All-Time Bengals QBs Ranked: Anderson #1, Esiason #2

Akili Smith

#11 · Cincinnati Bengals
Retired 4 Years In The NFL
🏆 Pac-10 Co-Offensive Player of the Year (1998)
Akili's
HAIR
12.1
HeyTC AI Rating

Questions about Akili Smith or the Bengals?

Akili Smith Legacy

HEYTC AI
Akili Smith arrived in Cincinnati as a tantalizing mystery—a one-year wonder from Oregon with elite arm talent and jaw-dropping athleticism that made scouts salivate. The Bengals famously rejected nine draft picks from the Saints to take him third overall, a decision that haunted them for years. But Smith's story became the ultimate cautionary tale: a prospect undone not by lack of ability, but by lack of discipline. His college coach warned Cincinnati he couldn't be trusted, and the Bengals' traditional pro-style offense proved a foreign language to a spread-system quarterback who struggled with film study. He started just 17 games over four years with a 3-14 record and a 52.8 passer rating. The rejected trade—those nine picks—loomed over every incompletion like a ghost. Sometimes the biggest NFL failures aren't about talent; they're about readiness and character.

Akili Smith Rating Breakdown

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Playoffs
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Overall
NPC
4 years with the Bengals

Akili Smith Career Stats via Wikipedia

2,212 Pass Yards
5 Touchdowns
13 INTs
46.6% Comp %
12.1 HAIR

Frequently Asked Questions About Akili Smith

How does Joe Burrow compare to Akili Smith?

Joe Burrow towers over Akili Smith like a skyscraper next to a shed—Burrow's slinging for MVPs and Super Bowl dreams as the Bengals' franchise savior, while Smith's four-year Bengal stint netted just 2,212 yards, 5 TDs, and a 52.8 rating across 17 starts, mostly riding pine after a hyped No. 3 pick flameout.

Is Akili Smith in the Pro Football Hall of Fame?

Nah, Akili Smith's not in Canton—his ledger of 2,212 yards, 5 TDs, and 13 picks over four Bengals seasons didn't exactly scream Hall of Fame. Think of him as the draft-night dazzler who fizzled faster than a bad fireworks show, leaving zero bust-worthy legacy.

What is Akili Smith doing now in 2026?

As of early 2026, Akili Smith's off the grid—no headlines on broadcasting gigs, business ventures, or charity runs. The ex-Duck and No. 3 pick from '99 seems content in quiet retirement after stints in NFL Europe and CFL, far from the Bengal spotlight he briefly chased.

How would Akili Smith perform in today's NFL?

Smith's cannon arm and mobility might snag a few deep shots under today's pass-happy rules and QB protections, but his 46.6% completion and playbook struggles scream bust in a timing-based league demanding precision like Burrow's. He'd be a mobile gadget guy at best, not a starter.

How does Akili Smith compare to Ken Anderson?

Ken Anderson owned Cincinnati with a 95.2 career rating and '81 MVP hardware, while Smith's Bengal mark scraped 52.8 on 2,212 yards and more picks than scores. Both franchise QBs by draft hype, but Anderson was surgical surgeon; Smith, a shaky apprentice who couldn't cut it.