Alex Smith Doesn’t Pick Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, or Joe Burrow in His Top QB List

According to Alex Smith, the ideal archetype of an NFL quarterback includes players like Stroud, Herbert, Purdy, and Stafford.

Alex Smith Doesn’t Pick Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, or Joe Burrow in His Top QB List

#15 Patrick Mahomes, #10 Justin Herbert and Alex Smith inside the circle (Image via Yardbarker and YouTube)

In Short
  • Alex Smith selected CJ Stroud, Justin Herbert, Matthew Stafford, and Brock Purdy as his top quarterbacks for young players to study.
  • He did not include Patrick Mahomes, despite Mahomes' success and accolades in the NFL.
  • Smith believes Stroud and Herbert represent the new generation of quarterbacks, while Stafford is a standout veteran.

Patrick Mahomes is widely regarded as the best quarterback in the NFL, but does that necessarily make him a suitable role model for aspiring quarterbacks to follow? Mahomes’ former teammate/mentor, Alex Smith, doesn’t think so.

Smith shared his views on the Real Ones podcast, hosted by San Francisco 49ers pass rusher Fred Warner, in December 2025. Warner asked the former 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs quarterback to put together a list of four current NFL quarterbacks who are prime examples for young players to study to improve their passing skills.

Instinctively, most Chiefs fans will scream Mahomes’ name in their heads. However, Smith bypassed his protege by choosing CJ Stroud, Justin Herbert, Matthew Stafford, and Brock Purdy.

Why didn’t Alex Smith choose Patrick Mahomes?

The Chiefs drafted Mahomes in 2017 with the vision of one day taking over from Smith after learning the X’s and O’s of the game from the Pro Bowler. Within just one year, Mahomes replaced Smith as the starter, and the University of Utah graduate left KC for a different challenge.

Alex Smith Doesn't Pick Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, or Joe Burrow in His Top QB List
Patrick Mahomes (Image via IMAGO)

Since then, Mahomes has led the Chiefs to five Super Bowl appearances, including three victories. The NFL named him the league’s best player on two occasions, compelling the AFC West franchise to sign him to an unprecedented 10-year contract.

Despite all of Mahomes’ accolades and fame, Smith does not consider the 30-year-old the right archetype for a young signal caller aiming to pursue an NFL career to follow. Instead, Smith’s first preference is CJ Stroud of the Texans.

If you wanna play quarterback, this is who you should watch… CJ Stroud. I think he’s insanely talented. I know he had the crazy rookie year… Yes, he has not been as good. I think this guy is so talented.

Alex Smith said

The next player on Smith’s list is the Chargers’ Justin Herbert, whom Smith considers “fearless and super talented.” He remembered the first time he saw the Oregon graduate play and immediately drew parallels to former league MVP Cam Newton.

The third player Smith mentioned is Warner’s teammate at San Francisco, Brock Purdy. Contrary to popular belief, Smith considers Purdy to be a “phenomenal athlete” who does not get enough credit for his contributions.

From Smith’s perspective, Stroud, Herbert, and Purdy represent the newer generation or those who are still finding their place in the league. There’s a tier of quarterbacks that stands above the rest, and leading the pack is Rams QB and reigning NFL MVP Matthew Stafford.

Stafford… this guy obviously can make every throw in the book… I think he has thrown more touchdowns on designed rollouts than anybody in the league.

Smith said

When did Alex Smith realize that he may lose the starting QB job to Patrick Mahomes in KC?

Smith was part of the same draft class as Aaron Rodgers, and the Niners passed on the chance to draft the graduate from Berkeley. The Niners took Smith first overall, while Rodgers fell to the Green Bay Packers at 24.

Smith’s eight seasons in the Bay Area were filled with injuries and poor performances. 2011 was the only year he recorded a winning campaign, going 13-3. A concussion in game nine compelled head coach Jim Harbaugh to start Colin Kaepernick. And even though the blow to the head did not have a lasting effect, Harbaugh stuck with Kaepernick and shipped Smith to the Chiefs in the following offseason.

Andy Reid elevated Smith’s performance, bringing out three winning campaigns during his first four seasons as the starter. In the spring of 2018, the Chiefs selected Texas Tech alum Patrick Mahomes 10th overall. Although Smith played 15 games, going 9-5, he realized that Mahomes is the future of KC.

There were throws that he made throughout—you know, you’d see on the practice field, and you’d start to see how fast he was processing—and then certainly that last game [of the 2017 season]. To go out there in an NFL game and play the way he did, I think everybody that was there that day knew that he was ready.

Smith said on the Rich Eisen Show (H/T: Sports Illustrated)

The Chiefs traded Smith to Washington, and in his tenth game, the 41-year-old suffered a leg injury that needed 17 surgeries to fix. Despite being deemed a career-ending blow, Smith miraculously returned to play 6 games in 2020, going 5-1. On April 19, 2021, after 174 games and 99 wins, Alex Smith retired from the NFL.

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