Photo Credit: Patrick Semansky / AP

Russell Street Report Lombardi's Way Jimmy Smith Growing On And Off The Field

Baltimore Ravens cornerback Jimmy Smith has surprised many across the NFL not so much for what he’s done, but for what he hasn’t done.

Smith was labeled a punk and the next Aqib Talib – a talented player who would never realize his potential because many forecasted that he won’t get out of his own way, that he’d be trouble for the team that made the mistake of drafting him.

Despite the need for quality corners in the pass happy NFL, Smith fell to No. 27 overall in the 2011 NFL Draft because of the inaccurate red flags applied to his character.

But Ozzie Newsome didn’t flinch.

The Ravens did their research and they were confident that Smith’s immature transgressions were a thing of the past. Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti reminisced recently about the selection of Smith and the exaggerated character concerns.

“I remember reading about the wife of the Colorado coach [Dan Hawkins] being quoted as saying that when she heard [about the off-field issues of Jimmy Smith] that she was crying and saying that they cannot be talking about Jimmy. So I thought, ok, who knows better than a coach’s wife? It speaks volumes.”

Former teammate Torrey Smith may have summed it up best when the pair was first introduced to the Baltimore media.

“Going off of what [Jimmy] said, I’ve had the opportunity to know [him] myself, getting to know him over the process, and he’s a great guy. The way the media tries to portray him, I feel that’s not him. He’s a great guy, he’s down to earth, and like you said, these things are in the past, so I just feel like people should focus more on what he’s about to do from this day forward.”

Following that Smith/Smith press conference, Bisciotti pondered Torrey Smith’s comments and it sparked an idea. The Ravens owner explains.

“I remember asking [Ravens Executive VP] Kevin Byrne, ‘I want you to do me a favor before [Jimmy] leaves tomorrow. I want you to get me two binders and a [bunch] of articles on the most accomplished corners and the most talented corners that [messed up] their life like Pacman Jones. So I want you to get me everything you can on Darrell Green, Champ Bailey and a couple others. And then I want you to get me everything you can about Pacman Jones, Aqib Talib and all of these other guys.”

When Jimmy Smith was about to leave the facility, head to the airport and make his way home, Bisciotti decided to walk downstairs from the executive offices with the native of Colton, California. It was then that Bisciotti shared with Smith the fruits of Byrne’s research.

“When you’re flying back to California you’ve got 6 hours. I want you to read these two [binders] and I want you to read every single article. And I want you to decide today where you’re going to be when you leave me. I want you to decide what kind of man you want to be. Take these two books and you will know that the books aren’t written about you, but you will know that you are going to end up in one of them.

“Decide which one it’s going to be.”

The Ravens hope that what Smith has done so far as a Raven pales in comparison to the player he will become. Smith has shown signs of being a shutdown corner, particularly in 2014 prior to his Lisfranc injury. If recent developments are any indication, Smith will deliver on the promise suggested by his vast physical skills.

Plus he’s matured beyond the expectations of those draft day naysayers and perhaps even the Ravens.

“I’m growing like everybody, just age-wise” Smith explained. “My son matured me years already just in nine months. So, every day of life for me is a process. Not a process, but just growing. That’s all that is.”

This past offseason the Ravens signed Smith to a four-year extension that will keep him in Baltimore for the next 5 seasons. The extension is for $48 million and includes $21 million in guarantees. The deal is a fair one for the club, particularly if Smith stays healthy.

In 2014 Smith graded out as the 20th overall cornerback according to Pro Football Focus (“PFF”) and that takes into consideration the eight games of down time. Byron Maxwell who signed a 6-year, $63M deal with the Philadelphia Eagles this offseason that included $25M in guarantees. Comparatively speaking Maxwell graded out at the NFL’s 45th best corner according to PFF.

That said, perhaps a more accurate gauge of Smith’s effectiveness during his limited 2014 season, is the success quarterbacks had when targeting the 6’2” corner. Opposing signal callers were limited to a 51.1 passer rating when throwing Smith’s way, 5th best in the league. Comparatively speaking Maxwell yielded an 81.1 passer rating, tied for 35th best. Even the position’s benchmark, Darrell Revis, posted a 72.6 rating (13th best) and markedly weaker than Smith’s.

Relatively speaking the Ravens got a bargain with the Smith extension.

Arguably more impressive is Smith’s apparent commitment to the organization.

“They drafted me. They trusted me coming out of the draft. I mean, you guys read it. It made me feel some type of way, but for this organization to stand behind me through everything that’s happened – even up to this point – it means a lot, and they have my back. So, I’m staying here.”

Since signing his new deal, Smith has been a gym rat, seemingly determined to reward the team’s faith in him coming off yet another injury.

“He has worked hard as far as the injury front this year,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said of Smith during team OTA’s. “He is getting closer and closer to being 100 percent. He’s not there, yet, but nobody has worked harder than he has. He has been here every day since the season was over, so it probably starts that way in terms of leading by example.”

Leading by example…

I’m sure “leader” is a term that the doubters, those that said he could be a “punk”, never thought they’d see attached to the name of James Michael Smith when he entered the 2011 NFL Draft.

And it’s quite obvious which of Steve Bisciotti’s “books” captured his attention most.