Want to know how Bengals quarterback Akili Smith might look in four years? Just take a look at Tennessee quarterback Steve McNair on Sunday.

        Both quarterbacks were the third overall draft picks the years they came out of college, 1995 and 1999.

        McNair is 6-foot-2, 225 pounds. Smith is 6-3, 220. Both men have strong throwing arms. Both can run on designed plays and can scramble.

        McNair was 5-3 in his first eight starts and took his team to the Super Bowl in his fifth season.

        Smith has started eight games, four last season and four so far this year, and the Bengals are 1-7.

        Bengals coach Dick LeBeau has been the defensive coordinator at Pittsburgh or Cincinnati since McNair was drafted by the Tennessee franchise.

        “I saw growth in McNair to where he is now and which is a heck of a fine football player,” LeBeau said. “And I do think that's the kind of a player Akili can be. I really do.

        “(Smith's) athletic. He's big, he's strong, he can scramble, and you can see where Tennessee has gone with their quarterback who has virtually the same attributes.”

        Smith recovered from a mild concussion and played his best game Sunday against Miami since his first career start last year in Cleveland.

        “At the beginning, things were kind of slow for him, as far as a feel for the game,” Smith said of McNair. “Everyone knows what he did last year. Great quarterback. Has a lot of talent.”

        McNair is known for his running ability. Though Smith has fewer running attempts in the first eight starts — 45 for McNair and 25 for Smith — Smith has an 8-yard average.

        Titans coach Jeff Fisher has been the team's head coach since 1994, when the franchise was the Houston Oilers.

        “I'm not saying (Smith) is ahead of Steve, but he has played more than Steve had in his second year,” Fisher said. “He looks as though Kenny (offensive coordinator Ken Anderson) and those guys are going a good job with him.”

Pickens happy with 3-1 Titans Akili's start similar to McNair's Hawkins tries to move on Bengals close to sellout

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