Former SEC rivals Nick Bolton, Trey Smith excited to compete together with Chiefs
Part of rookie minicamp is building initial bonds with the players that you’ll come up with during your NFL career.
Through the first two days at Kansas City Chiefs rookie minicamp, those bonds have already begun to form among many new teammates.
“Building a bond with those guys, I talked to them,” Rookie LB Nick Bolton told reporters on Friday. “We’re all staying at the same spot. A couple of linebackers that came here, I’m building a relationship with those guys as well.”
“It’s a great team chemistry right now,” Rookie OL Trey Smith said. “We’re really focused, just trying to get better every day, just earning what we can get.”
Some players are already familiar with each other from competing against each other in college. That’s the case for Bolton and Smith, who played against each other in each of the past two seasons in the SEC when the Missouri Tigers and Tennessee Volunteers faced off.
“I also played against a couple of guys, Georgia guys, Tennessee – Trey Smith – so I kind of played with those guys,” Bolton said. “So it’s all kind of coming to the same area after competing against each other. We did it for three years in college, so just getting to compete with those guys here is a blessing.”
Instead of competing against each other on SEC game days on Saturday, they’ll be lining up against each other in practice. The dynamic is certainly a bit different compared to what Bolton and Smith were used to.
“Just talking about Nick (Bolton) a little bit, when he got drafted and I didn’t know I was coming here, I was like, ‘Dude, he’s going to be so annoying to chase down on the field,’” Smith said. “Just playing him so many years, he’s a baller, so I can’t wait to get a little bit of action against him again (in practice).”
In Kansas City, both players seem to hope that iron will sharpen iron. They’ll be able to help each other get better in practice, which in turn will help their new team get better and win games during the upcoming season.
“I’m just trying to come in every single day, trying to compete and get better,” Bolton said.
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WATCH: Chiefs rookies in action at minicamp Day 2
