PITMAN — Atlantic City Blackjacks quarterback Warren Smith started practice Saturday morning and immediately connected with wide receiver Warren Oliver Jr. on a routine slant route.

Smith later completed a corner pass to Oliver on a 2-on-2 drill against Philadelphia Soul defenders during the teams’ joint practice at Virtua Total Turf Experience.

But Smith and Oliver had prior connections before joining one of the Arena Football League’s two expansion teams.

Both played for the 2017 Lehigh Valley SteelHawks, a since-defunct team in the National Arena League. And both players are from South Jersey.

“Warren (Oliver) is a great wide receiver and does a lot of good things for us,” said Smith, 29, of the Forked River section of Lacey Township. “Our Lehigh (Valley) days, we had a really good run together. So it’s good to have good chemistry with a receiver like that.

During 8-on-8 drills Saturday, Smith, a 2008 Lacey Township High School graduate, guided the Blackjacks downfield and found wideout Antwane Grant for touchdown.

Oliver also made some big receptions with the Blackjacks’ other quarterbacks, Randy Hippeard, a former Arena Football League MVP, and Drew Powell.

“Today was a good day,” Smith said. “Warren (Oliver) had a good day. I had a good day. We are just going to build off this and keep going forward.”

Oliver, who played football at Palmyra High School and Rowan University, competed for the SteelHawks in 2016 and 2017. Last season, the 6-foot-2, 225-pound Oliver played for the Champions Professional Indoor Football League’s Duke City Gladiators in New Mexico.