Jaxon Smith-Njigba Represents the Seahawks Strongly on the Top 100 List

Generally, the Seattle Seahawks have been disrespected and dismissed on the NFL’s Top 100 players list, but one player was too good to ignore.

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) is interviewed after defeating the Los Angeles Rams. | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

Devon Witherspoon a close call. Ernest Jones just barely making the cut. No Leonard Williams, Byron Murphy, Nick Emmanwori, Julian Love, Charles Cross, or DeMarcus Lawrence. With the exception of Sam Darnold at #21, a ranking even I can’t really justify, it’s been a brutal NFL Top 100 Players list for the Seattle Seahawks. But here’s a winner right at the end.

JSN Rings In At Five

Jaxon Smith-Njigba will have to do all the eating at the top of the list for the Seahawks. The superstar wideout came in at fifth. This marks him as the top wide receiver, two spots ahead of Puka Nacua and eleven ahead of Ja’Marr Chase. He’ll also be the third-highest player that isn’t a quarterback, behind only Myles Garrett and Bijan Robinson.

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) during training camp at Virginia Mason Athletic Center. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Clearly, the players of the NFL are willing to ignore or dismiss a significant chunk of the defending super bowl champions in making this list. But they can’t withhold the kudos for the reigning Offensive Player of the Year, who shattered franchise receiving records and was responsible for a dizzyingly-high percentage of the passing yards for the team.

The First Seattle Superstar Since…

The last time the Seahawks had a player rank this high on a Top 100 list was 2020. Russell Wilson finished second that year, after a 2019 season that got him the only All-Pro appearance of his career. That’s how long it’s been since the Seahawks were given anyone in the top five, or even top ten. Last year, they didn’t have anyone in the top ninety-eight.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) throws a touchdown pass to wide receiver Freddie Swain. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Does that speak to a lack of attention being paid to the Seahawks by the general public? Perhaps. But it also speaks to a lack of elite-level talent in Seattle in recent seasons. Finding a bonafide top dog like JSN is a big reason why the team finally broke through, whereas they weren’t able to in prior seasons. It’s a beautiful cap to his beautiful season.

The Final Accolade

In my view, the NFL Top 100 List isn’t worth paying much attention to, which is more evident than ever this season. The players who vote on it are very clearly prisoners of the moment, and the highly-volatile rankings from season to season might be useful in some contexts, but does not accurately capture who the best players actually are. It’s fun, but not much else.

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) warms up before the game against the New England Patriots. | Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

But in a season that saw Jaxon Smith-Njigba make the Pro Bowl, First Team All-Pro, Offensive Player of the Year, and a Super Bowl, it’s just one more feather in his cap. And if anyone on this team deserves as many feathers as possible, it’s JSN. So I’ll take it.

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