Is DeVonta Smith the best WR in the 2021 NFL draft?
After patiently waiting his turn behind a long line of superstar pass-catchers at Alabama, DeVonta Smith has been making the most of his decision to return to school for the 2020 season.
Smith carved up opposing defenses with embarrassing ease on his way to winning the Heisman Trophy, becoming the first wide receiver to win college football’s most prestigious individual honor since Desmond Howard in 1991.
But has he done enough to establish himself as the top receiver prospect in the 2021 NFL draft class?
Heading into this season, LSU’s Ja’Marr Chase was the consensus choice for that title, following his impressive 2019 campaign with quarterback Joe Burrow and the national-champion Bayou Bengals. But Chase opted out of the 2020 college football season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, instead focusing his attention on preparing for next year’s draft.
That opened the door for Smith, who has taken full advantage of the chance to shine on a weekly basis at the college level for one more year.
NFL teams who prefer a bigger, more physical receiver might still opt for Chase, who was listed at 6-1 and 200 pounds back in 2019. His combination of size and athleticism allowed him to dominate opposing defensive backs, and that kind of skill set is what most people see when they think about a No. 1 receiver at the next level.
The biggest knock on Smith is his lack of ideal size, listed at 6-1 and just 175 pounds. Doubters might worry that his slight frame won’t hold up to the physicality of the NFL game, or that adding extra bulk will limit the explosiveness that makes him such a dangerous playmaker.
But sometimes, what makes special players special are the things you can’t measure, and when you watch Smith play, it’s easy to get the feeling that he’ll be a difference-maker at the next level regardless of any limitations he might have on paper. That’s certainly been the case throughout his college career, dominating on a weekly basis, no matter who has tried to cover him.
Which of these players comes off the board first, Chase or Smith, will likely come down to an individual team deciding which of them best fits the style and skill set they want at the position. While it will certainly make sense for a team to prefer a more prototypical prospect at the position like Chase, don’t be surprised if the performance Smith put on the field this season after Chase opted out gives him the edge on multiple teams’ draft boards.
