Jimmy Smith

You've heard of planking, right? Well apparently the recent fad, which involves someone laying flat and lifeless on random objects in random public places, is no longer a cutting-edge leisure activity. We now have something called owling. And good news: Ravens first-round draft pick Jimmy Smith has gotten into the act. Check out this picture from Smith's Twitter feed and this other picture from his buddy's Twitter feed . I'm not sure why someone would want to perch like an owl in random places , but this craze cracks me up. Still, a comment on the photo posted to Smith's Twitter feed sums up what most Ravens fans will think when they see the rookie cornerback perched on a fence (especially after Sergio Kindle's accident last summer)

The Ravens began organized team activities Tuesday, marking the first time this offseason that the team's rookies have been on the practice field with veterans. These workouts at the team's facility in Owings Mills are optional for veterans, though I'm sure coach John Harbaugh hopes all of them will be in attendance. The OTAs will continue into June, setting the table for next month's mandatory minicamp. Media is allowed to watch practice at the OTAs the next three Wednesdays and for all of the mandatory minicamp, which is June 12-14.

Ravens coach John Harbaugh announced that rookie cornerback Jimmy Smith has a high left ankle sprain and will be out a “few weeks.” Smith, the Ravens' first-round pick out of Colorado, got hurt while covering a kickoff in the first quarter of the team's 35-7 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. X-rays taken on his ankle were negative, but Smith is still expected to be sidelined for an extended period. “Jimmy is the one guy that had an injury that was something a little more serious,” said Harbaugh, who said that Smith got caught up in a pile while covering the kick.

It was surprising that the Ravens agreed to a contract extension with cornerback Lardarius Webb without first signing running back Ray Rice or quarterback Joe Flacco, but it was a good move by the team. During negotiations with star players, there are times when teams say, "Take the money now, or we move on to our next priority and sign him. " That might not be the case in this situation, but I wouldn't be totally surprised if it was. With Webb and second year cornerback Jimmy Smith under contract, the Ravens have two potential shut down cornerbacks while most teams in the NFL don't have one. Webb is just starting to enter his peak years, and Smith could become one of the better cornerbacks in the league.

I don't know what the Ravens immediate plans are for rookie cornerback Jimmy Smith, but it might be time to get him back on the field. Smith hasn't played much since he injured his ankle on the opening kickoff of the season opener against Pittsburgh.  In the last couple of weeks, the Ravens have used him on special teams and in some nickel and dime packages, but he might serve them better as the starting nickel over Chris Carr. Carr certainly has more experience, and that's what you want from the inside guy. But Smith is a great talent, a player with game-changing ability.

Each week, we bring you a Q&A with a Ravens player, coach or team executive to help you learn a little more about the team. Today's guest is cornerback Jimmy Smith. How would you describe your transition to the NFL? It's only a little bit different, because I just have to get used to making more plays. That's it. It's also harder in the sense that you have to be on top of your game. You have to know everything that's going on, because you're not going to get away with half-knowing what you have to know to be successful up here.

Ravens cornerback Jimmy Smith strolled into the locker room this week looking like a man without a concern in the world, right up until the second he realized a reporter was standing in front of his locker, notebook in hand. Smith leaned his head back, sized up his inquisitor, and raised his eyebrows with skepticism. "Ah man, don't tell me you're waiting to talk to me," he said. An uncomfortable silence hung in the air for a few seconds, before Smith smiled to reveal he was joking.

Both coach John Harbaugh and defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano said this week that rookie cornerback Jimmy Smith's role would be expanded this Sunday when the Ravens play host to the Cincinnati Bengals. The team's first-round pick in April, Smith confirmed that he has taken more reps on defense. “I'm excited to get on the field and contribute to the team,” he said. “I've gotten more snaps. They've upped my duties more. So I'm excited to go show what I can do.” Smith, who missed four games with a high left ankle sprain, has not recorded a tackle on defense and has broken up one pass while playing primarily in the team's dime packages.

With the news that Domonique Foxworth's season had ended after being placed on injured reserve Wednesday morning, the Ravens cornerback group got a bit of good news in the form of rookie Jimmy Smith. The organization's first-round pick in April, Smith is no longer wearing a clunky boot on his left foot to help him bounce back from a high ankle sprain. Smith walked through the team's locker room on Wednesday without a limp in his gait or a grimace on his face. “That's a sign that the ankle is getting better, getting stronger,” he said.

Jimmy Smith encountered the first test of his blossoming career when the Ravens rookie cornerback was targeted often in Sunday night's 34-14 loss to the San Diego Chargers. Starting for the injured Lardarius Webb, Smith, the organization's first-round pick in April, was targeted at least five times in the first half by quarterback Philip Rivers, and Smith eventually surrendered a 28-yard touchdown to wide receiver Malcom Floyd in the third quarter. After the game, Smith chalked it up to a learning experience.

