The NFL offseason is here (silently chuckles on the inside). 10 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft believes Smith-Njigba brings a skill set greater than that of himself or Chris Olave, another Ohio State alum who went in the first round of last year's draft. [13] In that game, he also recorded 15 receptions (tying his own record set in the aforementioned Nebraska game) and passed David Boston for the single season receiving yards record at Ohio State with 1,606. He can manipulate defensive backs and tempo routes to maximize space. Statistics. Receiving. It is impossible to ignore his monster finish to the 2021 season, and he has starting slot potential, but the speed concerns coupled with an injury-plagued 2022 season threaten to negatively impact his draft stock.". Also, in saying that, it has to be mentioned that he is plenty quick to win in the NFL. Ohio State's C.J. Stroud, Jaxon Smith-Njigba speak at NFL Combine - Hes difficult to bring down. Smith-Njigba has 326 yards receiving, which is the most in any bowl game in college football history. He has a very reasonable path to success at the next level, but his lack of elite burst and speed are notable concerns. 2023 NFL Draft: Ohio State's Jaxon Smith-Njigba explains why he is the Index Of This Post [ show] Additionally, the Ohio State WR consistently finishes forward on RAC plays and actively uses stiff arms to delay and disrupt tackle attempts. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? (31%*), 30 2/8 He averaged 8.3 yards after the catch in 2021 and will likely continue that trend in the NFL. Smith-Njigba was the leading receiver on a team that featured last year's NFL rookie . NFL teams really only have his 2021 stats (95 . Scouting Jaxon Smith-Njigba: What to know about Ohio State WR ahead of The Buckeyes entered with a chip on their shoulder after missing out on the College Football Playoff for the first time in three years. - Speaking of which, he's a YAC machine. He capped his 2021 campaign with a ridiculous performance in the Rose Bowl against Utah, catching 15 passes for 347 yards and three touchdowns through the air, setting a new record for receiving yards in the legendary bowl game. The duo didnt work together beyond one season, but it still matters. Going further, Smith-Njigba has the play strength to pry the ball away from DBs at the catch point. Still, he had earned more than a few admirers, interviewer after interviewer peppering him with questions. A former five-star recruit, Smith-Njigba has dominated everywhere hes been. Jaxon Smith-Njigba sets FBS bowl game, multiple Ohio State records with Ohio State has a type at wide receiver. Jordan Addison and Jaxon Smith-Njigba Have Earned Their Status Atop It should also be noted that the Buckeyes were without a whopping 24 players against Utah for various reasons, which makes their performance even more impressive. For his size, Smith-Njigba is surprisingly physical. The 2021 season showed what he could do, however, as he totaled 95 catches for 1,606 yards and nine touchdowns. He wont always win on explosiveness alone, and he doesnt cover a ton of ground off initial explosions out of cuts. pic.twitter.com/hnVSJjNp6c, Most TD passes in single season by B1G QB, all-time:
50 - Dwayne Haskins, Ohio State (2018)
41 - C.J. Rushing. Smith-Njigba showed some star potential in college, especially during the 2021 season in which he finished with 95 catches for 1,606 yards and nine touchdowns. Furthermore, he shows off exceptional reaction quickness and makes high-difficulty adjustments with very little response time. He was replaced by freshman quarterback Bryson Barnes. Has a knack for getting open and is a quarterback's best friend - passers just need to toss the ball in his area and he'll come down with it. Smith-Njigba's performance helped C.J. A hamstring injury limited him to three games in 2022, though. Smith-Njigba played minimally with Bears quarterback Justin Fields at Ohio State in 2020, catching 10 passes for 49 yards and a touchdown that year, but it was his sophomore campaign in 2021 that put him on the map nationally. Elsewhere, Smith-Njigba is prone to occasional focus drops, often when he has to extend beyond his frame for passes. Over the final five games of the 2021 season, the Texas native accumulated 60 receptions for 958 yards and six touchdowns. - He's great at getting open on broken plays, as he can often be found scrambling around nearly as much as his quarterback while trying to get open. Jaxon Smith-Njigba drops huge injury update, bold message at Combine Ohio State star wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who has been limited to parts of two games this season because of a hamstring injury, returned Saturday to start in the Buckeyes' 54-10 blowout of . Speaking of which, he's a YAC machine. He believes that if he had, confetti could have rained down on the scarlet and gray. Ohio State WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba to miss Peach Bowl, enter 2023 NFL Draft Smith-Njigba had five receptions for 43 yards this season. Those things translate. Mel Kiper Has Patriots Taking Stud Receiver In Latest Mock Draft It did not take long for Smith-Njigba to support those remarks. Time will tell where he gets drafted, but he's currently one of the more intriguing prospects at wide receiver in the upcoming draft. 