Seahawks 90-Man Countdown: WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba - ROY Contender?

A top-10 caliber talent who fell a bit in the draft due to an injury-marred final season at Ohio State, the Seattle Seahawks can't wait to unleash their new weapon in Jaxon Smith-Njigba, whose arrival could give the team the best trio of receivers in the entire NFL.

Author:
Corbin K. Smith
Publish date:
Jul 13, 2023 10:01 AM EDT

In this story:

Seattle Seahawks

With the calendar flipping to July and offseason activities in the rearview mirror, the Seattle Seahawks will open training camp at the VMAC later this month, officially ushering in the 2023 season.

To celebrate the new incoming season, we'll be detailing every member of the Seahawks 90-man roster over the next several weeks, exploring best and worst case scenarios and what to expect from each player entering the 2023 campaign.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Receiver

Height/Weight: 6-1, 200 pounds

2022 Stats*: Five receptions, 43 yards

*College stats at Ohio State

Ranked as a top-50 recruit with a five-star rating coming out of Rockwall High School in Texas, Smith-Njigba landed at Ohio State, becoming the latest star receiver to develop under the tutelage of coach Brian Hartline. After seeing limited action with 10 receptions and a touchdown as a true freshman, he burst onto the scene as one of the nation's most improved players in 2021, ripping off five straight games with over 100 yards to close out the season, including setting a Rose Bowl record with 347 yards in a win over Utah. He wrapped up the campaign with over 1,600 yards and scored nine touchdowns, earning Third-Team All-Big Ten honors.

Unfortunately, a hamstring injury suffered in the Buckeyes' opener derailed Smith-Njigba's final season in Columbus, limiting him to just five catches and no touchdowns in three games. But he recovered in time to participate in the NFL combine and Ohio State's pro day workouts, improving his stock with a sizzling time in the 3-cone drill and a solid 4.52 40-yard dash. Making him the first receiver selected in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Seahawks selected him 20th overall to pair with star wideouts DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett.

Best-Case Scenario: Fully recovered from his hamstring injury and taking advantage of ideal one-on-one matchups working from the slot, Smith-Njigba carves up opposing defenses to lead NFL rookies with 74 catches for 856 yards and finds the end zone six times, providing the much-needed third receiving weapon Seattle has been looking for with him finishing as a finalist for Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Worst-Case Scenario: Though healthy, Smith-Njigba doesn't get many targets thrown his way early in the season with Metcalf, Lockett, and an underrated tight end group receiving most of the passes from Geno Smith, leading to a somewhat disappointing 25 catch season with only 386 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns.

What to Expect in 2023: When he first hit the practice field this spring, the Seahawks aired on the side of caution with Smith-Njigba, limiting him to individual drills during rookie minicamp and the start of OTAs. However, they gradually ramped up his activity as the offseason program progressed and he saw more action in team drills during mandatory minicamp, looking healthy and ready to roll for his new team.

Assuming Smith-Njigba has put his hamstring injury behind him and doesn't have any health-related issues crop up in camp, the savvy route runner will be well-positioned to play extensive snaps alongside Metcalf and Lockett right off the ball. His ability to create quick separation off the line, win contested catches in the middle of the field, and manufacture yardage after the catch should make him a fun complementary weapon for Smith and with Metcalf and Lockett drawing tons of attention from opposing defenses, he may be the greatest beneficiary with an abundance of targets heading his direction.

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