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WARHORSE
05-11-2009, 11:44 AM
Ready To Rise
Although on the short side, Smith has plenty of big goals
Brian Howell
Daily Record News Group
ENGLEWOOD — In the week since Alphonso Smith was drafted by Denver, he’s been a hot topic of conversation for Broncos fans.


Generally, the fans don’t refer to him as a “cornerback,” however. He’s typically been called “that 5-foot-9 cornerback,” as in, “Why did we trade a first-round pick to draft that 5-foot-9 cornerback?”


It’s nothing Smith hasn’t heard before. His lack of height has been an issue in the past. In fact, it may be the only reason he wasn’t a first-round pick in last week’s NFL Draft. So far, however, he’s never let it get in the way of making plays.


“Making plays never had a size or a speed on it, trust me,” said Smith, a second-round pick out of Wake Forest. “If a guy’s making plays in high school, he’s going to make them in college. If he’s making them in college, he’s going to make them in the NFL.”


Smith has had a knack for making plays for years, and that’s part of what made him attractive to the Broncos. Denver head coach Josh McDaniels was willing to part with a first-round pick in the 2010 draft to get Smith with the fifth pick in the second round last week.


“When you’re taking a corner, I’m not necessarily as worried about how big and tall he is,” McDaniels said. “I’d like to know how well he covers and how much production he can get on the football and if he’ll tackle. Alphonso can do all those things.”


During Smith’s career at Wake Forest, he intercepted 21 passes, breaking the Atlantic Coast Conference record set by Dré Bly, who played for the Broncos the past two seasons.

Smith tied for the NCAA lead with seven interceptions in 2008 and eight in 2007.


The Broncos have been desperate to find players who can create turnovers. They intercepted just six passes as a team last year (only the Detroit Lions, with four, had fewer).


Denver already had Champ Bailey, who has 43 career interceptions but only four in the past two years combined because teams throw away from him.


Since McDaniels took over as head coach in January, however, the Broncos have added Andre Goodman (five interceptions, 19 passes defended in 2008), safety Brian Dawkins (34 career interceptions) and safety Renaldo Hill (three interceptions in 2008).


In the draft, the Broncos got not only Smith; they also added Texas Tech safety Darcel McBath, who also tied for the national lead with seven interceptions last season.


“Hopefully, we’ve addressed an area where we feel like we can help our team turn the ball over more with the players we have in the secondary,” McDaniels said.

He said the ability of Smith and McBath to create turnovers was attractive.

“Sometimes you can coach a player to improve in that area, and a lot of times that’s instinctive,” McDaniels said. “They can see the quarterback and the route at the same time, so they can get to the catch point before the receiver does.”

powderaddict
05-11-2009, 11:51 AM
I like the kid, and hope he can turn some heads.

Good find and great article WAR!

NightTrainLayne
05-11-2009, 11:55 AM
As with most of our defense. . .our turnover's created can't be any worse this next season can they? :D Let's hope for some serious improvement in this area.

SoCalImport
05-11-2009, 12:24 PM
“Making plays never had a size or a speed on it, trust me,” said Smith, a second-round pick out of Wake Forest. “If a guy’s making plays in high school, he’s going to make them in college. If he’s making them in college, he’s going to make them in the NFL.”

I have high hopes for Smith.

That being said, this is a false statement.

I won't bother starting a list of players that've proved this a false statement.....too long.

BroncoTech
05-11-2009, 12:36 PM
He can't prove himself to Bronco fans with his performance in school, that's for sure. We bit on that one a few too many times. That being said I hope he gets us some turn overs, we need them. It's been a problem for several years.

broncofaninfla
05-11-2009, 12:59 PM
I loved the kid in college and really liked what I saw in the pro bowl. I really think we have ourselves a player with this kid.

LTC Pain
05-11-2009, 01:02 PM
Grandma said "the proof is in the pudding". Young Mr. Smith has his shot so we will see what he's got at camp and next season!

honz
05-11-2009, 01:32 PM
I love teh kid in acollege and really likd what I say in the pro bowl. I really think we have ourselfs a player.

i conquer,

T.K.O.
05-11-2009, 02:37 PM
he's already a probowler ? cool
anyway i do think he will help champ ,having a legit threat opposite him will at least give him a chance to earn his paycheck (and hopefully get back to 8-10 picks)
im always an optimist and this year is no different i think our d will surprise alot of people,mcd and nolan both have alot to prove,i bet they dont take anything less than 100% on every play from every player that alone should bump us up about 8 spots on :defense:

JKcatch724
05-11-2009, 04:37 PM
I like that the new regime is looking for TURNOVERS! Finally.

