Smith with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2021 | |||||||||
| No. 6 – Philadelphia Eagles | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Wide receiver | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | November 14, 1998 Amite City, Louisiana | ||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 170 lb (77 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Amite (Amite City) | ||||||||
| College: | Alabama (2017–2020) | ||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2021 / Round: 1 / Pick: 10 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics as of 2021 | |||||||||
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| Player stats at NFL.com · PFR | |||||||||
DeVonta Smith (/dəˈvɒnteɪ/ de-VON-tay; born November 14, 1998) is an American football wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Alabama, where he recorded over 1,800 yards with 23 touchdowns as a senior in 2020.
Smith was awarded the Heisman Trophy for his accomplishments alongside several other awards and honors. He was the first wide receiver to win the Heisman since Desmond Howard in 1991 and only the third overall. He also won two national championships while at Alabama prior to being selected by the Eagles tenth overall in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Smith attended Amite High Magnet School in his hometown of Amite City, Louisiana. He played basketball and football.[1] He committed to the University of Alabama to play college football.[2]
As a true freshman at Alabama in 2017, Smith had eight receptions for 160 yards and three touchdowns. In the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship against Georgia, Smith's only catch of the game was the game-winning touchdown reception in an overtime 26–23 victory.[3][4][5]
As a sophomore in 2018, he had 42 receptions for 693 yards and six touchdowns.[6][7]
Smith led the Crimson Tide in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns, with 1,256 yards and 14 touchdowns on 68 receptions. On September 28, Smith set career highs with 274 yards and 5 touchdowns in a 59–31 victory against Ole Miss.
After the season, his teammates Henry Ruggs and Jerry Jeudy forfeited their remaining NCAA eligibility to enter the 2020 NFL Draft, where they ended up as first-round picks, but Smith chose to return for his senior year.
On November 21, 2020, Smith broke the all-time SEC career record for most receiving touchdowns, with two against Kentucky.
Smith became the first wide receiver to win the AP Player of the Year award since its inception in 1998.[8] Smith was selected over finalists Kyle Trask, Trevor Lawrence and teammate Mac Jones to win the 2020 Heisman Trophy, becoming the first wide receiver to win the award since Desmond Howard in 1991 and only the fourth overall.[9]
Several days later in the CFP National Championship Game against Ohio State, Smith set records for title game catches (12) and touchdown receptions (three), and also totaled 215 yards, despite leaving early in the third quarter with a hand injury. Alabama won, 52–24, their sixth title in 12 years, while Smith was named Offensive MVP of the championship game.[10]
While playing for Alabama, Smith set more than seven school receiving records. Smith accepted an invitation for the 2021 Senior Bowl but did not play.[11] His nickname at Alabama was the "Slim Reaper", given to him by his teammates due to his small frame and athletic ability.[12]
| Season | Receiving | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | |
| 2017 | 8 | 160 | 20.0 | 41 | 3 |
| 2018 | 42 | 693 | 16.5 | 57 | 6 |
| 2019 | 68 | 1,256 | 18.5 | 85 | 14 |
| 2020 | 117 | 1,856 | 15.9 | 66 | 23 |
| Career | 235 | 3,965 | 16.9 | 85 | 46 |
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 0+1⁄4 in (1.84 m) |
170 lb (77 kg) |
31+1⁄8 in (0.79 m) |
9+1⁄4 in (0.23 m) | |||||||||
| All values from Pro Day[13][14] | ||||||||||||
Smith was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles with the tenth overall selection in the 2021 NFL Draft, who had traded up two spots with the Dallas Cowboys to select him.[15] He signed a four-year rookie contract, worth $20.1 million, on June 3, 2021.[16]
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See also: 2021 Philadelphia Eagles season |
In week 1, against the Atlanta Falcons, Smith scored his first career touchdown on his very first catch in the NFL.[17] Smith had a solid rookie season for the Eagles, as he recorded 64 receptions for 916 yards and 5 touchdowns.[18] His 916 yards set the Eagles rookie record for most receiving yards in a single season.[19] Like the rest of the Eagles offense, Smith struggled during the team's 31–15 loss in the Wild Card round to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, as he ended the game with 4 catches (on 11 targets) for 60 yards.[20]
| Year | Team | Games | Receiving | Fumbles | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Rec | Yards | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2021 | PHI | 17 | 16 | 64 | 916 | 14.3 | 46 | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| Career | 17 | 16 | 64 | 916 | 14.3 | 46 | 5 | 1 | 1 | |
| Season | Team | Games | Receiving | Fumbles | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2021 | PHI | 1 | 1 | 4 | 60 | 15.0 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 1 | 1 | 4 | 60 | 15.0 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
