Paige, I'm a die hard BC person but one of the few other breeds I'd consider is the Fila.
They're a "thinking" breed too, very similar in intelligence. They're more independent, but that's to be expected considering they were bred to work more independently of humans. I really like the breed but the one thing I want to see firsthand is their ability to work livestock.
I might get to train a Fila puppy for a friend next summer!