Steve Smith is invested in our nation's youth. He's not so hot on mouthy rookies.
At his football camp Friday, the Carolina Panthers wideout dished out a private lesson to first-year cornerback Josh Norman out of Coastal Carolina. The fifth-round pick went on record this week suggesting he went toe-to-toe with Smith in organized team activities and minicamp.
"He'd throw his hands in the air. He'd have a couple words," Norman told Joseph Person of The Charlotte Observer.
Smith cozied up to the mic and set the record straight.
"For a young guy, he's coming out and he's playing well. But as far as how much swagger and he loves to compete, I look at it like all the other veterans -- May and June you just kind of cruise a little bit just to get through," Smith told Person.
"Once late July, August comes, he's going to learn very quickly this isn't Coastal Carolina. I look forward to camp. I hope he looks forward to camp, just like all the other DBs because the first week is never a good day for them when we've got this offense with (offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski). It's going to be early and often and real quick."