Leading up to the 2023 NFL Draft starting on April 27th, we will be releasing several draft profiles of prospects who could potentially see themselves on the Pittsburgh Steelers. Next up...
Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Wide Receiver), The Ohio State University, Junior
Jaxon Smith-Njigba stands in at 6'1" tall, weighing 200lbs, and is one of the most talented wide receivers in the upcoming NFL Draft.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba in the 2022 Rose Bowl. | USA Today
Overview
Smith-Njigba is one of the most polarizing prospects in this year's NFL Draft in terms of where his draft stock currently sits with NFL teams. Smith-Njigba was viewed as the top wide receiver in college football entering last season, but unfortunately, he managed to only play in three games in 2022 as he injured his hamstring very early in the season.
In 2021 however, he lead Ohio State in both receptions (95) and receiving yards (1,606), while recording 9 receiving touchdowns. Those numbers are impressive on their own, but when you consider he did so while sharing the field with 2022 first-round picks Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson, it makes those numbers jaw-dropping. Also, both Wilson and Olave state that Smith-Njigba is the best out of the three, which based on their rookie seasons is crazy to think about. In the 2021 Rose Bowl against Utah, Smith-Njigba recorded 15 catches, 347 receiving yards, and 3 TDs....
Pros:
- Full route tree
- Precise route running
- Quick feet paired with very good acceleration
- Good ball skills
- Good hands
- Size to excel on the perimeter and in the slot
- Gains consistent yards after the catch
- Able to relocate to open area in scramble drills
- Understands when to sit against zone
Cons:
- One year of production
- Inexperienced against press coverage
- Limited production on the perimeter
- Questions around top-end speed
The Steelers have their top two wide receivers set for at least the next two seasons in Diontae Johnson and George Pickens, but you can never have too many weapons for a young quarterback, and I am sure Kenny Pickett and Steeler Nation would enjoy having a threat in the slot. The team didn't really have a slot wide receiver last season after losing JuJu Smith-Schuster to free agency, and Smith-Njigba has proven he can be a great option to fill that role.
Route Running and Separation
When it comes to getting open, there probably isn't a better wide receiver in the 2023 draft class than Smith-Njigba. He has elite separation skills which he can attribute to quick feet, very good acceleration, and crisp route running. Working significantly in the slot throughout his college career, he had to learn to break both directions and understand when to settle against zone coverage. It is unclear at this point if he will be able to achieve the same level of separation against press coverage since he didn't face it often in college.
Athleticism and RAC
Smith-Njigba is a very natural athlete that never looks out of control or off-balance. He is able to explode in and out of his breaks seamlessly, as well as elevate to high point the ball in contested situations. His 40-yard dash time may not separate himself from the pack this draft season, but because he gets up to speed so quick he is able to still threaten a defense on all three levels. Once the ball is in his hands, he accelerates to open space and is able to make defenders miss. He has a solid build that allows him to occasionally break arm tackles, but he isn't going to be dragging defenders down the field once they get their hands on him.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba makes over the shoulder touchdown catch against Utah in the Rose Bowl | Mark J. Terrill/AP Photo
IQ and Hands
Starting off with his hands, Smith-Njigba has consistently shown the ability to make catches of all difficulty. While he has made a lot of contested catches in traffic, he always maintained concentration on making the easy catches as well, which isn't always the easiest when you consistently worked across the middle like he did. His IQ is advanced for a player with only one true season of production, as he showed to ability to sit and not run into coverage when playing against zone coverage. There are a couple instances of him trying to do too much at times with the ball in his hands, but that shouldn't be a significant concern moving forward.
NFL Comparison - Chris Godwin
This comparison is 100% to the NFL version of Godwin, and not Godwin coming out of Penn State. Godwin in college was an outide wide receiver, but has turned into one of the premier slot receivers in the NFL. Both Godwin and Smith-Njigba have good initial explosion and quickness that allows them to gain immediate separation across a variety of routes. Godwin has been Tom Brady's favorite wide receiver the past three seasons outside of Mike Evans, and I expect Smith-Njigba will be that for whoever is his quarterback next season.
Draft Projection - First Round/Early Second Round
If you asked prior to the 2022 college football season, Smith-Njigba would be talked about as a top 10 selection. However, because he had such limited play, he has now slid down draft boards and there is a slight chance he might not hear his name called on the first night of the upcoming draft.
Let us know below what you think about Smith-Njigba as a prospect and the potential of seeing him in the black and gold catching passes from Pickett! What other prospects would you be interested in seeing a profile on? Click to comment below!
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