NFL legend Bruce Smith has no doubt Browns No. 1 overall pick Myles Garrett will be successful. But he also knows there's a fine line between a good career and an unforgettable one.
Smith wants to help with that.
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"He's going to be successful," Smith told Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal. "It's just the level of success that he reaches could be contingent upon the decisions that are made for him at an early stage of his career. The advice, the coaching, the tutelage that he gets right now could determine whether he's an impact player in his first or second year or his fourth or fifth year."
He already has some ideas.
"There were occasions in which he was just a little slow off the ball, and that fraction of a second of being slow off the ball is the difference of whether that offensive lineman is set in a certain position to be able to take you on," Smith said. "If you get off the ball simultaneously to that ball being snapped, sometimes you're going to beat that offensive lineman out of his stance, and then on other occasions, it's going to be the difference of whether you get a sack, forced fumble or just a hit on the quarterback or just a hurry."
While this is an incredible gesture from a great player, it illustrates how many voices are in Garrett's ear right now. The hype and hysteria that comes with a No. 1 pick is unbelievable. Add in the fact Garrett is playing for the perennially lost Cleveland Browns, and it seems everyone wants to get their hands on the potential savior.
It was just a few months ago when new defensive coordinator Gregg Williams told NFL Network's Michael Silver that he said to Garrett, "You are here to work and help your teammates, and you will talk with your play. Secondly, you will show respect to our owners, and to this franchise, and to its history, and to the city of Cleveland ... When you come back here [for rookie minicamp], you will get to work. I look forward to being your father, now and for the rest of your life."
It's easy to see how a hot prospect can get overwhelmed during all of this. Browns fans hope Garrett can thrive amid all the expectations.
