Niners intrigued by Smith's upside

Originally Published: April 18, 2005

By Todd McShay | Scouts Inc.

The tide seems to be turning in San Francisco regarding the No. 1 overall pick. For the last few months, Cal QB Aaron Rodgers has been the odds-on favorite to be the top pick in the draft. It was assumed Rodgers was the more sensible decision, because he comes from a pro-style system in the Bay Area and also grew up as a huge Joe Montana fan.

Furthermore, there has been a feeling that Rodgers would take a lesser deal than Utah QB Alex Smith, who is represented by Tom Condon. However, even though the 49ers organization has become notoriously cheap, we're getting the sense that new head coach Mike Nolan has fallen in love with Smith's intangibles and potential.

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