Seahawks Geno Smith loves what Jaxon Smith-Njigba brings to the table
Geno Smith has loved what Jaxon Smith-Njigba brings to the table as a No. 3 receiver.
With OTAs underway, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith got his first look at first-round draft selection Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
The slot receiver drafted out of Ohio State has already impressed Smith, who is singing the rookie's praises loudly.
"He's so impressive," Smith said. "Very smooth route runner. Natural hands. Also, the game is not too big for him. You can see he's got that self-confidence that you look for. He's learning; he's picking up his assignments like all the other rookies and new guys. Jaxon's been tremendous so far, and I'm looking forward to seeing him grow."
During the 2022 season, Smith had D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett as reliable receiving threats. The No. 3 receiver was always in flux and in question. With Smith-Njigba, that is no longer the case.
And Smith isn't the only person impressed with what Smith-Njigba brings to the table. Seahawks offensive coordinator Shane Waldron is oozing with excitement regarding what the Ohio State product could be in his rookie campaign.
"He's done a good job just kind of blending in with the team," said Waldron. "Getting used to the guys, getting used to the building and the environment here. He's done a great job with the work that he's been able to do so far. You see a lot of his natural talent really showcased, especially in some of the individual drills and some of the individual work. So, excited to work with him and watch him progress throughout this OTA and into training camp."
At the heart of the offense with Seattle is a wide receiver group that is best characterized by its versatility.
Dee Eskridge, a 2021 second-round pick whose early career has been riddled with injuries, is returning and Waldron named him as a player to watch for throughout the offseason and training camp.
"I think Dee's done a great job of showing up," Waldron said. "We know he's had some unfortunate circumstances in terms of the bad luck with injuries over the past few seasons. So he showed up again, ready to work, not letting the past affect his current approach right here. So right away out on the grass, you see his twitchiness, his explosion, his feel for the game. And looking forward to seeing what he can bring to the table as we go through the offseason programming and camp."
In all, Seattle has a good problem to have: Too much talent at wide receiver. If Smith can play up to his quarterback potential and Smith-Njigba is everything he has been advertised to be, Seattle is in great hands.
