49ers' Colin Kaepernick: Alex Smith will 'be successful'

Colin Kaepernick has great expectations for Alex Smith in Kansas City. (USATSI)

Alex Smith will be successful in Kansas City next season, at least according to the guy who took his job -- 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick.

The deal to send Smith to Kansas City can't be finalized until the league year begins on March 12, but Kaepernick still gave his opinion when asked about the trade by the NFL Network's Total Access show on Thursday.

"Whether Alex is with us or he's somewhere else next season, he's been a great teammate to me," Kaepernick said, without directly acknowledging that anything was official. "[He's] been a great friend, a great mentor. So anywhere he goes, or if he's still with us, he's gonna be successful."

Of course, successful is a subjective term.

Kaepernick was also asked what he would potentially miss most about Smith being on the San Francisco sideline with him.

"I think the biggest thing with Alex is, he was always in my ear, making sure I was seeing the defense," Kaepernick said. "Did I see the safeties do this? Did I see the rotation? Did I see things like that? Just making sure I have mental clarity when I step on the field."

Smith wasn't the only topic of conversation, the first lady also came up. Kaepernick said he recently had a chance to meet Michelle Obama during an NFL PLAY 60 event in Chicago.

During the meeting, Kaepernick had a photo-op with the first lady and yes, it was a photo-op that involved Kaepernicking, "When I got the opportunity to take a picture with her, I asked her if she would 'Kaepernick' with me," Kaepernick said, referring to the end zone celebration where he kisses the tattoo on his bicep. "She probably has the best guns out of any girl around. She's a pretty fit woman, so I thought it was fitting."

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