2020 Heisman Trophy Winner Devonta Smith
Due to Covid restrictions, the Heisman Trophy Ceremony took place virtually on January 5, 2021 with the primary location being ESPN studios in Bristol Connecticut. Other locations included the finalists at their respective universities- Kyle Trask at Florida, Trevor Lawrence at Clemson, and two teammates at Alabama, Mac Jones and Winner Devonta Smith. Several previous winners participated by streaming from various locations around the world.
The 2019 Heisman Winner, Joe Burrow graduated from LSU and entered the 2020 NFL Draft and was selected 1st overall to the Cincinnati Bengals. Burrow’s absence saw the media pick Trevor Lawrence as the odds on favorite to win the 2020 Heisman Trophy. Other top names included Zach Wilson (BYU), Justin Fields (Ohio State), and Najee Harris (Alabama). With the Covid-19 restrictions for the season, some players didn’t get to play enough games to compete for the Heisman Trophy. For example, Justin Fields played in five regular season games, while Devonta Smith played in ten.
2020 Heisman Trophy Winner Devonta Smith’s Season.
The 2020 college football season was threatened with cancellation because of the global pandemic Covid-19. However, safety precautions were put into place and conferences chose to play only conference games to limit travel. The Southeastern Conference chose to play a ten game season, with the top two teams playing in the conference championship game at the end of the season. Alabama dropped- USC, UT Martin, Kent State, and Georgia State. The conference added two more conference games to complete the schedule.
The 2020 Heisman Trophy Winner Devonta Smith’s senior season may have been shortened by two games, and easier teams taken off and replaced with tougher opponents but looking at his season stats you wouldn’t know it. In all, Devonta Smith would compile 117 catches for 1,856 yards and 23 touchdowns. His 117 catches are the second most in a season at Alabama, while his 23 touchdowns are first. The 2020 Heisman Trophy Winner Devonta Smith’s season would culminate with a National Championship Game win over Ohio State, in which Smith would be named as the MVP for his 12 receptions, 215 yards, and 3 TDs. [1]
The 2020 Heisman Trophy Winner Devonta Smith was the first wide receiver to win the award since 1991 when Desmond Howard won it. Other season awards included the Biletnikoff Award, the Maxwell Award, SEC Offensive Player of the Year, the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award, and the Associated Press Player of the Year. Smith would be the first wide receiver to win the AP’s top honor.
2020 Heisman Trophy First Place Voting Breakdown
- Devonta Smith- 447
- Trevor Lawrence- 222
- Mac Jones- 138
- Kyle Trask- 61
- Najee Harris- 16
- Breece Hall- 6 [2]
2020 Heisman Trophy Winner Devonta Smith- Career
The 2020 Heisman Trophy Winner Devonta Smith began his college career at the University of Alabama in 2017. Smith was a backup as a freshman mostly seeing playing time at the end of games well in hand. He had 8 catches with 160 yards and 3 touchdowns on the season. His final catch of the season has become an iconic play in Alabama history as he came into the game in the National Championship on 2nd and 26 from the 41 yard line in overtime. Down 3 points, a field goal was needed to force another overtime and a touchdown to win the game and the National Championship for Alabama. He caught a 41 yard touchdown to lead Alabama to the championship, it was the 2020 Heisman Trophy Winner Devonta Smith’s only catch of the game.
As a Sophomore in 2018, Smith saw an increase in production amongst one of the greatest receiving corps in college football history. He caught 42 passes for 693 yards and 6 touchdowns. Followed by a stellar Junior season in 2019 where he caught 68 passes for 1,256 yards and 14 touchdowns. At the end of his Alabama career, Smith holds the school records for most receptions in a game (15), most receptions in a season (124), most receptions in a career (235), most receiving yards in a game (274), most receiving yards in a season (1,856), most receiving yards in a career (3,965), most receiving touchdowns in a game (5), most receiving touchdowns in a season (23), and most receiving touchdowns in a career (46) making the 2020 Heisman Trophy Winner Devonta Smith the most decorated wide receiver in Alabama history.
After the 2020 season, Devonta Smith entered the 2021 NFL draft where he was selected in the first round at 10th overall pick to the Philadelphia Eagles. [3]
Other Alabama Heisman Trophy Winners
Devonta Smith was the third Alabama football player to win the coveted Heisman Trophy. The following season another Alabama player won the award. Bringing the all-time school total to four.
- Mark Ingram II- 2009
- Derrick Henry- 2015
- Bryce Young- 2021
Related-topics
- 2014 Heisman Trophy Winner Marcus Mariota
- 2015 Heisman Trophy Winner Derrick Henry
- 2016 Heisman Trophy Winner Lamar Jackson
- 2017 Heisman Trophy Winner Baker Mayfield
- 2018 Heisman Trophy Winner Kyler Murray
- 2019 Heisman Trophy Winner Joe Burrow
- 2021 Heisman Trophy Winner Bryce Young
- 2022 Heisman Trophy Winner Caleb Williams
- 2023 Heisman Trophy Winner Jayden Daniels
References
- Sports Illustrated [ Devonta Smith Receiving Records National Championship ] August 28, 2024
- NCAA [ Alabama’s Devonta Smith Wins 2020 Heisman Trophy ] August 28, 2024
- Philadelphia Eagle [ Eagles Select Devonta Smith With the Number 10 Pick in the 2021 Draft ] August 28, 2024
Contributors
Last Modified: August 30, 2024