re: Time to say goodbye to this thread - The season is here

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There were two fluky touchdowns during Alabama's scrimmage on Saturday.

DeVonta Smith was part of both.

On one, the four-star freshman wide receiver caught a pass after it had been tipped into the air by cornerback Trevon Diggs before running the rest of the way for a touchdown. On the other play, freshman quarterback Tua Tagovailoa threw a pass to Smith in the back of the end zone. Safety Hootie Jones was in front of Smith and tipped the ball with his right hand. But it bounced right to Smith, who secured the catch for a touchdown before stepping out of bounds.

While those two plays were unconventional, it was more of what Smith has done since enrolling at Alabama in May -- making plays and standing out.

"Speed," cornerback Anthony Averett said when asked about Smith's strengths. "And when the ball is in the air, he knows how to track the ball and go get it. He's good at that. I think that's his best thing."

Smith is one of three Crimson Tide freshmen wide receivers in the mix for playing time.

In addition to being fast with great ball skills, the 6-foot-1, 165-pound Smith is also becoming known for being a talented route runner with sure hands.

The Louisiana native has one of the lowest drop rates among Alabama receivers during fall camp, if not the lowest.

After entering fall camp as a third-team player, Smith has established himself even more as someone who could help the Tide this season while continuing to show that he can make plays. With or without the weird deflections.

"He's a very fast guy," star defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick said, "and I like the way he looks."

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