The Free Press, Mankato, MN

Vikings News

Related Photos

  • Rookie safety Harrison Smith has made gradual, consistent progress from reserve to starter, and he’ll make his first start Friday against Buffalo. John Cross

    vikes 22 .jpg

August 14, 2012

Rookie safety Smith shows toughness for Vikings

By Chad Courrier Free Press Staff Writer

MANKATO — At one practice, Harrison Smith blitzes up the middle and sacks the quarterback, and during another workout, the rookie safety drops into coverage, breaking up a pass across the middle.

Last week, he even got into a scrap with receiver Percy Harvin, who didn’t appreciate Smith’s intensity and aggressive play.

So quiet and sleek, yet so annoying and feisty.

“I love that,” said defensive coordinator Alan Williams, flashing a big smile that speaks louder than his words. “You want your safeties to be quarterbacks and smart, but you want some nastiness to them, too. He has that.”

Smith, who was the team’s second first-round draft choice from Notre Dame, has been consistently working his way from reserve to starter, showing that he can handle the transition to the faster and more physical play of the NFL.

“It’s still about fundamentals,” Smith said. “You have to make plays. It’s only as complicated as you make it.”

Vikings coach Leslie Frazier said Monday that Smith will get his first start in Friday’s preseason home game against Buffalo.

“He’s done enough now where we feel confident that he can go out there in a starter’s role, and we want to see how he performs, Frazier said. “He did some good things when he was in there Friday.”

Smith played with the second team in last week’s game at San Francisco and made one tackle.

“It was nice to get my feet wet and get used to the speed of the game,” he said. “It was nice to finally play against another team.”

Smith said after one game, he knows he has to work on quicker reaction and better technique, and there is still a month before the games count.

Every competitor wants to be a starter, but Smith said he got to that position by taking care of the daily business and not focusing on the bigger picture.

“You never know what’s going to happen,” Smith said. “The thing you can control is going out there every day and trying to get better.”

Smith has been getting a lot of time this week with the first unit, as Jamarca Sanford and Mistral Raymond have rotated at the other safety spot. Both Frazier and Smith said that just because Smith is starting this week, there’s been no decision on what happens past that.

“It’s preseason, and I think they just want to see a couple different looks,” Smith said. “I don’t think you can read anything into it.”

Text Only | Photo Reprints
Vikings News