Can receiver DeVonta Smith's slender frame handle physicality of NFL?

You look at the numbers, and there’s simply no question that DeVonta Smith is one of the most talented (if not the most talented) receivers in this year’s NFL Draft.

He had 117 catches for 1,856 yards and 23 touchdowns last season — impressive by any measure.

He dominated Alabama’s 52-24 rout of Ohio State in the CFP National Championship with 12 catches for 215 yards and three touchdowns. Again, unquestionably brilliant.

He beat out quarterbacks Trevor Lawrence of Clemson, teammate Mac Jones and Kyle Trask of Florida to win the Heisman Trophy. There’s simply no greater honor at that level.

But there is a number that confounds many NFL scouts and has some teams wondering if Smith can dominate pro defenses the way he did for Alabama: 166.

Can an NFL receiver who weighs that much — or that little — stand up to the punishment of facing bigger and stronger, if not faster, opponents?

It’s one of the biggest questions in this draft, and Smith will find out which team believes he can despite his slender frame.

Among the teams in the mix for a receiver and giving strong consideration to Smith: the Giants, who have the 11th overall pick. There’s no guarantee he will last that long, but if he does, they’ll have to decide whether they believe he can make history by being one of the thinnest receivers to set foot on an NFL field.

"DeVonta Smith is a pristine route-runner," NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah said. "Obviously, as everyone knows, he is real thin. [But] he is really long-armed and can go up and get it as well."

Former Colts coach Tony Dungy likens Smith to another slender receiver, a man who helped the Colts to a Super Bowl championship and is in the Hall of Fame: Marvin Harrison. Hall of Famer Isaac Bruce is another who compares his own physique to Smith’s. But even Bruce outweighed Smith by 20 pounds.

There is, however, one man who has zero concern about what Smith can do at the next level.

That would be Smith himself.

"I feel like it’s not going to be different than college," he said. "I played in the SEC. I feel like that’s the toughest conference there is. I know a lot of people that’s bigger than me and have more problems than me. I’m not worried about it at all."

Though there may be the added burden of living up to the reputation he earned as the Heisman Trophy winner, Smith is convinced he can handle it.

"I feel like it’s an expectation with everybody that wins the Heisman," he said. "Everybody expects you to do this and that. I have my individual goals and things that I expect to accomplish, so really it’s just doing the things I’m capable of doing and letting everything else work out for itself."

And he plans to do to defensive backs in the NFL what he did to those he faced in college.

"It’s really just seeing if they’re comfortable in front of me,’’ Smith said. "You can just look at some guys and tell if this is something they really want to do or something they really don’t want to do. Then, just going along in the game, find those things they’re uncomfortable doing. Just keep them uncomfortable."

Even at 166 pounds.

Dungy called the issue of size "a 75-year-old question. Size is a factor. But ability trumps lack of size in special cases. Will Marvin Harrison be able to get open in the NFL? Will Warrick Dunn be able to gain yards? Will Robert Mathis get sacks?"

The answer in every case, of course, was a resounding yes. But like Smith, those star players had to overcome the skepticism that accompanied them at the beginning of their NFL journeys.

Now it’s Smith’s turn.

By Bob Glauber

Special to NewsdayBobGlauber

Bob Glauber retired in 2022 after covering the NFL for nearly 40 years. He was selected in 2021 for the Bill Nunn Career Achievement Award by the Pro Football Writers of America, and is a three-time winner of the New York State Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association. President of the PFWA for the 2018-20 seasons, he is the author of “The Forgotten First” and “Guts and Genius.”