Jaxon Smith-Njigba the type of player the Seahawks haven't had in 'quite some time'
Seattle drafted Ohio State Wide Receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and he is a player the Seahawks haven’t had in some time.
When the Seattle Seahawks drafted Ohio State wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, the organization hoped it was making a safe bet on his talent as the No. 3 receiver in the Seahawks' offense.
And as the team plunges through the offseason, Smith-Njigba is proving to be a style of player the Seahawks haven't had in recent seasons.
"We haven't had a player in quite some time – a young player, a rookie coming in – with his instincts and his ability to separate from the slot, so we're excited about him," said Matt Berry, the Seahawks' senior director of player personnel, on a recent episode of the Locked On Seahawks podcast. "I think he just adds another weapon… You look at where he's going to start, it's going to be in the slot. His ability to create separation now, his feel [for coverage], his ability to be a quarterback-friendly player, his transition post catch, it just puts that much more pressure on a secondary and defense."
It is clear the Seahawks' organization feels fortunate to have landed Smith-Njigba. Team general manager John Schneider and head coach Pete Carroll have san the Ohio State receiver's praises, and Berry is validating much of the praise the potential star receiver has earned.
What makes Smith-Njigba so dangerous is his catch radius. He made it commonplace to make difficult catches look easy at Ohio State. And with D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, Smith-Njigba represents a near embarrassment of offensive riches starting quarterback Geno Smith has at his disposal.
Already, Berry is comparing what Smith-Njigba brings to the table to Doug Baldwin, the two-time Pro Bowl receiver who played for the Seahawks from 2011-2018.
"You're comparing his change of direction to Doug Baldwin when you're looking at the short shuttle and stuff," Berry said. " … He reminded all of us how talented he was. And then he built on it at the pro day. And he ran when people didn't think he should run. That just speaks to the type of makeup and the type of competitor and wanting to prove himself and how special a prospect, an individual he actually is. We were jacked up together as a group."
Those are big shoes for Smith-Njigba to fill, but it is apparent that the Seahawks believe he has the talent to walk in familiar shoes. Throughout OTA and the rest of the offseason, the recent first-round draftee will only get better.
