When New York Giants’ rookie Elerson Smith first arrived at Northern Iowa, he only weighed 190 pounds and was slated to play tight end. But once former NFL Defensive Player of the Year Bryce Paup started coaching him in 2018, things changed.
“The first time I had him run a stunt where the defensive end loops back in underneath the defensive tackle, he stopped,” Paup said on Big Blue Kickoff Live. “It was just like a calf seeing a new fence or a deer in the headlights. I was just like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is going to take a while.