Alabama reunion in Miami: Tua, Jalen, a Penguin and the Slim Reaper

MIAMI GARDENS — Jaylen Waddle didn't practice on Wednesday, but he went out of his way to spend some time catching passes from a JUGS machine along with former college teammate DeVonta Smith.

Roll, Tide.

"It means a lot," Smith Thursday. "The relationship we have. I call him, 'Nephew' and he calls me 'Unc.' With everything that went down. Him getting hurt. Him coming back for the last game. It meant a lot for both of us to see, the past year, that everything we did paid off."

The Dolphins traded down in the 2021 NFL Draft, passing up a chance to select Ja'Marr Chase, Kyle Pitts or Smith. They then traded back up to six to select Waddle.

The Eagles then grabbed Smith at 10.

Now head coach of the Dolphins, Mike McDaniel was a 49ers assistant at the time.

"We knew him as ‘Slim Reaper,’" McDaniel said this week. "That dude is awesome. I really respect his game, how he goes about his business. I’ve always had an intrigue with guys that can be on the slimmer side and play the game physically. He’s a cool player."

No. 3 is Jaylen Waddle: Top 25 Miami Dolphins players countdown

5 Things To Know: DeVonta Smith, Alabama and Philadelphia receiver

Tua Tagovailoa visualizing success: And it's not hard to see why

On Thursday, Smith was saying he's added weight and speed and has improved his diet. Smith added he has a "Wawa addiction" and hasn't exactly been able to cut out the honey turkey sandwiches.

Waddle, nicknamed "Penguin" for his waddling in the end zone after touchdowns,  has missed time with an undisclosed lower body injury this week.

Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurts have stayed in touch, even though Tua took his job and Jalen transferred to Oklahoma.

"When I went to Alabama, the dude’s a hard worker in the weight room, in the classroom and then on the field," Tagovailoa said. "The dude had to be the first into the weight room, he had to be the first out onto the field. Like sprints, he had to be first. So it really tells you how he goes about his life. It tells you about how he kind of sees things and how he looks at things. Obviously he’s a competitor."

McDaniel said he believes Hurts is inspired by his second-round draft status.

"And he did the best thing that you can do as a player and that’s prove other teams wrong," McDaniel said. "I think he’s really developing in his pass game, like he’s always been able to throw real well, but as far as the timing and how he competes in that way. And then they do a great job featuring him in the run game as well."

Tua said that Hurts gave him some tips about the Patriots and Hurts said that Tua gave him some tips about the Falcons.

"It's all to help a friend," Hurts said. "I want to see him win. And he wants to see me win."

Joe Schad is a journalist at the Palm Beach Post part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach him at jschad@pbpost.com. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Tua Tagovailoa reconnects with Alabama Crimson Tide teammates