Is the window closing for the Ravens to win a Super Bowl? It definitely is for stalwart linebacker Ray Lewis and free safety Ed Reed. But Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti believes the window is wide open for his franchise. “I don't see age as being a window closing, not when you have a franchise quarterback coming up that's entering his fifth year,” Bisciotti said at Wednesday's news conference. “We got great contributions this year from three of our seven draft picks, and I know that we are very excited about the other ones.

Jimmy Smith, the team's first-round pick in the 2011 NFL draft, capped off a promising rookie season with a spectacular interception of New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady in the fourth quarter of Sunday's 23-20 loss in the AFC championship game. Brady threw a deep ball to Patriots wide receiver Matthew Slater that safety Bernard Pollard swatted down in the end zone. Smith swooped in, dove and got his hands under the ball before it bounced off the turf. Smith jumped to his feet and returned the interception 39 yards.

The Ravens fell, 23-20, to the New England Patriots in Sunday's AFC championship game, but the result could have been potentially worse. After linebacker Brandon Spikes intercepted quarterback Joe Flacco's pass to tight end Ed Dickson on an inside post route in the fourth quarter, New England opened the ensuing series from midfield. But Tom Brady's attempt to quickly add to the Patriots' three-point lead was extinguished when Ravens strong safety Bernard Pollard tipped Brady's bomb to wide receiver Matthew Slater and rookie cornerback Jimmy Smith collected the tipped ball before it touched the turf in the end zone.

Conventional wisdom would seem to suggest that the Ravens top cornerback, Lardarius Webb, would be matched up against the New England Patriots' top wide receiver, Wes Welker, when the teams meet in Sunday's AFC championship game. If that's the plan though, Webb isn't tipping his hand. “I'm not locked on him or anything. He's just one of the wide receivers,” Webb said after Thursday's practice. “They have a lot of good wide receivers, a lot of good talent around them.

Despite Ravens coach John Harbaugh's admission that Cary Williams hasn't been cleared to play, rookie Jimmy Smith said he thinks Williams will start Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals. The absence of Williams, who suffered a concussion in last Saturday's win against the Cleveland Browns, would pave the way for Smith, the organization's first-round pick in April, to make his second start in the last three games. But Smith said starting in place of Williams isn't on his mind. “I didn't even think about it, and I don't think that's even going to be the case,” Smith said after Friday's practice.

Jimmy Smith encountered the first test of his blossoming career when the Ravens rookie cornerback was targeted often in Sunday night's 34-14 loss to the San Diego Chargers. Starting for the injured Lardarius Webb, Smith, the organization's first-round pick in April, was targeted at least five times in the first half by quarterback Philip Rivers, and Smith eventually surrendered a 28-yard touchdown to wide receiver Malcom Floyd in the third quarter. After the game, Smith chalked it up to a learning experience.

Despite Ravens coach John Harbaugh's admission that Cary Williams hasn't been cleared to play, rookie Jimmy Smith said he thinks Williams will start Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals. The absence of Williams, who suffered a concussion in last Saturday's win against the Cleveland Browns, would pave the way for Smith, the organization's first-round pick in April, to make his second start in the last three games. But Smith said starting in place of Williams isn't on his mind. “I didn't even think about it, and I don't think that's even going to be the case,” Smith said after Friday's practice.

Making his first appearance since suffering a high left ankle sprain in the season opener on Sept. 11, rookie cornerback Jimmy Smith was relegated entirely to special teams play in the Ravens' 12-7 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars at Everbank Field Monday night. Smith, the organization's first-round pick in April, played primarily on the punt return unit, lining up on the outside. Afterward, he downplayed his contributions. “It doesn't feel good after a loss,” he said.

Despite appearing to run and cut well on the injured toe on his left foot, cornerback Lardarius Webb was replaced by rookie Jimmy Smith as a starter in the Ravens' eventual 34-14 loss to the San Diego Chargers. Contrary to conventional wisdom, that did not bother Webb, who had been the defense's season-opening starter with Cary Williams. “I think we were just being cautious about it,” said Webb, who leads the team in interceptions with four. “Next week, we're going to see how it works again.

Jimmy Smith's third start of his NFL career was an uneasy one. The Ravens rookie cornerback was tested early and often by the San Diego Chargers in Sunday night's contest at Snapdragon Stadium, which included surrendering a 28-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Malcom Floyd . Confident as always, Smith appeared unshaken. "I've been beat before," he said. "It happens. It's football. I know what happened. It was double moves I got beat on. " Making the start for Lardarius Webb , Smith, the organization's first-round pick in April, was targeted three times by Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers on San Diego's first possession of the game.