Three best landing spots for Heisman winner DeVonta Smith

It’s being heavily rumored that the Cardinals are trying to trade up from 16th overall, and wide receiver could definitely be a position they’re targeting.

DeAndre Hopkins is a legitimate No. 1, but how much does A.J. Green really have in the tank? Younger players like Christian Kirk and Andy Isabella are former second-round picks who’ve come up small for the most part.

Smith is especially different from the latter two players. He could wreak havoc aligning in the slot, or in stacked formations alongside Hopkins. Kyler Murray has a penchant for the short passing game, and while Smith can excel there, his long speed and precise route-running can help Arizona really stretch the field.

Imagine being an NFL rookie wideout and getting mentored by vets like Hopkins and Green. In a loaded NFC West division, Smith could be an X-factor who helps the Cardinals reach the playoffs for the first time since the 2015 campaign.

New England Patriots

Bill Belichick just can’t hit on a draft pick at receiver to save his life. The best player he had at that position, Julian Edelman, just retired and by sheer force of will squeezed every ounce out of his potential as a former seventh-round pick and converted college QB.

Smith seems like as good of a chance as Belichick would have of nailing a pick at wideout. The Hoodie’s strong ties to Alabama head coach Nick Saban would no doubt play a role here, and the fact that Smith has such an advanced football IQ and can line up literally anywhere on the field would be appealing to New England.

This, of course, assumes that the Patriots don’t parlay their aggressive free agency into an all-out effort to trade up from No. 15 to land their long-term quarterback. Whatever the case may be, Cam Newton‘s life would be a lot easier in 2021 if Smith were in New England’s receiving corps.

Green Bay Packers

Guess what? The Packers have two picks in the fourth, fifth and sixth rounds. They have plenty to burn through, and could offer one from each of those rounds in a trade package to move up in Round 1.

If Smith somehow slips past the Patriots at 15 and the Cardinals at 16, there’s a realistic scenario in which Green Bay offers its 29th overall pick, the 135th, 178th and 220th picks to Miami in exchange for No. 18 overall.

All of the Packers’ core receivers are bigger-bodied targets, with Davante Adams as the obvious No. 1 option. Instead of praying a late first-round cornerback will hit, how about a good-faith move to show Aaron Rodgers that the team is fully committed to winning now?

Pairing Smith with Adams would make Green Bay’s passing attack about as unstoppable as any in the sport. Heck, with all this draft capital, the Pack should be doing all they can to secure a premium weapon, because Jordan Love is eventually going to need some help to fill Rodgers’ shoes.