DeVonta Smith is officially in the flock. On Thursday, the Eagles formally signed the first-round wide receiver to his first NFL contract.
Per the terms of his No. 10 overall slot slot, Smith will earn $20.1M over the course of his four-year deal, including a $12M signing bonus. The Eagles are happy to pay it, especially after trading up to the No. 10 pick to snag the Alabama star. Now, he’ll reunite with his one-time teammate Jalen Hurts, who went on to play at Oklahoma after three years at Alabama. His presence should help Hurts, who may have to compete for his No. 1 job.
Smith broke onto the scene following a standout junior campaign, but he took it to another level in 2020. The wideout finished the year with 24 touchdowns, 1,862 yards from scrimmage and the Heisman Trophy (plus many more awards). He was universally viewed as one of the three best WRs in this year’s class — somewhere behind Ja’Marr Chase and neck-and-neck with teammate Jaylen Waddle. While Waddle is known for his high-end speed, Smith has drawn rave reviews for his soft hands, intangibles and ability to win 50/50 balls.
A dislocated finger (including torn ligaments) led to some brief concern leading up to the draft, but that shouldn’t slow Smith as he gears up for his first year in the pros.
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