The 23-year-old has become a firm favourite with the Villa Park faithful, building up a reputation as bit of a Jack-the-Lad character with his playing style and rockstar look.
But Smith believes the playmaker is now a true leader in the side’s ranks and couldn’t be more worthy of the captain’s armband.
Ahead of his side’s first Premier League match at Villa Park for three years, Smith said: “I felt Jack looked like a Premier League player last year playing in the Championship and I think he showed that against Tottenham last week.
“You just have to look at his legs now – and I’m sure there are probably a lot of girls out there who are looking at them! But as his head coach I see a real athlete now.
“He has got power in calves, he has got power in his gluts and he has got power in his thighs. With that, comes power and I think he has got quicker as a player and he looks at home in the Premier League now.”
Grealish boasts the unwanted record of having lost his last 19 matches in the top flight – and Smith has reaffirmed his belief that the Birmingham-born midfielder can prove his doubters wrong and reach the very top of football.
“The persona that’s around Jack, I really don’t pay much attention to,” he continued.
“It’s what he does when he comes into this training ground and when leaves this training ground that really matters to me. I know for a fact just how professional and how driven this lad is now.
“I saw it for myself on Tuesday when I came to watch the Villa ladies training at 8pm and he was still in the gym.“It just shows his dedication. We’d trained at Villa Park in the morning and were finished for the day.
“But Jack went home, had a sleep and then felt he needed to come in and do his usual gym session which he always does at the training ground.
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