PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — The Philadelphia Eagles made a deal with the devil, but they came away with a player that actually excited their fanbase on draft night. The Birds traded up two spots on Thursday night to select Alabama wide receiver and Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith with the No. 10 pick.
The Eagles traded Nos. 12 and 84 picks to the Dallas Cowboys, leap-frogging the New York Giants, who many speculated were hot on Smith’s tail with the 11th overall pick.
READ MORE: Enhanced Risk For Severe Weather Across Philadelphia Region Monday AfternoonWith the 10th pick in the 2021 #NFLDraft, the Eagles select WR Devonta Smith.@DietzandWatson | #EaglesDraft pic.twitter.com/dkIucBsKLT
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) April 30, 2021
Smith is the second straight wide receiver the Eagles drafted in the first round and third receiver drafted in the first two rounds in the past three drafts. The Birds drafted Jalen Reagor in the first round in 2020, and J.J. Arcega-Whiteside in the second round in 2019.
The 6-foot-1, roughly 175-pound wideout won the Heisman Trophy in 2020 after recording 1,856 yards and 23 touchdowns for the national championship-winning Crimson Tide. In the national championship game, Smith torched Ohio State for 215 yards and three TDs, all in the first half.
READ MORE: WATCH LIVE: Community Leaders Urge Philadelphians To Vote, Announce Activation Of Election Task ForceThe Birds originally had the sixth overall pick but traded back to pick up an extra first-round pick in 2022. At the time, passing up a chance at a top-tier playmaker with the sixth pick caused a ruckus with the fanbase. But trading up to draft Smith seems to have smoothed things over, at least for the time being.
It’s Draft Night, and Eagles fans are … actually happy?
Here are some of the reactions after the Birds drafted Smith:
Welcome my guy @DeVontaSmith_6 it go time… me an u everyday✊🏽💯
— Darius Slay (@bigplay24slay) April 30, 2021
Go time! @DeVontaSmith_6 #flyeaglesfly
— Lane Johnson (@LaneJohnson65) April 30, 2021
Welcome to the squad @DeVontaSmith_6
— Rodney McLeod (@Rodney_McLeod4) April 30, 2021
Strike a pose!!!
Welcome @DeVontaSmith_6 !!#FlyEaglesFly 🦅 pic.twitter.com/ap9knnZBUF— Ukee Washington (@UkeeWashington) April 30, 2021
We shamed Howie into being normal
— Zoo With Roy (@zoowithroy) April 30, 2021
Oh thank god. #Eagles #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/kqF3LoYQGT
— Matt Higgins (@MattHiggins80) April 30, 2021
Never a doubt… right? #Eagles pic.twitter.com/tNISOQz0NZ
— Clayton Dyer (@Dyer_Wolf_) April 30, 2021
HOWIE WITH A W pic.twitter.com/bWAAGFFuuZ
— AC (@ayecee17) April 30, 2021
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— Eric🐝 💧 (@Cageep15) April 30, 2021