SI All-American Candidate Devonta Smith Highlights and Evaluation
Prospect: DB Devonta Smith
Projected Position: Cornerback
Status: SI All-American candidate
Vitals: 6-foot-1, 185 pounds
Position: Cornerback
School: Cincinnati (Ohio) La Salle
Committed to: Alabama
Frame: Impressive body for cornerback. Broad shoulders and long arms. Slender, tightly-wound lower half. Plenty of room for additional muscle; should handle 20 extra pounds with ease.
Athleticism: Good speed. Long-strider in open field, with above-average burst. Flexible hips and ankles. Light feet; little wasted motion while cutting. Natural hands. Outstanding leaper, capable of contorting body in air and high-pointing jump balls. Solid play strength as tackler, fighting off blocks.
Instincts: Comfortable tracking ball as man or zone defender. Innate awareness in coverage. Can break off assignment to fool quarterbacks into interceptions and deflections. Embraces physicality. Willing, able tackler in run game; arrives low, with power.
Polish: Boasts size, strength and athleticism to play in Big 10 right now. Little film of press coverage, but possesses tools to thrive jamming at LOS. Clear understanding of coverage concepts and responsibilities. Patient sussing through traffic while offering run support.
Bottom Line: Smith has the chance to outperform expectation coming out of high school. Alabama recruits nationally but Smith’s commitment has far more to do with his impressive collection of physical and mental tools. Should fly up the rankings his senior year, and eventually emerge as a starter in Tuscaloosa – at the very least.