WESTFIELD — George Gumbs had his rookie moment early in camp.
The rookie defensive end from Florida blew past a tackle, knifed into the backfield and raced past the non-contact jersey-wearing quarterback for what Gumbs thought was a sack, and he responded by celebrating while the quarterback took off around the edge.
The next thing Gumbs knew, Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo was in his ear, loudly letting Gumbs know to finish the play.
Every rookie has a “Welcome to the NFL” moment.
The notable thing about the lesson Gumbs learned is that it didn’t come at the hands of another player. A raw ball of energy, Gumbs has now played his first preseason game, and he didn’t feel like the speed of the game was any different than how he played in college.
Maybe because Gumbs has always pushed it to the limit.
“I brand myself as a high-effort player that plays violent,” Gumbs said.
Gumbs has looked the part in his first training camp.
While he’s not a polished rusher at this point, the former wide receiver has routinely made plays in training camp, beating offensive tackles with his sheer athleticism.
Gumbs has also worked hard to close the technical gap he faces. Gumbs, a wide receiver and tight end in his first two seasons at Northern Illinois, has been a defensive end for only three seasons, and he spent his first couple of summers as a defensive end working out on campus in Gainesville.
After the Colts drafted Gumbs in the fifth round, he got in touch with former Ravens assistant Chuck Smith, a pass-rush consultant for two decades after posting 58.5 sacks in a decade with the Falcons.
Smith taught Gumbs that he didn’t need to learn a new arsenal of moves.
“I wouldn’t say I learned something brand-new,” Gumbs said. “We’ve done the same moves since the 1980’s. Same cross-chop, same stab. It’s just about getting better with your hand placement, what I’m keying, whether it’s the arm, the wrist, the elbow, am I trying to get to the shoulder pad?”
Smith wanted Gumbs to focus on the details.
“The core things: Get-off, bend, defining your moves,” Gumbs said. “When you get your one-on-one chance, you’ve got to get to your moves and win.”
Gumbs has the athleticism to be what Colts general manager Chris Ballard calls a “fastball” off the edge, a speed option behind Indianapolis starter Laiatu Latu.
Carving out a significant role defensively might be tough as a rookie. A player like Gumbs often takes a few years to develop in the NFL, even if he flashes in training camp and opens the preseason with a sack, the way Gumbs did in New England.
But the potential is clear.
“The young kid has shown up some,” Anarumo said.
Gumbs has a chance to make a bid for the active roster. His speed makes him a candidate to play special teams — Gumbs opened the preseason by playing on the first-team units in the kicking game — and potentially to get a few chances when injuries strike or Anarumo wants to go with a five-man front, a formation that often looks like a 3-4.
That first preseason game has already shown Gumbs there’s plenty more he needs to learn, even after a night where he recorded a sack and helped Bryce Boettcher blow up a running play by setting the edge.
“Beating the chipper,” Gumbs said. “You don’t want to just say, ‘I got chipped,’ and that’s the end of your rush.”
Gumbs isn’t the type to give up on a rush, not until the quarterback is on the ground.
He’s already learned that sometimes the NFL requires a player to keep rushing even after it feels like the play has ended.
Joel A. Erickson and Nathan Brown cover the Colts all season. Get more coverage on IndyStarTV and with the Colts Insider newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: A near sack, a lesson and a glimpse of the future: George Gumbs turns heads in Colts camp