Eagles' DeVonta Smith cracks Top 20 in Pro Football Focus' new wide receiver rankings

Very few No. 2 NFL wide receivers offer the kind of steady production and reliability that DeVonta Smith brings to the field.

And that's why Pro Football Focus considers Smith one of the best pass catchers in the league.

PFF ranked 32 of the NFL's best wide receivers and put Philadelphia Eagles’ DeVonta Smith at No. 17:

Smith is about as reliable a No. 2 wide receiver as there is. He has earned receiving grades between 77.0 and 83.5 in each of his four seasons, with 2024 marking a career high at 83.5. His contested catch rate has consistently hovered around 40% throughout that span.

Smith has quietly established himself as one of the most consistent and skilled wide receivers in the league.

Over his first four NFL seasons, Smith earned PFF receiving grades between 77.0 and 83.5, with a career-high 83.5 in 2024, proving his reliability at Jalen Hurts' No. 2 option. He’s recorded back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons and has averaged over 70 receptions per year since entering the league in 2021. 

Despite his lean frame, Smith holds his own in contested situations, maintaining a 40% contested catch rate throughout his career. His combination of elite route running, reliable hands, and steady production makes him one of the league’s most valuable No. 2 receivers and arguably good enough to be a No. 1 on many other teams.

Smith also notably achieved a rare milestone in football history. Following the Eagles' 40-22 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX, Smith became just the fifth player ever to win a Heisman Trophy, a college football national championship, and a Super Bowl. He joins an elite group that includes Tony Dorsett, Marcus Allen, Reggie Bush, and Charles Woodson.

In Super Bowl LIX, Smith led the Eagles with four receptions for 69 yards, including a pivotal 46-yard touchdown catch from Hurts in the third quarter to lock in the victory. This performance added to his already impressive resume, which includes two national championships with Alabama and the 2020 Heisman Trophy.