BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA – DECEMBER 05: DeVonta Smith #6 of the Alabama Crimson Tide (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
DeVonta Smith will get plenty of pro attention this offseason.
Alabama had two wide receivers drafted in the first 15 picks of the 2020 NFL Draft, as Henry Ruggs and Jerry Jeudy were selected by the Raiders and Broncos, respectively. Nick Saban has once again outdone himself, as DeVonta Smith’s outburst against LSU might help the speedy deep threat get picked higher than either of those last two studs.
Even if Smith doesn’t take the WR1 title away from LSU’s Ja’Marr Chase, these three teams should be able to snatch him up in the middle of the first round.
These three teams should consider taking DeVonta Smith in the first round
3
Detroit Lions
NFC North
The Lions have a solid tandem, when healthy, at wide receiver, as Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones can be ideal vertical components in Darrell Bevell’s offense. However, Golladay is in a contract year, and no one around the league would blame him for a second if he decided to leave Detroit given all the upheaval and turmoil that has surrounded that franchise. As good as Quintez Cephus and Danny Amendola are, they shouldn’t be among a team’s leading receivers in 2021. With or without Golladay, Smith makes a lot of sense for Detroit.
While Smith is rail-thin and has nowhere near the physicality of Golladay at the catch point, his ability to get separation paired with blazing speed is what every team in the NFL is looking for in wide receivers, regardless of size. The Lions will likely have a high draft pick, but not high enough to grab Chase. If he’s off the board, look for Detroit to bring in Smith, which would give Matthew Stafford another aerial weapon as he tries his best to get the Lions back into the postseason in a weakened NFC North.