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The rise for Cincinnati Bengals rookie guard D’Ante Smith has been quick and dramatic.
After shocking as a second-string name on the depth chart even ahead of second-rounder Jackson Carman, Smith started Monday’s practice as the first-team guard on the left side.
Bengals coaches have been adamant that they will continue to rotate in a bunch of names on the interior, likely all the way up until the start of the regular season.
But it’s pretty telling coming out of Saturday’s preseason win over Tampa Bay that Smith’s good performance there has the coaches thinking about giving him a chance to climb even higher on the depth chart.
Odds are veterans still end up starting in the guard spots and Smith is immediate depth. But the former tackle prospect who had to remake his body, then learn the guard spot has had perhaps the biggest ascension of any player during Bengals training camp.
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