Potential Buckeyes-Bears Connection?

Make no mistake: When Justin Fields said he'd like to have Jaxon Smith-Njigba as a Bears draft pick this year it was no spur-of-the-momnent comment.

Fields had thought this one through. So had Smith-Njigba.

"Since he's been in Chicago, we've always talked about it," Smith-Njigba told reporters Friday at the NFL scouting combine. "Him being like a big brother to me, I definitely appreciate it, coming from a guy like that."

.@thecarm asked Jaxon Smith-Njigba what the differences are between Justin Fields and CJ Stroud with their game and in the huddle: pic.twitter.com/V0BpPIHGQv
— CHGO Bears (@CHGO_Bears) March 3, 2023

Fields expressed this desire prior to the Super Bowl during a series of interviews he did on radio row. He had hoped to have either former Ohio State receivers Chris Olave or Garrett Wilson at one point but both came into the league elsewhere last year and flourished. He had also thrown some to Smith-Njigba at Ohio State, especially in practice.

"Just being at practice with him, making plays, getting open in practice for him and catching the ball and just doing what I do and him doing what he does, I feel like we definitely have a little connection back in the day," Smith-Njigba said. "But hopefully we can maybe do it again."

Just like former teammate C.J. Stroud, Smith-Njigba gets irritated with the criticism his former teammate has received for not piling up passing yards last year with the Bears.

He suggested Fields is a quality pocket passer.

"Yeah, he's whatever you need him to be," Smith-Njigba said. "He's a great passer. He has a great arm, great eyes, great vision reads the defense very well.

"So yeah, critics, you know how it is."

His message to those non-believers among critics is to go back to the film room.

"I wouldn't think they're very smart," Smith-Njigba said. "I would think they should do some more research, more film-watching, more something. Do something different."

If Smith-Njigba is to be a receiver who helps bring this quality out of Fields in the NFL, it might take some doing on draft day.

Projections from most mock drafts put the Ohio State receiver in the late first round somewhere, and the Bears don't figure to be picking anyone then unless there are some trades down for extra picks in Round 1.

If there is a trade down out of the first pick of the draft, it's possible they'd come up with another early second-round pick.

Again, would this be enough for Smith-Njigba? Much could depend on the run up to the draft, even beyond the combine this week.

Smith-Njigba isn't perceived as super fast but gets open.

"I see myself as a Top 5 player, not just receiver," he said.

To prove this is going to mean showing he's 100% healthy after a 2022 season when hamstring issues limited him to three games, five catches and 43 yards. It was quite a comedown from 95 catches and 1,606 yards with nine TDs in 2021.

"I'm 100%," he said at the combine. "I feel good. I'm ready to go out here and attack and show my skill set."

He just won't be showing how fast he is in the combine's premier event, the 40-yard dash. Instead, he'll push that back to a March 22 Buckeyes pro day.

"I would say that I was 100% maybe like two weeks ago, just trying to take things very slowly, so I can you know close this book on this nagging hamstring or whatever," he said. "Just wanting to take it slow, you know, so we can close the book, which I feel like I have. But just haven't had enough reps in the 40 just yet. So pro day, you'll see me."

There might not be a question about what part of Round 1 he'd go with a strong 2022 season.

"Very frustrating last year," he said. "Never really had an injury that set me out for games or even practices or stuff like that. But I feel like I'm gonna come out a better person, better man, better player.

"So I'm definitely thankful. Just looking at it as a positive. And, I think it will be beneficial for me at the end of the day."

If he hadn't been hurt?

"Definitely would have won a national championship," he said.

Wilson paid Smith-Njigba a huge compliment earlier.

"Jaxon is a cold-blooded man, man," Wilson said. "That boy is, we call him 'The Natural.' He's got hands, he's got feet that will throw you by, make you miss. He'll do the laundry for you.

"Jaxon's cold, man. I'm confident that wherever he goes, he's going to make a big impact early."

Chicago?

There's definitely one quarterback who would love it.

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven