2021 NFL Draft: Devonta Smith needs to press his case for top-15

Weaknesses

At 6ft 1in, Smith has the height for an NFL boundary receiver but his thin, 175-pound frame may be a cause for concern among evaluators. Those doubts are unlikely to be assuaged when watching Smith face press coverage.

Indeed, while Smith has been able to utilize his stem to quickly defeat man coverage and gain impressive amounts of separation when met with physical coverage he has struggled to find ways to defeat it.

To this point, Smith has demonstrated little to give NFL front offices confidence he can win against press at the next level.

Smith’s frame may also lead to worries about his ability to stay on his feet through contact once he gets the ball in his hands, though that has rarely been an issue during his time with the Crimson Tide.

Perhaps the biggest knock on Smith is that he has only put together one season of elite college production. That likely influenced his decision to school for 2020 rather than heading to the pros along with Jeudy and Ruggs.

With other potential first-round receivers such as Rashod Bateman and Rondale Moore opting out of the season amid the public health crisis, Smith must decide whether his stellar 2019 performances are enough to stand on.