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‘Very Important’ – Ja’Marr Chase Wants to Beat De’Vonta Smith in 2021 NFL Draft Race

Published 04/02/2021, 7:37 PM EDT

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The 2020 NCAA season was affected by the raging coronavirus plague. The deadly virus was at its peak during the early months of 2020 due to which multiple college football players opted against playing amidst a pandemic. NDSU quarterback Trey Lance, and LSU wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase were amongst those select few.

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Chase was one of the standout performers for Louisiana State University in 2019 as they made their way to the CFP National Championship title. Quarterback Joe Burrow eventually won the Heisman Trophy and signed for Cincinnati Bengals as the first overall pick in 2020.

But Ja’Marr was awarded the Fred Biletnikoff Award as the best receiver in college football, with 1.780 receiving yards and 20 receiving TDs to his name.

LSU prospect Ja’Marr Chase looking forward to the 2021 NFL Draft

Despite ending 2019 on such a strong note, Ja’Marr Chase decided to forego his last college season in order to prepare for the 2021 NFL Draft. During his time away, Alabama Crimson Tide Football wide receiver De’Vonta Smith grabbed headlines with some eye-catching displays last season.

Smith had 1,856 receiving yards and 23 receiving TDs as Alabama won the National Championship. He was also adjudged as the latest Heisman Trophy winner and is expected to emerge as a top-10 pick at the 2021 NFL Draft.

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Both Chase and Smith have a certain swagger to their game. In just one year away from the football field, Smith overtook Chase as the player with the most receiving touchdowns in SEC history, but Smith’s physical attributes have always been a concern for NFL scouts.

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Coach Nick Saban rubbished any doubts regarding that in an earlier interview. Miami Dolphins are reportedly interested in bringing in Smith this summer. If that works out, he will reunite with former Alabama teammate and current first-choice starter, Tua Tagovailoa.

USA Today via Reuters

At the same time, the Joe Burrow-led Cincinnati Bengals own the fifth-overall pick at the 2021 NFL Draft. Hence, another reunion of the same nature could be on the cards.

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It will be interesting to see where both these talented wideouts will land at the end of the month. Keep your eye on this space for more.

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Written by:

Daniel Arambur

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Daniel Arambur is an NFL writer and content strategist for EssentiallySports.With more than 1,000 articles, he is one of the senior writers in the NFL cohort at ES. A mass media graduate from the University of Mumbai, Daniel has found the perfect blend of vocation and passion in the sports content niche.
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