Okay, our heart of everywhere. I'm trying to think, what to
call this place. What is it called? Super says home for NFL
experience. Here's a guy. And yeah, that's it. The NFL
experience doesn't guy that has some great NFL experience like
that and he has Osman
trophy. Where do you keep that? Heisman Trophy by the way, it's
Devante Smithy. That's receiver. Where do you keep
your Heisman Trophy is back at home. Back home in Louisiana.
Just back home in Louisiana, but just in like your room you
grew up in and the front foyer or the house kind of locked
away locked away.
Yeah, locked away in the house. So nobody can really see it.
But you got it back there. All right, that's awesome. Alright,
so like I mean talk about your first year in the NFL. You
know, what was what was like the biggest adjustment Devonte,
Smith dominate college, football
may be the best year ever from a receiver
and a fell like oh crap. This ain't college football moment.
What was it? My saying? The biggest thing was like a just
until
going back to a hold of every play.
I'm so like if you run a deep route, then like the clock
starts, right then. So you have to run all the way back guys.
Run out so like you don't have time to just
play around and everything
feel like you got to be more condition
because things happen faster. That's interesting. Yeah,
because in college you would have just gone ran your route
and then gone back to wherever you're going to line up and
wait to the coach, kind of tells you what to do or
whatever. Yeah. Yeah. So conditioning came into play
a little bit. Yeah, it's your bag. You get your, get your
butt back here so I
can call the play.
I love it. You gotta win in your first game, way, back in
week, one and a touchdown in your first game.
Share that experience with us. First NFL game, here. I am and
I score a Touchdown, get in the end zone. What was that? Like
for you?
It was just kind of like I've been there. Like, that's that's
on the beginning,
can't stop now. I gotta keep going. So, it was just kind of like
when it happened Jackson, came to me. He was like,
I expect your first one to be that easy because it was
the road route, but he was like, but as many more to come, so we
got to keep going. And that's, that's kind of what it was
though. You're just keep going, keep stacking
defenses in the NFL, like dbe's. Like, what was that?
Like, I know you come from the SCT SEC. You had. Your certeyn
and practice every day, but still just like the adjustment
to NFL defenses. Like tell me about that experience.
I mean, a lot of those guys can run. Yeah. How did you might
run across a couple guys that necessarily can run, but it
seemed like an NFL everybody can run. Yeah, you always going
to face a guy that can run right? Anyone that like jumped
out to you this year, like one player where
again, I know you got respect for all of them, but one guy or
you just went man that guy. He gave me problems or I didn't
expect him to be quite the, the dog he was out there today.
I was saying, Tampa Bay, DVDs. Carlton Davis. Yeah, then.
Yeah. The other kid from Auburn. Yeah.
Those guys they were real handsy at the line wasn't
moving a lot. And I mean they can run right? So that got you
a little bit little Auburn. And Alabama crime to Alabama,
Auburn geysers you. I like it. Plenty of the Alabama guys, to
come to the NFL say that the transition isn't all
that difficult because
playing in Alabama, There's a high standard, its competitive
all the time in practice. You're playing the highest
level
was the transition easier than you, thought it would be
because of the Bam experience, mentally. It was kind of easy
on just because
coach Saban and all the coaches Alabama. They always treated
you like a pro
and you, you adjust it
easily because you've been there before.
So being there with them
and them just teaching you the way just made everything. A
whole lot easier transitioning, right? Used to that NFL life,
a little bit more and maybe the normal College. Good guy. I,
you did, you had an amazing year.
I mean really like you got, you're a star man. You really are.
I want to know, like a little bit about because I've heard,
Things about you. I know some of your ex coaches and Alabama
and stuff and What You're Made Of like
your Alabama guys, the SEC receivers Justin Jefferson
Jamar. Chase, you know, Jerry Judy, in Denver.
Do you find yourself? I know you're competitive with
yourself and all receivers. But are you a little bit always
like on the lookout for those guys because there's a little
history from your college days with them. Yeah. I mean every
week you check those guys out see what they do.
Is that the first who's the first guy you check out to see?
Is it someone from Alabama? Or is it somebody like Yeah, what
a beautiful first one. I do. You want to check out a lot?
I take out water first and they all my kind of check out
everybody else, but
it's like, you just check those guys out. See how they're doing.
And then I'm you kind of go watch the tape of what they
did. They game just to see what they did, is anything new there
doing that. You can try to put in your game, right? But why
does your guy, why does your guy going? I hope. I had
a better day with hit the
exact next day. Okay. Okay, I Devante, when did the Eagles
players believed that they had a pretty good team and had
a real shot at the playoffs because, you know, early on,
it's hard to tell and there's some ups and downs. As and
highs and lows.
