Bears Rookie Cole Kmet Impressing in First Training Camp

Chicago Bears rookie Cole Kmet has earned praise from just about everyone at this point in training camp.

The 6-foot-6, 262-pounder has also impressed his teammate Jimmy Graham, who has somewhat taken on a mentor role.

"He's been a great influence for me since I've got here," Kmet told reporters. "He's helped me out and shown me how to be a professional. You're going from college where things are regimented in terms of going to class and being where you have to be at times.

"Jimmy has shown me all the extra things you have to do to be a great professional."

Graham has played a lot of football over the last 10 years, so praise for a rookie tight end is something of note.

"His football intelligence and his ability to soak in these plays and understand his assignments and to understand football and defenses is extremely impressive for a young kid," Graham said. "That's been the most impressive thing that I can say I notice with him.

"Also, he's every bit of 260. He reminds me of a young me. He's got big legs, and the amount of potential that the kid has and the amount of talent that he has is truly unbelievable."

The Arlington Heights (Ill.) native hasn't played in a game and won't until week one as the NFL won't have a preseason, but he's somewhat had a welcome to the NFL moment.

"For me, it was the first day of pads," laughed Kmet. "I had a cut-off block and I look up and I'm going against 52, so that was a wakeup call for me. It was pretty cool that I had to go block Khalil Mack. Things like that going against our defense, whether it's Eddie Jackson or Danny Trevathan - those type of guys.

"Going against all of our linebackers, defensive line, linebackers safeties and corners, it's pretty cool. When we threw those pads and started hitting, it was like my welcome to the NFL type of moment."

Kmet's ability to transition to the NFL might be impressive, but he wouldn't call it easy, especially as he didn't get mini-camp in the spring.

"This is a lot faster than college and a lot more physical," explained Kmet. "I'm just trying to get into that habit going against these guys. When you're going against the top defense in the league, you get used to it pretty quickly.

"I'm trying to get as many reps as I can from now until we kick off against Detroit."

Bears tight ends coach Clancy Barone and his brother Casey also deserve credit for helping Kmet get prepared mentally before camp started.

"It was a lot of help from Coach Barone in our Zoom meetings," said Kmet. "He spent the extra time I wanted in order to get this playbook down. I had a lot of help from my brother back at home. We weren't doing much in quarantine. We'd go workout together and I'd get a script going and I'd run through the plays.

"I did as much as I could during that time, so I could be prepared as I could be for training camp. I feel it's really paid off to this point."

Kmet has also learned the NFL is a little more relaxed in some areas compared to college and that includes being able to celebrate a little more.

"I’m coming from college where you're not allowed to celebrate like that, but you can here," Kmet laughed. "I'm going to make the most of it when we make a big play in practice. We're going to celebrate and have fun with it. We're going to have a lot of fun in the end zone.

"I'm taking that energy and it bleeds into the next thing, whether it's going from 1-on-1s to team run or team run to a full team segment. Those things transition to one another. Bringing and providing that energy for everyone else can be beneficial for the team. That's something I've picked up on and it makes practice a little more fun."

Kmet is well on his way to becoming a force in the Bears offense, but he'll be the first to say there is a ton of work to go.

That work starts with developing better chemistry with Bears quarterbacks Mitch Trubisky and Nick Foles.

"I want to come down with it so they can have that faith in me," said Kmet. "I'm doing my best, whether it's 1-on-1s or 7-on-7, to make those plays and showing I'm capable of doing it. I'm getting with them after practice and working on those routes and plays on the ball."