Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Sometimes, real life interferes with real football.
Just ask Desmond Trufant.
While the Atlanta Falcons organized team activities are underway, Trufant is doing what is required by the NFL rules…finishing school. According to those rules, he can’t participate in any OTA’s until his class graduates. To his benefit, Trufant did participate in the rookie minicamp; he isn’t clueless about the Falcons’ playbook. Thanks to modern technology, he’s been attending team meetings via video conference in the form of Skype.
Mentally, Trufant has it covered. Physically, it’s a safe bet that he’s maintained his own workouts while in his final days of final exams. It’s unfortunate that he couldn’t attend the optional practices, but he’ll make up for lost time soon enough.
The main thing Trufant lacks at this point is the actual NFL on-field experience. That being said, he has an advantage over the other rookies when he is able to participate, and that’s the knowledge and experience of his brothers—and fellow NFL cornerbacks—Marcus and Isaiah. They’ve certainly been educating him on what he can expect in the upcoming weeks and months.
All things considered, there is little doubt that Trufant will be more than ready for the mandatory minicamp and beyond. He’s fast, he’s aggressive, he’s competitive, and he wants to be the best. His speed and athleticism will be put to the test against the tandem of Roddy White and Julio Jones, and that’s one heck of a learning curve…albeit one of the finest.
Have no fear that Trufant can and will live up to the trade-up.
Leigh Allen is an NFL Atlanta Falcons writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow her on Twitter, on Facebook, and on Google+.
