Analyst picks Seahawks rising star as Offensive Player of the Year candidate

There may not have been a generational wide receiver in the 2023 NFL Draft, but there was a good deal of talent at the position. Ohio State's Jaxon Smith-Njigba was the first receiver off the board at No. 20 overall to the Seattle Seahawks, and he showed exactly why in his second season.

Smith-Njigba, 23, had an outstanding breakout season in 2024, hauling in 100 receptions (tying the single-season franchise record) for 1,130 yards and six touchdowns. He stole the No. 1 receiver role from DK Metcalf, and while he hasn't quite reached the same highs that Metcalf did earlier in his career, his ceiling is probably even higher.

According to Jacob Infante of Pro Football & Sports Network, Smith-Njigba is the Seahawks' leading candidate to win Offensive Player of the Year after his breakout performance.

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba is tackled by New York Jets cornerback Michael Carter II. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

"In Year 2 of his NFL career, Smith-Njigba exploded for 100 catches, 1,130 yards, and six touchdowns in a Pro Bowl campaign," Infante wrote. "Since then, the Seattle Seahawks have parted ways with Metcalf and [Tyler] Lockett. Sure, they brought in [Cooper] Kupp, but at this stage of his career, he isn’t enough of a threat to knock Smith-Njigba off the WR1 mantle in Seattle."

While Smith-Njigba is still here and ready to build on his excellent season, pretty much everything around him is different. He'll no longer have Metcalf and Lockett by his side, instead working with Kupp and other supporting pieces. Perhaps even more notably, he has a new quarterback throwing to him in Sam Darnold, rather than Geno Smith as in years past.

That said, Smith-Njigba hasn't even hit his prime yet and he's already putting up these numbers. He should be able to handle the change well.

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