NFL Draft 2023: 5 best picks of the first round
By John Buhler
36. Jaxon Smith-Njigba. 4. player. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. WR. Ohio State Buckeyes
Jaxon Smith-Njigba goes to ideal wide receiver situation with Seattle Seahawks
While I didn’t particularly love their first draft pick of the night in taking Illinois cornerback Devon Witherspoon at No. 5, I cannot believe the Seattle Seahawks ended up with former Ohio State star wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Although he was mostly hurt last season, Smith-Njigba joins a receiving corps that already has two proven commodities in D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett.
Seattle may be led by a defensive-minded head coach in Pete Carroll, but one would think offensive coordinator Shane Waldron will be an NFL head coach within the next few years. He is certainly on that trajectory. What I like about Smith-Njigba going to Seattle is he fits in so perfectly in the slot. Keep in mind that he played alongside other star receivers in college with the Buckeyes.
I don’t think this was a particularly great draft for receivers in the upper-end. However, you can get a really good No. 2 option, and Seattle certainly did that with Smith-Njigba. Even as a rookie, he may be overqualified as a No. 3 option, but all this does is prove to everyone that Geno Smith’s breakout season was not a fluke. Seattle is building something pretty special, if you can believe it.
Fit was everything for Smith-Njigba, and I happy he is going to a place that will use him effectively.