Ex-Ute Sean Smith focuses on growing up

MIAMI — Two years ago, during a few quiet team meetings at the Dolphins' training facility, cornerback Sean Smith remembers joking around with some teammates in a manner that triggered his own laughter and his coach's scowl.

"Sean," the coaches barked. "Pay attention."

"Oh, OK," Smith would say. "My fault."

It wasn't a major deal to him, just like it wasn't a big deal if he showed up at 7:59 a.m. for a meeting at 8 a.m. By his watch, he was early. Not only that, he was a rookie starter — a young prospect who knew his potential.

"When I first came in, I thought everything was funny," said Smith, the first cornerback in Dolphins history to start all 16 games as a rookie. "I laughed at everything. Regardless of how good or bad things were, I was like, 'Whatever.' I just figured I'd go out there, play good and everything would be OK.

"You can't take that approach. You could have your job one day — and then it's gone in the next."

He's different now, he says. And those around him believe it. He has learned some valuable lessons. The good news? He's still a budding stud capable of turning his NFL career into whatever he wants it to be.

Within the past year, Smith has endured enough on and off the field to accelerate his maturation process faster than might have been accomplished otherwise. He moved into a house, settled into a quieter lifestyle and made football a priority.

"Don't forget, Sean left school as a redshirt junior," said his South Florida-based agent, David Canter. "He was 21 years old. Sometimes, it takes a few years to get an understanding of what is expected out of you."

A humbling second season — even if not ultimately a bad one — helped kick him into a different gear after that ego-aiding rookie year. A rough training camp and a few bad preseason games caused coach Tony Sparano to demote him in favor of Jason Allen. Smith didn't regain his job until the season's ninth week.

"I just want the coaches to know that even though I'm young, I don't have a rookie mentality anymore," Smith said. "I'm starting to take things more serious with a more professional approach."

With a full offseason to focus on making sure another demotion wasn't in his future, Smith has entered this training camp looking sharp. Physically, the 6-3 corner looks as strong as ever. He is also moving well.