Slick
05-11-2009, 08:43 PM
Does this kid need to be starting opposite Champ on opening day to justify the pick?

T.K.O.
05-11-2009, 08:54 PM
Does this kid need to be starting opposite Champ on opening day to justify the pick?

no but he needs to play some to get the experience needed to justify the pick by next season

Superchop 7
05-11-2009, 09:12 PM
On the rise ?

Good, because we need a 6 foot corner.

Must be human growth hormones, gotta love em, if they're a midget...get em some fertilizer.

rcsodak
05-11-2009, 09:55 PM
Does this kid need to be starting opposite Champ on opening day to justify the pick?

Good question.....

...and I'd venture to say that McD will put the best 53 out there. So that leaves it up to him.

With that being said...

...and the fact that people are still complaining about HOW/WHEN Smith was picked.....

...has anybody looked at Champ's pay for next year?

This is most likely why CB was addressed...to give a player some time on the field, so when next year rolls around.....

2010 - $11.5MILLION Salary
$ 3 MILLION Bonus due
$ .5MILLION Bonus due
...........................................
$15.+MILLION DOLLAR CAP HIT!!!!!!!!!!

Do you pay an aging CB that kind of scratch or do you try to renegotiate...

I'd say Smith, if he plays reasonably well, COULD be just what the Dr. ordered.

honz
05-11-2009, 10:11 PM
Does this kid need to be starting opposite Champ on opening day to justify the pick?

Not this year, but he better be a starter sometime in the future.

Elevation inc
05-12-2009, 01:04 AM
Good question.....

...and I'd venture to say that McD will put the best 53 out there. So that leaves it up to him.

With that being said...

...and the fact that people are still complaining about HOW/WHEN Smith was picked.....

...has anybody looked at Champ's pay for next year?

This is most likely why CB was addressed...to give a player some time on the field, so when next year rolls around.....

2010 - $11.5MILLION Salary
$ 3 MILLION Bonus due
$ .5MILLION Bonus due
...........................................
$15.+MILLION DOLLAR CAP HIT!!!!!!!!!!

Do you pay an aging CB that kind of scratch or do you try to renegotiate...

I'd say Smith, if he plays reasonably well, COULD be just what the Dr. ordered.



this is a key point, we will try and renogotiate with champ, but what if he doesnt want to. what if he doesnt buy into that. I guarentee we wont pay champ that next year. he is not worth that much.he will walk and we would have been looking at andre goodman and jack williams as starting Cb's.....with zero depth.


So many just say draft 1. there are 2 CB's currently who project as Top corners next year. Trevard lindley and javier arenas. Now arenas is good and would be right around where are first rd pick is, but we need that for DL since its so deep next year. then you have lindley who is 177 lbs. not exactly Number 1 shutdown corner material. and they would be rookies, not a safe bet counting on them right away for anything more than the nickel.


some say goodman and williams would be fine, but jack williams is a small corner as well. we simply bridged ourselves for life after champ, on paper the value sucks, but that doesnt mean it wasnt a smart decision for the future.

People to need to look at the whole picture and not just one side. I didnt like the value and i was irritated, yet i am also keen to the fact we helped ourselves out in a big way for next year. especially since kuper, dumervil, marshall, and sheff are Due for FA and we will need to pay at least kuper and marshall for sure.....

gobroncsnv
05-12-2009, 06:39 AM
So what's up with Wake all of a sudden becoming a defensive powerhouse??? Curry, Smith, your next year mock with Robinson??? Wierd....

There are definitely some skills that are borne via instinct, uncoachable, just the way a guy is. Field awareness would fall in this category... some have it, some don't. Bummer of it is, size is one of those uncoachable qualities too...

But for now, this is definitely a depth play. We've seen it doesn't matter who the DB's are until we get the line fixed. Next year's draft will tell us how smart this move was. We could have had a lot more int's out of Champ if we'd paid more attention to the front 7. McD has to show that he knows how to get that fixed. For the life of me, I never understood why Shanny didn't get this done.

Elevation inc
05-12-2009, 06:55 AM
So what's up with Wake all of a sudden becoming a defensive powerhouse??? Curry, Smith, your next year mock with Robinson??? Wierd....

There are definitely some skills that are borne via instinct, uncoachable, just the way a guy is. Field awareness would fall in this category... some have it, some don't. Bummer of it is, size is one of those uncoachable qualities too...

