Seahawks draft WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba at No. 20

The Seattle Seahawks selected Ohio State wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, 20th overall.

Smith-Njigba joins Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf in Seattle's receiver room after being the first wideout picked.

The Ohio State product will be catching passes from the reigning Comeback Player of the Year Geno Smith.

Smith-Njigba missed most of 2022 but was nearly unstoppable the year before when he put up 95 receptions, 1,606 yards, and nine touchdowns in 13 games.

Pre-draft profile

Smith-Njigba is perhaps the most divisive receiver prospect this year. There's no question that his ceiling is likely the highest of his peers and could push him to WR1 when pundits look back at the 2023 class. But Smith-Njigba's durability could be called into the spotlight after he missed all but three games last season with a hamstring injury. While he took the college world by storm in 2021, it's fair to point out that the majority of his production came in a burst. Still, it's hard not to be amazed by what the Ohio State star showed when healthy. He's an excellent route-runner who thrives at the stem of his routes with nifty footwork. He also flashes outstanding body control and concentration to make tough grabs in tight windows. Smith-Njigba has the size to survive, but figuring out whether he's limited to a slot role or can hang outside will be at the top of his next team's agenda. With his ceiling, it'd be foolish not to explore his capabilities.

Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.