Jaxon Smith-Njigba embracing the future, hamstring injury far in the rearview mirror
Seattle’s No. 20 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft is embracing the bright future ahead of him.
Hamstring injuries are often peculiar.
Returning from them is often a non-linear process, that is directly tied to how each individual player reacts to increased stress on one of the biggest muscles in the human body.
For Jaxon Smith-Njigba, the Seattle Seahawks' No. 20 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the hamstring injury that cost him all but three games in the 2022 college season, is far in the rearview mirror and he doesn't plan on circling back to see it again.
"I think we did it the right way," Smith-Njigba said Tuesday, via the Seattle Times. "I appreciate the training staff and the coaching staff for doing that. It's been a long time since I've really been out there since when I started OTAs, so I feel like we did it the right way, and I appreciate them just slowly building me up, and I feel like we are all ready to go and checked a lot of boxes."
One luxury the Seahawks have is that the organization can ease Smith-Njigba into the fold. With receivers like D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, the Seahawks aren't in an extremely tight bind at the receiver position, meaning Smith-Njigba has the pleasure of learning, slowly, as opposed to being thrown in the deep end.
Lockett, who was at the team's offseason workouts, was already impressed with the rookie receiver. He explained that Smith-Njigba has the right mentality and the right makeup to be a good pro in the NFL.
"I think he's going to be phenomenal, man," Lockett said. "It's always hard just being able to get adjusted when you first come in. But the way he runs routes, the way he's understanding the way that [receivers coach] Sanjay [Lal] coaches, the sky's going to be the limit. I think he's going to be really good at all the things that the Seahawks — that we — want him to be able to do."
Smith-Njigba added: "It's been awesome connecting with the guys, finally being in the building and not dealing with all the draft stuff and just being on my team and just moving forward with those guys and getting to know these guys better… I've enjoyed it. It's what I've been looking forward to for a long time."
With the hamstring injuries in the rookie receiver's rearview mirror, Smith-Njigba is full steam ahead for what is to come in 2023.
Feature image via Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK.
