New York Giants Draft Prospect Profile: WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Despite adding a bunch of veteran receivers, the Giants could be tempted to grab Ohio State's Jaxon Smith-Njigba if he's there at No. 25.

Author:
Nick Falato
Publish date:
Mar 24, 2023 11:40 AM EDT

In this story:

New York Giants

Ohio State Buckeyes

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR

Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 196 lbs.
Class: Junior
School: Ohio State
Age: 21 (02/14/2002)

Combine Measurements

Vertical jump: 35”
Broad jump: 10’5”
3-Cone drill: 6.57
20-Yard-shuttle: 3.93
Arm length: 30 ½”
Hand size: 9”

A former five-star recruit out of Rockwall High School in Rockwell, Texas, where he was the 5th ranked wide receiver and the 5th Texan recruit during the 2020 cycle. Smith-Njigba led all high school football players in the Dallas area with 97 catches for 1,828 yards and 20 touchdowns in his junior year of high school; he expanded on that during his senior season with a 104-catch, 2,094-yard, 35-touchdown season.

He was a high school All-American, was widely recruited, and received the Landry Award (top high school football player in Northern Texas) and the Texas Gatorade Football Player of the Year in 2019.

Notables

Smith-Njigba was the engine of a potent 2021 Ohio State passing attack that included 2022 first-round picks Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave. As a sophomore at Ohio State, he caught 95 of 112 passes (84.8%) for 1,595 yards and nine touchdowns on his way to a third-team All-American honor. Smith-Njigba was the MVP of the Buckeyes’ win over Utah in the Rose Bowl when he caught 15 of 16 passes for 336 yards and three touchdowns, breaking Ohio State’s single-game record for receiving yards.

The future was bright for Smith-Njigba at Ohio State until he suffered a hamstring injury that ruled him out for much of the 2022 season. The injury also prevented Smith-Njigba to not run at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, but he did participate in the agility drills, where he tested above the 95th percentile. Smith-Njigba’s savvy route running, short-area athletic ability, and sure-handed nature will lead to him being selected somewhere in the first round.

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Strengths

Good overall athlete with elite agility
Elite balance and control of his body
Solid NFL explosiveness and burst in and out of break
Tested elite with COD - was good on tape
Thick lower body makes him a difficult tackle
Good footwork at the LOS, albeit he operated off the LOS in the slot for much of 2021
Quick enough to create separation with AA skills - incredibly high football IQ
An absolute technician as a route runner
Savvy beyond his years running routes - GETS IT!
Feels coverage and flows to the open spot - understands how to get open
Excellent soft hands that extend away from his frame
Very good contested catch threat - caught 9 of 10 in 2021
Tracking, concentration, and body control/adjustment in the air are excellent traits of his
Elite overall ball skills
Dominated college football down the stretch of the 2021 season
Elite competitor

Weaknesses

Does not possess elite speed
Wouldn’t say he’ll create consistent separation with AA - leverages nuance and processing to get open
Limited catch radius
Did enjoy a lot of free releases at Ohio State
Missed the majority of 2022 with a hamstring injury
Played 83% of his snaps in the slot - likely a slot only guy
Only one season in college with over 100 yards receiving (2021)

Summary

Jaxon Smith-Njigba is an excellent, controlled, and savvy wide receiver who understands the nuance of running routes, how to get open between zones, and possesses elite agility in short areas. His natural receiving skills shined in 2021, and his technical understanding of angles and how to manipulate defensive backs allowed him to create separation against man coverage.

He enjoyed many free releases and will likely operate in the slot at the next level. He isn’t a burner, he doesn’t have elite explosiveness (it’s sufficient), and his health may be a concern for some teams, but Smith-Njigba understands how to play the wide receiver position. He possesses an excellent blend of savviness, ball skills, and reliability, which are several reasons he’ll hear his name in the first draft round.

GRADE: 6.68