BIOGRAPHY
Devonta Smith was born November 14, 1998, in Amite City, Louisiana. He is a wide receiver in the NFL.
He attended Amite High Magnet School. He committed to the University of Alabama to play college football. As a true freshman at Alabama in 2017, Smith had eight receptions for 160 yards and three touchdowns. In the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship against Georgia, Smith had the game-winning touchdown reception in overtime to give Alabama the 26–23 victory. As a sophomore in 2018, he had 42 receptions for 693 yards and six touchdowns. Smith continued to build his resume with another strong season in his junior year with 68 receptions for 1,256 yards and 14 touchdowns. On November 21, 2020, Smith broke the all-time SEC career record for most receiving touchdowns, with two against Kentucky.
Smith became the first wide receiver to win the AP Player of the Year award since its inception in 1998. Smith was selected over finalists Kyle Trask, Trevor Lawrence and teammate Mac Jones to win the 2020 Heisman Trophy, becoming the first wide receiver to win the award since Desmond Howard in 1991 and only the fourth overall. Several days later in the CFP National Championship Game against Ohio State, Smith set records for title game catches (12) and touchdown receptions (three), and also totaled 215 yards, despite leaving early in the third quarter with a hand injury. Alabama won, 52–24, their sixth title in 12 years, while Smith was named Offensive MVP of the championship game. While playing for Alabama, Smith set more than seven school receiving records. Smith accepted an invitation for the 2021 Senior Bowl but did not play.
Devonta has an unbreakable bond with his barber and mentor, Vincent Sanders. Sanders has been Smith's barber since Smith was 2 years old in Amite, Louisiana. Sanders would travel 700 miles to Tuscaloosa every two weeks to cut Smith's hair, mentor, laugh and joke while he played at Alabama.
