Philadelphia Eagles rookie DeVonta Smith elevates…

DENVER — In the battle of Alabama first-round picks, Philadelphia Eagles receiver DeVonta Smith landed the first blow.

Quarterback Jalen Hurts found Smith, who turns 23 on Sunday, for a 36-yard touchdown in the right corner of the end zone late in the first quarter to give Philadelphia a 10-point lead over the Denver Broncos. Cornerback Patrick Surtain II was tight in coverage, but Smith showed good body control as he leapt to secure the catch. He now has touchdowns in back-to-back games.

Smith had 0.7 yards of separation on the TD pass. That’s the second-lowest distance of separation on a passing touchdown in Hurts’ career and only his third career tight-window touchdown, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

Surtain and Smith went ninth and 10th overall in April’s NFL draft. They played three seasons together at Alabama. This week, Smith credited Surtain for making him a better receiver through their competition in practice.

The birthday boy climbed a Mile High to catch this one@DeVontaSmith_6 | #PHIvsDEN pic.twitter.com/fNqeHTqnjI

— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) November 14, 2021