The first joint practice between the Philadelphia Eagles and Baltimore Ravens took place today and one of the most anticipated battles was veteran wide receiver Steve Smith lining up against second round draft pick Eric Rowe.
For most of the day it was actually the rookie who was getting one over on the 14 year veteran. Rowe even went as far as to break up what would have been a touchdown pass in the end zone after out pacing Smith and ripping the ball away from him.
Smith finally got behind Rowe on the last play of the day for a huge gain before showboating to the rookie.
If Eric Rowe can go toe to toe with someone who has 80 touchdowns to his name and over 13,000 yards then he could match up against anyone. For a rookie, this kind of experience is invaluable regardless of the outcome. To line up against Smith, swat away a touch down and stay on his tail all day is another achievement entirely.
It would have taught him valuable lessons, marking one of the most respected wideouts in the game and is definitely going to improve his game.
The Eagles moved up to select Rowe in the draft, a move that is certainly looking to have a positive impact on the new look Eagles Defense.
