DeVonta Smith, the Alabama WR, sits at No. 7 on the consensus board across 28 public boards. The tier model reads him as an impact starter — 65% elite, 24% starter.
Production Context
NFL.com's Lance Zierlein: “He possesses an elite skill level for the position and can hit the defense from short, mid-range or deep.”
Production Context
NFL.com's Lance Zierlein: “Smith has the football character, athletic gifts and upper-echelon skill level to become a long-time starter and Pro Bowl regular.”
Technique
NFL Network's Bucky Brooks: “Smith plays the game like a seasoned vet, with his patience and superb timing complementing his savvy route-running skills.”
Role and scheme fit
The archetype rules read him as a slot-YAC.
Sources · 4 · quotes 2
The report above is our synthesis. These links preserve the research trail; quoted language below remains the source's own.
- Lance Zierlein, NFL.com
- Bucky Brooks, NFL Network
- Lance Zierlein, nfl_com_zierlein
- Bucky Brooks, nflcom_bucky_brooks
“…While Atlanta Falcons WR Calvin Ridley is my NFL comparison for Smith, I feel like a better comp might be Golden State Warriors superstar Steph Curry. Like Curry, Smith is thinner than you'd like and isn't the strongest player, but he has rare quickness, speed, and change-of-direction fluidity, and he creates separation from defenders seemingly at will. He possesses an elite skill level for the position and can hit t…”
“…Smith plays the game like a seasoned vet, with his patience and superb timing complementing his savvy route-running skills. The Heisman Trophy winner is not the biggest or fastest receiver in the class, but he is always open, and his jaw-dropping production against elite competition bodes well for his pro potential.…”
Sourced synthesis from 4 scouting sources, not original film. How these reports are written →