Lauded for his ball skills back in April, Genesis Smith showed exactly why the excitement was warranted last Sunday in Buffalo.

The Chargers 2026 fourth-round pick notched his first and second interceptions of his NFL career in Week 3, helping spearhead the defense's strong performance in Buffalo with two of the team's five forced turnovers.

"I feel like it's a blessing," Smith said this week about his interceptions. "Just trying to do my one-eleventh, so I can help the team out in any way possible."

Chargers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh added: "Made some great plays, two interceptions, unbelievable. Tremendous, arrow up and going in a great direction."

The Arizona product was seemingly always around the ball in college, racking up 14 passes defensed, five interceptions and four forced fumbles in 37 games for the Wildcats.

And he showed exactly how, grabbing each of his interceptions in different ways.

The first came on Buffalo's third drive of the game, where Smith's instincts showed up in a big way.

On a first-and 20, Josh Allen dropped back to pass, but the rookie safety broke towards the ball upon release. What resulted was a perfectly timed jump on D.J. Moore's route to secure his first career interception.

The rookie credited the preparation that allowed him to be in a good spot and take advantage.

"It's the same thing we rep in practice," Smith said. "The coaches put me in a good position, and I just capitalized off of it."

The second interception was different, one where the safety flashed the athleticism and speed that put him in position to make a play.

With Smith setting up as the deepest safety, he diagnosed and ran with Moore down the middle of the field. He stayed stride for stride and one step ahead of the receiver, putting him in a great position to get his hands on the ball.

Smith ended up hanging onto the ball for his second interception after a couple of bobbles and bounces — something he didn't think was the case.

"That was more so just putting myself in a position to defend the route," Smith said. "I thought the ball hit the ground.

"I tried to track it, I felt like it hit my hands a little bit, but I didn't think it was a pick," Smith added. "I thought it was a PBU."

This production around the ball doesn't come as a surprise to Chargers Defensive Coordinator Chris O’Leary.

It's what exactly what the rookie did in the offseason.

"I expected it to be early," O'Leary said about Smith. "He did it versus our offense, he did it during Fall camp.

"When a guy is consistent on that, he did it in college, it's in his DNA, he tracks well, he anticipates well, it's a matter of time until he does it at this level," O'Leary added. "It's good to see him doing it."

Derwin James, Jr. added: "I told him, you can go make a pick on Josh Allen for your first two picks, you should have all the confidence in the world. He's a guy, he doesn't lack confidence. He's humble, but a guy that works hard... He just wants to get better every day."

Chargers defensive backs coach Steve Clinkscale echoed the sentiment.

"I'm not surprised at all, that's what I've been waiting for and I know the plans for him is to continue to stack that on top of each week and keep getting better," Clinkscale said about Smith. "Understand that, now you're not a secret, people know you're out there and you attract the ball. Continue to get better to be a well-rounded player."

He later added: "He's a ball magnet. One of the lost arts in this game is finding defensive backs, defensive players who turn into offensive players during the play. He's definitely one of those guys."

The rookie has seen an uptick in action due to injuries as he's played more defensive snaps each passing week.

But he's fully embraced the opportunity, crediting his fellow defensive backs for helping him stay prepared whenever the time would come.

"I would say stay ready so you don't have to get ready," Smith said. "Prepare like you're the starter every single week."

He later added: "I feel like that's a mindset we've all been taking so we can all go out there and put our best out there and put a lot of good things on tape."

His progression, says O'Leary, has been as you expect with most rookies starting out their career.

"I think rookies grow the most out of everybody," O'Leary said. "You probably feel the pain the most with them because their mistakes are big mistakes, but also they have the ability to make big plays like he made in that game.

"Just to see him handle some adversity, still play fast and aggressive, have fun playing the game and then be confident in those moments to go make plays, that's who he is," O'Leary added. "We've seen it through the offseason, we've seen it in practice."

The splash plays Smith could provide the Chargers defense were well apparent Sunday in Buffalo.

Now, that is in the past as the rookie hopes that it is the baseline for consistent improvement.

"The mindset and the goal is to always get one percent better each day," Smith said. "Continue to try and do that day in and day out, stay level-headed and stay humble."