Philadelphia Eagles: Players to watch in the SEC Championship game
Wide Receiver. Crimson Tide. Devonta Smith. . player. 829. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis
Alabama is starting to distance itself as the true ‘Wide Receiver U’ of college football.
Julio Jones, Amari Cooper, Calvin Ridley, Henry Ruggs, Jerry Jeudy. All of these players are first-round picks that came out of the University of Alabama. And the receivers are only getting better.
When it’s all said and done, Devonta Smith is going to place himself on the Mt. Rushmore of Alabama wide receivers. Smith has become the all-time leader in receiving touchdowns in school history. He’s closing in on the most receiving touchdowns in a season in school history and will surely be in the conversation for All-American and Biletnikoff Award honors.
Smith is everything the Philadelphia Eagles need at the wide receiver position.
At 6-foot-1 175 pounds, Smith doesn’t seem all that of a physical prospect. However, he plays bigger than he is. He has the ability to get behind opposing defenses and beat a secondary on a deep ball. He can make the contested catches and win the battles against opposing cornerbacks. He’s been unstoppable on the slant route his entire career, getting open quick and having the ability to pick up major yards after the catch.
What’s probably more impressive is how productive he has been with a multitude of quarterback changes. Ironically, Smith started catching passes from Jalen Hurts as a freshman. After a switch, Smith caught the game-winning touchdown from Tua Tagovailoa in the National Championship Game that same year. For the greater part of two years, Smith caught passes from Tua and produced at a high level. After an injury and draft decision from Tua, Smith has spent the last year, and a half catching passes from Mac Jones, which has been the best football he has played so far. It doesn’t matter who is throwing him the football. Smith is going to be an elite wide receiver.
Everything that Smith possesses in his skillset is what the Eagles need at the wide receiver position and for their quarterback. Getting a player like Smith from a school that is known for producing top wide receivers is a decision the Eagles should think hard and long about in the first round.