Getty DeVonta Smith after Alabama's win in 2021.
There’s no question the Detroit Lions could use more playmakers for their offense, and perhaps one of the biggest spots there is still a need is at wide receiver.
The good news for the Lions is that there are a dearth of options in the NFL Draft that should catch their fancy, and the class is one of the deepest around in terms of talent at the wideout spot. Finding a player who fits a team the best can be like splitting hairs,
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According to Pro Football Focus, though, the Lions should be favored for DeVonta Smith due to not only the position he plays but what he can do on the field. Writer Andrew Erickson took a closer look at some of the best draft fits by team and admitted that Smith could fit the Lions like a glove due to what their roster needs
He wrote:
“No college player since 2018 has more receiving yards than Smith with at least one step of separation. He also ranks second in receptions (146) and third in yards per route run (4.65) with at least one step of separation behind only Jerry Jeudy and former Minnesota wide receiver Tyler Johnson.
Smith could easily be this team’s No. 1 wide receiver on Day 1, with Perriman and Williams his top two competitors for targets. I’d also assume that he’d carve out a huge role in the slot because the Lions have yet to fill that void with Danny Amendola currently an unsigned free agent.
Smith led the nation last season in yards per route run (5.64) operating from the slot. We’ve seen the majority of Goff’s success when hyper-targeting savvy route-running slot receivers like Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods in his days with the Los Angeles Rams, so Smith would be a perfect fit in the offense.”
Getting Jared Goff some additional weaponry has to be a goal for the Lions if they want to have a halfway decent chance at making some noise during the 2021 season. It’s interesting to note also that the Lions have signed more deep ball wideouts than slot wideouts. Smith’s best fit in the NFL could be in the slot with all the speed he has to offer.
Smith with the Lions would be an interesting fit to follow, and something that could make Detroit instantly better in 2021.
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DeVonta Smith’s Stats and Fit With Lions
The reigning Heisman Trophy winner made a great case to take home the award with a huge performance against Notre Dame, putting up 130 yards and 3 touchdowns. Nearly every single catch Smith made was of the highlight reel variety and he looked like an NFL wideout already making plays in the bowl game. Many have connected Smith to where Detroit could pick, and given the talent drain that could play out at wideout with the team, adding a talent like Smith high in the draft has to be enticing for the Lions given his production while in school. With 3,750 yards and 43 touchdowns in college, he is an elite talent, and could make sense as it relates to Detroit depending on how high they select and what they determine the biggest need to be.
In this case, Smith makes extra sense for Detroit given what they need at wideout for the future.
Lions Needs Wide Receiver Help Within NFL Draft
Thus far, the Lions have been favored in the mock circuit for a wideout, and Smith has been a player that has seen a lot of the love in terms of a player the team could add. This offseason, the Lions haven’t been shy about adding complementary wideouts to the mix, and Tyrell Williams, Breshad Perriman, Damion Ratley and Kalif Raymond. Even though that’s the case, there is the need for more players to step up at the spot, and the draft could be the quickest path to getting one of those players for the future.
It wouldn’t be a shock if the Lions make wideout a major priority in the draft, and it certainly would not be a shock if Smith is a player who is seriously considered when all is said and done.
As many have pointed out, he has the makings of a solid fit for the team.
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