Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio State’s next NFL WR, can silence critics at NFL Combine
Injuries prevented Jaxon Smith-Njigba from living up to the bill as college football’s top wide receiver in 2022.
What does this mean for Smith-Njigba’s 2023 NFL Draft prospects? Will he be the first receiver off the board? Those are questions the Ohio State receiver can answer at the NFL Scouting Combine when the receivers practice on Saturday.
Sporting News’ latest mock draft has Smith-Njigba as the third receiver behind USC’s Jordan Addison and TCU’s Quentin Johnston. Smith-Njigba could make a move this weekend, however.
Smith-Njigba told reporters this week he’s at 100 percent but won’t run the 40-yard dash in Indianapolis. However, he will participate in the remainder of the combine’s field exercises.
MORE: Where Jaxon Smith-Njigba sits on SN’s 125-player draft big board
Read on to learn more about the Buckeyes receiver, why there shouldn’t be any concerns, and where Smith-Njigba could end up in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s NFL Combine profile
Smith-Njigba is listed 6-0, 200 pounds ahead of the NFL Combine. He was a five-star recruit at Rockwall (Texas) High School. In his last two seasons, Smith-Njigba had 201 catches for 3,922 yards and 55 TDs.
As a sophomore, he had a breakout season at Ohio State in 2021. Smith-Njigba had 95 catches on 112 targets, an 84.8% catch percentage with Heisman finalist CJ Stroud. The moment of arrival was the 2022 Rose Bowl, where Smith-Njigba had a bowl-record 15 catches for 347 yards and three TDs — including the game-winning score. It was quite a highlight role.
Smith-Njigba’s 2022 season ended before it began. Smith-Njigba suffered a hamstring injury in the opener against Notre Dame on September 3. He had two catches for 33 yards against Toledo on September 17 and then played against Iowa on October 22. That was Smith-Njigba’s last game of the season.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba and the Ohio State “WRU”.
Smith-Njigba will join college teammates Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave, who in 2022 became the first rookie tandem from the same school to complete 1,000-yard seasons. Wilson won AP Offensive Rookie of the Year honors after catching 83 for 1,103 yards and four TDs. Olave had 72 catches for 1,042 yards and four TDs. Smith-Njigba’s injury opened up an opportunity for Marvin Harrison Jr., who was an Unanimous All-American for the Buckeyes last season.
Look for a quote from Wilson to be recirculated at the NFL Scouting Combine. When asked about Smith-Njigba on Aug. 29, 2021 — as before his breakout season — Wilson had a revealing answer.
“Jaxon is the best I’ve ever seen, probably the best I’ve seen,” said Wilson. “Jaxon is the most natural athlete I’ve ever seen.”
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Jaxon Smith-Njigba draft concerns
ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay reported NFL scouts had the idea that Smith-Njigba was knocked out of the college football playoff semifinal game against Georgia to protect himself or the NFL draft.
“I would love to see him play, and NFL scouts would love to see him play,” McShay said Dec. 31. “There’s been a lot of reports from NFL scouts I’ve spoken to that say, ‘He’s healthy enough to play and he’s protecting for the draft.'”
Smith-Njigba’s mother, Maada, responded to McShay’s account.
“Being with[my son]on his first day of rehab yesterday and seeing his limitations for myself gave me peace[with]our families’ decision to get my son healthy,” she said in her statement.
However, McShay has not retracted that assessment. On Jan. 27, the analyst doubled Smith-Njigba’s rating.
“I fight with Jaxon Smith-Njigba,” said McShay. “I really do because I see the talent there. I see the ability to create. I think he will be a #3 receiver. And every NFL scout I spoke to said, ‘You take a No. 3 early-mid 2-round pick. That’s not a first-round pick.
Jaxon-Smith Njigba: Distance Runner
Smith-Njigba is likely to receive praise during the practice portion of the NFL Scouting Combine.
Former Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith said Smith-Njigba has a “PhD in route running.”
ESPN College GameDay analyst Desmond Howard said Smith-Njigba’s ability to track the ball in the air is also a divider in his game.
“I think he has great hand-eye coordination and his ability to track the ball is amazing,” Howard told SN. “When I say chase the ball, he’s a guy who can run down the right touchline – and of course you’d be looking over your left shoulder for the ball – and he can chase it to the point where he can run it with his right shoulder can catch on the sidelines. There aren’t that many people who can do that.”
Smith-Njigba said it was part of his game that he will continue to master to advance to the next level.
“I like trying to be creative,” he said. “Working on my creativity. It’s fun because I can sit on the couch thinking about it. I’ve tried some new things, new releases. There are things I can always improve. I like to work on my overall game and see where it takes me.”
Jaxon Smith-Njigba: NFL Draft Projection
In SN’s latest mock draft, Vinnie Iyer predicts the Chargers will pick No. 22 Smith-Njigba.
“The Chargers could think about more defensive or offensive line here, but it makes more sense to add another playmaker for Justin Herbert to make their 11 staff more dynamic for more explosive offensive coordinator Kellen Moore. Smith-Njigba can make big games anywhere, being a great addition to Keenan Allen and Mike Williams.”