It might seem odd for a national television program to have an NFL player whose breakfast before home games comes from McDonald’s — McGriddle, two hash browns and an orange juice – as a guest for National Nutrition Month, but there was Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith on “CBS Mornings” this week.

The former Alabama All-American appeared as a nutritional convert. Smith said he realized the importance of eating better during his rookie season with the Eagles.

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“I was always a person that didn’t believe in healthy eating,” Smith said, “but as I started playing, my body started to feel a lot better when I started changing the way that I eat. I seen that it makes a big difference.”

Now Smith focuses on what he eats daily.

“Long days going to practice and things like that, you have to make sure you’re doing the right things recovery-wise but also nutrition,” Smith said.

For young players who hope to emulate his success as a college football star and a 1,000-yard NFL receiver, Smith advised: “Nutrition is everything to stay healthy, to continue to play the game that you love to play. If you’re not eating the right things, sometimes it’s going to be hard to just go out there and continue to do the things you need to do to get where you want to be.”

Smith described himself as “not a heavy eater before the game. I eat some fruit and just call it a day.”

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Smith won the Heisman Trophy in 2020 when he had 117 receptions for 1,856 yards and 23 touchdowns for Alabama’s undefeated CFP national championship team. He set SEC single-season records for receiving yards and touchdown receptions as he became the conference’s career leader in both statistical categories.

Smith entered the NFL as the 10th player picked in the 2021 draft.

After recording 64 receptions for 916 yards and five touchdowns as a rookie, Smith had 95 receptions for 1,196 yards and seven touchdowns in the 2022 regular season and 15 receptions for 197 yards and one touchdown in the postseason as the Eagles won the NFC championship before falling to the Kansas City Chiefs 38-35 in Super Bowl LVII on Feb. 12.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.