NFL mock draft 2021: Justin Fields, Trey Lance land in perfect situations
2021 NFL mock draft: Round 1, 12th overall
Pick Analysis. 12. 54. Player Stats. WR. Alabama. DeVonta Smith. player
After trading down from No. 6, the Philadelphia Eagles are far from guaranteed to land one of the premier wide receivers in the 2021 NFL Draft class. That being said, in this NFL mock draft, the board falls well for Philly as DeVonta Smith lands directly into their laps.
Smith is coming off of one of the best seasons for any wide receiver in the history of college football. He was absolutely dominant for Alabama this past season, catching 117 passes for the Crimson Tide for 1,856 yards and 23 touchdowns. He was the best player in college football last season and was rewarded with the Heisman Trophy.
Smith is a dynamic weapon at the wide receiver position who creates easy separation with his routes, shows fantastic speed and has the best hands in the class. Smith is a smooth and explosive athlete who changes directions quickly and gets up to top speed in an instant. He is an extremely well-rounded player who displays the ability to consistently make plays in the short, intermediate and deep passing games.
Many knock Smith because of his slight frame. We simply have not seen many receivers of his size come in and have success at the NFL level. That being said, Smith plays much stronger than he looks, competing extremely well in contested-catch situations. This guy is simply a playmaker who steps up and gets the job done at all times.
The Eagles are moving forward with Jalen Hurts as their starting quarterback and would be wise to get him as much help as possible. Adding DeVonta Smith like they do in this 2021 NFL mock draft feels like an ideal scenario for the team.