Alabama WR DeVonta Smith Wins 2020 Maxwell Award

Smith becomes the fourth Crimson Tide player to win honor of the nation's most outstanding player

After his stellar 2020 season, University of Alabama wide out DeVonta Smith just picked up another trophy to add to his collection. 

On Thursday night, he won the Maxwell Award for the nation's most outstanding player over teammate Mac Jones and Clemson's Trevor Lawrence. 

Smith reminded us why a wide receiver deserved the Heisman Trophy he won Tuesday – and now the Maxwell Award – last week as the Rose Bowl Most Valuable Player led all pass-catchers with 130 yards and three TD’s on seven catches. He had 100 yards (101) at the half, marking his ninth 100-yard game of the season. The SEC Offensive Player of the Year has caught 20 TD’s, or one for every five times he snags a pass. 

In the Maxwell Award’s history, Alabama has had three previous winners, each of them in the last seven years – QB Tua Tagovailoa in 2018, RB Derrick Henry in 2015 and QB AJ McCarron in 2013. Throw in LSU QB Joe Burrow from last year and the SEC claims four of the last seven.

Past Maxwell Award Winners 

2020 DeVonta Smith Alabama (WR)

2019 Joe Burrow LSU (QB)

2018 Tua Tagovailoa Alabama (QB)

2017 Baker Mayfield Oklahoma (QB)

2016 Lamar Jackson Louisville (QB)

2015 Derrick Henry Alabama (RB)

2014 Marcus Mariota Oregon (QB)

2013 AJ McCarron, Alabama (QB)

2012 Manti Teo, Notre Dame (LB)

2011 Andrew Luck, Stanford (QB)

2010 Cam Newton, Auburn (QB)

2009 Colt McCoy, Texas (QB)

2008 Tim Tebow, Florida (QB)

2007 Tim Tebow, Florida (QB)

2006 Brady Quinn, Notre Dame (QB)

2005 Vince Young, Texas (QB)

2004 Jason White, Oklahoma (QB)

2003 Eli Manning, Mississippi (QB)

2002 Larry Johnson, Penn State (RB)

2001 Ken Dorsey, Miami (QB)

2000 Drew Brees, Purdue (QB)

1999 Ron Dayne, Wisconsin (RB)

1998 Ricky Williams, Texas (RB)

1997 Peyton Manning, Tennessee (QB)

1996 Danny Wuerffel, Florida (QB)

1995 Eddie George, Ohio State (RB)

1994 Kerry Collins, Penn State (QB)

1993 Charlie Ward, Florida State (QB)

1992 Gino Torretta, Miami (QB)

1991 Desmond Howard, Michigan (WR)

1990 Ty Detmer, BYU (QB)

1989 Anthony Thompson, Indiana (RB)

1988 Barry Sanders, Oklahoma St (RB)

1987 Don McPherson, Syracuse (QB)

1986 Vinny Testaverde, Miami (QB)

1985 Chuck Long, Iowa (QB)

1984 Doug Flutie, Boston College (QB)

1983 Mike Rozier, Nebraska (RB)

1982 Herschel Walker, Georgia (RB)

1981 Marcus Allen, USC (RB)

1980 Hugh Green, Pittsburgh (DE)