But, for reasons that may stem from his college scheme or his "character concerns," Smith fell out of round one on draft day -- and right into the Jets' lap in the second round. After outplaying  Matt Ryan  for much of the Jets' upset victory over the Falcons, Smith is starting to show the skill set many are excited to see blossom in the NFL.

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Before going into where he succeeded in the Falcons game, let's rewind: Smith had four turnovers in a 38-13 loss to the Titans just a eight days prior to his Monday Night showing. While his actual performance wasn't as bad as the stat line indicated, he did seem to struggle with timing in the pocket and route communication with his receivers downfield.

In a Monday Night game that optimized his talents, Smith showed what many saw during his tenure at West Virginia. H  ere's an excerpt from our scouting report   prior to the 2013 NFL Draft:

"He shows great pocket presence, with the ability to adjust to pressure while keeping his eyes downfield and reset his feet to make throws. He is poised and patient in the pocket, allowing receivers to get open. When the pocket collapses he is smooth and efficient in eluding the rush and buying time. He also can escape pressure on the run."

While his patience in the pocket has led to 18 sacks in just five games (including four against Atlanta), he's slowly beginning to adjust to the speed of the NFL, both against pressure and his receivers' routes. He has remained confident throughout this season, standing tall in the pocket and showing a willingness to take a hit to make a throw downfield.

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Specifically in his win over the Falcons, Smith showed confidence in his playmakers and offense as a whole. On timing routes with his tight end Jeff Cumberland on seam routes and in attacking underneath throws to Jeremy Kerley, Smith utilized a conservative yet versatile passing package that offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg designed well.

There are great signs that he is becoming more comfortable, and that was on display during his two-minute drill that lead to a game-winning 43-yard field goal by Nick Folk. That's the type of drive that will motivate the Jets and Smith.

After taking over at his own 20-yard line, Smith went 4-for-4 for 44 yards and an 8-yard run on a bootleg. His throws weren't rushed, were consistently tight and were placed well enough that his receivers could pick up added yards after the catch. It was a drive that was both well called (by Mornhinweg) and well executed by Smith. Smith had outplayed Ryan for much of the game, earning the victory against the former NFC South champs.

Smith ended the game 16-for-20 with 199 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 21 yards rushing, He was efficient on high-low reads and did not force the ball downfield more than a handful of times. And that's exactly what the talented yet developing passer needed most.

He needed the coaching staff to be patient with him. He needed the offense to be slowly implemented. Now he has a signature win against a playoff caliber team to provide him the confidence to lead the Jets the rest of the season. After a 3-2 start, he has them thinking playoffs.

Not bad for a second round rookie.

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