Jets rookie QB Geno Smith denies he's a diva

Jim Corbett, USA TODAY Sports | USATODAY

Geno Smith has yet to take a snap for the New York Jets, yet the former West Virginia quarterback has already taken plenty of shots.

Thin-skinned diva? Immature? Spoiled and aloof?

Those descriptions, and more, were aimed at Smith for firing his agents, Erik Burkhardt and Jeff Nalley, last week after Smith slid to the second round of the NFL draft.

Smith finally responded Monday.

"I don't worry about what people say — my skin is pretty thick," Smith told USA TODAY Sports. "I've never been in trouble."

Smith denied a Yahoo Sports report that said one team was turned off when Smith seemed more pre-occupied with checking Twitter and texting than speaking with coaches during a pre-draft visit.

"That's not true," said Smith flatly. "I got strong remarks from all the teams I visited with. ... I couldn't care less what's coming out in the media because I know what's true."

Smith regrets taking his agents' advice to skip the Senior Bowl in January. EJ Manuel, selected by the Buffalo Bills with the 16th pick, was the only QB chosen in first-round. Manuel was the Senior Bowl MVP.

"It was a decision I ultimately made," Smith said. "My first instinct is always to go out and compete. I'm a competitor. It's one of those things where I trusted those guys. They advised me that it may have been best for me not to go."

Smith, who hasn't decided on his new representation, insists his tumble out of the first round wasn't the reason for firing his agents.

"No, that's not why I let them go."

But then he hinted otherwise.

"Parts of the draft experience were tough, but not all of it, Smith said. With that entire process, you can see where some things went wrong. ... "Choosing to leave those guys was the best decision for me at the time. That's what I went with."I think I'm pretty good with my decision making. So I trust myself."

Smith also disputed an ESPN report that he planned to skip second night of the draft.

"Coming back on Day 2 was never not an option for me," Smith said.

"My goal was to go up on that stage and shake Mr. Goodell's hand. And that's what we did."

Looking forward, Smith said he's eager to get to work — and work with both Mark Sanchez and David Garrard.

He received congratulatory text from each after his selection by the team.

"Mark is a great guy,'' Smith said. "I have the utmost respect for him and I look forward to competing with him."

"David sent me a text the day after I was drafted. I expressed how much I was looking forward to learning from him, competing with him and allowing him to mentor me and to help me get better. I'm going to do the same for him.''

Smith grabbed a Jets playbook the night he was drafted and has been focused every day since on learning the terminology as he preps for the team's rookie minicamp, which begins Friday. He's been in constant communication with offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg and quarterbacks coach David Lee.

"The first goal for me is to get in that playbook, learn the terminology and learn it like the back of my hand as much as I can do to stay ahead of the curve,'' Smith said.

As for the open, five-man QB competition and his confidence about his chance to win the starting job?

"What more can you ask for?'' Smith said. "As of right now, my role as a rookie quarterback is to be a sponge.

"I have a goal in mind. I'm going to work hard towards it. And I'm just going to do all the things I think are necessary for me to eventually be one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL.''