Amite native is Super Bowl-bound

His work ethic and scholarly excellence have parachuted him into being a household name in the league. He is even sometimes affectionately referred to as “Smitty” by the media.

Smith’s cousin Carrie Badon-Pittman, also an Amite native, spoke highly of the Philadelphia Eagles receiver.

“He opted to finish his collegiate career and obtain his degree before the pursuit for the love of football,” she said. “This is definitely a great way to shed light to aspiring student athletes so that they know one must be balanced both in the classroom and on the football field.”

Pittman raved about Smith’s career which included winning two national championships with the Crimson Tide.

“It’s just been an awesome experience,” she said. “His mother, Christina Smith, and aunt, Sylvia Williams, usually used Facebook to show milestones, and the power of social media can certainly be positive.”

Chris Gordon, one of Smith’s former high school coaches who watched his progression from a teenager to one of the NFL’s most talented receivers, expounded on the man Smith has become.

“Honestly, none of his consistency or production surprises me,” said Gordon, the former coach at Amite High. “When he misses a ball, it’s a shocker. He’s always been ‘that guy’ for his teams. His freshman year of high school, he wanted to be No. 1.”

Gordon said at fall camp in 2014 as a freshman, Smith was one of the first in line versus his junior and senior teammates.

“They respected him and his confidence but were shocked (by his onfield presence),” Gordon said. “DeVonta has never been afraid, and I know some doubters want to talk about the size of his body. I think they should be talking about the size of his heart and willingness to be an absolute force on the field.”

Gordon said Smith’s football IQ is impeccable. He could be shown a play and figure it out on both sides of the ball, wide receiver and cornerback.

“He made me a better coach, (and) he gave (opposing coaches) some long nights trying to figure out how to stop him on either side. He’s a Swiss Army knife player and a true competitor,” Gordon said.

Gordon said Smith is a people-oriented person and close-knit with those around him.

“It’s not just about him, in his head,” he said. “It’s about embracing the grind and workload on his back and stepping up to the plate to perform, much like his humble beginnings in Amite.

“Everyone knows everyone, and we’re going to support him as much as we can in whatever he does,” Gordon said.