Luke Musgrave played almost 600 run-blocking snaps during his collegiate career at Oregon State, but the Green Bay Packers rookie tight end probably never saw a player quite like veteran outside linebacker Preston Smith.
Smith is 6-5 and 265 pounds, an elite athlete (9.8 RAS) and battle-hardened from playing over 130 NFL games.
Needless to say, Smith is giving Musgrave a crash course in the difficulties of blocking edge rushers in the NFL.
“The blocking is definitely different. Going up against someone like Preston Smith…it’s different. They are fast, they are big, they are physical, they are on you quick,” Musgrave said after Thursday’s practice. “It’s great, I want to go against those guys because those are the (type of) guys I’m going to go against on gamedays.”
During each of the first two days of practice, Musgrave lost at least one battle in the trenches against Smith. The rookie is hopeful that the losses in training camp will get him ready for his first NFL season.
“They are making me better,” Musgrave said. “Preston, he’s an 11-year guy, he’s really good. I’m glad I’m going against him. At times, it’s frustrating, but it’s really good.”
Musgrave has consistently run with the No. 1 offense to open camp and is a near-lock to be a starter at tight end come Week 1. He needs to acclimate to blocking at the professional level, or there’s risk in being a one-dimensional player as a rookie.
Smith, a veteran leader on defense, is making sure the Packers’ first-team defense is giving Musgrave and the young offense everything they can handle during training camp.
“We’re just trying to do our better to help them get better,” Smith said. “We know we have a lot of young guys with a lot potential…we just have to make sure we’re the best competition so when we get to the season, they don’t see anyone better than us.”