Alabama receiver DeVanta Smith made big news on Monday with his slumping weight when several reports claimed that the first-round weight in the future was 170 pounds.
Smith’s modest frame has been seen as a potential fall to the next level, despite his history of consistent success with the Crimson Tide. Apparently Smith feels he has nothing to prove, as several reports indicate that he will weigh in on pro-day Alabama only on Tuesday. He will not participate in any on-field position practice.
It is possible that there is a possibility of raising some eyebrows between the scouts and the armchair quarterbacks, who wonder if Smith has anything to hide from participating. But former NFL punch Pat McAfee – who himself went through a pro day at West Virginia – explained fully on Monday why Smith shouldn’t bother.
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Warning: strong language used
“I’m not saying there’s no reason for all these workouts and drills and something like that,” McAfee said. “There are a lot of people out there who get to know that maybe their tape is not as good as they could be in the NFL because they didn’t get a chance to actually show off their athletic abilities in offense or defense. Were able to perform.
“If you’re already a player and everyone knows you’re a player, then everyone can tell, (pro day) is a waste. You can work on what you do better. “
McAfee’s explanation is completely on the mark. Smith, who has shown the need to see everything on the field, cannot achieve more than some pointless “underwear Olympics”. It is in the same vein as North Dakota State quarterback Trey Lance, with a 40-yard dash running fall: He was already running at a pace of 21.45 mph in the game; What would be better than walking a straight line without a pad?
Similarly, Smith has shown more than enough to prove that he is one of the top receivers available in the 2021 NFL draft class. For his career, he held a combined 235 receptions for 3,965 yards and 46 touchdowns. Likewise, he has demonstrated excellent acceleration, lateral movement, movement and hands. He exhibited all of those traits in 2020, including a season in which he won the Heisman Trophy, was a first-team All-America selection, Sporting News Player of the Year and won innumerable awards.
Smith is not the fastest or greatest receiver, but it doesn’t matter much to the defensive backs he regularly beat in college. It only makes sense, then, that he thinks it shouldn’t matter in the scouting process.
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