MOBILE, Ala. -- Alabama wide receiver DeVonta Smith, the 2020 Heisman Trophy winner and one of the top prospects in the 2021 NFL Draft, declined to be weighed or measured for height at the Reese's Senior Bowl weigh-in on Tuesday morning, but intends to do so at the Crimson Tide's pro day workout this spring.
Size is the lone scouting concern on Smith; he was listed at 6-foot-1 and 175 pounds on the Alabama roster. The decision is a highly unusual one for the Senior Bowl weigh-in, but it does provide Smith with additional time to add weight as he trains for pro day.
"DeVonta Smith was here only to do interviews with NFL teams," said Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy. "He always planned to do his measurements at Alabama's pro day."
Smith did submit hand (9 3/8 inches), arm (31 1/2) and wingspan (78 1/2) measurements on Tuesday.
After injuring a finger in Alabama's 52-24 win over Ohio State in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game, Smith also will not compete in practices or the game this week at the annual all-star event.
"It's different," Smith said during an interview with NFL Network when he was asked about having to watching from the sideline this week. "Just me wanting to be out there. Just seeing these guys come out here and compete. Me being the competitor I am, I want to do the same thing."
An exceptional route-runner with strong, sure hands and a proven ability to make contested catches, Smith was projected to be selected No. 6 overall to the Philadelphia Eagles in NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah's initial 2021 mock draft.
Smith caught 117 passes for 1,856 yards and 23 touchdowns as a senior, including a 12-215-3 performance in just the first half of the title game against the Buckeyes.
Additional Senior Bowl notes
Hands on: Arkansas' Feleipe Franks and Wake Forest's Jamie Newman measured the largest hand sizes among six quarterbacks at the weigh-in, at 10 inches each.
NFL scouts prefer larger hands in quarterback prospects for ball-security reasons, with 9 1/2 being a considered adequate, although hand size isn't any sort of predictor for success. Former LSU QB Joe Burrow, for instance, measured small (9 inches) at the NFL Scouting Combine last year, but was the No. 1 overall pick and enjoyed a strong rookie campaign with the Cincinnati Bengals before suffering a season-ending knee injury in late November.
Other hand sizes among Senior Bowl passers: Notre Dame's Ian Book (9 7/8), Texas' Sam Ehlinger (9 3/4), Alabama's Mac Jones (9 3/4) and Texas A&M's Kellen Mond (9 1/4).
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