Vikings Fans Should Know About Rodney Smith
By Adam Carlson
Nov 24, 2012; Tallahassee, FL, USA; Florida State Seminoles wide receiver Rodney Smith (84) runs the ball during the second half of the game against the Florida Gators at Doak Campbell Stadium. Gators defeated the Seminoles 37-26. Mandatory Credit: Melina Vastola-USA TODAY Sports
For 4 years, Rodney Smith was a Wide Receiver for the Florida State Seminoles. He entered the 2013 NFL Draft hoping that his dreams would come true and be drafted by an NFL team. Sadly, Draft weekend came and left. Rodney Smith was not one of the players who was selected.
Even though Smith never put up huge numbers at FSU, there are a lot of very interesting things about him. Here are five reasons why the Vikings should be exited about this young player:
1) Smith is a big target. Vikings.com lists him as being 6’6″, but in reality, he is closer to 6’4″. When you combine his height with his nearly 35 inch arm length, he will tower over most opposing Cornerbacks in the NFL.
2) His long legs allow him to make huge strides down the football field and gobble up yards quickly. He is athletic enough to be elusive after the catch.
3) Smith is very consistent and reliable target for Quarterbacks. At FSU, he had a catch in 30 straight games.
4) He shows excellent body control when adjusting for catches or throwing blocks. His small frame allows him to be pushed around a bit, but the effort is there.
Oct 13, 2012; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Florida State Seminoles wide receiver Rodney Smith (84) during the first half of the game against the Boston College Eagles at Doak Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Vastola-USA TODAY Sports
5) As a 2-year teammate of Vikings Quarterback Christian Ponder at Florida State, they are familiar with each other’s tendencies both on and off the field.
Rodney Smith might not be ready for the 53 man roster this year, as he still needs to adjust to the NFL. He will need to add some bulk to his frame and work on his technique in order to be effective in the league. If the Vikings keep him as the 5th Wide Receiver on the roster or are able to hide him away on the practice squad, they may have found a gem that they can develop into a big time player.