Posted to Falcon Nation's news section and found on the AJC:

Adjusting to the speed of the NFL is a challenge for any rookie.

Learning the complicated terminology in a playbook is another major hurdle.

But for Atlanta Falcons first-round pick Roddy White, Friday's first practice of mini-camp presented another difficult test: How does he stop staring at Michael Vick?

Vick's star power as a Pro Bowl player and one of the league's top attractions was evident Friday as White, a wide receiver from Alabama-Birmingham, confessed he felt more like a fan than a teammate.

"It's kind of amazing when you're in the huddle with him and he's right next to you looking you in the eye when he's calling the play," White said. "You've got to overcome that. You can't stand around watching all day."

Asked to describe Vick's passes, White said "Spirals. And he throws them pretty deep, too."

Vick, entering his fifth season, says he can easily remember when he was in awe of the veterans.

"He's got to understand he's in the NFL now," Vick said. "He's my teammate. Once training camp comes around that feeling will go out the window."

White did a good job catching passes from Vick and other Falcons quarterbacks, but White criticized his own routes.

"I went out there and ran a couple of wrong routes and just messed us all up," White said. "I didn't expect that. I expected to be a little better. I've got to pick it up a notch."

White, a first-round pick last Saturday, had not even had a week to study the playbook. Falcons coach Jim Mora didn't expect any first-year players to act like veterans Friday. But Mora said "I like to hear that he's hard on himself."

"He'll got back and he'll look at the film and he'll realize he wasn't as bad as he thought," Mora said.

"When balls are coming at them and they don't know where to line up, it can get a little overwhelming. But I expect that he as well as all the other rookies will overcome that very quickly."

Vick said he was impressed with White, who at 6-0 and 208 pounds has good size and speed.

"He caught a couple of deep balls today," Vick said. "He ran some good routes. I'm very excited. He gives me a big target. He's going to work well with the rest of the guys and make that group 10 times better than they were last year."

One veteran in the group, Peerless Price, said he was not upset when the team chose a receiver in the first round for the second straight year, following the 2004 selection of Michael Jenkins.

"I'm not surprised by anything that goes on," Price said. "It's a business and you look at it that they take care of the Falcons and you've got to take care of your business when you're out here."

Safety Keion Carpenter (knee), fullback Justin Griffith (ankle), left guard Michael Moore (shoulder) and right guard Martin Bibla (ankle) returned from injuries that prematurely ended their 2004 seasons. Safety Bryan Scott and tight end Eric Beverly are still recovering from shoulder injuries.

The three-day mini-camp ends Sunday. There will be "organized team activities" on the practice fields in May, and the first day of training camp in Flowery Branch is July 25.





---Man, I dont blame the guy, if I would be starstruck just like him after Mike talks, looks, or throws a pass to me. Lucky him