Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith has been a part of several accomplished teams throughout his career.
Over four collegiate seasons at Alabama, Smith finished with a combined 51-4 record, including two College Football Playoff national titles. The 2021 first-round pick also is a Heisman Trophy winner.
During an interview with The Inquirer on Tuesday, Smith promoted his VRST clothing line with Dick’s Sporting Goods and discussed a variety of football topics, including his observations at the midway point of the regular season.
Considering all of his past success, how does this year’s Eagles squad compare?
“This is definitely one of the funnest teams I’ve been around,” Smith said.
For the first time in franchise history, the Eagles have rattled off eight consecutive victories to begin the season. Smith has enjoyed shining moments, such as his career-high 169 receiving yards in Week 3 at Washington. He is a dynamic talent who has shown the ability to burst at any second.
Entering Week 10, quarterback Jalen Hurts has emerged as an MVP candidate. The Eagles rank second in the NFL with an average of 28.1 points per game. Hurts’ improvements as a pocket passer and decision maker have been large factors in the team’s success.
“I think he shows the true definition of somebody that just continues to work,” Smith said of Hurts. “He put his head down, worked, and realized everything was going to work out for him.
“For Jalen, it shows. He’s the true definition of a guy that comes in day in and day out, does what he’s supposed to do. He leads the team the right way. It’s showing up for everyone to see. I’m happy for him.”
Hurts has developed strong chemistry with his top three pass catchers. Smith has recorded 40 catches for 442 yards. He ranks third on the team in receiving yards behind fellow wide receiver A.J. Brown’s 43 receptions for 718 yards and tight end Dallas Goedert’s 40 catches for 521 yards.
“Honestly, it’s been great. The offense as a whole — being able to switch it up at any given moment,” Smith said. “Whether it’s throwing the ball, running the ball, the defense playing lights out, them attacking the ball and taking it away, it’s been great.”
Last season, Smith set the franchise record for most receiving yards by a rookie. But since Brown’s arrival in Philadelphia, Smith has taken a subtle back seat in the passing game.
“He’s selfless,” offensive coordinator Shane Steichen said of Smith. “He knows that his time is going to come around again. It’s an ultimate team game, and we’re in it to win football games. Those guys know that it’s going to come around to them, whether it could be this week, it might be next week, we don’t know, but those guys understand that, that we are trying to win, and when it’s their time to get the ball, they’re going to make plays.”
Sharing the rock isn’t unfamiliar territory for Smith. At Alabama, he split reps with future NFL receivers Jerry Jeudy, Calvin Ridley, and Jaylen Waddle, among others. If opposing defenses elect to double-team Brown or Goedert over the final two months of the season, Smith is motivated to take advantage.
“It can be anybody’s day,” Smith said. “You never take it for granted. I’m always happy for the other guys, I’m always happy to see somebody else get theirs. That’s what makes it fun, when everybody has a chance to have their fun, everybody has their chance to have their big game.
“You can never get complacent. At the end of the day, you can be 8-0, but the game where it matters the most, it will be the one you lose. None of that talk matters, being 8-0. It’s all about being 1-0 every week.”
In just his second season, Smith has conducted more than a handful of jersey swaps — a majority of them occurring with former Alabama teammates. His swap from Week 9 with Texans receiver John Metchie III carries the most weight. In July, Metchie announced he’d miss his rookie season after being diagnosed with leukemia.
Before the Eagles defeated the Texans, 29-17, on Thursday night, Smith enjoyed a special, on-field moment with Metchie.
“Out of all the jerseys I have, his probably meant the most to me,” said Smith, who sported a Metchie T-shirt during pregame warmups. “I remember when Metchie first came to ‘Bama, when he first enrolled. I picked him up one night, we went out to eat. He’s from Canada, so I was trying to put him onto music and different things, see what he likes. From that moment until now, seeing how far he came, how much he worked — he came into Alabama with four [receivers] who went in the first round.
“I remember Day 1 when he came to ‘Bama all the way until now. Even with him dealing with the things that he’s dealing with, he’s still pushing, he still has that smile. Nothing is affecting him. He’s still coming to work every day. We talk a lot, and he never talks about [his illness]. He always talks about other things, his family, what we’re doing in the offseason, where we’ll be working out. His jersey definitely meant the most to me.”
