IRVING, Texas - Fingers never moved so fast as they did the afternoon of April 29, the text messages flowing quickly between University of Cincinnati defensive backfield teammates DeAngelo Smith and Mike Mickens.
The congratulatory SMS came from Mickens first, as his fellow Bearcats cornerback was the Cowboys' choice at pick No. 143 of the NFL draft, the club selecting him as a combo safety/corner.
"When I ended up getting picked first I was just happy that I went," Smith said. "And then I got a text from Mick saying 'congrats.' We keep up a competition, but it's not like it was ever a battle to see who could get drafted first."
Later, when the Cowboys picked Mickens in the seventh round, No. 227 overall, the pair realized their transition to the NFL wouldn't be a lonely one. Obviously pumped to have a teammate joining him in Dallas, Smith texted Mickens a simple "Let's go," before the two got together on the phone to share their excitement.
The new hasn't quite worn off the NFL experience just yet for Smith and Mickens, who has been ineligible to participate in OTA practices while finishing up school work in Ohio. But just over a month into their professional careers, it's already clear the two will be able to help each other learn quickly at the game's highest level.
"For me and DeAngelo, we were very successful in what we did (in college), but it's a different league here in the NFL, so you've got to learn different techniques," Mickens said. "We played a lot of the same defenses they do here. It's just that the language is a lot different."
Because the two have the same starting point from which to learn the new language, they might just have an advantage on their fellow rookies, able to compare experiences - almost reading each other's minds in certain situations.
For now, Smith is learning the safety position while Mickens is at corner. But if Smith is able to play both positions while contributing on special teams he could be a valuable member of the Cowboys' 45-man game day roster, since flexibility is at a premium when deciding who gets to dress. He played mostly cornerback for the Bearcats, but did start five games at safety to begin the 2008 season.
"I like him as a ball-hawk and a hitter," Cowboys defensive backs coach Dave Campo said. "And his ability to go to the football. He has a real good instinct for the football, so he's going to start out at safety. Now, we're going to play him some at corner, but that's not going to be his main position. His main position is going to be free safety. I really graded him as a safety more than I did as a corner."
However Cincinnati coach Brian Kelly deployed Smith and Mickens in his secondary, the configuration usually worked. Mickens' 14 career interceptions are a school record, and Smith is second in Bearcats annals, with 12 picks during his time on campus. Their combined interceptions total (26) was more than any other active pair in college football last season. Mickens said the defensive coaches at Cincinnati were more focused on scheme than technique, which is a transition he had to learn at the May rookie camp.
"They were more involved in the schemes, and just let us play," Mickens said. "We were a veteran group, we always stayed hungry and just ran to the ball and attacked. If one person missed it, somebody else was going to clean it up."
Mickens can return to the Cowboys after graduation on June 12, but the summer's OTA practices will be concluded by then. He will be able to participate in the full squad mini-camp June 15-17, though. The same goes for fourth-round outside linebacker Victor Butler, who is still wrapping up his studies at Oregon State.
Considering their heroic actions during the accident at the team's rookie mini-camp, there's reason to believe this class of first-year players is already a tight-knit group. But, it's hard to imagine two new teammates who will enjoy a closer bond than Mickens and Smith.
"I feel like it's good just to have a familiar face on my side," Smith said. "It's rare that you get your own teammate, the one that's been with you for like four years on the other side (of the secondary). It feels good just to have him here."
Teaming with Smith again is probably the best thing that has happened to Mickens' football career in a while. He tore the meniscus in his left knee last November and missed the last three games of the regular season. After playing in Cincinnati's Orange Bowl loss to Virginia Tech, he had more knee trouble at the Senior Bowl, missing the game that week in Mobile, Ala., as well as the NFL Scouting Combine in February. Needless to say, the medical concerns precipitated a huge slip on draft weekend.
"I thought Mick was going to go first because he was rated higher," Smith said. "They had a second or a third round grade on him."
With the knee trouble behind him and ready to embark on his NFL career, it's undoubtedly a setback to be missing four weeks of OTA practices, invaluable for any rookie trying to adjust to the NFL game. If anything, though, Mickens seems resilient. Plus he ought to have some extra encouragement when he gets back to work, the push he'll get from his friend, Smith.
"He brings home to me," Mickens said. "He's here with me, and it makes me not homesick or anything . . . It's good to have a teammate here. We're friends and we hung out all through school.
"It's just good to have somebody here like that."
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