ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — The jump from college football to the NFL is among the most significant and challenging that many athletes will make in their careers.
With that in mind, the Buffalo Bills opened a three-day rookie minicamp Friday at team headquarters in Orchard Park.
It's a first for many of the players as they transition to the NFL, and a first look for Bills general manager Brandon Beane and other members of the Bills staff.
"It's a different level. It's really, you're just trying. The main thing is teach them some things and see what they can learn, process, all that stuff," Beane said.
There's a lot of stuff for any rookie.
That's especially true for Bills first-round pick Dalton Kincaid. Buffalo traded up a couple of spots to draft the tight end from Utah 25th overall. He figures to be a hybrid between a tight end and slot receiver.
His first day on an NFL field seemed to leave a lasting impression.
"l think it's really important just in terms of the learning the plays and just getting your feet under yourself," Kincaid said. "Being a rookie is not going to be easy in terms of just getting out there and hitting the ground running, but this kind of gives you some preparation for that."
Kincaid said he also felt a bit rusty since he hadn't practiced in six months or so. He had been dealing with a back injury that Beane says checked out medically before the draft, and shouldn't limit Kincaid during the offseason program moving forward.
The Bills drafted guard O'Cyrus Torrence out of Florida in the second round. He didn't give up a sack during his college career, and largely because of that, many had projected him as a first round talent.
Torrence says he's trying to make the most of the reps he's getting this weekend.
"I think it's real valuable. ... It's like getting a pre-run of how everything is going to be when the other guys get here. It will give me a chance to learn the offense and feel comfortable in the offense to learn the plays this whole time. It's very important for me to get down the basics of the offense."
The camp runs through Sunday in Orchard Park. Veterans will start joining when organized team activities begin on May 22.