Having the number one pick in the NFL Draft, the fear of making the wrong choice often trumps the joy of having the chance to take the best player off the board. Without a quarterback they trust in, the Alex Smith option looks very lucrative, hoping that whoever they pick will be interesting enough for the San Francisco 49ers to take.

One thing about the NFL Draft in 2013: It’s all about pass rushers, something the Chiefs aren’t exactly missing with guys like Tamba Hali and Justin Houston. The quarterback situation, with guys like Matt Cassel and Brady Quinn not exactly creating a lot of enthusiasm among the Chiefs’ fans and front office, is a bit more worrying.

Geno Smith of West Virginia is expected to be the first QB taken off the board, but there’s no chance the Chiefs take Smith as their number one pick, currently projected to fall outside the top 10 unless scouts opinions change. Committing a lot of money to a quarterback they’re not sure will be the right choice to take the team in the right direction is too much of a gamble.

Most think the Chiefs will take Utah’s Star Lotulelei, who played as a DT in college, but can play as a DE in the 3-4 defense the Chiefs will be playing under Andy Reid. But what about the quarterback? Alex Smith is probably the best veteran quarterback up for “sale” this off-season, and the 49ers are, at the moment, looking to trade him. Drafting a pass rusher doesn’t change the situation: The Niners have quite a few of them, but if the Chiefs, with six Pro Bowl players and the chance to draft a player the 49ers might want Alec Ogletree (Georgia, ILB) or Cordarrelle Patterson (Tennessee, WR) could give them an edge in the chase to get Smith, although they have their own needs, in the secondary and receiving crew, to take under consideration.

Alex Smith still has two years left on his contract, owed $13 million by the 49ers if they don’t release him before April 1. He is a seven year NFL veteran, completing more than 70% of his passes, throwing 13 touchdowns to 5 interceptions this season before losing the starter’s job to Colin Kaepernick.