Ranking 2021 Draft: Where Does Eagles’ DeVonta Smith Land?

Philadelphia Eagles receiver DeVonta Smith appeared in a recent countdown of the best players from the 2021 NFL Draft class.

The Philadelphia Eagles moved up two picks to take former Alabama receiver DeVonta Smith with the No. 10 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, and thus far have gotten a tremendous return on their investment. 

In two seasons with the Eagles, Smith has caught 159 passes for 2,112 yards and 12 touchdowns. So when former All-Pro running back and current NFL Media analyst Maurice Jones-Drew revealed his top 10 players from the 2021 NFL Draft class ahead of the group's third season, it wasn't surprising to see Smith come in at No. 9. 

"He's constantly flying under the radar, but the Slim Reaper's ability to consistently produce on Sundays makes him an irreplaceable asset," Jones-Drew wrote. "He's poised to have another productive campaign this fall." 

Jones-Drew also notes that "Smith could probably be higher on this list," and we would argue that he definitely should be. While the two receivers taken before Smith in 2021 -- Ja'Marr Chase of the Cincinnati Bengals and Jaylen Waddle of the Miami Dolphins -- deserve to be ranked higher than Smith, the same can't be said for all eight players above him. 

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris has averaged 3.9 yards per carry in his first two NFL seasons, but was ranked No. 8. Detroit Lions receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown had a breakout season last year that saw him accumulate 1,161 receiving yards, though we would question if there was an actual 2021 redraft if he would go above Smith. At the same time, Smith is a spot ahead of Jacksonville Jaguars' quarterback Trevor Lawrence, which is a bit surprising. Perhaps that evens things out a bit. 

Also worth pointing out is that the No. 1 overall player on Jones-Drew's list is Dallas Cowboys' do-it-all defender Micah Parsons. Parsons -- already a two-time All-Pro -- was taken two picks after Smith. For as deep as the Eagles are now, imagine if they had drafted All-Pro receiver Justin Jefferson in 2020, clearing the way for them to take Parsons in 2021. 

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