Colts' Nick Cross Already Feeling Comfortable in Team's Defense

Colts rookie safety Nick Cross is already feeling comfortable in the team's defense just two training camp practices into his career.

For many NFL rookies, their first training camp practice can be intimidating. There are fans in attendance while you're still trying to learn and you're most likely lining up across from guys with "All-Pro" or "Pro Bowler" in front of their name.

That can be said for Indianapolis Colts rookie safety Nick Cross, but he quickly had a big moment when the team began camp that helped give him a confidence boost.

During the Colts' first practice of camp on Wednesday — on quarterback Matt Ryan's second throw of the day, no less — Cross jumped in front of tight end Mo Alie-Cox, batted the ball in the air, and grabbed it as he fell to the ground, coming down with the defense's first takeaway of the summer.

Caution: Nick Crossing 🚸 pic.twitter.com/ZyTNBqv9bx

— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) July 27, 2022

"Oh, we're absolutely juiced," Cross' new running mate and fellow safety Julian Blackmon told reporters about the rookie's big play. "Especially because he's 20 years old (and) he's coming in and making plays already. We're like, 'Let's go, man!' We look at him like, 'You're gonna come in and you're gonna make plays.'"

Cross himself admitted it was a pivotal moment to help him build some confidence that he belonged on the field with his teammates in the NFL.

“It was a good experience," Cross said. "First pick in the NFL – practice pick but at the same time, first one. Just to be able to keep that confidence up and be able to play and play in a high level with the rest of the guys.”

Cross is being thrust into a bigger role right away than what may have been initially anticipated.

The Colts drafted him in the third round of this spring's NFL Draft with the 96th-overall pick after adding free agents Rodney McLeod and Armani Watts to a group that already featured starters Blackmon and Khari Willis.

However, Willis announced his retirement from the NFL in June, putting Cross in the thick of the Colts' hunt to find a new starting strong safety.

“I played that in college," Cross said of the strong safety role. "Played a little bit in high school too so I have a decent amount. Experience is something that you can’t buy or you can’t get overnight. It’s something you’ve got to keep developing and keep experiencing and go from there.”

As for how he feels in his role and with the Colts' defensive playbook, Cross is already feeling at ease.

“I feel pretty comfortable," he said. "(You) never got it all the way but still always striving to be able to go out there and master the playbook. Just continuing to learn every day and build on it every day.”

What do you think of Cross so far? Drop your thoughts below in the comment section!

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