Let’s dive into an early scouting report and highlight why he’s firmly in the first-round discussion. He finished with 11 catches, 274 yards and five touchdowns against Ole Miss. From what the tape shows, there’s no reason Smith shouldn’t enter the 2020 season in the top five of most wide receiver boards. Shows great ability to separate during his route. Your favorite teams, topics, and players all on your favorite mobile devices. 247comp: 4. He’s got good short-area quickness, but he’s not going to outrun coverage like his teammate Jaylen Waddle. Devonta Smith. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images). Consistently “stacks” his cornerback to make it difficult to make a play without committing pass interference. Biggest takeaway: In a group loaded with NFL talent, Smith always finds a way to make the important play for the Tide. Size will obviously be his biggest knock during the combine but he plays much bigger than 175lbs. NFL analysts weigh in on DeVonta Smith's potential in the 2021 NFL Draft. He has good acceleration and uses short steps to get into his long stride to make him one of the fastest players on the field. Smith has WHEELS. He is quick in his routes, allowing him to separate from defenders. That doesn't place his speed in the special category, but it's plenty fast enough for me. However, there is now talk Devonta Smith will not be joining teammates Jerry Jeudy and Henry Ruggs III in the pros. Smith’s long speed isn’t elite, but he finds a way to separate from defenders on deep passes. I think Harrison was more sudden and explosive, but Smith's playing style is quite similar. Smith should hear his name called pretty early in the 2021 NFL Draft, and he will receive a first-round grade from this writer as summer grades are rolled out. His long speed leaves something to be desired. He can adjust to passes well, while also having excellent body control to come down with passes. 4. Took a break for two years to cover Florida State, but now I'm back. Both are firmly on the NFL’s radar. For being lighter than other prospects, he’s good at running through lighter contact of would-be tacklers. Twenty-five receivers at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine finished the 40-yard dash in less than 4.53 seconds. Here is my scouting report: WR Devonta Smith Alabama   D.O.B: 11/14/1998 247comp: 4 National Rank: 62 National Pos. I recently studied his game. Build your custom FanSided Daily email newsletter with news and analysis on With the First Pick and all your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and more. Follow Daniel Jeremiah on Twitter @MoveTheSticks. Here is my scouting report: I recently studied his game. DeVonta Smith posted a pair of 200-yard games for Alabama in 2019, including a seven-catch, 213-yard, two-touchdown outing against the eventual national champion LSU Tigers. Scouting Report: Brennan Eagles Tue May 19 , 2020 WR Sage Surratt Wake Forest D.O.B: // 247comp: 3 National Rank: 1190 National Pos. His spatial awareness is excellent, as he has a good understanding of the position. This is the ninth in a series of scouting reports that will run throughout the offseason. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription. ", All 3 have big grades from me. While we’re on Alabama, here’s a pretty amazing fact: Tua Tagovailoa has 23 touchdown passes without an interception, and this is the second straight year he’s pulled that off. On the surface, it would appear to be a bizarre move by Smith, whose junior year has been the best of his career so far. Six things to note from the … scouting report of Alabama wide receiver DeVonta Smith, 15th in his way-too early look at the 2021 NFL Draft. He won’t run crazy fast 40 time but he’s pure! Julio Jones has been excellent since he was drafted in 2011 and is regarded by some as the best in the game right now. The Alabama Crimson Tide have produced some stars at the wide receiver over the past decade. He’s in his 10th year at Notre Dame now. I recently studied his game. Tampa Bay's Brett Phillips delivered the walk-off single for one of the wildest finishes ever to a World Series game. Current NFL Draft Prospect Scouting Report: The most powerful research tools in the industry, Get your leagues trophy today at Trophy Smack. D.O.B: 11/14/1998. When a class is as deep as the 2020 pool of wide receivers looks to be, it is inevitable some players get lost in the shuffle. I hate comparing college kids to Hall of Famers, but Smith and Harrison have several things in common: lean builds, crisp route-running, excellent hands and toughness. He also created separation against 2020 first-round pick Noah Igbinoghene, so level of competition is a box checked for DeVonta Smith. When it comes to the 2021 NFL Draft, two more Bama receivers could end up in the first round. He beat stud freshman corner Derek Stingley a number of times last season and had his way with South Carolina’s duo of Jaycee Horn and Israel Mukuamu. He does a good job tracking the ball over his shoulder and to subtly dislodge the defender’s hand from his hip. Smith enjoyed a fantastic season with the Crimson Tide in 2019, and it’s even more impressive considering he was playing with three other potential first-round picks. Going into Alabama’s bowl game, Smith has 65 receptions for 1,200 yards and 13 