Mayock: Smith is earning role in 49ers' future

The 49ers traded up in the second round of the draft to select quarterback Colin Kaepernick.So is he the 49ers' quarterback of the future? Or is Alex Smith, playing on a one-year contract, the long-term answer for coach Jim Harbaugh and the 49ers?That question was posed to Mike Mayock, who will serve as the NFL Network analyst for the 49ers game Thanksgiving night against the Baltimore Ravens."They got one loss. I mean, right now, I do think that (Smith is the 49ers' long-term quarterback)," Mayock said. "Six weeks from now if they lose six games in a row, we might have some different answers. But everything I've seen so far shows me . . . "Here's what I think Jim's done: He has defined what he wants at every position to the point where everybody is accountable and understands what they're accountable for. And I think the quarterback has played at a high level. And I think in the foreseeable future, he's their guy."RELATED: The Har-Bowl page
Smith is the No. 7 ranked passer in the NFL with a career-best rating of 93.9. He ranks ninth with a 62.4 completion percentage, and he is third-best in the league with a 1.5 interception percentage.Kaepernick, meanwhile, is getting few practice repetitions. He has seen action in just two games. He took a snap and handed the ball off against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 4. Kaepernick saw more playing time in a blowout win the next week over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He completed 3 of 3 passes for 35 yards.The 49ers-Ravens game will be shown nationally on the NFL Network. Locally, it can also be seen on CBS, Channel 5. As always, 49ers Post-Game Live on Comcast SportsNet Bay Area will go on the air soon as the game concludes.