Mike Nolan should just admit it. The San Francisco 49ers made a mistake when they took Alex Smith with the first overall pick of the 2005 Draft. The quarterback, who played college ball at Utah, has had a disastrous rookie campaign that reached its nadir last week in San Francisco's 41-3 loss to Seattle.
Smith had three fumbles in that game and has nine this year, numbers that highlight the problems that have plagued the quarterback all season. His struggles with holding onto the football have also led to questions about the size of his hands, which have also been involved in throwing nine interceptions this year versus no touchdowns. In a draft that was loaded with good running backs but also featured a noticeable dearth in quarterback talent, San Francisco picked a signal caller. Sure, the 49ers had a need. But there was talk that had San Francisco not selected Smith he would have been waiting quite a while to be picked, much like fellow quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who was the 24th player taken.
Courtesy AP
If the 49ers were smart, they would have traded down or picked somebody else like wide receiver Braylon Edwards. Edwards would have been a nice complement to current USC quarterback Matt Leinart, who could be in position to be selected by the 49ers if they decide that Smith is a bust.
And Smith seems to be on his way to becoming one of those players who does not live up to expectations. Perhaps that has a lot to do with the fact that he ran a system offense in college, much like Andre Ware and the gaggle of Florida quarterbacks who played under Steve Spurrier. Ware, who coordinated Houston's Run-and-Shoot attack with precision, completed only 83 passes during an abbreviated NFL career after being picked by the Lions with the seventh overall pick in the 1990 draft. Danny Wuerffel and Shane Matthews lit up defenses while playing with the Gators, but lost their bite when they started passing in the pros.
Smith, the centerpiece for Urban Meyer's Spread-Option offense while at Utah, also has had shell-shock since making the transition to the NFL. While some may claim that it is too early to give up on Smith, it seems pretty evident that he will not be a star in this league. He looks confused in the pocket and has failed to adjust to the speed of the game in a league where a split-second decision can make or break a season. Just ask Donovan McNabb.
If San Francisco is presented with the opportunity, the 49ers would be prudent to draft Matt Leinart and make amends for a poor decision. Leinart runs a Pro-Style offense at USC and manages the game well, making limited mistakes and showing moxie at crucial junctures of big games. His 34-1 record is proof of that. Smith, meanwhile, burst on the scene during one remarkable season at Utah. Since then, he has shown that he was not as good as he was cracked up to be when the 49ers selected him with the first pick. San Francisco can only blame itself. But there still is time to fix a mistake and the 49ers will have the opportunity to do so in April.
You can't not judge Smith on 4 career starts he is working with a patchwork line and no playmakers. Every scouting report had him as a 2-3 year project. Also if they choose to get Leinart they will have to atleast pay $24 million thanks to Smith bonus and then give Leinart a fat contract putting 49ers right back into cap hell.
Last edited by Dubs23 on December 16th at 9:16 AM.
They won't give up on Smith. If every rookie QB who had a bad rookie year got written off as a bust and we're replaced the year after, how many great QBs would we have?
Um.. Most players do not reach greatness till year 3. Carson Palmer, LT, any wide receiver not named Moss. Don't say Eli because he has not been great just good enough. Sure some players can do it quickly but with help. Writing off Smith and asking for Lienart is dumb. Get Bush and let Smith learn. Smith can move and throw on the move, the future of quarterbacks will look like Smith and Vick.
I totally agree with you about Alex Smith, he is not now or will he ever be good enough to go #1 in the draft, but he can be their QB of the future if a veteran QB like Jon Kitna is sighned. Smith can watch and learn and the following year he will be ready to step in and play similar to Palmer. They made a big mistake with Tim Rattay, and will continue to lose if Smith is out there. And a response to that joker who said he does not have any playmakers, Ken Dorsey had them making plays. why are they not playing Rashaun Woods, he was there first round draft pick last year? They should at least let him prove that he is a bust on the field.
Last edited by DatSTAR on December 16th at 9:10 PM.
There are some good points raised here. It is true that great quarterbacks take time to develop (i.e., Elway and Manning), but it also should be noted that some of those quarterbacks showed signs of greatness. Smith has not done so during any of the games he has started.
While I thought at the time that the 49ers were making a mistake on Smith and that they should have gone with Aaron Rodgers, you can't make such a harsh judgement on a QB who hasn't even played a full season, especially when you as a franchise have invested so much money in the guy.
After all, don't forget, Troy Aikman and John Elway both had terrible rookie seasons, just as bad as the one Smith is having now. If the 49ers can grab Reggie Bush, Smith will get better in a hurry.
Smith a washout so soon?? A little to quick on the trigger with that one I believe. John Elway, Troy Aikman, Terry Bradshaw, Peyton Manning, Phil Simms.......it goes on and on. All time greats with horrific starts to thier careers. At least give him a chance to prove he is a flop. It's not like he needs to learn how to be a bus boy at your local Dennys, being a quarterback in the NFL is like creating a vaccine for the west nile virus, thier playbooks are in most cases longer than the Bible, give him a chance.
All those great quarterbacks with bad rookie seasons mentioned above got better, but they all had help too. What would Aikman be if Smith and Irvin hadn't come along too? I was at the Seahawks/49ers game here in Seattle, and it was clear to me that with a decent O line and more playmakers besides Brandon Lloyd, Smith would have looked a lot better. The 49ers front office needs to draft and free agent sign a lot of elements before Alex Smith will look even halfway decent. Just look at my hometown Seahawks: with no Alexander or that awesome O line, Hasselbeck would look a lot like...Jon Kitna circa 1999.
Alex Smith will get better over time just like the great quarterbacks of the past and present. I did an article on Smith a week ago. check it out and tell me what you think.
THE KID IS 21 YRS OLD. HE HAS ONLY HAD 2 YRS COLLEGE EXPERIENCE. HE APPEARS TO BE VERY SMART AND HE HAS TAKEN FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR HIS STRUGGLES. HIS OWN COLLEGE COACH SAID HE HAS TO LEARN THE SYSTEM BEFORE HE CAN PRODUCE. MAYBE HE SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN STARTING SO SOON, BUT HE IS THEIR QB OF THE FUTURE, AND HE WILL BE GOOD. I.E. DREW BREES.
My name is Rainer Sabin. I am a 23-year-old freelance reporter who has covered professional and Division I college sports for a variety of publications and news services.
Courtesy AP
