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DeVonta Smith becomes Alabama’s latest first-round pick in NFL Draft
By SDS Staff
Published:
DeVonta Smith had to patiently wait his turn before becoming the face of Alabama’s offense. But the 2020 Heisman Trophy winner didn’t have to wait long Thursday night to learn the next step in his football journey.
The Philadelphia Eagles selected Smith with the No. 10 overall pick in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft. The Eagles made a trade with the Dallas Cowboys to move up from No. 12 to pull off the pick.
Alabama has had at least one player selected in the first round for 13 consecutive years and this is the 5th year in that span that the first-round group included at least one wide receiver.
Julio Jones started the run, but no Alabama receiver had a season quite like the one Smith just laid down. He broke single-season SEC records for receiving yards (1,856) and touchdown catches (23), despite playing against 11 SEC opponents and then 2 Playoff opponents. In the process, he became the SEC’s career leader in yards (3,965) and TDs (46).
He averaged 176 receiving yards and 2.7 touchdown catches in Alabama’s postseason sweep of Florida, Notre Dame and Ohio State.
Smith became Alabama’s 3rd Heisman Trophy winner, but he’ll always be known for being on the receiving end of Tua Tagovailoa’s 2nd-and-26 walkoff TD throw to win the 2017 national championship.
Saturday Down South reports and comments on the news around the Southeastern Conference as well as larger college football topics.