1 site covering the team! STROUD 50-YARD TD TO JAXON SMITH-NJIGBA pic.twitter.com/c8lD3QjpqU, Jaxon Smith-Njigba hit the BURNERS to score pic.twitter.com/TatHql3xZ6, OHIO STATE TURNS IT OVER pic.twitter.com/TLO9BniXJi. 1 Pick, The Case for Bryce Young To Be the No. While both had their own unique nuances as individual prospects, they both won largely with their ability to separate and convert at the catch point. He also uses route angles and sudden movements at stems to generate displacement. Smith-Njigba feels 100% after injury-marred '22, Kiper's updated NFL mock draft: Who's moving up for a QB? Current draft projection for Ohio State WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Ohio State receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba said he met with the New England Patriots at the combine and also praised the franchise and Mac Jones. - He has had an issue hanging onto the ball at times. You can check them all out in our, How to Prepare for Your Dynasty Rookie Draft, Dynasty Rookie Draft Pick Trade Strategy & Advice, Fantasy Football Draft Values to Target: Tight Ends (2023), Dynasty Trade Advice: Trade Jamaal Williams (2023 Fantasy Football), Fantasy Football Draft Sleepers: Jake Ferguson (2023), 2023 NFL Free Agent Predictions: Aaron Rodgers & Jimmy Garoppolo (Fantasy Football), 2023 NFL Free Agent Running Backs: Devin Singletary (Fantasy Football), Fantasy Football Draft Quarterback Breakouts (2023), No, I'm a California resident looking for the California Consumer Privacy Act form, Limited to three games played in 2022 due to a hamstring injury. [8][9], Smith-Njigba played in seven games as a freshman and led Ohio State's freshmen with 10 receptions for 49 yards and one touchdown.[10]. And looking at his evaluation, that early-round billing is warranted. 9 The Ohio State WR has near-elite stopping ability. However, he needs more press experience on the boundary to prove it. Runs elite crisp routes with sharp cuts. He has 15 receptions for 92 receiving yards and a score. As a result, many are interested to see how he tests at the Scouting Combine. He also holds Ohio State records for most catches in a single game with 15 (twice) and most receiving yards in a single season with 1,606 during the 2021 season. UTAH HITS THE END ZONE FIRST IN THE @rosebowlgame
: ESPN pic.twitter.com/ViwcC57gPb, UTAH 97-YARD KICK RETURN TD pic.twitter.com/Vx5K537La6, CAMERON RISING WOULD NOT BE STOPPED pic.twitter.com/RCIwiwaQQ4. In 2021, he earned third-team All-America after snagging 95 catches for 1,606 yards and nine touchdowns as a sophomore. 11 Utah. He holds the FBS Bowl Game and Ohio State single game record for most receiving yards with 347 in the 2022 Rose Bowl. TOP 2023 WRs. Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Draft analyst Todd McShay reported in December that Smith-Njigba was healthy enough to play in the College Football Playoffs, but chose not to. Smith-Njigba finished the game with a mind-boggling 15 catches, 347 yards and three touchdowns as Ohio State scored a dramatic 48-45 victory over the Utes. C.J. The Ohio State WR is a natural hands catcher, with incredibly smooth body control in the open field when adjusting for throws. Jaxon Smith-Njigba plays wide receiver for Ohio State in college football. He wont blow defenders out of their cleats, but he has the functional strength to hold running lanes or clear a path. Jaxon Smith-Njigba Rose Bowl stats: 15 receptions, 346 receiving yards, three touchdowns; College football world reacts to Jaxon Smith-Njigba's historic Rose Bowl game. His size and strong lower body make him a tricky task for corners once the ball is in his hands. [12] Later that season, he set both an Ohio State single game and FBS Bowl record for receiving yards with 347 in Ohio State's win in the 2022 Rose Bowl. Who are the top WR's in the 2023 NFL draft? Stroud and Smith-Njigba are cooking . If anything, Saturday's game showed us the Buckeyes are in good hands moving forward. He was named a starter at the slot receiver position for the Buckeyes going into his sophomore season. We'll see if this matters at all when it comes to his draft stock. 2023 NFL Draft: Jaxon Smith-Njigba says Packers 'are definitely looking