DeVonta Smith: Upgrades to limited Thursday

GM Howie Roseman hit the nail on the head when he traded up for the 10th overall pick to take Smith in the 2021 draft. While results have been mixed on slim wideouts with hefty college production in recent years, the 170-pounder out of Alabama has proven himself capable of beating press coverage, making contested catches and even throwing blocks to help Philadelphia’s prolific running game. On top of that, Smith finished last year with only eight fewer targets than uber-talented teammate A.J. Brown, with both wideouts cruising past 1,000 yards in an offense led by a dominant offensive line and a breakout star at quarterback in Jalen Hurts. Smith’s aDOT dropped from 13.9 as a rookie to 9.6 last year with Brown taking over more of the deep looks, but his YPT held steady at 8.8 thanks to a 69.9 percent catch rate. Smith now enters his third NFL season right in the conversation with Jaylen Waddle and Tee Higgins to be considered the best No. 2 WR in the league.

Smith, the 2020 Heisman winner, turned in a solid debut campaign after going 10th overall in last year’s draft, though it perhaps felt disappointing relative to the dominance of fellow rookie Ja’Marr Chase. The Alabama product, unlike his former SEC competitor, didn’t have the benefit of a No. 1 overall pick QB in the midst of a breakout season. By most standards, Smith met expectations for a rookie. He led his team in catches, yards and touchdowns, hauling in 61.5 percent of his targets for 8.8 YPT. As expected, Smith won with technique and agility rather than speed and strength, though his unusually slender frame didn’t prevent him from blocking or charging ahead for extra yards when needed. He faded down the stretch, at least from a fantasy standpoint, with his volume declining after the Eagles switched from pass-first to run-heavy midseason. It helped them reach the playoffs, and Smith produced 10.0 YPT in the final 10 games, but he also sunk to just 5.1 targets per game after getting 7.6 in the first seven weeks. The concern now is that he might land somewhere between those numbers — rather than progressing as usual in Year 2 — after the Eagles traded for A.J. Brown to give dual-threat QB Jalen Hurts an explosive wideout duo.

Smith annihilated defenses last year for Alabama with an absurd 147-117-1,856-23 line, averaging 15.9 YPC and 12.6 YPT and winning the Heisman Trophy. He skipped the school’s Pro Day due to a thumb injury, so we don’t have an official 40 time, but apparently he ran a 4.49 in high school, fast but not elite. At 6-0, 170, Smith is slightly built for a receiver, something that could be an issue in the pros with more physical corners and coverage schemes. Nonetheless, the Eagles, needing receiving help, drafted him 10th overall. Smith could be the team’s leader in targets right away, though his stiffest competition might be tight end Dallas Goedert rather than any of the team’s other wideouts. Last year’s 21st overall pick Jalen Reagor had a disappointing and injury-plagued rookie year, and the rest of the depth chart is filled with unestablished options with little pedigree. Smith even opened training camp with a spot on the first unit, but after a fast start, an MCL sprain at the end of July forced him to the sideline. The Eagles expect Smith to miss only 2-3 weeks, so he should be back for the regular-season opener even if he doesn’t suit up this preseason.