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Now that DeVonta Smith is a member of the Philadelphia Eagles (which rules), there’s one very important question to be answered: what should we call this guy?
“DeVonta Smith” is already pretty cool. But it feels like a nickname is in order for this future NFL star.
Let’s run through some of the top options before we leave you with a poll to vote in.
The Slim Reaper
It won’t be surprising to see this option lead the poll. People have already been referring to Smith as The Slim Reaper for some time. It’s certainly fitting for a 166-pound player who plays like an absolute killer.
One potential problem here is that NBA star Kevin Durant has already had The Slim Reaper moniker for years now. He used to not like it but he recently said he’s grown to appreciate it. Speaking on Chris Long’s Green Light podcast, Smith said he’s tried to get in contact with Durant about using the nickname but he hasn’t been able to make it happen yet.
I don’t imagine KD’s blessing matters much to Eagles fans, though. The Slim Reaper is definitely going to be a thing in Philly.
Smitty
Smith’s Alabama teammates and coaches referred to him as Smitty. Smith wore a mask that said “Smitty” on it while his family had masks that said #TeamSmitty during the 2021 NFL Draft:
Retweet if you’re Team Smitty.@DeVontaSmith_6 | #EaglesDraft pic.twitter.com/aTlYYJKHpG
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) April 30, 2021
Smitty is practical in that it actually shortens his actual name, unlike The Slim Reaper. But it lacks juice. It’s not particularly cool or exciting.
DVS
Representing all the capitalized letters in DeVonta Smith’s name. These three letters are represented in his official logo:
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Smith also has a shirt parodying the CVS logo:
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I don’t think DVS is an audible nickname, though, as much as it’s acceptable online shorthand for referring to him on Twitter or here in the BGN comments.
Smooth Criminal
I can’t imagine this will catch on but I absolutely love how Jalen Hurts referred to Smith as “a smooth criminal” during an interview with Adam Schefter earlier this year. It’s a great nickname because Smith’s game truly is smooth. I also like how it reminds me of Sade’s Smooth Operator, which should honestly also be in play for Smith.
The [F***ing] Storm
Based on the following quote from Tyler Tynes’ profile on Smith for GQ (bold emphasis mine):
He darted away to his old, greying Nissan Altima and zoomed home to meet Sanders, who just got into town. I thought about a moment from earlier in the week, when a friend of his worried about the tornado warnings over FaceTime while we sat in ‘Bama’s facility. DeVonta’s response was to tell the friend he wasn’t scared. Then he puffed his chest out and loudly proclaimed the truth he had been desperately trying to get across to the whole football world: “I am the fuckin’ storm!”
I can get behind Storm.
Rubber Band Man
From an ESPN article I came across:
According to CBS, offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian calls Smith “Rubber Band Man” because of the way he can contort his body to catch passes. But losing Waddle brought new meaning to the nickname: Smith, a senior among primarily freshmen and sophomores at the position, had to be the one to hold the group together.
If we’re going to make the nickname based on his weight, Slim Reaper is the better option.
Other
Something like “Vonta” would be simple. I could see some coaches and/or teammates calling him this. Though maybe not with Avonte Maddox also on the team. He’s been referred to as “Vonte.”
So, which one is the best?
Poll
Which DeVonta Smith nickname is best?
This poll is closed
-
64%
The Slim Reaper
-
15%
Smitty
-
4%
DVS
-
5%
Smooth Criminal
-
5%
The Storm
-
2%
Rubber Band Man
-
2%
Other (Explain in comments)