‘I love Philly ... This is all part of it’: Eagles’ DeVonta Smith hosts inaugural youth football camp in Haddonfield
The wide receiver put youngsters through a series of drills and even showed off his passing arm.
When DeVonta Smith was asked about which drill he looked forward to overseeing most, the Eagles wide receiver briefly paused before letting out a wide grin.
“I can’t wait to give them my best Jalen Hurts impression,” Smith said with a chuckle.
On Tuesday afternoon, Smith hosted his inaugural youth football camp at Haddonfield Memorial High School in South Jersey. The four-hour event consisted of a variety of drills designed for children from ages 6 to 16.
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Smith’s camp has been in the works ever since the former Heisman Trophy winner was selected in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft. Last summer, Smith hosted a similar youth camp in Alabama, but Tuesday marked his first camp in the Philadelphia area.
“To be around here ... I love Philly,” said Smith, 23. “Just doing something for the kids and having a great time. It’s amazing to see all the kids. [I wanted to] bring us all together, we just want to have fun and get better [at our craft].”
Sporting a fitted burgundy Phillies New Era cap and a pair of matching Nike Dunk lows, Smith made the rounds across the football field. He posed for countless photographs, autographed multiple pieces of memorabilia, and offered a watchful eye over the camp participants. He even offered direct pointers during receiver-specific drills.
Brayden Clark, a 12-year-old quarterback at Pennwood Middle School in Bucks County, said his interaction with Smith is a moment he’ll remember forever.
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“He’s helping me get better at my game,” Clark said. “When I go back to play against other kids my age, I’ll be able to show off what DeVonta taught me today.”
Even though he sported casual clothes, Smith did not hold back on his level of intensity while he led the children through various drills. At several points, he needed to pause to remove some artificial turf beads that sneaked into his sneakers.
Asked about his own participation in football camps as a child, Smith reminisced about growing up in his native Amite City, La.
“Back in my home area, [former NFL cornerback] Cletis Gordon held a camp back at my high school,” Smith recalled. “To this day, it still sticks with me. I’m glad that I am able to do that like a guy who was important to me and my community back at home.”
Among those in attendance were Eagles coach Nick Sirianni, wide receivers coach Aaron Moorehead, and cornerback Darius Slay. The three accompanied their own children, who all participated in the camp.
“It means a lot to have their support,” Smith said. “A lot of us have been hosting camps, so everybody tries to support everybody.”
It has been a busy offseason for Smith, who has split his time between Philadelphia and Tampa, Fla., where he trains with former NFL wide receiver Yo Murphy at House of Athlete. Earlier in June, Smith held his inaugural celebrity softball game in Allentown.
Smith set a franchise record for most receiving yards by a rookie last season after he caught 64 passes for a team-best 916 yards and five touchdowns. The team added wide receiver A.J. Brown to the fold, but Smith still expects to have a significant role in the offense this season. The Eagles begin training camp on July 27.
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“I’m very excited,” Smith said. “It’s another year for me in the offense to get better and get more comfortable. It’s going to be a great season. Year 2 with the team ... guys are hungry to keep building.”
Before the conclusion of the camp, Smith finally got to serve up his best Hurts impression. During the final hour of the event, a select group of kids participated in one-on-one route drills, with Smith serving as quarterback.
Smith huddled with each receiver and asked each to draw out a route ― backyard-football style — before the receivers and defensive backs lined up. Smith tossed a handful of precise throws that generated applause from the several hundred parents and campers scattered across the field and bleachers.
“This is all part of it,” Smith said. “I want to get out in the community and do what I can to help.”