Chiefs Rookie Camp: Trent McDuffie, Bryan Cook discuss transition to NFL

The Kansas Metropolis Chiefs used half of their 10 selections in last weekend’s draft on defensive backs. First-round cornerback Trent McDuffie of Washington and second-round security Bryan Prepare dinner of Cincinnati mentioned becoming a member of the crew with native media simply earlier than Saturday’s follow at this weekend’s rookie minicamp.

Each gamers talked about their transition to the crew — in addition to the significance of being versatile with completely different roles.

“There’s undoubtedly an obligation to come back in right here and do my greatest,” McDuffie said. “Personally for me, I’m simply coming in right here to be the perfect teammate I will be. Be taught the installs and type of simply do what (Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve) Spagnuolo and (defensive backs coach Dave) Merritt need me to do. So I can go on the market and produce the way in which they need me to.”

Prepare dinner additionally appreciated the early alternative to work together with his new coaches.

“It’s such as you’re again being a freshman — simply attempting to determine it out,” Prepare dinner famous. “However I’ve nice coaches, nice teammates serving to me out. So I’m simply trying ahead to every day getting higher. Absorbing all the data from the coaches and teammates — so I will be the perfect ‘sponge’ I will be — that’s profitable in my eyes.”

Each gamers additionally touched upon their first activity — studying their new crew’s playbook.

“I find it irresistible — we get to do a number of distinctive issues,” McDuffie noticed. “Particularly coming from U Dub (College of Washington), there’s type of some comparable issues right here and there so I’m capable of choose up on it slightly bit simpler. As of proper now, I actually just like the playbook.”

Prepare dinner merely sees studying the playbook as the duty earlier than him, taking a doing his job mentality.

“I believe you’re attempting to go extra deeper than it really is,” Prepare dinner responded. “It’s ‘right here’s a playbook, I’ve obtained to study it.’ There’s no actual expectations. I simply keep centered and take every day because it comes.”

Though Chiefs coach Andy Reid beforehand mentioned McDuffie would slide in as a boundary nook, the rookie confirmed he’s at present engaged on each outdoors and nickel roles.

“Proper now I’m studying nook and nickel,” McDuffie mentioned, “Type of simply attempting to study each positions. Go on the market and take a look at it out.”

Prepare dinner, who performed cornerback at Howard College earlier than changing to security upon transferring to Cincinnati, is aware of the significance of studying completely different positions, particularly for a psychological understanding of the sport.

“Being affected person as a nook could be very key,” he expained. “When you get an opportunity to be a security, it helps much more. Particularly with making calls and calling checks. In addition to ‘subsequent play mentality.’ We’ve seen nice receivers on this league — they’re going to attain factors, make good catches, and issues like that. I believe that with the ability to get a ‘subsequent play mentality’ is certainly one thing.”

Of their first look earlier than crew media, each gamers took the chance to deal with minor issues raised within the draft course of.

McDuffie pays no consideration to the narrative that his stature and arm size — notably smaller than typical for high rated cornerbacks — will impression his play, namedropping a lately departed Chiefs legend for instance.

“I don’t take heed to any of that,” he declared. “You guys know (former Chiefs security) Tyrann Mathieu. Not a really massive man — however we make performs. That’s one thing that I am going onto the sector day by day figuring out that I wish to be that man — I name it the spark man. The man you all the time see flashing on the display screen right here and there. Simply all out effort.

“That’s what I can management is my effort. Simply with the ability to management that and exhibiting the coaches that I’m going to run round everywhere in the area with my hair on hearth every down is one thing that I’m going to placed on tape.”

Picture by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Pictures

Earlier than the gamers remarks, Prepare dinner was reported to be restricted within the weekend’s practices due to a shoulder harm.

“I’m on the sector till they inform me to not be,” Prepare dinner mentioned of the harm. “I’m going to do what they let me do and attempt to benefit from it. That’s all I can do.”

With 10 complete picks, this yr’s Chiefs draft class has the potential to become a big a part of the crew’s core for the subsequent few seasons. McDuffie appreciates the chance to set the tone for the crew going ahead.

“This class undoubtedly got here in attempting to show some extent,” McDuffie mentioned of the group. “Everyone could be very assured. Everyone is type of a brotherhood already. It type of felt like I’ve already identified these guys for some time — and I simply met them the opposite day. They’re very distinctive they usually’re simply keen to do the soiled work. Which is one thing I do know I can do, and I like to be part of that.”