You know the old saying “iron sharpens iron” right? In the case of the Chicago Bears, that could not have been more accurate between a pair of rookies during Monday’s training camp practice up at Halas Hall.
During Monday’s practice as players began going through 1-on-1 drills, rookies Tyler Scott and Terell Smith had an intense battle that was caught on video by Clay Harbor.
This was a nice rep by both Bears rookies Terrell Smith and Tyler Scott.
Smith jams Scott off the line and throws off the rhythm of his route. Scott keeps playing and uses his elite quickness to get open. #DaBears #Bears #ChicagoBears pic.twitter.com/lSEZBuPPue
— Clay Harbor (@clayharbs82) July 31, 2023
Scott, the receiver was jammed immediately off the snap by the cornerback Smith and had to fight to regain his route. Smith was draped all over Scott until the receiver planted his foot on an inside move to lose him before whipping back to the outside to make the catch. Scott eventually got the better of Smith but it took a while for that to happen.
The two rookies have been pleasant surprises to start camp. Scott, a fourth-round pick out of Cincinnati, has displayed impressive bursts of speed and quickness both at receiver and on special teams. He’s blown past defenders on deep routes and has the ability to shake them in space. On the other side, Smith was drafted in the fifth round out of Minnesota and is a lengthy cornerback. He’s already turning heads in camp and has seen plenty of reps with the starting defense. Plays like the one with Scott are a reason why.
Time will tell whether or not Scott and/or Smith continue their rise and become meaningful contributors when the regular season gets underway. But both players showed why the Bears are so high on them this early in camp.