When the Seattle Seahawks drafted Jaxon Smith-Njigba with the No. 20 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, it was a statement to Geno Smith that the franchise believes in him. 

Already the Seahawks gave Smith a three-year contract extension. But drafting a No. 3 receiver to pair with Tyler Lockett and D.K. Metcalf was a statement of trust in the 32-year-old starting quarterback who burst onto the scene during the 2022 NFL season. 

And the news gets better. Smith was already impressed with the type of player Smith-Njigba is — and can be. 

"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."

Smith-Njigba has looked exactly as advertised — a skilled route-runner who excels at getting open from the slot throughout the offseason. Despite not being known as a burner, he showed he has plenty of speed. One highlight of the early offseason was when he got behind fellow first-rounder Devon Witherspoon on a wheel route and hauled in a long touchdown. 

Smith-Njigba can turn a short-yardage play into a big gain, and that will undoubtedly make his life easier. 

At the tail end of last season, Smith grew turnover happy. He often tried to force the action. And when the pocket broke down, he was prone to making erroneous decisions. 

With a security blanket like Smith-Njigba, Smith has a security blanket that appears extremely reliable. 

And if the receiver is already impressing his teammates, he is on the perfect path to being a contributor in his rookie season. Smith is clearly impressed and should be thanking the football gods for the decisions the Seahawks made during the draft. 

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Feature image via Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports.