IT HAS BEEN LESS than a month for the reason that NFL draft, and rookies are getting their first style of being knowledgeable.
For some, that style is literal as NFL cafeterias dish out their favorites, together with the Detroit Lions’ lobster mac & cheese. “I used to be like, ‘Wow, that is superior,”’ sixth-round choose Ahmed Hassanein mentioned.
For others, it is about assembly or listening to from individuals they grew up admiring, and never simply athletes. “John Legend adopted me on Instagram,” Lions first-round choose Tyleik Williams mentioned. “And, I used to be like, ‘Wow!’ He is acquired, like, I do not know what number of million followers [15.8 on Instagram], however he adopted me, so it was fairly cool.”
For all NFL rookies, the primary large step on their new journey was rookie minicamp earlier this month. There have been moments of reflection, considerably embarrassing classes discovered and an introduction to the Navy SEALs mindset. Listed below are essentially the most vivid recollections for 5 NFL rookies as they recall their first minicamp.
EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL for Washington Commanders first-round choose Josh Conerly Jr. throughout rookie minicamp. There have been classroom conferences, drills with coaches and bonding with new teammates.
Till the ultimate day, Could 10. That is when the Navy SEALs arrived.
They talked to the rookies for about half-hour about grit and mindset and what it was like to coach like a SEAL. Then they’d them carry out a drill that bolstered what Commanders coach Dan Quinn usually emphasizes: teamwork and communication.
They’d three groups — two with six gamers and one other with coaches — carry a 250-pound log. Whichever workforce held it in place the longest received. They squatted with it, did lunges after which held it at their shoulders with the log masking their neck space.
Conerly’s six-man crew emerged victorious after about 5 minutes.
“It will get arduous after three or 4 minutes, to be sincere,” mentioned the 21-year-old Conerly, an offensive sort out.
However for Conerly and the opposite rookies in camp, the day bolstered the message Quinn wished them to obtain. Quinn has introduced within the Navy SEALs up to now, each when he was in Atlanta and final 12 months with Washington. With the rookies, the objective was to carry everybody collectively rapidly after having been off for some time.
“It was cool, figuring out that you just all need to be on the identical web page, hear the identical communication, and also you simply have to maneuver as one always,” Conerly mentioned. “One factor that type of stands out to me about Coach Quinn, and one among his quotes, is doing arduous … I will say ‘stuff’ with good individuals. That resonates all through the entire constructing.” — John Keim
BEFORE HIS FIRST rookie minicamp observe Could 9, San Francisco 49ers third-round choose Nick Martin sat in a quiet, largely empty locker room. He stared on the white No. 45 jersey hanging in his cubicle earlier than flipping it round to see his title in large purple letters.
The load of his path to achieve his skilled desires hit .
“I really feel like that was the primary second I used to be like, ‘Wow, I am actually right here,'” mentioned Martin, a 22-year-old linebacker. “I am simply sitting there like, ‘Man, this can be a blessing. That is wonderful.’ It has been a journey, however I imply it is just the start. That is one of the best half about it.”
The second of solitude and introspection was in stark distinction to when Martin set foot within the workforce facility the day prior to this.
“Niiiiiick Martin,” a voice boomed behind him.
Linebacker Nick Martin says he’ll put on #45 at 49ers rookie minicamp (and numbers could change earlier than season)
First day on the job, nevertheless, he wore sharks slippers 🦈 pic.twitter.com/LxwLxzI9Gg
— Cam Inman (@CamInman) Could 8, 2025
It was four-time All Professional Fred Warner serving as an unofficial welcome get together. Warner and Martin had exchanged texts since April’s draft.
After the temporary greeting, Martin and a few of his fellow rookies could not assist however really feel like followers who simply met one among their favourite gamers.
“It was loopy,” Martin advised ESPN. “It was tremendous dope. Assembly him, all people type of was chill after which as soon as he walked away all people began laughing, like, ‘That was Fred Warner!’ That was fairly humorous.”
Martin, who performed at Oklahoma State and grew up in Texas, flew from Oklahoma Metropolis to Denver after which from Denver to San Francisco on the morning of Could 8. Upon touchdown at San Francisco Worldwide Airport, he was shuttled roughly 40 minutes to the SAP Efficiency Facility in Santa Clara.
The work started rapidly. Martin arrived round midday, then went to take a bodily and begin the onboarding course of, throughout which the plan for the remainder of the offseason program was defined. He additionally stopped for a quick interview with native media when his selection of shark slippers grew to become a scorching subject.
Inside just a few hours, Martin and his fellow rookies have been of their first assembly, throughout which defensive set up started.
As a linebacker, Martin has a bit extra to study than another positions, however he performed for a number of coordinators in faculty and mentioned many of the strategies and ideas are acquainted, although studying new terminology is crucial to taking the subsequent step.
After that preliminary gathering, Martin and his teammates had dinner earlier than one other assembly. On the morning of Could 9, there was one more classroom session as Martin and his teammates bounced amongst positional, defensive and workforce conferences.
Then, in the end, it was lastly time for Martin to step onto the sector. He joined the remainder of the rookies for a exercise that went slightly longer than an hour. — Nick Wagoner
AT THE CHICAGO Bears’ rookie minicamp in Lake Forest, second-rounder Shemar Turner handed up a golf cart journey from the workforce facility to the observe fields. The defensive sort out, who was drafted with the 62nd choose, wished to soak within the feeling of being only a few hours into Day 1 of his dream job.
However actuality quickly hit when Turner discovered himself on the bottom throughout a pass-rush drill after going too quick and dropping his footing. The 22-year-old knew he needed to rein it in if he wished to make it by way of 25 consecutive walk-through reps.
“The walk-through wasn’t actually a walk-through for me,” Turner laughed. “I used to be going full velocity, simply excited to be taking part in ball once more.”
.@TheShemarTurner‘s taking the scenic route pic.twitter.com/T9eNzAj2Xx
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) Could 9, 2025
Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen and line of defense coach Jeremy Garrett seen Turner’s depth from the second he stepped onto the sector. His disposition is precisely what Allen believes will match the Bears’ revamped line.
“You see explosion and energy with this participant,” Allen mentioned. “I feel he is acquired the proper temperament for what we’re on the lookout for.”
As Turner made his manner by way of three days of minicamp, studying the names of his D-line teammates as an alternative of calling them by their jersey quantity grew to become simpler. Between snacking on brick-oven pizza within the workforce cafeteria and catered Chipotle to gasoline up for the subsequent day’s session, Turner’s first 72 hours have been targeted on how he’ll must do his job to achieve success.
That features studying the best way to harness his power.
“They [saw] me getting slightly winded,” Turner mentioned. “They have been like, ‘Hey, it is a walk-through, mood it down slightly bit. We like it, however you’ve got simply acquired to learn to observe.'” — Courtney Cronin
FORMER PENN STATE tight finish Tyler Warren, who went No. 14 to the Indianapolis Colts, discovered early throughout rookie minicamp that he was going to need to make at the least one sacrifice.
Warren made his title sporting No. 44 for the Nittany Lions, an homage to his father’s affinity for former Washington operating again John Riggins. Father and son started watching Riggins highlights when Warren was a younger boy.
“He was a Washington fan rising up, and he was like, ‘That is how I need you to run the ball and type of how I need you to play soccer,'” the 22-year-old Warren recalled his father saying. “So, I wore 44 in little league after which I acquired to put on it once more in faculty.
“It type of simply speaks to the way in which my dad raised me, and the type of a soccer man he was.”
However when Warren arrived in Indianapolis and made his approach to the gear room, it was obvious that he may need to half along with his beloved quantity. Linebacker Zaire Franklin, a Professional Bowl choice and second-team All-Professional final season, has worn the quantity for his total seven-season profession with the Colts. Warren might have tried a Hail Mary to see if Franklin would half with the quantity, however he determined in opposition to such a daring request.
“I knew that was type of his quantity, and he is a captain, and I do not actually have any spot to try to ask for his quantity,” Warren mentioned after his first rookie minicamp observe. — Stephen Holder
AS ANDY BORREGALES‘ flight was touchdown at Logan Airport on his first journey to New England, the Patriots’ sixth-round choose — No. 182 general and the primary kicker drafted this 12 months — regarded out the window to see Boston Harbor, and he considered his spouse, Stephanie.
“I really texted her, ‘Hey, the water shouldn’t be that blue right here. It is lots totally different. However I feel you will like it. And I will like it too,'” the previous College of Miami star mentioned with a smile.
Borregales grew up in South Florida after shifting to america from Venezuela when he was 2, so the expertise was one thing of a tradition shock.
Leaving the sandy seashores of Miami for New England’s usually unpredictable 4 seasons, Borregales’ first two practices of rookie minicamp have been held inside due to heavy rain. Temperatures have been within the 50s.
Due to the restricted house inside, and the Patriots’ particular groups concentrate on the punt unit throughout the preliminary observe, Borregales kicked earlier than many of the workforce arrived. Thus, his rookie minicamp expertise was not like most others’ across the NFL.
“I had completed my day earlier than everybody acquired right here,” he mentioned. “After that, I used to be serving to the long-snapper, Julian [Ashby], get acclimated.
“I used to be on the sideline, standing there ready for him to say the phrase if I might assist him with something. In any other case, I am simply watching observe and totally different positions. On the finish of the day, I am a soccer fan and it is thrilling to me. These are my brothers now.” — Mike Reiss
NFL reporter Eric Woodyard contributed to this story.
