After playing college football at Colorado, Smith became a first-round pick of the Baltimore Ravens during the 2011 NFL draft. He was selected 27th overall but fell further than his talent suggested he should have because of concerns about his maturity off the field.
Selecting Smith was a risk that Ozzie Newsome was willing to take, but not one that would reap immediate rewards. In truth, over the first two years of Smith's career, he was closer to being a bust than a star.
It's not unusual for a cornerback to adapt slowly to the professional game from the college level.