It’s camp No. 1 for the former Tennessee Volunteer.
Kansas City Chiefs rookie defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott didn’t mince words on Friday afternoon when asked what it’s like to face off against one of the league’s premier interior linemen in Creed Humphrey.
“Humphrey is a brick wall,” said Norman-Lott, matter-of-factly. “No, no, I’m not laughing.”
Later in the interview, he returned to the topic of Humphrey and expanded on why he feels the way he does about the Chiefs’ center.
“I’ll tell you this,” started Norman-Lott. “We had a rep and he was like running the outside zone play. I was trying to move with him, and I was like, ‘Damn,’ like mid rep. I’m like, ‘Damn, this dude — he’s a brick wall.’ He’s solid and he’s a great athlete.”
It’s not just Humphrey giving the rookie everything he can handle. Norman-Lott has also faced off against Chiefs guard Trey Smith in practice. Norman-Lott said the benefit of going up against such great players is “astronomical.”
“These are some of the best guys in this league, so it’s helped me take my level to the next step.”
When he was asked what he’s focusing on in practice to help him compete with players of the caliber of Smith and Humphrey, Norman-Lott gave a practical and thoughtful answer.
“Probably just working my second move in pass rush and staying low in the run game,” he said.
Developing a counter move when the first one is stopped will go a long way toward giving opposing linemen a headache, especially when paired with his quick first step off the snap. As for staying low in the run game, that’s a great sign. Pad level dictates leverage and the point of contact in the trenches — and the low man usually wins.
One veteran who has been helping Norman-Lott develop while also holding him to a high standard is his running mate on the interior defensive line, Chris Jones.
“He’s a great leader. He’s hard on the rookies, and he’s unforgivable with us,” said Norman-Lott, referring to Jones. “But that’s only going to make us grow.”
Not every rookie gets looks with the first-team defense, especially on a team like the Chiefs with veteran starters returning at every spot on the defensive line. Norman-Lott said it was an honor that defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo allowed him to play some reps alongside the rest of the first-team defense.
“I just got to use them the right way,” he said. “I’m working on not messing up and just playing hard.”
When it comes to avoiding mistakes, Norman-Lott said he feels like a freshman in college again — and that his teammates bring a different level of urgency and intensity compared to the NCAA.
“This is a job now. These guys’ jobs, my job is all on the line, so it’s a different tempo and intensity with it.”
Because of this, Norman-Lott said he’s focused on making the most of camp. If he’s not in meetings or on the field, you will find him either sleeping or studying.
“There’s no more time for nothing else.”