Jets getting most out of versatile Brad Smith

WhiteShoeWillis · Oct 10, 2010

In the spring of 2006, Mike Westhoff traveled to Missouri in search of talent.

The Jets’ special teams coordinator knew he found it when he worked out the university’s star quarterback — at running back, receiver and punt returner. Westhoff immediately realized the immense versatility of Brad Smith, and coveted him.

The longtime coach turned in his scouting report with an emphatic final sentence: “Get him here.”

The Jets took care of that by using the 103rd pick in that year’s draft to take Smith. In the 4 1/2 years since, Smith has held roles as ubiquitous as his last name: He’s a wide receiver. He takes direct snaps. He returns kickoffs. He’s the personal protector on the punt team. He covers kicks. He pressure rushes on punt returns.

After throwing a 3-yard touchdown to Dustin Keller against the Bills last week, Smith has scored for the Jets by passing, rushing, receiving and returning. In the NFL, that’s a rare superfecta. But the 26-year-old — tabbed by his high school coach as “the most unassuming person I’ve ever encountered” — is motivated by what he hasn’t done.

“I just feel like it gets so much better,” Smith said.

Smith’s first love is quarterback, and coach Rex Ryan is fond of mentioning that Smith was the first player in NCAA history to pass for 8,000 yards and run for 4,000. Smith said he didn’t actively think about the NFL while doing so, but Westhoff wasn’t the only coach to eye his versatility.

After his senior season at Missouri, Smith visited the Rams, where current Jets receivers coach Henry Ellard was an assistant. They had a conversation Smith still remembered when they united on the Jets three years later:

“Your heart may be at quarterback,” Ellard told him then, “but you can do so many things. Stay open to that.”

Smith did, buying in wholeheartedly when the Jets slid him to receiver, even when he nearly passed out on the practice field running routes the first few times.

Westhoff remembers the conversion, and admits at first Smith “was probably a little disappointing” as a receiver. Now, in his myriad roles, Smith is averaging nearly 20 all-purpose yards each time he’s had the ball in his hands this season — far from disappointing by any measure.

“When you put him on the field,” Ellard said, “you get excited.”

That’s the way it was at Chaney High in Youngstown, Ohio, too, where coach Ron Berdis said Smith helped the school pioneer a version of the spread offense. Gary Pinkel first recruited Smith to Toledo. When Missouri hired Pinkel, he decided Smith would be the cornerstone. After his visit, Westhoff almost felt like the university would shut down after Smith graduated, that’s how beloved he was.

Smith’s humility and integrity have accompanied him through each stage of his life, values rooted in his faith and family. Smith’s mother, Sherri, raised three college graduates on her own, after she and their father divorced when Smith was in elementary school. She still works at Mount Calvary Pentecostal Church, where her children grew up around strong male mentors in their father’s absence.

“All of us,” Smith said, “are trying to do right by her.”

In July, Smith became a father himself. He and his wife, Rosalynn, welcomed their first son, Bradley Alexander Jr. They call him Alex.

As he was raised to do, Smith counts his blessings on and off the field. That’s why he never grew disgruntled about not having the opportunity to play quarterback in the NFL. The next best thing: taking a handful of direct snaps each week in a Wildcat package designed just for him.

In this season’s thriving Jets offense, the change-up has never seemed to work better. On those throwback option plays, and an occasional snap under center, Smith gets to relish having once been a quarterback. Westhoff, of course, makes sure Smith is also a permanent presence on every special-teams unit, where the coach’s stars are the “Smith brothers.”

Brad and Eric Smith share the same last name, seniority, home state and enthusiasm for bass fishing at local ponds. (They have a running tournament based on the fish they catch, which Eric Smith claims to lead by two points.)

In the Week 3 game against Miami, they teamed up to block a punt: Brad Smith engaged the player on the right edge, allowing Eric Smith to loop back inside through an open lane and get a hand on the ball.

“Brad Smith in that play had an absolute key role and executed it perfectly,” Westhoff explained. “You’re not allowed to grab and yank (the player). The way he drew him, Brad was absolutely perfect.”

