Eagles Star Predicted To Take Massive Leap, Be One Of Biggest 'Surprises'

Philadelphia could make some noise this season

Nov 26, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) snd wide receiver DeVonta Smith (6) walk off the field after overtime win against the Buffalo Bills at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images / Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia Eagles are in a good spot with the 2024 National Football League season no longer on the horizon.

After months of speculation and waiting, the new National Football League season will begin on Thursday night with the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs facing off. The Eagles will begin their season just one day later on Friday when they take on the Green Bay Packers in the National Football League's first-ever game in Brazil.

There's a lot to like about the Eagles heading into the new season. Philadelphia should be able to perform much better than it did down the stretch last year. The Eagles are loaded with top-tier talent and don't have any major holes.

With the new season kicking off on Thursday, it's fun to try to make predictions on the new season. ESPN's Dan Graziano did just that and made a bold prediction that DeVonta Smith will end up being the team's No. 1 receiver by the end of the season.

"Don't be surprised if...DeVonta Smith -- not A.J. Brown -- ends up as the Eagles' leading receiver," Graziano said. "What I'm hearing: 'Smith looks amazing,' or something to that effect, was what I was hearing whenever I talked to anyone about Eagles training camp over the past month. Remember that the Eagles extended Smith's contract this offseason before they extended Brown.

"That doesn't mean you should overlook Brown, as this should be one of the best wide receiver duos in the entire league, and new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore is liable to move them and newly acquired Jahan Dotson around the formation to find mismatches. But Smith has elevated something about his game each season in the eyes of the Eagles, who drafted him 10th overall in 2021, and he could be poised for a massive breakout -- possibly even surpassing Brown as the team's No. 1 wideout."

Smith has been great for the Eagles but finished just under 400 receiving yards behind Brown last season. If Smith takes over the No. 1 receiver spot in 2024, that would mean that he had a massive season.

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