A week before Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith plays his NFL regular-season debut at Mercedes-Benz Stadium against the Atlanta Falcons, he took in the sights and sounds of the game between his collegiate team, the University of Alabama, which faced the Miami Hurricanes.
Excited to show his support for the school helped win a national championship while earning a Heisman Trophy in the process, Smith acknowledged the Alabama fans and even made a prediction on the SEC Network about the outcome of the game (which the top-ranked Crimson Tide won, 44-13).
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One of the moments that Smith came across was his interactions with his old teammates. Alabama is known for the talent that makes its way to the NFL, so they were naturally curious about the experience of playing professional football.
Smith gave insight to the prospective NFL players of what he had learned in his brief time in the league.
“You have to carry yourself the right way,” Smith said during his media availability Monday. “One wrong mistake and things can go the opposite way you want to go. This is a business, and you have to carry yourself the correct way.”
Smith added that the connotation of having a business-like approach does not always mean that everything has to be serious.
“You can have fun in business,” Smith said. “Football is a business, but it’s fun too. No matter what you’re doing, you like to have fun and everything that you are doing. It can be a business, and it can be fun.
Smith has demonstrated his business-like demeanor on the practice field and in games during the preseason. After Smith suffered an MCL sprain, he looked at formations from the sideline, diagnosing the defense and using those mental reps to find where he needed to be on a particular play.
Smith also looked over a script of what was on tap for a training camp practice and spoke with wide receivers coach Aaron Moorehead, trying to gain more knowledge of the offense.
Being a young football player who suddenly is making a lot of money, the temptation is there for a player like Smith to rest on his accolades and think he can get by on just his talent alone. However, Smith is putting in the extra work to make sure that he is ready to play and excel in his role as a starter.
Coming off a senior season where he caught 117 passes for 1,856 yards and 23 receiving touchdowns, Smith figures to be a vital part of the Eagles’ offense. Head coach Nick Sirianni said that Smith is ready to contribute and do what is asked of him to help the team, something he addresses with the team every day.
“We just talked today about embracing our role on the team,” Sirianni said. “What is your role and embrace your role. DeVonta is going to have a big role on this team. We talk about that all the time.”
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Chris Franklin may be reached at cfranklin@njadvancemedia.com.
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