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PHILADELPHIA — Rookie receiver DeVonta Smith’s NFL career is off to a fast start.
The No. 10 overall pick in the 2021 draft leads the Philadelphia Eagles in receptions (25) and receiving yards (314), ranking second among rookies in both categories behind former teammate Jaylen Waddle (27 catches) with the Miami Dolphins and the Cincinnati Bengals’ Ja’Marr Chase (456 yards).
Smith will be under the national spotlight Thursday night when the Eagles host quarterback Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8:20 p.m. ET, Fox/NFL Network).
Smith didn’t exactly sneak up on anyone. The Eagles traded up in April’s draft to select him following a Heisman Trophy campaign in which he led the NCAA in receptions (117), receiving yards (1,856) and receiving touchdowns (23) for Alabama.
There were some concerns, however, about how he would transition to the NFL given his 6-foot, 170-pound frame. The previous seven receivers selected in the top 10 of the NFL draft measured two inches taller and about 40 pounds heavier (6-foot-2, 212 pounds on average), per ESPN Stats & Information. The last wideout selected that high weighing less than 180 pounds was Tavon Austin, who hasn’t started a game over the past three seasons and hasn’t surpassed five touchdown catches in a single season.
But those who spent time around Smith during his pre-combine and draft preparation work at Yo Murphy Performance in Tampa, Florida, were far from worried — a distinguished group that included Pro Football Hall of Fame receiver Randy Moss and linebacker Derrick Brooks, as well as Indianapolis Colts Pro Bowl linebacker Darius Leonard. From the way Smith trained to the way he moved to his deep understanding of the game, it was evident Smith was unique.
“When you’re young, you play off emotion and energy,” Moss said. “Rarely do you get a guy that wants to be a student of the game at an…
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Source : espn
