Devonta Smith was selected 10th overall in the 2020 NFL entry draft. This fast-paced receiver dominated NCAA football winning the Heisman trophy in 2020 yet many football fans do not know his 40 time.
Devonta Smith does not have an official 40 time. The 2020 NFL combine was cancelled and Smith decided to not participate in the Alabama pro day activities in his draft year. Though Devonta Smith reportedly ran a high 4.4. forty at a pro day during his Sophomore year.
This is a similar situation to Jaylen Waddle who does not have an official 40 time due to the pandemic and injury.
Why Did Smith Skip Drills At The Pro Day?
By the time the Alabama pro day rolled around Devonta Smith was already locked in as a first-round pick in the 2020 draft.
Throughout the 2020 college season, he had 1856 yards and twenty-three touchdowns. In other words, Smith had already shown his work on the field. He felt that he did not need to participate in these drills as his draft stock was already high enough.
In Devonta Smith were to participate and put up a slow 40 or three-cone drill he could find his draft stock falling.
This resulted in no official 40 yard dash time being recorded for Devonta Smith.
Devonta Smith Height And Weight
Devonta Smith is six feet or 1.83 meters tall. This is fairly average for the wide receiver position and is a good height for his style of play.
Smith is not expected to run fade routes or go for jump balls meaning his height isn’t all that important.
When it comes to weight Devonta Smith weighs one hundred and seventy pounds. This is quite light for a wide receiver and one of the biggest knocks against him coming into the draft.
Pre Draft Strengths And Weaknesses
Coming into the draft this Alabama receiver was one of the most heavily scouted prospects. Below we will cover some of the weaknesses and strengths teams believed this player had before he reached the NFL.
Strengths
Smooth Route Runner
One of the biggest assets of Devonta Smith’s game was his route running. Coming into the NFL he was already an elite route runner. Moving smoothly in and out of cuts making it difficult for defensive backs to keep up.
This sort of route running is difficult to teach which made it a huge asset that Smith was already running routes at this level.
Can Play Inside Or Outside
Another benefit of this receiver’s game is that he can play inside or outside. This means he can be utilized as an outside receiver or a slot receiver.
This can be quite valuable for a wide receiver and is fairly rare when a receiver is coming out of college.
Having the ability to play two positions can allow the offense to take advantage of mismatches and allow more options for personnel groupings.
Elite Body Control And Catching
Body control and catching were another two factors that led to Devonta Smith being a high draft pick.
This receiver has been incredibly consistent catching balls throughout his career. Though most receivers can do this adequately catching balls with consistency is something all NFL teams value.
Weaknesses
Weight Concerns
The biggest issue for Smith entering the draft was his weight. Just watching Smith on TV allowed you to see how much smaller this receiver is than the player he faces off against.
One big concern was that Devonta Smith’s frame would not be able to take on the wear and tear that comes with an NFL season.
Physicality At Start Of The Route
Smith’s weight also plays into his ability to deal with physical corners at the line of scrimmage. Some corners prefer to play press coverage which involves them contacting the receiver right at the line of scrimmage.
Due to his small size, Smith struggled with beating stronger corners when they contacted him at the start of the route.
That’s it for 40 times in football to learn about the speed of some other top players see Ja’Marr Chase 40 time or Stefon Diggs 40 yard dash time.
“Due to his small size, Smith struggled with beating stronger corners when they contacted him at the start of the route.”
LOL when?!! The man won every thing a Wr can win individually and with the team. Smh…