Geno Smith's professional football career is not exactly off to a smooth start. The New York Jets quarterback has come under fire in recent days for how he has handled the entire draft process, from the Senior Bowl all the way to firing his agents. Numerous NFL executives have come and said they really questioned whether Smith had true potential to grow and become a leader in the league.
It is common for NFL teams to voice their true opinions over draft picks once the entire process is over with, but Smith has received more criticism than most. Jason Cole at Yahoo! Sports reported that most executives claimed that Smith believed he had everything figured out and was unaware of his weaknesses as a player. Many teams did not see him as being able to take instruction and did not believe he would pan out as a future leader of a franchise.
While this could all be hearsay, it could have played a large part in his plummet in the draft. Prior to the NFL Draft, Smith was expected to be a top-5 selection, while easily being the first quarterback taken off the board. Instead, E.J. Manuel was the only quarterback selected in the first round and Smith was not taken until the No. 39th pick to the New York Jets. Smith was obviously anger, originally refusing to return to Radio City for the second round coverage.
He was called out for his inability to handle adversity. After the draft, he immediately placed blame on his agents, firing them days after being selected. Smith was clearly unaware that there was a chance he could slip to the second round. The size of his contract will be drastically different than that of a first-round pick.
Smith being called out for his lack of leadership does not bode well for the Jets. He is entering into what will be a well-documented quarterback competition. He will be expected to step up and act like a franchise player if he wants to start over the likes of Mark Sanchez and David Garrard. These comments will only make the media craze surrounding the Jets higher.
All of this aside, Smith is considered the favorite to win the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. If he wins the quarterback competition, oddsmakers have placed him to be the favorite. Smith has the opportunity to receive a lot of playing time if Sanchez struggles again in the 2013 season. Things are only heating up in New York and everyone is tuning in to watch.