Soul’s OL Adam Smith may have best chance to get another shot at the NFL. Photo by Andy Lewis/contrastphotography.com

There are questions you can ask 100 people and you’ll get 100 different responses, even people from the same walk of life.

But there is one question you can ask and get the exact same answer from everyone…that is if the 100 people you are talking to are all Arena Football League players.

Question: Aside from helping your team win, what is your goal this year as a football player?

Answer: Get a shot at the NFL.

“Absolutely,” said Iowa Barnstormer fullback Derik Steiner after his team dropped a last-second decision (60-55) to the Soul at the Wells Fargo Center on April 27. “That’s one of the main reasons I am still playing the game, other than because I love it. Getting that shot in the NFL is what I want. I’ve excelled at every level I’ve been at, I’d like to go to the top level and excel there too.”

Like many AFL players, the 27-year-old Steiner – who played college football at Morehead State – is still searching for his first look from The League.

Others, like Soul offensive tackle Adam Smith, are looking for one more shot at the NFL brass ring after being passed over the first time around.

With his size – a legitimate NFL beast-like 6-foot-5, 320 pounds – and age, 24, he may have the best chance of any Soul player to get that second look. For now though, Smith is happy to be earning an income playing football.

“I get a paycheck to play the game that I love,” Smith said after a recent Soul practice. “You can’t put into words what a blessing that is. Obviously everybody’s ultimate goal is the NFL. I came out of college and I went to training camp with Tampa Bay last year. It didn’t work out so now I’m here. It’s just another day to work every day and try to perfect your craft and get better at the game…hey we’re making some great friends while we’re doing it. I can’t complain at all for what I am doing.”

Derik Steiner of the Iowa Barnstormers is looking for a shot in an NFL camp. Photo by Rich Barbon/contrastphotography.com

Steiner is a veteran AFL player. He has eye-opening speed for a guy who played last season at about 315 pounds. Steiner is sure-handed with the ball and tramples most would-be tacklers.

Last year, he was starting to have some conversations with people close to the NFL about a strategy to get that NFL look when a rib injury late in the season delayed the process.

He used the time off to adjust his game to not only to help his chances for an outdoor tryout, but to help his indoor team win games.

“I’m trying to trim down and get my foot speed up and my footwork up and improve my overall speed,” Steiner said. “At 300 pounds, it’s a lot to carry around. I like to be around 290 or 295. It’s a little better for me. And I feel better and it’s good for the longevity of my career. I think it (keeping weight below 300 pounds) helps out a lot.”

Smith is new to indoor football so he is adjusting to this version of the sport.

The Arena Football League has restrictions on defenders making it easier for offenses to move the ball and score.

“There’s a lot of little differences…a few different rules…most of them don’t pertain to me as much, being up front,” said Smith, who played for Western Kentucky of the Sun Belt Football Conference. “There is just the little technique stuff here and there, but when it comes down to it..football is football. It’s man against man. You’re battling the guy across from you all night and you’ve got to win your one-on-one battles.”

Smith talked about the similarities between the indoor and outdoor game. He said hustle and desire to be in the right place at the right time are universal.

“For me my goal every week is the same,” Smith said. “Obviously you don’t want to give up any sacks. But for me I put it in me as a challenge, I don’t want to give up any pressures. I don’t want my guy to ever touch our quarterback. [Arena Football] is a quicker game so it is more of an attainable goal for me. Obviously I am trying to dominate my guy on every down, every snap. So that is something for me to go for. I don’t want my guy to ever touch Dan (Raudabaugh), and another thing I try to do is is when the ball is gone, I’m trying to hustle down field…we’ve got some great athletes…if they break a tackle..maybe if I’m hustling down there maybe I can be there to get a second block to free him up…or if he fumbles the ball I can be there to get the fumble. You always want to give a 100 percent effort and always try to be around the ball and the play.

“I’m a big guy,” Smith continued with grin. “So my job is to try to keep the other guys off my guys. I’m trying to beat up on everybody that’s wearing a different colored jersey.”

Smith knows his mission to climb the mountain back to an NFL chance will not be an easy one.

“It (the NFL) is a tough league,” he said. “It’s the N-F-L for a reason. They say it stands for ‘Not for long.’ There are 53 guys on a every team. Everybody in America wants to play the game. It’s very competitive and it’s something that you’ve got to work at everyday to try to become the best football player you can. I was blessed to get an opportunity to try out last year. Hopefully I’ll get a chance down the road.”

Email Al Thompson at the.magazine2@footballstories.com.