DeVonta Smith Makes Interesting Decision At The Senior Bowl
MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - JANUARY 11: DeVonta Smith #6 of the Alabama Crimson Tide rushes for a five yard touchdown during the second quarter of the College Football Playoff National Championship game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Hard Rock Stadium on January 11, 2021 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
While wide receiver DeVonta Smith's incredible stats from his time at Alabama may jump off the page, his measurables won't. His 6-foot-1, 175 pound listing makes his absurd Heisman season in 2020 even more remarkable.
Smith caught 117 passes for 1,856 yards and 23 touchdowns in 2020, en route to winning the Heisman Trophy, a rarity for a non-quarterback or running back. Throw in touchdowns as a rusher and in the return game, and he scored 25 times in 13 games.
Smith is participating in this week's Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., to further improve his draft stock. He entered the year as a potential first-round pick, but his huge 2020 pushes him into potential top 10 territory, though he has some strong competition in the 2021 NFL Draft. LSU's Ja'Marr Chase and Jaylen Waddle, his Alabama teammate, are both very likely first rounders and could be the first wide receivers off the board.
We're just weeks removed from the season, so it makes sense that Smith may be under his listed weight, and wants a chance to bulk up before measuring for NFL teams. As a result, he's turned down the opportunity to be officially measured at the Senior Bowl.
According to NFL.com, Smith didn't skip all measurements today. His hands came in at 9 3/8 inches, his arms at 31 1/2 in., and his wingspan at 78 1/2 in.
Smith left maybe the best possible last impression on NFL Draft scouts in the national championship game. In just a half in Alabama's 52-24 win over Ohio State, he caught 12 passes for 215 yards and three touchdowns, before a hand injury knocked him out for the second half. The game was pretty much decided by that point, thanks in large part to Smith's incredible performance.
His smaller frame may present some concerns to NFL teams, and there's a chance that a bigger, super-skilled receiver like Chase could edge him out in the top 10, but Smith's combination of speed, exceptional route-running, and sure-handedness will make DeVonta Smith very hard to pass up for teams in the market for help on the outside.
