How will rookie receiver DeVonta Smith impact the Eagles offense in 2021?
He moves with an economy of motion that suggests he already has this next level figured out. Hes a student of the game, spends extra time after practice sharpening his receiving skills and seeks advice from anyone who is more experienced. And with the Eagles barely into their offseason program, he already has the respect of his veteran teammates. Hard not to like the space rookie first-round draft pick DeVonta Smith is in right now as the player who almost certainly will be their top wide receiver by the time they open their season. Me and [wide receiver] Greg [Ward], were just talking ball with him, cornerback Darius Slay said. Im one of the premier corners in this game ... Im just giving him little tips because I want him to be the best that he could possibly be, him and G-Ward. Anything they can ask me, I never hide any information from them because my goal is to get them better and their goal is to get me better. ... Hes got a lot of upside. Im looking forward to seeing both of them this year do dangerous things. As everyone who follows the Eagles knows, they havent had a lot of success with rookie receivers lately and even over the years, particularly ones taken in the first two rounds of the NFL Draft. Last year, first-round pick Jalen Reagor missed five games with injuries and finished with 31 catches for 396 yards. The year before, second-round pick J.J. Arcega-Whiteside caught just 10 passes. Although their 2015 first-round pick, Nelson Agholor, eventually became a good player, his first two seasons were disasters. No Eagles rookie has caught more than the 81 passes tight end Keith Jackson provided in 1988 or finished with more than the 912 yards DeSean Jackson produced exactly 20 years later. Smith could have a legitimate chance to make both records his in an offense that is expected to be operating in catch-up mode all season for a team with all kinds of defensive holes. Im glad hes on my team, said fellow Eagles rookie JaCoby Stevens, a safety at LSU who matched up against the Alabama product in college. Stevens called Smith the toughest receiver he had to cover last season ... just because he can run every route. He makes every route look the same. We hear often hes a quarterback at receiver. When hes running the crossing routes at Alabama, he knows the holes and the gaps in the zone. And believe it or not, a lot of receivers dont know that. So he knows when to sit down and when to idle his speed back to appear open for his quarterback. Im happy that DeVonta Smith is on my team. Thats one less guy that I have to worry about covering in the game in a sense in this draft class, Stevens stated. Added Ward: Hes very mature, he knows the game, hes explosive and his work ethic is crazy.  Smiths instincts make him a cut above and were a big factor in his Heisman-Trophy season of 2020, in which he caught 117 passes for 1,856 yards and 23 touchdowns. Thats a career for many outstanding college receivers. That was just one season for Smith. Being only about 170 pounds, there are concerns about Smiths ability to get off press coverage at the line of scrimmage at this level. But if he struggles with that, the Eagles will give him some extra space as a flanker or slot receiver, because he already has proved to be able to play anywhere. Our [pre-draft] interview with him was outstanding, coach Nick Sirianni raved. His football IQ and his love for the game really showed out when we had our hour-long Zoom with him. Really showed out.  The feeling around the NovaCare Complex is that the only thing that could hold Smith back in the NFL is health. If his wiry body doesnt get snapped in half, he will produce. The Eagles are counting on it. Morning Call reporter Nick Fierro can be reached at 610-778-2243 or nfierro@mcall.com .