In part three of our series of interviews with new Denver Broncos, we feature Broncos’ cornerback Alphonso Smith from Wake Forest University.
On the first day of the NFL Draft, the Broncos traded their own 2010 first-round pick to the Seattle Seahawks for the 37th overall selection. Denver used that second round pick to take Smith.
We spoke with Alphonso when he visited Broncos headquarters on the second day of the draft.
Mike Rice: You’re a Denver Bronco. Can you believe it?
Alphonso Smith: I can. I can. I had a pretty good visit when I came out here and I left with a pretty good feeling in my heart that it was a possibility that I could be a Bronco.
MR: But until you hear your name, I guess you never really know, do you?
AS: You never really know. But when Coach McDaniels called I was like, ‘Yes, Broncos. At least it’s a team I want to go to.’ I’m still kind of soaking it in. I can believe it but at the same time I really can’t believe it.
MR: Why were you excited to potentially be with the Broncos?
AS: Coach Nolan, who’s the d-coordinator, (runs) basically the same defense we ran at Wake Forest. Being comfortable with that would give me a chance to play early. And just having the chance to play with guys I’ve admired like Champ Bailey and Brian Dawkins and Renaldo Hill and Andre Goodman and guys like that. I’ve admired all of these guys and just to get the chance to work with them, along side them and try to win championships with them is just really refreshing. There’s no better situation for a rookie DB. Most guys have to go in and try to learn as they go. At least I have guys that have multi-Pro Bowlers under their belt that can guide me and teach me and help me understand and show me how to make plays and guide me to a Pro Bowl myself.
MR: I know you’ve heard this before but the Broncos traded a first round pick to move up and then select you. Does that make a statement to you about not only how much they wanted you but believe in your talent?
AS: Yeah, it does, especially (giving up) an unknown first round pick. Hopefully I can show the coaches that they were right. (I want to) prove them right and we won’t have to entertain this question after this year.
MR: You have said that you really felt like you had first round talent. The fact you went in the second round, does that motivate you more to prove something?
AS: Yeah, but at the same time, I’m a Bronco and I’m happy. If it took me to get to the second round to get to a team I prefer to go to, it really doesn’t matter. It’s all over now and it’s not where you start, it’s where you end. It starts when the season rolls around and everyone will forget about the draft picks if you’re not a top-five guy, top-ten guy. Everyone forgets so it really doesn’t matter.
MR: Twenty-one interceptions in your college career. How did you do that?
AS: First thing is just playing hard, playing like my hair is on fire. That’s the first thing because things happen. You might get beat but if you’re playing really hard sometimes it will fall right in your lap. The second thing I attribute it to is my coaching staff and my teammates, how we understood the game and how we all knew what was going on, our preparation.
MR: Thanks, Alphonso. It’s great to have you in Denver.
AS: Thanks for having me.
The Broncos continue their organized team activities in June. After a little time off, I’ll have more from the new guys and how he team is looking as training camp approaches.
Thanks for reading.
Best,
Mike
The general topic. I read everyone’s post before I chimed in. Everyone made it seen that a dogs life was more important than a humans. Not Vick but a person in general. That’s what i drew from earlier post. So I saw the confusion about that in his posts. It was funny to me people saying when a horse comes up lame or breaks his leg. He becomes a show pony. lol In there dreams. People said Vick should not be let out of jail. He should be blackballed from the NFL. Thats just sad. If Dontae Stallworth can stay on a team and play in the league. So should Vick. There is no difference in the too.
UUB,
First of all, people in this blog are talking about Vick because some have brought up that they would like to see him as a Bronco, however the vast majority with myself included do not. He’s served his time for his crimes and should be let out and was already, although he is still on home monitoring a couple more months. Second, there is a very big difference between what Vick did and what happened to Stallworth. Vick KNOWINGLY was involved in dog fighting whereas in Stallworth’s case it was an unfortunate accident that claimed the life of that poor man. People should never drink and drive because tragic accidents like this can and do all too frequently happen. What Stallworth did was very irresponsible and he will soon get his day in court. The other thing is that Vick was convicted of his crime and served time and Stallworth is still awaiting trial. (I just read on NFL.com that he will enter a not guilty plea today through his attorney.) It will be interesting to see what Roger Goodell does with both of these cases.
uub, ya i also read all the post. i norm don’t post until i have my fur rubbed the wrong way, i jumped in when he compared dogs to horses. my brother-in -law is a trainer and he is ‘kind’ to all of his horses, both his and other peoples that he stables.in 007 post he was having us killing animals like flys. Knowing better i let him have it. MHO
IF he is some kind of a writter he should think threw his posts and make his post very clear. that is what a good reporter is. he is also trying very hard to push his oppinion on to other people rather than try to see both sides. this is IMHO, Ihave been reading him and what people say about him for a while and i can respect his HO if he will respect ours.
now back to the subjects. VICK, B-MARSH, AND STALLWORTH first of all i never thought vick was a good QB and after his dog fighting he is a BIG NO for the broncos. BRONCOFANLVNM said it best about Stallworth ‘he is still waiting trial.’
now about B-MARSH. and every one is going to hate me for saying this, but while we are here. i gave he a lot of thought, if i don’t want vick b/c of his dogs and i don’t want stallworth, if convicted, than should i want b-marsh? his crimes are between the other twos. b/.c i love the broncos i would like to see him here forever. and on the other hand i if i am down on vick and stall = i should be down on b-marsh. Hitting girls has been wrong for my 58 years here on earth and i don’t see it changing soon. so the bottom line is how do i view marshall?????? do i go with my morels or my team??? sorry ….. If marshall is convicted of any wrong doing in the next 5 years he should be out the door. he has talked a good talk so lets see if he can walk it NOW. He gave his word to stay away from the cops last year. this last thing is not black or white, it is gray. so for now he stays, but i don’t like what he did. Than, i have forgiven people for mush worse.
I think its more of the out cry for one thing. Also the silence on another. That’s my pet peave when I look at it. Oh as for Stallworth. They found traces of the mans blood on his car grill. Thats why he turned himself in. He will plead not guilty for knowingly hitting him and leaving the scene.
did you read the art. on what t dungy said about cutler?
Well said Tex Ark Fan:
I am too on the fence with B-Marsh. I think anyone who hits a woman is a scumbag. It ranks up there with dog fighting in my book. But with B-Marsh I do not know the hole story. To me it sounds like both him and his wife/girlfriend (whatever she is) agrue and we do not know what transpires. Does she hit him, does he hit her, do they throw thing at eachother, does he try and restrain her. Like Texark said there is a grey area as we do not know all the fact on what happed.
With Vick we do know the facts as it was admitted in court and spelled out by witness’. Vick would not fit on the Broncos and I think most fans would be upset if Broncos got Vick.
I think Dungy was right on. I know QB’s that were in the League wanted out. The team kept them though. I think it as more to it. Even though I think McDaniels was at some fault. I think its 80 to 20 in favor of Cutler in my book. You get a new boss at work. If you put in the time and merit the slack you get it. Cutler was doing more wrong than being let on. I think so they could get good deal. McD and X kept the whole truth under raps.