When did the what was there? A moment when you guys are like,
hey, you know what? We got a chance to be pretty good this
year. I think it was just finding the identity. Once we
find our identity as a team.
That's kind of where things kind of changed for the whole
season. And I think that was the main thing just finding our
identity and sticking with it. Everybody know what their role
is and continue to do their oh,
yeah. I know you like your identity. It seems Run game, right?
You guys are dominant o-line
then they get you know, man-to-man and then it all said
it was Devante Smith or you or Rieger. Is Walkins but like
talk about Jalen hurd's, kind of like the development you
saw,
you know, throughout the year because like Mike said earlier
in the year wasn't smooth. Always but you guys had kind of
seem to hit your stride. You know, what's it like playing
with your old college, teammate? I mean, it's great.
I mean, he's the same guy he was in college. Yeah, knows his
mistake. It's going to correct them.
Well, I say that was the main thing him. Just learning, week
by week, day by day of what he's doing and what we're
trying to do is often. Right right. He seems so quiet as he
like louder and and
like private, you know, he's so So controlled, he never says
anything, too controversial in front of the microphone. But
like, if you got them a new pie and Xbox,
he talking crab a little bit as he is. He fun that way or he
always mr. Cyril. Yeah, for show. He is kind of behind
the scene. He has, you Loki. Tie crap talker. I could see that
for him for sure, you know, throughout the season
and primarily before the trade deadline. They would be
the chatter from time to time about DeShaun Watson, maybe going to
the Eagles and it started up again. As soon as the season
ended. How much of that do you guys hear? How much that do pay
attention to,
like, we always say, control, what you can control?
I mean you that's that's not really in your hands. You can't
really control that. That's something that the front office
is going to make a decision on. So
what else? It's always control. We control,
we're here and just living in this moment.
Who are you Starstruck by the NFL this year? You got to play
some cool team. You saw like my homes and company coming to
town who was kind of like the quarterback. I even got
the schedule right here in case just to refresh your memory.
Anything there
was any guy like on either side of the ball where you're just
like damn. I can't believe I'm out here with him
miles. Probably all I'm the Saints. I mean, I was a big,
thanks Fang, own UPS or just plant them in general, was kind
of like right. Wow. I was a die-hard Saints fan. Here. I am
playing against them. Yeah. Yeah. And you took him down to.
Yeah, okay.
You got some good catches in that game and
that early Sidelines
toe tap against the Saints. So now I wouldn't that one that
gave. Okay, that was another game will wax poetic leave out
that later. What's the thing that Devante Smith is going to
work on
in the offseason to try to go next level
in his second year.
I would say just continue to get mentally shot with
the game. I mean digging down into what I do good and then sensing
the defense better
than what I did last year. I feel like that gives me.
A niche just being mentally prepared, more
about the your weight. You're gonna get bigger and stronger.
Everybody. That's why everybody talked about, like, do you, is
it still on your mind? Is it something
you're going to put any focus on this offseason. Nah,
I'm going to be you. I am who I am. Yeah, I like it. You damn
fast. I know that don't lose your speed and, you know, most
games ever played, you were in 17 started 16 this year. How's
the body? Feel now that you've got one
in the books? I mean, I feel good. I mean it's little bit.
Going to college. So you feel
a little fatigued. Once you get to around like 15, you feel
that fatigue starting to really kick in, right? And I mean,
the whole thing was just,
how do you take care of your body during the season? What
extra are you doing? The things before? Practice? After
practice the recovering, things like that? I feel like, that's
what got me through
the hole. 17, what Devante is here with us today on behalf of
versed, new Lifestyle brand. Tell us about it.
Verse it stands for versatile. So just being able to be
comfortable with
Do you want to be casual, just put on something like, iPhone
SE? I kind of dig it. Yeah, I need it. It's, it has
everything. So, I mean, that's the main thing and I mean, I'm
the first professional athlete there. They partner with. So,
I mean, I'm excited
to be with them.
I'm digging the man. I was going to say, I didn't even
know you were coming here to Pebbles a publicize that, but
I checked your outfit out, right away. Like no doubt. Looking
good for sure, for sure.
All right, wait, we wish you all the best
you got anymore. I want to go home. One day. I want to put,
he's still a rookie, so he's got to listen to me because I'm
a vet. All right,
who's one of the
The Super Bowl who's gonna do it. Don't give me some
political bull. Crap. Answer Devonte Smith, who you Takin
Rams are Bangles. I'm taking them around. You're going Rams.
Alright? Alright, good me too. He's still undecided. So we're
now that I know that your time
going. I'm going to have to I'm going to happen Ram or thought.
Alright. Hey Devon take congratulations on all your
success. Great rookie season
fun to watch your playing. We wish you all the best moving
forward. Thank