touchdowns. Last year, he threw 24 touchdowns before his first pick (which came in November against LSU). I covered Alabama athletics for a number of organizations (including this one 2017-18) from 2015-2018. And I wonder if NFL teams kick tires on him again—despite the fact that some think he’s too much of a drill sergeant for the league. Jeremiah didn't grade Smith, but his breakdown seems to make it clear that he views the receiver in a similar light to his counterparts at ESPN. 1. He is pretty well-rounded and can create separation with ease. Your account has an invalid email address. Alabama wide receiver Devonta Smith puts himself into the 2020 NFL Draft conversation with a massive performance against Ole Miss. Draft projection for Devonta Smith 2020 NFL Draft. On Monday, NFL.com analyst Daniel Jeremiah broke down his preseason scouting report of Alabama wide receiver DeVonta Smith. Pretty staggering. He is every bit a technician in setting up the route at release. He has an advanced route tree and is one of the top route runners in college football. His after the catch ability might not be to the same level as some of these other guys, but it is good enough for him to be used on screen passes or designed plays to get the ball in his hands. “Will drop the football too, that’s been a problem. That will be a source of contention throughout the pre-draft process. Pound for pound toughest wide receiver in college football. 6. Smith also high points the football well and displays good body control. Learn about Devonta Smith and other recruit player profiles on RecruitingNation.com. "He has outstanding concentration and hands to finish in traffic," Jeremiah said. 3. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images). Let's be real: I'm not expecting Smith to produce Harrison's gaudy numbers at the next level, but I do believe he has Pro Bowl potential, provided he lands in the right spot with the right support. He’s very good with his release. We'll never pass along your email address to spammers, scammers, or the like. This kid can fly and he gets up to top speed fairly quickly. The baseball gods conspired to give us the perfect World Series walk-off on Saturday night. Daniel Jeremiah takes a first look at Alabama's Patrick Surtain II, the son of a Pro Bowl cornerback, and sees a budding star with a game reminiscent of the Dolphins' Byron Jones. Email us at talkback@themmqb.com. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Tracks ball over-head well. He does a really good job working back down the route stem to the quarterback. Daniel Jeremiah's advice to NFL teams scouting Alabama's Najee Harris: Ignore his 40-yard-dash time. While his ball skills are good, winning in contested spots won’t be something Smith can hang his hat on at the next level. Henry Ruggs can run in the 4.2s. https://dynastydraftroom.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/ScreenRecorderProject1-3.mp4, https://dynastydraftroom.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/ScreenRecorderProject2-3.mp4, https://dynastydraftroom.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/ScreenRecorderProject3-3.mp4, https://dynastydraftroom.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/ScreenRecorderProject4-2.mp4, https://dynastydraftroom.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/ScreenRecorderProject5-2.mp4, https://dynastydraftroom.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/ScreenRecorderProject1-4.mp4. Tyler Waldrep • … Devonta Smith, 2021 Smith grows on me with each game I watch him play. One of those players was DeVonta Smith, who led the group in yards and touchdowns. He succeeds most with the slant route and can create separation with comeback routes after selling vertically. Had an interesting exchange with a scout on Sunday that led me to this developing opinion: Brian Kelly, underrated. Atlanta drafted Calvin Ridley back in 2018, and he’s produced two solid seasons as a number two for the Falcons. A willing blocker in the run and screen game. NFL teams will be looking for him to put on some weight before he can perform at the next level, as he’s currently coming in under 180 pounds. The Ole Miss head coach criticized SEC officials via Twitter over a controversial call following the 35-28 loss to Auburn. The 2021 NFL Draft class is absolutely loaded with talent at the wide receiver position. On Monday, NFL.com analyst Daniel Jeremiah broke down his preseason scouting report of Alabama receiver DeVonta Smith. "He can pluck the low ball off his shoes, reach back for balls on the back hip or high point the ball down the field -- and he does it all so smoothly and effortlessly. Game tape watched: All of his targets during the 2019 season. Rutgers’ firing of Chris Ash should serve as another reminder of the outstanding job Greg Schiano did at the school from 2001-12. Here is my scouting report: Height, weight: 6-foot-1, 175 pounds (school measurements). He can play inside or outside and uses his quickness to routinely defeat press coverage. Wins at the line of scrimmage 9/10 times. State Rank: 2 (LA) Purchase NFL Draft Guide + Rookie Guide. Strengths : Weaknesses: Smith has some of the best hands that I’ve scouted. He’s good at adjusting to off-target throws, and he uses his long arms to high-point balls with good amounts of success.