Seahawks Draft Results: WR JAXON SMITH-NJIGBA

Seattle gets the top cornerback and receiver in the same draft! 4/27/2023

With the 20th overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks have selected receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba out of Ohio State. JSN was rated by most analysts as the top receiver in the class and he is the first at his position to come off the board, meaning that the Seahawks have drafted the top cornerback and receiver in the 2023 drafts, following their pick of cornerback Devon Witherspoon at #5.

I felt pretty strong about the potential value of the Seahawks picking a receiver with one of their first three choices in the 2023 draft and rare was the mock that had Smith-Njigba available at 20th overall. It seems apparent that when Seattle saw him get past 19 teams, there was no trade down offer worth moving out of position to give Geno Smith another weapon.

This is a great move for the present and the future of the Seahawks.

Smith-Njigba only played on full season at Ohio State, but he may have been the top receiver in college football in 2021: 95 catches for 1,606 yards and nine touchdowns in 13 games, often taking C.J. Stroud’s attention away from 2022 first round picks Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave.

Wilson and Olave have called Smith-Njigba a lot of things, including the most athletic and best all-around receiver between the three.

On the Seahawks, Smith-Njigba should have an immediate role as Geno’s slot receiver alongside Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf. Teams have become reliant on rookie receivers to have impacts earlier in their careers than ever before with names like Ja’Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson, Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, and Jaylen Waddle all eclipsing 1,000 yards in their rookie seasons within the last three years alone.

I’m not putting that kind of pressure on Smith-Njigba. On the contrary, because JSN doesn’t have the pressure to be Seattle’s first or second receiving threat, he could be a matchup nightmare and rookie season contributor who has a high floor and a limitless ceiling.

I am excited to watch every play of Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s college career this summer! He’s going to have an amazing opportunity in practices to go toe-to-toe with Witherspoon all summer and fall.