Vikings rookie CB Waynes adjusting quickly to life in NFL
Training camp can be an overwhelming time for NFL rookies. Learning on the fly is rarely easy for fledgling pros, especially when veterans seem like they have an encyclopedic knowledge of the game, in comparison.
When Vikings rookie cornerback Trae Waynes watches 36-year-old Terence Newman, for example, his eyes grow wide.
"Just watching 'T-New,' he's running routes before the receivers do," the 23-year-old Waynes told reporters on Monday. "I just hope that one day I can be on that level."
Truth be told, Waynes appears to be adjusting well to life in the NFL. Waynes, the 11th overall pick late last April, is already starting to get some snaps with Minnesota's starting defense.
It's clear Waynes was well-schooled at Michigan State, where he was a first-team all-conference selection in 2014. Still, the 6-foot, 190-pound cornerback had to endure a bit of a learning curve upon arrival to Minnesota.
"Coming from Michigan State," Waynes noted, "very rarely did we ever have to play off man, so that transition was a little difficult for me at first, but it got better with time.
"Now I can press again," the rookie added, "but now I know how to do both" coverage styles.
Some initial unease in training camp would be understandable from Waynes, considering he once was considered a two-star college recruit by Rivals.com. And the first days of a rookie cornerback's NFL training camp are heady times, as they're immediately tasked with covering seasoned, veteran pass catchers. Yet Waynes seems to be all smiles so far.
"They're all really good receivers, especially at this level," said Waynes, who can reportedly run a 4.31 40-yard dash. "There's not really a bad receiver. It's just how you adjust to them.
"I'm just out here practicing, trying to get better."
And, the rookie has survived -- and occasionally thrived -- so far.
"Trae reminds me of Al Harris a little bit," said Newman, in reference to the former two-time Pro Bowl cornerback who had his best years with Green Bay, from 2003-10.
Waynes, said Newman, is "long and lanky, and he's got great press technique. He's doing well."
Yes, by all accounts, Waynes has earned a passing grade so far. Of course, he hasn't truly been tested yet. We'll learn a little bit more about the rookie in the Vikings' preseason opener, this Sunday night versus Pittsburgh.
Waynes has no problem acknowledging he'll probably have some butterflies that night.
"It's good to be nervous," Waynes said, smiling. "I'm not nervous now, but as I get closer to game time I'll definitely be nervous, because it's my first NFL game. So who wouldn't be nervous?"
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