[DJ's left nut]

Okay, I know everyone hates this trade and blah blah - but I've been gobbling up as much video from Smith as I can find and I think he and Bowe will beast.

I know, it just sounds homerish as hell, but one thing I've noticed is that Smith's timing on hitch routes, comebacks, outs and crossing routes is really outstanding, as is his ability to let a throw go just as a DB turns his hips or puts his back to the play.

He makes a ton of throws that are just impeccably timed into pretty small windows. No, they're not 90 yards downfield, but they're great YAC throws. His yds/attempt are so good because the absolute instant a guy breaks open, the ball's there and right where it should be. It's those routes that Bowe runs so well and turns into big gains that Smith will excel at.

I know, I was more pro Alex than most so it's fair to take this with a grain of salt, but he really does do some things extremely well and in an Andy Reid WCO, I really do think he can tear shit up.

I see more and more why Andy likes the guy. He's just savvy as hell and has an innate feel for the rhythm and timing of the position. There are times that he takes a sack, sure, but it's not because he missed an open man - most of the time there's just nothing to throw to and he's not going to force one. I think what people are mistaking for tentativeness from him is actually an unwillingness to break out of the timing of the offense and improvise. I'm not saying he's Peyton or anything, but that's exactly what Peyton does. If the timing's off, he just throws the ball away and tries again. When the timing's off for Smith, he tries to buy time with his legs in the hopes that coverage breaks down. If it doesn't, he tries to scramble. I don't think he's tentative back there, he's just robotic. He's as far from a gunslinger as I've seen. Would you like to see a more intuitive QB back there? Sure, sometimes. But when you get a guy like that that isn't a stone-cold badass, people bitch about him being the next Jay Cutler. Sometimes discretion is the better part of valor and I think that's certainly the case in Alex Smith's case. If the timing isn't there, there's no sense in him trying to gun it into windows as they close.

As I've watched him more and more, I've moved him past everyone but Geno in this draft. He's better than Barkley's going to be, IMO.

I don't think he's a Harbaugh creation (though Harbaugh made him better) and I do think Reid can use many of the same strengths that Harbaugh did to make Smith a good NFL quarterback.

I think I'm prepared to really like the guy.

Okay. Feel free to return to your regularly scheduled Alex Smith excoriating.