DeVonta Smith Compared to Marvin Harrison by Scout Ahead of 2021 NFL Draft

Coming off a Heisman Trophy win in 2020, Alabama wide receiver DeVonta Smith is being compared to a Pro Football Hall of Famer as he prepares to enter the NFL. 

Per The Athletic's Bob McGinn, one scout said Smith's skill set reminds him of former Indianapolis Colts star Marvin Harrison.

"I don't think I've seen a receiver with his flexibility," one scout told McGinn. "That's why he can change directions so quickly. I don't recall anyone changing direction like this guy. It's just totally amazing. I thought he was a little like Marvin Harrison."

Harrison spent four years at Syracuse before being selected No. 19 overall by the Colts in the 1996 NFL draft. He had eight consecutive years with at least 82 receptions, 1,100 yards and 10 touchdowns from 1999-2006 as Peyton Manning's favorite target. 

The physical comparisons between Harrison and Smith are very similar. Neither player is an imposing presence in pads. Harrison measured in right around 6'0" and weighed 181 pounds at the 1996 NFL Scouting Combine. 

Eric Edholm of Yahoo Sports noted that Smith's 78½" wingspan that was measured in January at the Senior Bowl is "considered above-average" for a wide receiver. 

Smith is expected to weigh in during Alabama's pro day on March 23. The Crimson Tide athletic website lists him at 6'1" and 175 pounds. He had no problems playing against SEC cornerbacks in four years at Alabama. 

The last two years, in particular, showed what Smith is capable of doing. The 22-year-old had 3,112 yards and 37 touchdowns on 185 catches in 26 games since the start of 2019. He became the first wide receiver to win the Heisman Trophy since Desmond Howard in 1991.