Locked on Chiefs: Is Deshaun Watson just “Alex Smith 2.0”?

The Kansas City Chiefs have had a carousel of draft quarterbacks coming through their doors in recent weeks. Could they be looking for the next evolution of Alex Smith?

Deshaun Watson recently made an official visit to Kansas City to meet with the team and coaches. His accomplishments at the college level show he has the “it” factor that should peak Andy Reid’s interest. Seth Keysor joins us today from Arrowhead Pride to review Watson.

In reviewing Watson’s play in college, the similarities to Alex Smith stand out above all else. Watson is athletic on the run and can run the read-option much like Smith did in college. At this point in his career, Watson is a better athlete than Smith was.

When throwing the ball, Watson relies on the pre-snap read. Is the accuracy in the short-to-intermediate routes is remarkable and reminiscent of Smith as well. He lacks arm strength to go on deep fly routes with accuracy. He also has been guilty of making suspect decisions when pressured or trying to make a play in the intermediate to Deep Field.

What draws teams to Watson more than anything, is the intangible factor that he wins consistently. Watson, while not an elite passer, has played his best games against high-level competition. He has emerged a winner at the national level and that has coaches and GMs intrigued about bringing him in.

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Locked on Chiefs is a daily podcast show that drills down to the bottom line and will give you a 360-degree view of the Kansas City Chiefs. Take a few minutes to hear about your Chiefs each day. We’ll cover the offseason, the draft and all the way to the Super Bowl and want to cover the topics you want to hear about. So reach out to us on twitter @LockedOnChiefs with questions and for up to the minute analysis and episode information.

Thanks, Addicts!