Former NFL Scout Endorses Jaxon Smith-Njigba in the First-Round
There is a lot of pre-draft chatter going on about Ohio State’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
Don’t overthink it. I’ve watched him play in eight games spanning the past two seasons.
This wide receiver (WR) is going to be an elite No. 2 receiver in the NFL on a team that features a superstar No. 1.
I find myself daydreaming about him as the No. 2 in Minnesota paired up with WR Justin Jefferson, or in Buffalo teamed up with WR Stefon Diggs.
Are you kidding me?
Wow, that would be incredible and it would make either of these teams that much harder to defend.
I’ll dare to call him the ultimate “possession receiver,” which always carries a negative connotation associated with the term, but it wasn’t much of a negative for Hall of Fame receivers Steve Largent, Art Monk, or Cris Carter.
Let’s address the elephant in the room
Right off the bat let’s have an open dialogue about his hamstring injury that sidelined him for much of the 2022 season.
I’m not worried about it, not with what Smith-Njigba has put on game film. I tune out the noise about whether he was healthy enough to play, or if he was “preserving himself” for the draft.
I’m sure there will be some teams who talk themselves out of taking Smith-Njigba. Those will be the same teams trying to figure out how to cover him.
Elite flexibility
My scouting mentor, a man with four Super Bowl rings, taught me, “Stick with the dynamic ones.”
Smith-Njigba fits that description with his elite body flexibility he shows in his movements on game film. He’s as flexible as Gumby and he uses that incredible bend to snap off routes like someone who’s breaking a twig in two.
He additionally uses it to routinely make a defender of two miss after the catch – – yes he can pick up the coveted additional yardage after the catch (YAC).
Short-area acceleration
This is what makes him even tougher to cover.
Smith-Njigba shows a short-area second gear coming in and out of route break-points.
Not only does this create separation from corners, but he has some real get-up-and-go once the catch has been made.
Hands made out of glue
Let’s not kid ourselves, being able to catch the ball is what this comes down to. Who cares if a sports car has leather interior if the engine doesn’t have any get-up-and-go?
How is Smith-Njigba catching the ball?
He’s like a check you can take to the bank and cash.
Over three seasons at Ohio State, Smith-Njigba logged 110 catches on 135 targets, which works out to an 81% catch rate.
My favorite receiver at Ohio State
Over the past two seasons of watching the Buckeyes on game film, Smith-Njigba has been my favorite receiver to watch at the school.
Despite WR Garrett Wilson being my documented pre-draft 2022 WR1, I liked #11 even better. Don’t get me wrong, Wilson is special, but…
When it’s all said and done I expect Smith-Njigba to have the most productive career out of Wilson or former Ohio State WR Chris Olave.
#11 Jaxon Smith-Njigba 6-foot-1, 200 pounds
Daniel Kelly’s Final 2023 Draft Grade: First-Round (I would select him)
Projected by 89.4% (down from 94.5% on September 21) of the NFL Draft Community to be a first-round pick as of January 22, 2023 (nflmockdraftdatabase.com)
First Round Mock Big Board: TBD
Level of competition: High
2021 game film reviewed: Purdue, Michigan, and Michigan State (click to view games watched to form this evaluation)
2022 game film reviewed: Notre Dame, Iowa, and Toledo
2021 stats: 95 receptions (112 targets for an 85% catch rate) 1,606 yards (16.9 avg.), 9 TD, 75-yard long
2022 stats: 5 receptions (9 targets for a 55% catch rate) 43 yards (8.6 avg.), 0 TD, 21-long
2023 NFL Draft Scouting Report
Productive possession receiver with decent straight-line speed, short-area burst, great bend, and hands. Tended to line up in the slot. Phenomenal job setting up corners. Knack for getting open and finding the soft spots in coverages. Excels in all the short-to-intermediate routes. Shows quick choppy feet and ability to snap off routes with incredible body flexibility. Can make the first defender miss after the catch. Can head for the sideline too easily and the biggest issue was his catch-radius. Couldn’t haul in passes too low. Not a deep threat. Got after it at times as a blocker. High ceiling.
Final words
The rich will get richer with this pick.
Daniel Kelly is a former NFL Scout with the New York Jets. He was hired on the regime which featured Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, Scott Pioli, Mike Tannenbaum, and Dick Haley. He currently writes for Sports Illustrated New York Jets and he is the Editor-in-Chief for First Round Mock. For more information about him visit his website at whateverittakesbook.com. He can be followed on Twitter @firstroundmock.
Featured Articles
Spencer Rattler Franchise NFL QB
Reading Time: 3 minutes Watch South Carolina QB Spencer Rattler in 10 games from 2023 embedded into this article.
Joe Milton III: GO BIG OR GO HOME
Reading Time: 3 minutes Watch Tennessee Volunteers' QB Joe Milton III in 12 games from 2023 embedded into this article.
Dawg Mentality: Michael Penix Jr., QB, Washington Huskies
Reading Time: 3 minutes Watch eight games of Washington Huskies QB MIchael Penix Jr. embedded into this article.
Jayden Daniels Spends Birthday Serving Those in Need
Reading Time: 2 minutes First Round Mock's Victoria Jonach looks into how Jayden Daniels spent his birthday.
Get to Know The Name Olumuyiwa Fashanu
Reading Time: 3 minutes Watch four games of Penn State offensive tackle Olu Fashanu embedded into this article.
Bo Nix – the Ultimate Scholar Athlete
Reading Time: 3 minutes First Round Mock's Victoria Jonach looks into the details of Bo Nix's accomplishments and how they landed him a huge award.
Iowa’s Cooper DeJean Transitioning to Safety in the NFL?
Reading Time: 3 minutes Watch Iowa defensive back Cooper DeJean in six games embedded into this article.
Marvin Harrison Jr. Doesn’t Like To Go Out of His Way
Reading Time: 3 minutes Watch Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. in eight games embedded into this article.
QB Drake Maye: Bottom-Tier NFL Starter
Reading Time: 3 minutes Watch North Carolina QB Drake Maye in 14 games embedded into this article.
Shocking 2024 NFL Draft Board Released: Quarterbacks
Reading Time: 8 minutes Get the most comprehensive insights available on quarterbacks in the 2024 NFL Draft.