SALT LAKE CITY -- Utah quarterback
Alex Smith, emboldened by a strong showing in Saturday's Fiesta Bowl win over Pittsburgh, will enter the NFL draft, according to reports. Smith will skip his senior season and make himself available for the April draft, The Salt Lake Tribune and television station KSTU reported.
Smith did not immediately return a call seeking comment Monday.
Smith, 21-1 as a starter for the Utes going back to last season, believes he will be a first-round draft pick. He was expected to announce his decision Monday or Tuesday, his father Doug Smith told the newspaper.
"That will be for him to say," he said.
Smith was a Heisman Trophy finalist, the school's first, and led his team to an 11-0 regular season and the Fiesta Bowl berth. Before Saturday's win, he had completed two-thirds of his passes while throwing for 28 touchdowns and four interceptions.
He then picked apart Pitt by completing 29 of 37 passes for 328 yards and four touchdowns.
"Can I improve myself that much? Can I get better over the year? Can I help my stock? That's kind of what this is going to come down to," Smith said last week. "Would it be better for me to leave now? Those are the things that are going to have to get weighed."
Six-foot-4, 210-pound Smith has a strong arm but might have to answer skeptics who question whether his thin build can stand up to NFL rigors.
Smith's departure would leave the Utes in the hands of
Joe Johnson, a freshman who has played very little as Smith's backup.
Steve Savoy, Utah's second-leading receiver with 60 catches for 891 yards and a team-high 11 touchdowns, is also considering leaving early.
