Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
What is the best single day of college football you’ve ever watched?
I’m not one that likes to call each and every game or accomplishment the greatest thing ever, but Saturday, October 9 was among the best days of college football since I began watching the sport nearly 30 years ago.
I’m trying not to be hyperbolic but the day was great. I don’t know if it’s on the same level as what I’ve considered the greatest day of regular season college football I’ve seen as that belongs to October 15, 2005, but Saturday was fantastic literally all day long.
Let’s recap…
Alabama wide receiver DeVonta Smith is a relatively quiet member of a loud and in your face offense. However, he may leave the program as…
The Alabama Crimson Tide has seen some elite wide receiver talent come through Tuscaloosa. Nick Saban, while a defensive-minded coach, has been able to produce such elite talent that is consistenly involved in the debate over which wide receiver is the best in the NFL.
Names such as Julio Jones, Amari Cooper, Calvin Ridley, Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs III and others have once called the University of Alabama home.
In the upcoming 2021 NFL draft, Crimson Tide fans are expecting to say their goodbyes to two more receivers who have had a lasting impact on the Crimson Tide: Jaylen Waddle and DeVonta Smith – both of whom are expected to be early first-round selections.
Smith is a receiver who has always been making plays since he arrived on campus, but he remains quiet. Bursting onto the scene alongside Tua Tagovailoa, Smith made up half of the cast that put together ‘2nd & 26,’ the play that brought Alabama National Championship No. 17.
In his fourth, and final, season, Smith has put together quite an impressive resumé. In fact, it could be one that tops any other wide receiver in Alabama history.
Here’s how DeVonta Smith could be Alabama’s greatest wide receiver when it’s all said and done:
To start, we must acknowledge that at the time this story was written, Alabama has played in eight games, so the ‘per game averages’ will be based on taking his 2020 season totals and dividing by eight. Also, Alabama is predicted to run the table for the rest of the regular season, which puts them in the National Championship game. When assessing his projected season totals by the end of the 2020 season, the two more regular season games plus three postseason games will be accounted for.
If you get confused, there will be a summary at the end of where he’s predicted to finish in total rankings.
But for those of you who love stats, let’s take a look at where he ranks on the various stats:
Career:
Smith currently ranks No. 4 in receptions over a career at Alabama with 190 catches.
Currently, Amari Cooper holds the record with 228, only 38 more than Smith.
Through eight games in 2020, Smith averages nine receptions per game, meaning he should be on pace to finish his career with a total of 235, making him the new Alabama record holder in total receptions.
Single season:
Smith’s 2020 total currently ranks No. 5, tied with Calvin Ridley, with 72 receptions. Though, it should be noted his 2019 total of 68 is ranked No. 7 in the list, as well.
Amari Cooper also holds the top spot in this category with 127.
With an average of nine receptions per game in 2020, if Alabama makes it to the National Championship, this would put Smith on pace to total 117 receptions for the season, not quite reaching Cooper, but puts him at the No. 2 spot within reach of No. 1 by only 10 catches.
Single game:
Smith’s name actually appears on the top 10 list four times. He is tied with himself for No. 10 three times with 11 receptions. He is already on top of the list at No. 1 with 13 receptions in one game, as he did in the 2020 season against Ole Miss.
However, he is not alone atop the list. He is kept company by D.J. Hall and Amari Cooper .
This is a stat that there can’t be any future predictions for; however, with Waddle out for the season, there’s a possibility that Smith and Jones start off a game hot and keep it going.
