DeVonta Smith firmly believes that he’s one of the top 10 wide receivers in the NFL, and he’ll spend this season proving that to the guys over at Pro Football Focus.
PFF has revealed its position rankings over the past week, and Philadelphia has landed high in the quarterback and offensive tackle rankings.
The running back rankings left a lot to be desired, and the wide receiver rankings will be scrutinized.
The Eagles’ duo landed in the top 32 of all wide receivers in the NFL, with A.J. Brown landing at No. 7 and DeVonta Smith at No. 18.
7. A.J. BROWN, PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
Brown had one of the greatest single seasons in Eagles’ franchise history, logging 88 catches for 1,496 yards and scoring 11 touchdowns in 17 games in 2022.
Last season, we saw the kind of impact that Brown can have on an offense. Already a player who had elite stats against any kind of coverage or player, Brown’s arrival transformed the Philadelphia offense and helped spark a corresponding huge improvement from DeVonta Smith at receiver and Jalen Hurts at quarterback. Brown averaged 2.59 yards per route run and passes thrown his way generated a 118.8 passer rating.
18. DEVONTA SMITH, PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
Smith should be very confident entering his third season in the NFL.
As a rookie, he set a franchise record for receiving yards. In Year 2, he finished with 95 regular-season receptions to set another record for most catches by a receiver in franchise history, along with 1,196 yards and seven touchdowns, while being paired with top receiver A.J. Brown, who finished the regular season with 88 receptions, 1,496 yards, and 11 touchdowns.
A.J. Brown‘s arrival set off a huge improvement from almost all quarters of the Eagles’ offense, including DeVonta Smith. In Year 2, Smith improved in almost every receiving metric, including yards per route run, and passes thrown his way generated a 114.1 passer rating in the regular season. Smith is an outstanding receiver whose only question mark is his slender build, which is less of an issue with a physically imposing receiver like Brown on the other side.
