As the Ravens rookies finished their first minicamp of 2014, head coach John Harbaugh reiterated comments he spoke about earlier this offseason when he implied a tougher offseason program was in store for the team.
“I thought they did a really good job. We push them. We don’t slow them in and ease them in like some other teams do,” Harbaugh stated when he took the podium after practice.
“We go right at it as much as we can. It’s not real football. It’s not tackling and all that, but we try to throw a bunch on them mentally and really physically as well in terms of the running.
Only two of the Ravens rookies weren’t present on the field as the team performed numerous seven on seven drills.
“Terrence Brooks who had to be excused [because] his fiancée had a baby. But he was here all week and did a nice job,” Harbaugh announced.
Also missing practice was seventh-round draft pick wide receiver Michael Campanaro due to what Harbs referred to as a ‘tweaked hamstring’.
Running back Lorenzo Taliferro continued to impress the coaching staff with his physical ability as well as his knack for the position.
“I thought Lorenzo was very smooth running the ball. He did a nice job picking up the aiming points and the reads. He looks like he is a big guy, a downhill guy.”
“I was very impressed with what kind of shape he is in. There is not an ounce of fat on him, and he is 230 pounds. [He is] very good at pass protection. I thought he showed excellent hands and get-away ability on his routes when he went against a linebacker. So [it was] all good that way.”
Rookie tight end Crockett Gillmore had a stand out day on the practice field hauling in several passes from both Keith Wenning and Nick Stephens during team drills.
First round draft pick C.J. Mosley was all over the field calling out plays on the defense and seemed comfortable going against the ‘first team offense.’
With rookie mini camp being the first step of many on a long road for these young players whether drafted or undrafted, the practice field was full of grit and grind today and coach Harbaugh could not have been happier.
“It’s a beautiful day for a little football, but every day is a great day for football.”
He then unleashed his inner Buck Showalter.
“And we’re happy with our guys.”
Follow me on Twitter @sportguyRSR
