Hailing from Amite City, Louisiana, DeVonta Smith grew up a football and basketball star. Despite size concerns, he was a five-star recruit and eventually committed to play at the University of Alabama. As a true freshman, Smith averaged just one catch per game in eight games played. He finally earned starting snaps in his junior season (2019) and erupted for 1,256 yards and 14 touchdowns to lead the team. It was no fluke; he followed up in his senior year with a 117-reception, 1,856-yard, 23-touchdown season on a dominant 37.5-percent Target Share. That season, he became the fourth receiver to win the Heisman award and the first since Desmond Howard in 1991.
Despite otherworldly college stats, Smith’s 170-pound frame was again a concern to some as he was entering the NFL Draft. His 4.54 40-time is decent, but his 78.9 Speed Score is only 11th-percentile. The Eagles were not deterred, selecting him with the 10th overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft. What Smith lacks in body mass, he makes up for with his adept route-winning ability and 78-inch wingspan. In his first NFL game, he caught 6 of 8 targets and scored, silencing the doubters and setting the tone for an ascendant career.
Smith's rookie season had its ups and downs, but Smith's Next Gen Stats showed consistent usage. He earned a 38.6-percent Air Yards share, a 22.1-percent Target Share, and was targeted with 26 Deep Balls. Smith and Jalen Hurts struggled to connect at times, however, resulting in an 81.0-percent (No. 62) True Catch Rate. Smith dropped the ball five times in his rookie season, after recording only seven drops in his entire college career. He did impress with a 2.16 Yards Per Route Run mark. Smith finished as the WR36 in his rookie season with 10.9 FPPG.
During the 2023 offseason, the Eagles added A.J. Brown to their receiving corps. That relegated Smith to a secondary target share, but he thrived with a size-speed receiver on the opposite side of the field. In fact, Smitty received 30 more targets and increased his receiving yards (1,196) and his receiving touchdowns (7) from his rookie season. His third season didn't hold any major statistical jumps, but there was one key factor that stood out in his profile. Smith was 1st in route share and 1st in route participation, and for a receiver with such a small BMI, he has shown incredible durability in his first three seasons. The Eagles rewarded Smith with a three-year, $75 million dollar contract in the 2024 offseason, and he projects to be a central part of the teams future.
