Harrison Smith Praises Josh Metellus's Football IQ: 'I Learn a Lot From Him'
Harrison Smith is entering his 12th NFL season. Between the regular season and playoffs, he has 165 starts under his belt. He's the Vikings' longest-tenured player, he's tied for the career interceptions lead among all active players, and he has an outside chance at reaching the Pro Football Hall of Fame someday.
Josh Metellus, meanwhile, is a former sixth-round pick entering his fourth NFL season. Primarily a special teams ace, he's played all of 331 defensive snaps in his career (more than 10,000 fewer than Smith).
And yet, Metellus's football IQ and intelligence are so impressive that Smith has found himself learning a lot from his fellow safety over the last few years.
"(Josh) could sit up there and run a meeting as a coach right now," Smith said on Tuesday. "He’s got it that well. I learn a lot from him. He knows more, a lot of times, than I do — so I’m trying to learn stuff from him, too. He’s great to be around, and it’s a lot of fun to watch him."
It's been clear since OTAs earlier this offseason that Metellus is a player to watch in 2023. He saw a ton of reps with the first-team defense in those spring practices, spending time all over the place: safety, nickel, in the box, wherever. He may not beat out Cam Bynum and Lewis Cine for a starting safety job, but it seems like Brian Flores and the Vikings want to find ways to get Metellus on the field in a variety of roles.
Why? Because not only is he extremely smart, he's also just a talented football player. Metellus has proved that on special teams throughout his career and in his limited defensive reps last season.
"He’s just a guy that no matter where you put him, he’s going to do everything he can to be the best at that," Smith said. "Whether it’s right guard on punt, or safety, or whatever. And he’s a really smart guy, and he’s an explosive player and can do a lot of things athletically. So that combination, I just think his confidence has grown over the years as he’s made plays at pretty much spot he’s ever been put at."
In 2022, Metellus earned an 85.1 PFF grade on 261 defensive snaps. He had five pass breakups, a game-sealing interception, and 25 tackles. The Vikings' leader in special teams snaps since 2020 also added seven tackles in that phase and blocked a punt in two consecutive games late in the year.
"Josh is talented," Flores said. "He showed that over the course of his career, he showed that in OTAs. He's a smart player."
Metellus's combination of smarts and athletic ability could have him headed for a big role this season.
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