Jaxon Smith-Njigba Starring in Seahawks Workouts: 'A Natural Athlete'
As his first offseason with the Seattle Seahawks winds down, receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba seems to be fitting in perfectly.
The Seahawks selected Smith-Njigba with the No. 20 overall pick, intent on forming a deadly receiver trio with him, D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. So far, so good, as players and coaches are speaking very highly of the former Ohio State Buckeyes star. Seahawks coach Pete Carroll raved about his newest receiver, praising him for playing "really, really natural."
"He's really a natural athlete, gifted in his timing, in and out of breaks and things and his feel," Carroll told Seahawks.com. "He also has, which we saw this in the (pro day) workout at school, he's got great change of direction in him, and he's got this marvelous ability to get in out of his turns. And his hands are just as natural as can be. He's really a bright football player too, it makes sense to him. We've already moved him all around, he'd been inside, outside and all kinds of stuff. And so that looks like it's just what we were looking for."
Smith-Njigba has also made a strong impression on his fellow receivers. Both Metcalf and Lockett have sung his praises, with each noting how the rookie is learning the offense quickly.
"I think he's going to be phenomenal, man. It's always hard just being able to get adjusted when you first come in. But the way he runs routes, the way he's understanding the way that Sanjay [Lal, passing game coordinator/receivers coach] coaches, the sky's going to be the limit. I think he's going to be really good at all the things that we want him to be able to do."
Perhaps even more importantly, Smith-Njigba is quickly forming a connection with his new quarterback, Geno Smith. Smith was one of the biggest surprises in the league last season, and now the Comeback Player of the Year has yet another weapon to work with.
"It's been really good," Smith-Njigba said. "We connected throughout these weeks, so hopefully we can continue that… It's all about reps, all about feeling each other out, and that's what we're doing. It's been great so far. We've got a little connection going, so hopefully we can continue that."
The former Ohio State star was the first receiver off the board in this year's draft, and it's not hard to see why. In 2021, Smith-Njigba caught 95 passes for 1,606 yards and nine touchdowns, outperforming teammates Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave, two first-round picks in 2022. Smith-Njigba had an injury-plagued season in 2022, but now appears to be back to full strength.
If he truly is at full strength, opposing defenses best take notice.
You can find Jonathan Alfano on Twitter @JonAlfano_News
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