‘No place on Earth I would rather be.’ Dolphins rookies get first taste of NFL at minicamp
Inside linebacker Channing Tindall is from South Carolina and has heard about the dreaded South Florida humidity. And so, he thought he was well-prepared ahead of his first practice as a Dolphins rookie. But after the hour-long session, he smiled as he recalled his thoughts on his initial practice in the NFL.
“It was hot. It was hot outside,” said Tindall, the team’s third-round pick out of Georgia.
“It was a little breezy today,” he added, “so I know it’s going to get worse. But just getting back into the feel of everything, taking time with [linebackers] coach [Anthony] Camp[anile], it was a good experience.”
The Dolphins’ first day of rookie minicamp Friday served as an introduction to the NFL for the approximately three dozen newcomers in attendance. Tindall and the team’s other three draft picks took part in practice, along with 14 undrafted rookies who signed deals and several other undrafted free agents and veterans there on a tryout basis.
Dolphins rookies have been studying the team’s playbook but their first practice focused mainly on fundamentals, similar to the work the team’s veterans have done during the offseason workout program. Rookies quickly noticed the faster pace in the NFL compared to college.
“Coach really doesn’t really care about the mistakes [right now],” said wide receiver Erik Ezukanma, the team’s fourth-round pick. “As long as we’re going 100 percent and learn from it the next time around.”
For quarterback Sylar Thompson, one of the team’s two seventh-round picks, dropping back to pass and knowing Dolphins legend Dan Marino — who remains closely involved with the team as an advisor — was watching him was a “surreal moment.”
“[Quarterbacks] coach [Darrell] Bev[ell] was saying that he comes around and hangs out and watches film and we can have access to ask him questions or whatever the case may be,” Thompson said. “It’s a great tool to use and I plan on using it. It was definitely a surreal moment getting to meet him and seeing him out there.”
The Dolphins will conduct two more days of their rookie minicamp before starting organized team activities on Tuesday, the third and final phase of the offseason workout program before training camp. Along with their draft picks and the undrafted rookies they signed, they’re only expected to bring along a limited number of tryout players, making the weekend an important period for those trying to stick with the team.
Regardless, Friday marked another checkpoint in what has been a lifelong dream for many.
“It’s very surreal,” said outside linebacker Cameron Goode, who along with Thompson signed his rookie deal just hours before hitting the field. “When I woke up this morning, I was literally telling myself there is no place on Earth I would rather be. It was [an] early wake-up. I was tired. I couldn’t even be mad. Dream come true. Woke up at 5:45, took a little bit to go to sleep last night. I tried to go to sleep at midnight, mind racing. Me and some of the other guys were going over the playbook, watching film on the iPad. I was usually the one getting the calls at Cal. Now I’m making a lot of them. It’s cool.”
