Alabama in the NFL: Eagles WR DeVonta Smith to Miss Time with Sprained MCL
The Philadelphia Eagles expect DeVonta Smith, the team's first round draft pick, to miss two to three weeks with a sprained MCL, per ESPN.
Smith was held out of practice yesterday after experiencing discomfort, then he underwent an MRI that revealed the knee sprain.
Eagles training camp opened less than one week ago, and the 10th overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft had begun reestablishing a connection with former Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts, who Smith spent the 2017 and 2018 seasons with as part of the Crimson Tide, before being diagnosed with a sprained MCL.
Smith, the consensus first team All-American, was selected by Philadelphia after a record-breaking senior season in 2020. He won the Heisman Trophy, the Biletnikoff Trophy, given to the nation's top wide receiver, the Maxwell Award, given to the nation's top overall player, and a handful of other individual accolades as part of the Crimson Tide's 2020 national championship-winning team.
The first wide receiver to win the Heisman Trophy this century, Smith also holds the SEC record of career touchdown receptions with 46, topping the mark set by fellow former Alabama wide receiver and now-Dallas Cowboy Amari Cooper along the way.
Before the diagnosis on Sunday, the Eagles believed the injury to not be serious, and though it only requires a few weeks of missed action, Smith could likely miss the team's first two preseason games set for August 12 and August 19.
Beyond the initial report mentioned above, Philadelphia has not officially announced anything related to Smith's status for the remainder of preseason camp.
