On January 5th, 2021, DeVonta Smith, a wide receiver for Alabama Crimson Tide, was virtually awarded the Heisman trophy for the 2020 college football season.

DeVonta Smith marks the first receiver to have been awarded this trophy since 1991 or in 29 years and is the 4th wide receiver to win the trophy since its inception. During this season, he caught 105 passes for 1,641 yards and got 20 touchdowns. With a total of 1,865 points, he finished first in the voting, ahead of quarterback Trevor Lawrence and his teammate and signal-caller Mac Jones. 

“I can’t even imagine how he felt winning that award. I watched a little bit of the ceremony, enough to see him win, and you can just tell that that moment was life-changing for him,” said Kalle Ogden (‘22).

To give a little more context, the Heisman Trophy is an award given annually to the most outstanding player in college football. It was first established in 1935 and quarterbacks and running backs have been known to hold the award through the last three decades.

“From what I know, quarterbacks have won 17 of the previous 20 Heinman trophies. It was honestly relieving watching a different position win this award,” said Gianna Ghio (‘23). 

With a year as hard as 2020, Smith pushed his boundaries. Teammate and top receiver Jaylen Waddle suffered an injury during this season, leaving Smith with lots of pressure on his shoulders. Covid-19 additionally left players with a shorter season and fewer opportunities for appearances. 

“I actually watch quite a lot of football, and DeVonta Smith is really an excellent player from what I’ve seen. Sure, it hasn’t been the easiest season for any players, but that shows more on his part and his perseverance in the end,” said Ghio. 

On January 11th, 2020, Alabama Crimson Tide won another college football national title when they dominated Ohio State 52-24. Smith was one of the reasons why they set to compete in this championship, and he is expected to be one of the top players selected in the 2021 NFL draft.