Alex Smith, Tamba Hali make Top 100 list

Alex Smith got some validation on Wednesday night during NFL Network’s Top 100 Players of 2015.

For most if not all of his career, Alex Smith has been seen as either a bust or a caretaker. Certainly, Smith was never going to be more than that after bottoming out with the San Francisco 49ers and then being traded after a few decent seasons to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Well, the players of the National Football League have spoken, and they see it differently. Smith was placed on the Top 100 Players of 2015, ranking 81st. He was put higher than both Andrew Luck and Derek Carr, not too mention Travis Kelce, Jeremy Maclin and Tamba Hali, who checked in 84th.

Smith threw for 3,486 yards and 20 touchdowns last season, the former being a career-high. He also ran for 498 yards and a pair of scores, placing him behind only Russell Wilson and Cam Newton in terms of rushing yards at his position. While Smith is not flashy and never will be, Kansas City is lucky to have him.

Before acquiring Smith from the 49ers for a pair of second-round picks, the Chiefs were 2-14 and the 49ers were in the Super Bowl. Since, Kansas City has a 31-17 regular-season record with two playoff appearances and a victory in those jaunts. Meanwhile, San Francisco has reached the playoffs once with an overall record of 25-23 including a 5-11 campaign in 2015.

Personally, I’m glad for Smith. He takes a pounding from fans and media members for his conservative ways, something he began to ditch the second half of last season. Now, Smith is considered among the game’s best by his peers, and that’s pretty damn impressive.