Smith understands the number of snaps he takes on offense will shrink moving forward, now that receiver Santonio Holmes has returned from his four-game suspension. But that doesn’t mean his role is any less important.

Each week, as he studies more than others have to and shrugs off the fatigue of his multiple roles, he’s driven by that simple belief that he hasn’t done anything great yet, and that simple desire to change that.

“Like, Super Bowl. A Santonio play. A game-winner,” Smith said. “That’s what I would call the best play that I’ve had. Obviously, we haven’t gotten there yet.”
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http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2010/10/jets_getting_most_out_of_versa.html

gustoonarmy · Oct 10, 2010

Brad Smith is undoubtedly worth every cent hes earnt. A quite man off the field and an assassin on it.

624 · Oct 10, 2010

Good article.

I love how Mike Westhoff wrote "get him here"

grayburn · Oct 10, 2010

He will never be as versatile as Leon. Leon could play 47 different positions while hopping on one leg. Backwards.

Milliner is your Mommy · Oct 10, 2010

grayburn said: ↑

He will never be as versatile as Leon. Leon could play 47 different positions while hopping on one leg. Backwards.
Click to expand...

Remember when Leon played Center and QB that one time.

Talisman · Oct 10, 2010

I love Smith's attitude, he's very near the top of my list of favorite Jets players. I hope we find a way to keep him moving forward.

ukilledkenny · Oct 10, 2010

Revis is your daddy said: ↑

Remember when Leon played Center and QB that one time.
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Leon once threw a touchdown pass to himself after he picked up the blitz to give himself time get the ball downfield.

Enigmah · Oct 10, 2010

ukilledkenny said: ↑

Leon once threw a touchdown pass to himself after he picked up the blitz to give himself time get the ball downfield.
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I think he even kicked the extra point too after that play. Damn...where would this team be if they still had Leon?

nyjcanada · Oct 10, 2010

Hard to believe that's his first career TD pass. Brad Smith is a great player for us.

ajax · Oct 10, 2010

ukilledkenny said: ↑

Leon once threw a touchdown pass to himself after he picked up the blitz to give himself time get the ball downfield.
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lol ... is that all ..

milo · Oct 10, 2010

ukilledkenny said: ↑

Leon once threw a touchdown pass to himself after he picked up the blitz to give himself time get the ball downfield.
Click to expand...

and then the refs called him out of bounds and he overturned it.

LogeSection2RowJ · Oct 10, 2010

gustoonarmy said: ↑

Brad Smith is undoubtedly worth every cent hes earnt. A quite man off the field and an assassin on it.
Click to expand...

Man, I am so glad we have him still, and I'll be the first to admit that I wasn't sure he should still be here last year when I figured he'd never cut it as a WR so what was the point?

There's so much value to him in so many other ways, I'm happy to be wrong about him.

You the man Brad Smith.

jets_fan_in_fishtown · Oct 10, 2010

remember how much this board hated brad smith?

Seems like ancient history. Guy is such a key component to this team and always comes up big. When he went from being a wide receiver to a do it all type player, that's when we saw the real brad smith. he's even gotten better as a wr

Vorrecht · Oct 10, 2010

I absolutely hated Brad Smith in the preseason last year. He couldn't catch anything and I called him completely worthless. Then he made a play on special teams and I said he wasn't completely worthless. The rest is history.

bucknasty · Oct 10, 2010

dude is the man our special teams wouldn't be as good with out him

KurtTheJetsFan · Oct 11, 2010

I used to vomit in my mouth when I heard Jets fans badmouthing Smith. The guy wasn't brought on to be a #1 or # 2 WR. He was brought into be an extremely athletic role player that can do alot of different things on offense and special teams. He is a very crucial player for this franchise and it's time he gets his due.

Jetcentric28 · Oct 11, 2010

I love Brad Smith. In demeanor, he reminds me of Al Toon, selfless, team oriented, and hard-working,

Jets getting most out of versatile Brad Smith

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Jets getting most out of versatile Brad Smith

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