When fans think of incredible players like DeVonta Smith, a large part of his story is the NFL factory he came from. But for all of the talent to have come from the University of Alabama, the fourth-year pro accomplished something that just doesn’t sound right.
The former Crimson Tide player became the first wide receiver to be drafted from Tuscaloosa to make an NFL reception for a TD in a Super Bowl, as posted by the SportsCenter account on X. This feat happened in something of a spectacular play. The Eagles had a comfortable lead. Moreover, many, including the broadcast crew, made the case to play it safe. Bleeding out the clock is always available as an option. But this would have been the more conservative approach.
Instead, coach Kellen Moore took a deep shot. The play resulted in a 46-yard pass from Jalen Hurts to DeVonta Smith. Speed kills, and the wideout burned the coverage on the play. Yes, the Chiefs ended up making the scoreline appear a little more respectable. However, most agree that the garbage time production only covered for what was overall a poor offensive display from KC.
This catch represents more than just six points. Instead, it shows the willingness of someone with so much talent and skill to be willing to sacrifice his own personal production throughout the year. The passing game has been inconsistent for much of the year. Furthermore, AJ Brown understandably sees a lot of games with the majority of targets coming his way.
But this once again illustrates the point. Receivers often enjoy getting a lot of touches and getting into a rhythm. It’s more difficult when the moment only comes in spurts. Regardless, DeVanta Smith stayed ready in what proved to be something of a defensive struggle, despite what the final score suggests.
What separates DeVonta Smith
This factoid from the SportsCenter X account helps to show just what separates the current Eagles’ WR from others. Playing with the SEC powerhouse often comes with a big advantage. The talent gap on the other sidelines is usually too large. But this can often result in a lack of productivity at the next level, particularly at the so-called skilled-position players.
Therefore, the ability of the Super Bowl-leading Philadelphia receiver to stay patient and break through this scoring mold should indicate just how good he is. Not that others before him haven’t worked hard or ‘wanted it.’ But it does take something special to make the added adjustment to no longer being on the best unit in the nation, to then also sharing reps and targets with one of the better receivers in the league anyway.
Regardless of how fans view it, DeVonta Smith is a tremendous player. And more importantly, his inter-team interactions and how he conducts himself are ideal in this WR room. While the ball may not always come his way, the Eagles know they have someone truly special in their building. Someone who is likely to make more big plays in their uniform for a long time to come because of who he is, both as an athlete and as a person.