Geno Smith defended himself against a scouting report that has called his skills into question, telling USA Today Sports, "it's untrue in all things," while his former quarterbacks coach said Smith can "start in the NFL from day one."

Pro Football Weekly draft analyst Nolan Nawrocki delivered a scathing assessment of Smith's skills this week, writing that the West Virginia quarterback is "not a student of the game," "does not command respect from teammates and cannot inspire," is "not committed or focused" and "cannot handle hard coaching."

"A cross between Akili Smith and Aaron Brooks, Smith is a gimmick, overhyped product of the system lacking the football savvy, work habits and focus to cement a starting job and could drain energy from a QB room. Will be overdrafted and struggle to produce against NFL defensive complexities," Nawrocki also wrote.

Nawrocki's scouting report has stirred debate much like a critical report he wrote about Cam Newton before he was drafted No. 1 overall by the Carolina Panthers in the 2011 draft.

Smith said he heard about the scouting report when his former quarterbacks coach at West Virginia, Jake Spavital, called him to talk about it.

Spavital, now Johnny Manziel's quarterbacks coach at Texas A&M, told USA Today that he was "laughing" with Smith when discussing the report and told the quarterback, "Welcome to the business."