PHILADELPHIA — Last season, DeVonta Smith never had a moment when he realized he was one of the best receivers in the league.
kAm}@E 6G6? 27E6C 9:D :4@?:4[ @?6\92?565[ 7@FCE9\5@H? 42E49 :? E96 }ur 492>A:@?D9:A 82>6 E92E DA2C<65 E96 t28=6D’ C6EFC? E@ E96 $FA6C q@H=] %92E’D 3642FD6 E96 ac\J62C\@=5 92D 2=H2JD — “9F>3=J[” 96 D2:5 — D66? 9:>D6=7 2D 2 E@A\`_ C646:G6C]k^Am
kAm“pD J@F 8@ @?[ J@F ;FDE 4@?E:?F6 E@ C2:D6 J@FC =6G6= @7 A=2J[” $>:E9 D2:5 5FC:?8 2 >65:2 2G2:=23:=:EJ D6DD:@? 2E E96 }@G2r2C6 r@>A=6I] “x E9:?< E92E 4@>6D WH:E9X >@C6 F?56CDE2?5:?8 @7 E96 82>6 2?5 E9:?8D =:<6 E92E] yFDE 36:?8 4@?7:56?E :? >JD6=7[ :? >J 23:=:E:6D] x’> AC6EEJ DFC6 J@F H@F=5?’E 92G6 >2?J 8FJD E92E 4@>6 FA 96C6 2?5 D2J E96J 5@?’E E9:?< E96J’C6 ?@E]”k^Am
kAm$>:E9 :D 6?E6C:?8 9:D E9:C5 D62D@? :? E96 }u{] x? *62C `[ 96 D6E 2 7C2?49:D6 C64@C5 7@C C646:G:?8 J2C5D 3J 2 C@@<:6] x? *62C a[ 96 7:?:D965 H:E9 hd C68F=2C\D62D@? C646AE:@?D E@ D6E 2?@E96C C64@C5 7@C >@DE 42E496D 3J 2 C646:G6C :? 7C2?49:D6 9:DE@CJ]k^Am
kAmx? 2? :?E6CG:6H %F6D52J @? E96 !2A6C #@FE6 A@542DE[ 762EFC:?8 9@DE qC2?5@? |2CD92==[ H9@ H2D 2? }u{ H:56 C646:G6C 7@C `b D62D@?D[ $>:E9 H2D 2D<65 :7 96 76=E D=:89E65 3J ?@E 36:?8 :? E96 E@A\7:G6\C646:G6C 4@?G6CD2E:@?]k^Am
kAm“}29[ ?@A6[ x H@F=5?’E AFE >JD6=7 ?@H96C6 FA E96C6 H:E9 E9@D6 8FJD[” $>:E9 D2:5 @? E96 D9@H] “%9@D6 8FJD[ E96J 92G6 E96 ?F>36CD E@ DA62< 7@C :E] x DE:== 92G6 2 =@?8 H2J E@ 8@] s@ x 6?G:D:@? >JD6=7 36:?8 E96C6n ]]] tG6?EF2==J]k^Am
kAm“s67:?:E6=J[ x H@F=5 D2J E@A `_]”k^Am
kAm%9@F89 96’D DE:== 56G6=@A:?8[ $>:E9 :D @? E96 EC2;64E@CJ 7@C 2?@E96C 3:8 D62D@?] w6 7:?:D965 =2DE D62D@? H:E9 `[`he J2C5D[ 2?5 D6G6? E@F495@H?D[ H9:=6 36:?8 A2:C65 H:E9 E@A C646:G6C p]y] qC@H?[ H9@ 7:?:D965 E96 C68F=2C D62D@? H:E9 gg C646AE:@?D[ `[che J2C5D[ 2?5 `` E@F495@H?D]k^Am
kAmp?J 4@?46C? E92E E96 a_a` 7:CDE\C@F?5 5C27E A:4< H@F=5 36 @G6CD925@H65 H:E9 E96 255:E:@? @7 qC@H? AC@G65 ?@E E@ 36 E96 42D6 2D E96 EH@ BF:4<=J 3642>6 @?6 @7 E96 36DE C646:G:?8 5F@D :? t28=6D 9:DE@CJ]k^Am
kAm“{2DE J62C H2D <:?5 @7 72DE @? FD H:E9 p]y] ;FDE 86EE:?8 96C6[” $>:E9 D2:5 @? 3F:=5:?8 2 4@??64E:@? H:E9 qC@H?] “(6 5:5?’E 92G6 E92E ECF6 7F== @77D62D@? E@ 86E E@ <?@H 6249 @E96C[ 92G6 5:??6C[ 2?5 E9:?8D =:<6 E92E] x E9:?< ?@H :E’D H2J 36EE6C] (6 92G6 >@C6 E:>6 @? @FC 92?5D] %96? 8@:?8 E9C@F89 E96 D62D@?[ J@F D66 9@H 6249 @E96C C624ED[ 3FE x 766= =:<6 :E’D 8@:?8 8@@5]”k^Am
kAm$>:E9 D2:5 96 92D DA6?E E96 @77D62D@? D@ 72C C69233:?8 2 E@6 :?;FCJ 3FE :D 962=E9J ?@H] w6 9@A6D E@ E2<6 9:D 82>6 E@ E96 ?6IE =6G6= H:E9 9:D >6?E2= AC6A2C2E:@? 7@C E96 5676?D6D 96’== 7246] x? E6C>D @7 A9JD:42= AC6A2C2E:@?nk^Am
kAm“xE C62==J 92D?’E 492?865j x 766= =:<6 x 8@E :?E@ 2 8@@5 C@FE:?6[” 96 D2:5] “x <?@H H9@ x H2?E E@ EC2:? H:E9 2?5 H96C6 x H2?E E@ EC2:?[ 2?5 ;FDE <:?5 @7 DE:4<:?8 E@ E92E]”k^Am
Get Unlimited Access
$3 for 3 Months
Subscribe Now
Support local journalism reporting on your community
* New Subscribers Only
* Digital Subscription Only
After the initial selected subscription period your subscription rate will auto renew at $12.00 per month.
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.