Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

ESPN’s draft expert, Mel Kiper did a conference call with the media today and said that he thought West Virginia QB Geno Smith would be drafted somewhere in the 20′s in the 2013 NFL Draft.

Kiper wouldn’t rule out Smith being taken in the top ten, however.

This lines up with Kiper’s ESPN co-worker Todd McShay’s view on Smith’s prospects. Speaking recently on draft podcast, McShay said he could see a team like the Chiefs moving back into the first round and into the 20′s to select a QB like Smith or USC signal caller Matt Barkley.

I could see this happening as well but I am not sure that it will. If Smith is good enough to go int he first round than I think some QB-desperate team in the top ten will go ahead and “reach” for him. With so few decent QB prospects in this draft, the stock of the top QB’s should be pushed even higher than normal. If a team like the Chiefs, Jaguars, Browns or Raiders really wants Smith then they probably won’t worry too much about passing on a handful of other players to ensure they get him.

I agree with that philosophy. With no obvious difference-makers int his draft and with QB being the most important position in football, I think some team needs to go ahead and roll the dice here. And I think they will.

But will that team be the Chiefs?