DeVonta Smith: ‘I’m built for games like this’
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith understands the magnitude of Super Bowl LVII. But he’s not overwhelmed by it.
“I been playing in games like this since little league, middle school, high school, college,” Smith said during a Super Bowl press conference on Tuesday, “so, yeah, I feel like I’m built for games like this. I’ve been playing in games like this all my life, so to me, really, it’s just another game because I’ve been doing this.”
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At Alabama, Smith played in the CFP national championship game three times.
As a freshman, Smith caught a 41-yard touchdown pass in overtime to lift Alabama to a 26-23 victory over Georgia in the title game for the 2017 season.
In the championship contest for the 2020 season, Smith backed up his Heisman Trophy with 12 receptions for 215 yards and three touchdowns in the first half of the Crimson Tide’s 52-24 victory over Ohio State.
The Eagles used their first two choices in the 2021 NFL Draft on players from that Alabama team. Philadelphia picked Smith at No. 10 and center Landon Dickerson at No. 37. Dickerson is now the Eagles’ left guard.
In the 2022 NFL Draft, Philadelphia again used its first-round selection on a player from the previous season’s CFP championship team, taking defensive lineman Jordan Davis. In the third round, the Eagles chose Dean’s teammate, linebacker Nakobe Dean.
“Here at the Super Bowl, you have to have guys in that locker room that understand how to lead, that know what it’s like to play on stages like this,” Smith said. “Guys like Kelce, Fletch, Lane, B.G. Those guys they’ve been here before, and they understand what it is.
“And then that’s why (general manager) Howie (Roseman) drafted guys like me, Landon, Nakobe and Jordan. Just to have guys that have been there before that know what it takes to get there.”
Center Jason Kelce, defensive tackle Fletcher Cox, offensive tackle Lane Johnson and defensive end Brandon Graham are holdovers from the Eagles’ 41-33 victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII.
They’ve been through the Super Bowl experience previously, and after two days of it this week, Smith doesn’t care for it.
“I just want to play football,” Smith said. “All this extra stuff – I feel like we could have just treated this like a normal week and just played.”
But Smith said he hasn’t gotten caught up in the Super Bowl hoopla.
“It really ain’t been difficult for me,” Smith said. “I been in my room sleeping the whole time, so I really ain’t did nothing different.”
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The Eagles will square off against the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII at 5:30 p.m. CST Sunday at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. FOX will televise the game.
Smith’s objective is to “just go out there and make sure I finish it the right way.”
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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.