Ravens' Harbaugh: Young players now lack 'football fitness'

With training camp on the horizon, Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh is not enthused about his young players' level of fitness.

Entering his 11th season with the Ravens, Harbaugh appears to be yearning for yesteryear, calling out rookies Hayden Hurst and Mark Andrews after they missed a series of practices due to soft-tissue injuries.

"One thing I've noticed: Guys coming out of college aren't as callused up as they used to be," Harbaugh said to ESPN's Jamison Hensley. "We used to practice twice a day in full pads. And those players know - I'm talking to you out there who know, who've played in the National Football League or played in college 10, 15 years ago - (that) it's not even close to the same thing.

"There's a certain type of 'in shape,' certain type of football fitness, certain type of (callused-ness) - muscles, joints, tendons, ligaments - that kind of toughen up. They callus up a little bit, and you can practice all day and run all day. Then our guys coming in right now, most of them don't have that."

Hurst was drafted in the first round by the Ravens, while they selected Andrews in the third. Both tight ends are expected to contribute to a once-stale Ravens passing game.

Despite Hurst's and Andrews' potential to spur the offense, Harbaugh compared them unfavorably to veterans Nick Boyle and Maxx Williams.

"They're not batting an eye. Why? Because they're callused up, because they know how to practice, because their bodies are just tougher," Harbaugh said. "There's a physical toughness to it. They're mentally tough. But you have to practice football to be able to practice football the right way."