Eagles select DeVonta Smith: Scouting report, three things to know about Philadelphia's newest receiver - CBS Sports

The Philadelphia Eagles got the receiver they wanted, trading up two spots from No. 12 to No. 10 in the 2021 NFL Draft to select Alabama's DeVonta Smith. Philadelphia traded the No. 12 pick and a third-round pick (No. 84) to the Dallas Cowboys in order to select Smith, still keeping the 2022 first-round pick it acquired from the Miami Dolphins to move down from No. 6 to No. 12 earlier this month.

Smith racked up 235 catches for 3,965 yards and 46 touchdowns in one of the greatest college careers for a wide receiver ever. Smith won two national titles at Alabama while ranking third all time in SEC history in receptions and first in receiving yards and touchdowns.

Here are three things to know about the Eagles' newest wide receiver:

Smith and Jalen Hurts are reunited in Philadelphia, two years after the quarterback and wide receiver played together at Alabama. Smith didn't crack the Alabama lineup much during his freshman season (2017), but is more than familiar with Hurts -- who was the starting quarterback the majority of that season. Smith did play in every game as a freshman, netting the game-winning touchdown catch from Hurts with just 25 seconds left against Mississippi State and bursting his name onto the SEC scene. Smith etched his name in SEC lore when he caught the game-winning 41-yard touchdown pass from Tua Tagovailoa to win the national championship for the Crimson Tide in his freshman season.

"It would be great (to catch passes from Hurts again)," Smith told CBS Sports this week. "Jalen is a very talented quarterback and I'd love to play with him. He is a competitor and going to give you a chance to win every game."

Heisman Trophy winner

Smith is the first wide receiver to win the Heisman Trophy since Desmond Howard in 1991. He's the first wide receiver ever to win Associated Press Player of The Year. His 947 yards after the catch were the most by a wide receiver since Sammy Watkins in 2013.

His Heisman Trophy season is arguably the greatest year ever for a wide receiver in college football. Smith finished with 117 catches for 1,856 yards and 23 touchdowns -- all of which led the FBS. The 1,856 receiving yards and 23 touchdowns set SEC records in a season.

He wanted to be in Philly from the start

Smith spoke to CBS Sports this week on the potential of playing for the Eagles. Let's just say he was excited about the prospect of playing for Philadelphia. Smith guarantees the organization will get the football player that maximizes the most out of his talents.

"(They'll get a) hard worker. A dedicated, committed, and competitive player that will do whatever it takes to win," Smith said. "It's a great organization and their fan base is second to none."

Scouting report

Strengths

Stacked defensive backs off the snap with varied stutter steps and hesitation moves followed by excellent short-area quickness.
Smith's magnificent footwork bought him a step, his very good burst bought him another. That's how he gained leverage so quickly.
Was a route-running technician, which was how he got open frequently. Ran just about every route including some wild stuff in pre-snap motion.
Terrific change of direction. Masterful at the comeback/curl route; made defenders pay for being too far off of him in zone coverage.
Great head-fake also helped sell routes and buy separation.
Glided downfield with subtle speed changes to trick defenders.
Easy handed. Plucked most balls within his catch radius (and even a few that seemed out of his catch radius).

Had 145 targets, 117 receptions and five drops in 2020. Adjusted to off-target throws mostly well. Was a big-time leaper on high throws.
Made some incredible contested catches in the back of the end zone.
Didn't tip his hand when passes came his way, keeping defenders from making a play on the ball.
Reliably followed blocks on screens.
Very good effort in blocking, good results most of the time.
Went injury-free in 2020 until freak finger dislocation cost him the second half of the National Championship Game. Didn't miss a game in 2019 but did leave a game early with a shoulder/arm injury (left arm in a sling). Worth noting: missed two games in 2018 with a hamstring strain.
Seems humble. Played with a chip on his shoulder because of his size. Believes in working hard to get results. Says he is a film junkie.

Concerns

Upper-body frame and skinny legs reflect his lightweight status and put his durability into question. Claimed to weigh 170 pounds in March and opted not to get weighed at January's Senior Bowl. Has been undersized his whole life, reportedly weighing 157 pounds in high school.
Average hand size (9 and three-eighths inches) in line with the rest of his body.
Speed was inconsistent -- sometimes he'd turn it on, sometimes he wouldn't (or couldn't). Rarely showed a top gear and frankly was sometimes disappointing to watch because he couldn't always sprint past a defense.
Struggled to get away from physical cornerbacks who got their hands on him in the first few steps of his route.
Physical as a blocker, but not when it came to breaking tackles to extend plays.
Didn't break a ton of tackles and had only 10 missed tackles forced in 2020, 39th in the nation.

Here is the full scouting report on Smith.

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Eagles select DeVonta Smith: Scouting report, three things to know about Philadelphia's newest receiver - CBS Sports
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