Inevitably, it all comes down to this; Alphonso Smith is one of the top college CBs of the past decade - and beyond. He's set records, disheartened opponents, has football intelligence, experience at playing quarterback that he translates into his cornerback position, and possesses playing speed and timing that are other-worldly.

But he's 5'9" (and change). To some, that's the kiss of doom in the pros. To others, it's a fact of life that has a relatively small impact in correlation to the other factors present. To McDaniels, it was a simple decision. He had four #1 picks over the next two years, and he chose to use three of them this year. He felt that Smith was a consensus 1st-round pick and that given what they saw in their copious film on him, that he was worth the pick. It was worth it in part because by doing it this way, they got a full year's experience from a player, and it made the player one year closer to being ready to start in the NFL. He used it, and that's the end of that part of the story. Whether you support it or not - it's done.