This Terell Smith Story Proves He’s Either Insane Or Inspirational

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BleedGopher

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Per Erik:

Terell Smith came in with more buzz than is typical for a 5th round pick. Several evaluators felt the Minnesota cornerback went far later than he should’ve. His size, length, and athleticism make for somebody who can thrive at the NFL level. He played really well for Minnesota in 2022. For whatever reason, NFL teams saw something they didn’t like. Eventually, GM Ryan Poles couldn’t pass on him again. The Chicago Bears made him the second cornerback they’d selected in the draft.


One thing about Smith is he’s not one to fear challenges. Minnesota head coach P.J. Fleck knows that well. He thought he knew what to expect when he recruited the young man out of high school. The two persistent features were “fast” and “stiff.” Fleck felt the coaching staff could work around the latter. He never could’ve imagined that he wouldn’t have to by the end of last season. The coach told a story to Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune about how single-minded Smith was in his approach to getting better.

We’re talking about Michael Jordan levels of obsession.​

AFTER HIS FRESHMAN YEAR, AND WHEN HE DIDN’T PLAY HIS SOPHOMORE YEAR BECAUSE OF INJURY, HE SPENT THREE YEARS EVERY DAY — I AM NOT KIDDING ON THIS — BEFORE AND AFTER PRACTICE WITH OUR STRENGTH COACH WORKING ON HIS HIP MOBILITY AND FLEXIBILITY. I MEAN EVERY SINGLE DAY. AFTER PRACTICE, 15 OR 20 MINUTES JUST ON HIS STRETCHING, FLEXIBILITY, HIP MOBILITY BECAUSE THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HELD HIM BACK FROM PLAYING HIS SOPHOMORE YEAR WITH THE INJURIES. HE TURNED IT ON, PLAYED, THEN HAD A GROIN INJURY AND OVERCAME THAT AND HAD A HECK OF A SENIOR YEAR.
YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT A GUY THAT REALLY DEDICATED HIMSELF INTO MAKING SOMETHING THAT WAS MAYBE A WEAKNESS INTO A STRENGTH. YOU TURN ON THAT FILM NOW AND YOU DON’T SEE A STIFF PLAYER AT ALL.
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www.sportsmockery.com

This Terell Smith Story Proves He's Either Insane Or Inspirational

Every rookie has a fun story about them. Terell Smith is no different. His, though, might be the coolest or craziest.
www.sportsmockery.com www.sportsmockery.com

Go Gophers!!
 




Strongly agree with GophersInIowa. He stuck around and put in the work. He stubbed his toe a couple of times at the U in that when I saw him as a freshman and he flashed his speed, I immediately thought "All World!" But he realized that he needed to improve on some things and he battled through injuries and put on the work and it paid off for him. I don't think the average fan understands that it's just not enough to be gifed athletically. To move to the highest levels takes a ton of work and Smith did that work.
 



That is 100% the right mindset, especially when you've had a previous injury to that area. He identified something within his control that he could improve, and he set his mind to it.

15-20 minutes before and after every practice may seem like a lot, but a LOT of stuff is connected to hip mobility. He knew that in the future it might not be a groin injury, it might be the difference between him making a play or not, it might be the difference of being a starter in the NFL or a backup.

I wish I had that sort of drive to work on self-improvement. I play sports recreationally and have too many aches and pains for my age, and my physical therapist says they will all clear up with a couple of daily exercises. Probably the same amount of time out of my day as Terell spent on hip mobility, but I don't have the drive to do them consistently.
 





Taji34 said:
That is 100% the right mindset, especially when you've had a previous injury to that area. He identified something within his control that he could improve, and he set his mind to it.

15-20 minutes before and after every practice may seem like a lot, but a LOT of stuff is connected to hip mobility. He knew that in the future it might not be a groin injury, it might be the difference between him making a play or not, it might be the difference of being a starter in the NFL or a backup.

I wish I had that sort of drive to work on self-improvement. I play sports recreationally and have too many aches and pains for my age, and my physical therapist says they will all clear up with a couple of daily exercises. Probably the same amount of time out of my day as Terell spent on hip mobility, but I don't have the drive to do them consistently.
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His injuries while playing in college might be a blessing in disguise. It has taught him how to take care of himself and address his deficits with the help of trainers and coaching staff.

He worked hard to improve himself. He will have a great pro career because of it. He is truly inspirational.
 


GopherPete said:
How many times as a fan have people said something like "the guy has all the talent in the world, if he would just put the effort in..."

Now a guy does exactly that and someone is questioning whether he is insane? :ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:
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Clearly makes for a better headline though - and that's what most articles are written for, getting someone to "click" lol.

Great post though, you made me laugh!
 




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