But for now, this is definitely a depth play. We've seen it doesn't matter who the DB's are until we get the line fixed. Next year's draft will tell us how smart this move was. We could have had a lot more int's out of Champ if we'd paid more attention to the front 7. McD has to show that he knows how to get that fixed. For the life of me, I never understood why Shanny didn't get this done.


very good point and for what its worth shannys MO was throwing mediocre prospects at a problem hoping 1 sticks see jarvis moss, tim crowder, stephen harris from 2007. MCD didnt like what he saw for Dl this draft took the player he liked made a play for bettering this team at CB with champs situation a likely volatile situation next year and pressed to otehr areas where he did like the players. DL needs help and im certain nolan, and nunnely both very good D coaches know this as well. but if they didnt like someone perhaps there was good reason.

as you stated though what we do next year will be the tell all, if we improve this year even with a bad record he will continue as coach, if he does improve the DL next year as well, he will continue as coach.



for what its worth the CB class next year is very poor and the safety class outside of berry and mays and rolle isnt very good either, while the DL and LB class looks very good through rd 3. Maybe they are banking on that as well......

for right now its all just speculation......

broncofaninfla
05-12-2009, 10:22 AM
According to Drew R's twitter Alphonso is already lining up as the teams starting nickle back.

NameUsedBefore
05-12-2009, 11:31 AM
According to Drew R's twitter Alphonso is already lining up as the teams starting nickle back.

If he's not at the start of the season, I think Smith will be our #2 by around week-8/9.

Requiem / The Dagda
05-12-2009, 11:38 AM
Smith gonna make people forget who Chump Bailey was.

T.K.O.
05-12-2009, 11:52 AM
:laugh:
Smith gonna make people forget who Chump Bailey was.

:laugh::listen::laugh:

Nomad
05-18-2009, 11:43 AM
Here's a short interview with the young man from BRONCOS website. I like his confidence and positive outlook. I'm anxious to see him play.

http://www.denverbroncos.com/

Ravage!!!
05-18-2009, 01:58 PM
“Making plays never had a size or a speed on it, trust me,” said Smith, a second-round pick out of Wake Forest. “If a guy’s making plays in high school, he’s going to make them in college. If he’s making them in college, he’s going to make them in the NFL.”

I have high hopes for Smith.

That being said, this is a false statement.

I won't bother starting a list of players that've proved this a false statement.....too long.

I'm glad you posted this and said this first. I figured if I did, people would think That I'm just 'hating' because I didn't like the draft choice.

But this is the statement I wanted to point out, as well. EVERY NFL player was making plays in HS. But not every player that makes it to the NFL makes plays.

rcsodak
05-18-2009, 06:58 PM
I'm glad you posted this and said this first. I figured if I did, people would think That I'm just 'hating' because I didn't like the draft choice.

But this is the statement I wanted to point out, as well. EVERY NFL player was making plays in HS. But not every player that makes it to the NFL makes plays.

You mean like 'at the time' tallest cb, walls?

:rolleyes:

I read Smith's words differently.....(go figure)

He's talking about "making plays".
Other than the 1yr Champ was an int machine, denver hasn't had a "play making' player on the roster.

This kid WAS a "play maker"!

Call him a 'difference maker', if it's easier to get where he's trying to take you.

And being 'in the right spot', 'making the extra effort'......


....uh oh.....Rav....this is for you, buddy:

....he has "IT"! :D

topscribe
05-18-2009, 07:53 PM
You mean like 'at the time' tallest cb, walls?

:rolleyes:

I read Smith's words differently.....(go figure)

He's talking about "making plays".
Other than the 1yr Champ was an int machine, denver hasn't had a "play making' player on the roster.

This kid WAS a "play maker"!

Call him a 'difference maker', if it's easier to get where he's trying to take you.

And being 'in the right spot', 'making the extra effort'......


....uh oh.....Rav....this is for you, buddy:

....he has "IT"! :D

The Phonz!! :nixon:

-----

Lonestar
05-18-2009, 07:56 PM
You mean like 'at the time' tallest cb, walls?

:rolleyes:

I read Smith's words differently.....(go figure)

He's talking about "making plays".
Other than the 1yr Champ was an int machine, denver hasn't had a "play making' player on the roster.

This kid WAS a "play maker"!

Call him a 'difference maker', if it's easier to get where he's trying to take you.

And being 'in the right spot', 'making the extra effort'......


....uh oh.....Rav....this is for you, buddy:

....he has "IT"! :D


The Phonz!! :nixon:

-----

certainly not average..:D

broncofanatic1987
05-19-2009, 05:00 PM
Does this kid need to be starting opposite Champ on opening day to justify the pick?

I think he needs to be the nickelback to justify the trade that allowed the Broncos to pick him.

Lonestar
05-19-2009, 05:10 PM
I think he needs to be the nickelback to justify the trade that allowed the Broncos to pick him.

I think he needs to play well regardless of how much playing time he sees..