DeVonta Smith built his reputation at Alabama by doing something only a handful of receivers in history have managed. In his final season with the Crimson Tide in 2020, he won the Heisman Trophy, becoming just the fifth receiver ever to take home the award and the first since Michigan’s Desmond Howard in 1991.
That year, Smith was unstoppable. He finished with 117 catches, 1,856 yards and 23 touchdowns, leading the nation in all three categories. Those numbers helped make him one of the most decorated wideouts in college football, and they set the stage for his jump to the NFL.
Since the Philadelphia Eagles drafted him 10th overall in 2021, Smith has put together a strong pro career. But there’s still one label he hasn’t fully earned: unquestioned No. 1 receiver.
Early on, Smith looked like Philadelphia’s top option in the passing game during his rookie season. Then A.J.
Brown arrived in 2022, and the hierarchy changed fast. Brown became the Eagles’ clear No. 1 target over the next four years, while Smith operated in his shadow.
Smith still produced three 1,000-yard seasons during that stretch, but the question hangs over him now: how much of that came with Brown drawing the defense’s attention?
That debate is more relevant now because Brown is in New England after an offseason trade, leaving Smith with the No. 1 role all to himself. The first test came in the Eagles’ Week 1 win over the Washington Commanders, when Smith finished with three catches for 53 yards.
That kind of output isn’t enough for a team’s top receiver. Jalen Hurts, who was Smith’s Alabama teammate for a couple of years, plays a big part in how the ball gets spread around, but Smith still needs to be getting more than three receptions a game.
That’s why the pressure on him is bigger than it might look from the outside. Smith isn’t the loudest name, so he can fly under the radar, but Philadelphia needs him to prove he can be a true No. 1 if the Eagles are going to be a Super Bowl contender.
The rest of the receiving room doesn’t offer much help. Smith has to be the guy, and that’s a heavy lift for someone who hasn’t really done it at the pro level before.
He showed at Alabama that he can handle that kind of role. Now he has 16 more games to prove he can do it again in Philadelphia. If he can’t, the Eagles will have to go find another wideout who can better fill that spot.
In Other News...
Florida State May Be Eyeing A Familiar Rival Alabama Knows Well
Florida States shakeup in the athletic department has opened the door to a familiar name, and one Alabama fans know well from plenty of memorable matchups. The Seminoles recently moved on from athletic director Michael Alford, and the next step could be even more intriguing if the university decides to make a change on the sideline as well.
Jimbo Fisher, who led Florida State from 2010 to 2017, is reportedly being discussed as a possible reunion candidate. He is said to be interested in a return if the school parts ways with Mike Norvell, which would bring an old rival back into a high-profile opening and add another layer to a situation that is already beginning to take shape. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama's Mike Norvell Near-Miss Looks Even Bigger Now
When Nick Saban announced his retirement in January 2024, Mike Norvell quickly emerged as one of the top names Alabama considered to fill the vacancy. The interest reportedly got serious enough to include advanced talks with the Crimson Tides athletic director, but Norvell never left Florida State after landing a contract extension that kept him in Tallahassee.
Now the decision looks a lot bigger in hindsight. Florida States football program has slid since then, and with the Seminoles athletic director recently fired, the instability around Norvells situation has only grown. For Alabama, it remains one of those coaching searches that can be revisited for years, especially when the coach it missed starts facing more questions than answers. [Read more 🡒]
Alabamas Early Turnaround Is Putting Real Heat On This Florida State Test
Alabamas fast start has changed the tone around this Week 3 matchup with Florida State, and its not just because the Crimson Tide have looked sharper on offense. The defense has been the biggest early separator, drawing praise from former Alabama coach Nick Saban on College GameDay after the units strong work on third down and its overall ability to control possessions.
Entering the week, Alabama sits sixth nationally in total defense and first in third down defense, a profile that gives this trip a different kind of edge. Florida State is getting an opponent that is already playing with a real defensive identity, which raises the pressure on the Seminoles to answer a tougher early test than many expected. [Read more 🡒]