Could Jaxon Smith-Njigba Become Seattle Seahawks Top Receiver in 2024?

The Seahawks selected receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba at 20th overall in the 2023 NFL Draft. Could he take a major step forward as receiver No. 1 in year two?

Oct 29, 2023; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) carries the ball after a catch while chased by Cleveland Browns safety Grant Delpit (22) at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports / Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

The Seattle Seahawks made a major investment at the receiver position in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft when they selected Ohio State's Jaxon Smith-Njigba at 20th overall. It was a major move considering both DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett were both performing very well as explosive downfield targets and in the midst of expensive extensions.

Adding Smith-Njigba felt like a luxury with the other needs the Seahawks had at the time. However, the NFL Draft is about taking the players with the most talent rather than taking players based on need. That is how you end up with a talented receiver like Smith-Njigba, who was projected to go earlier than 20th overall.

With new offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb coming in for the 2024 season, Smith-Njigba could be in for a monster season. One Seattle radio host, former Seahawks wide receiver Bryan Walters, believes he could be their top receiver in 2024.

“I think this year he’s just gonna hit his stride,” Walters said. “He really does look good. I loved what I saw. So I wouldn’t be surprised – and this is no knock on DK – if he is the No. 1 guy this year and he does put up the best stats.

“Just watching JSN and seeing the jump he has made already … you can just see he’s gonna be a go-to guy for Geno. Could he be a No. 1 guy this year? Maybe. I mean, the way he looked out there – I think he had three touchdowns in the little red-zone period I watched, and it was like nothing. Just great plays, smooth, effortless."

- Bryan Walters

The idea of Smith-Njigba being the top guy is interesting, especially since he wasn't ever the top guy at Ohio State. He was behind first-round picks Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson in 2021 and injured himself in the opening game of 2022, barely playing the rest of the year.

As a result, when he entered the NFL Draft, there were a lot of questions revolving around Smith-Njigba. Could he play on the outside with his size and speed? Was he a good enough athlete? Was he only productive because of his situation at Ohio State?

Those aren't issues for Walters, who believes Smith-Njigba's route running is excellent and he plays faster than his athletic testing times in the pre-draft process two years ago.

“JSN is smooth, man,” Walters said. “He makes it look effortless. I always say as a wide receiver, if you want to be one of the best wideouts you can be, you’ve gotta make every route look the same. Coming off the ball, everything’s gotta look the same to that (defensive back). If you’re giving a little lean or you’re coming off a little slower than usual or coming off fast, then that’s all tips to the DB. But I feel like JSN is so smooth with everything that you can’t tell what he’s gonna do.”

- Bryan Walters

During his rookie season, Smith-Njigba caught 63 passes for 628 yards and four touchdowns as the third receiver, coming on strong with much of that production in the final 10 games of the season. But a focus on three and four wide receiver sets in Grubb's system could help elevate him to being the most productive target on the Seahawks.