While the Green Bay Packers’ first preseason game may not have gone the way many would have liked, a former player says there is plenty to be optimistic about.
During Tuesday’s episode of WCUB’s On the Line, Evan Smith pointed to a pair of rookies that seem to be panning out very well.
The one everyone is talking about is receiver Matthew Golden. When Smith attended training camp, he noticed a key detail that he says shows exactly the type of player Golden is.
“He wasn’t going against the… number seven DB. The best DBS on the team were lining up against him purposely,” he noted. “Iron sharpens iron, as we would say. I want to get better, I’d better go against the best dude.”
On top of that “must get better” attitude, Golden has all of the intangibles that make him, at least in Smith’s eyes, the clear-cut #1 receiver.
“Day one of practice. When we were watching that thing, I was like, man,” Smith recalled, specifically highlighting his “route running speeds, operation, you know, awareness, all that stuff.”
The other offensive rookie that caught the 10-year NFL veteran’s eye was offensive lineman Anthony Belton.
“That guy just throws people around, man. He’s just he’s so big,” Smith said. “He moves…when he sets, he’s patient. He’s good with his hands.”
Smith also noted that, despite his size, the speed edge rushers have had a tough time getting around him because he is able to cover so much ground with each step.
You can hear more about Smith’s take on the Packers each week by tuning into 980 WCUB at 9:05 a.m. every Tuesday or listening at SeehaferPodcasts.com.
