DeVonta Smith details what went into his decision to return to Alabama for senior season

DeVonta Smith is already tearing it up in the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles but a lot went into his decision to return to Alabama for his senior season in 2020.

Of course, Smith ended the year with a national championship and a Heisman Trophy, so it seems like it was worth staying the extra year. The Eagles selected him with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.

But Smith revealed it was intention to finish school before even trying his hand at the pros.

“I mean the plan from the jump, I told my mom, before I even think about going to the league, I’m gonna get my degree,” Smith said on The Pivot Podcast. “So I still didn’t finish that yet. But I mean, it was tough. You know, you got people pulling you this this way and that way about leaving and I had faith in myself that I was gonna be drafted (up high with my former teammates).” 

Smith said he wanted to keep a promise and make sure he did what he initially set out to do at Alabama.

“It was just keeping my promises coming back doing it and once COVID hit, you know, it was rough,” Smith said of returning in 2020. “The doubt of going out there not knowing if we (were) gonna play, doing all this training and things like that, but … there was nothing else to do but play the game and train.”

Smith finished his final season at Alabama with 117 catches, 1,856 yards, 23 touchdowns and 15.9 yards per catch. In his career with the Crimson Tide, Smith had 235 catches, 3,965 yards, 46 touchdowns and 16.9 yards per catch.

Smith had a knack for national championship games with Alabama. In the first half against Ohio State in 2020, Smith had 12 catches, 215 yards and three touchdowns. He didn’t play in the second half due to a hand injury but the Crimson Tide cruised.

As a freshman in 2017, Smith only had eight catches all year, but caught the game winning touchdown in overtime against Georgia in the national title game.

As a member of the Class of 2017, Smith was a four-star recruit out of Amite (La.) High, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He was the No. 2 overall prospect in the state, the No. 10 wide receiver in the class and the No. 58 overall prospect in the class.

Through two pro seasons with former college teammate and quarterback Jalen Hurts, Smith has 159 catches, 2,112 yards, 12 touchdowns and 13.3 yards per catch. He helped the Eagles reach Super Bowl LVII last season.