The Los Angeles Chargers selected Genesis Smith in the fourth round of the NFL draft, hoping he would add some depth to the secondary.
His preseason debut against the Houston Texans was successful, which earned him some praise from defensive coordinator Chris O’Leary.
“His ceiling is so high and he’s progressing really well right now,” O’Leary said via the team’s website. “You saw him tackle, he had an opportunity at an interception if he taps his feet in the end zone. But you can see the flashes when he’s out there.
“What I love is that he’s out of position in Week 1 of preseason and now in practice you can see where he’s playing football. He’s not out there thinking, which a lot of times can get rookies.”
Smith still has a lot of room to grow as a rookie, but seeing where his baseline is to start his career is definitely a positive sign. He has the opportunity to learn a lot from his veteran position group, and that gives him a chance to truly have a breakout year.
“I’ve been trying to soak in everything I can through the vets,” Smith said. “I’m in a really good room with all the safeties. Everyone has been taking me under their wing. Been trying to spend as much time as I can in this building, trying to get all the plays down so I build trust as fast as possible.”
BFTB community, how do you feel about Smith and the team’s secondary going into the season? Let us know in the comments section below.