

"Will Allen was the big vet down there in Miami,” he said. “He had so much knowledge of the game and he really helped slow it down for me. And Yeremiah Bell was a safety we had down there. Those two guys stayed on me, regardless of if I was a rookie or not. They didn't give me any slack because I was starting, so there was no time for that rookie slump or whatever you want to call it. Those guys wanted to win and they knew what it took to win. They just stayed in my head every day.

“Not to mention my defensive backs coach was Todd Bowles, who’s now the head coach for the New York Jets. I couldn't have asked for a better staff and supporting cast around me to get me where I am today."

Smith is now in a position to help the next group of up-and-coming cornerbacks try and get this Chiefs defense, which ranked No. 2 in the NFL last season in pass defense by allowing just 203 yards per game, to that top spot.

They return to the field on Tuesday for practice at 8:15 a.m.