OWINGS MILLS - The trenches aren't the only part of the football field where wills are imposed, where brawn and power still matter.

NFL teams seeking an edge against tall, athletic receivers are deploying large cornerbacks in press coverage to shut down pass patterns at the line of scrimmage before they can even start.

By jamming receivers in the chest, big, strong cornerbacks can disrupt timing and prevent quarterbacks from having a downfield target to choose from. The NFL still allows bump-and-run coverage techniques as long as contact ceases after 5 yards.

And the Baltimore Ravens have been experimenting with a tandem of tall, mobile, long-armed cornerbacks in Jimmy Smith and Cary Williams.

Smith and Williams have been working in with the defensive starters in practice, providing a different look for a secondary populated by mostly smaller corners.

Smith is a 6-foot-2, 210-pound physical prototype drafted in the first round. And Williams is a rangy 6-1, 190-pound reserve cornerback and special teams contributor.

"They played really well," said defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano. "When they prance out there, it's very comforting. You've got two 6-1, 6-2 guys out there with long arms and guys that can run. It makes it very difficult.

"When you play tight coverage, it forces the quarterback to put it in tight windows and makes it really hard for the receivers to get off the line."

Smith remains a strong candidate to start, but needs to stack together several practices and preseason games after being hampered at the start of training camp with a nagging groin injury.

To overtake Chris Carr and Lardarius Webb while veteran Domonique Foxworth continues to recover from a torn anterior cruciate ligament, Smith will need to utilize his best assets: superior size and speed.

At the NFL scouting combine, the All-American from Colorado ran the 40-yard dash in 4.42 seconds and bench pressed 225 pounds 24 times and registered a 36-inch vertical leap.

Plus, Smith has long arms and big hands.

"It definitely helps out if they're literally like half a foot away from me," Smith said. "My arms can go past them, so I get my hands on them every time. I've just got to get my feet moving now."

Even for a swaggering high pick like Smith who's accustomed to success, the NFL is an adjustment.

Grappling with 6-1, 223-pound receiver Anquan Boldin is different from the receivers Smith encountered in the Big 12.

"These receivers run right into you and throw you off of them," Smith said. "I like it, I like the physicality of it."

It's difficult to judge how well Smith is faring considering he has missed a lot of practice time and made only a cameo appearance during the Ravens' 13-6 preseason loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Smith is slated to play significantly more Friday night against the Kansas City Chiefs at M&T Bank Stadium.

"Jimmy is a really, really bright guy. He really has a lot going on and he's savvy," Pagano said. "Nothing really bothers Jimmy. He's a cool cucumber. He's just learning everything. He's not where he should be because of the setback, but now that we've got him out here we're kind of force-feeding him in there. It'll be interesting. We're going to up his reps this game. I can't wait to see him play."

Williams will likely continue to operate in nickel and dime packages as well as having a big special-teams role. He has intercepted several passes since camp began. And he's not far behind Smith athletically with 4.43 speed in the 40-yard dash and a 9-11 broad jump.

"He's done nothing but great things out here and he's earned the opportunity to work with the ones," Pagano said.

"Now, what he's got to do is he's got to be consistent. We've got great competition in the back end, so these guys are pushing each other."

A year ago, Williams began the season with a two-game suspension for a violation of the NFL personal conduct policy. This year, he's in contention to play in the first game as part of the secondary rotation.

"Being in the system definitely helps," Williams said. "It's hard work, going through the hours and doing all the intangible things. Last year, nothing was set in stone.

"I want to come out and compete to the best of my ability and stack practice after practice. It's the same old thing for me. I'm a firm believer in hard work. I'm willing to accept whatever role Coach Pagano wants to put me in."