Jaxon Smith-Njigba Emerging as Budding Star in Seahawks' Aerial Attack

With or without DK Metcalf in the lineup, Jaxon Smith-Njigba has arrived as a top-10 caliber wideout for the Seahawks, and few have been better in the clutch.

Oct 6, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) carries the ball after a catch against the New York Giants during the second half at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images / Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Facing a critical 3rd and 3 near midfield inside a minute to play and trailing the San Francisco 49ers by three points, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith quickly took the snap and scanned the field looking for an open receiver.

Sensing pressure collapsing down on him up the middle, Smith stepped up into the pocket and moved to his right, keeping his eyes downfield. After buying additional time, the veteran fired a dart across his body to Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who found a void in the defensive coverage on a sit route, narrowly sneaking the ball past the outstretched arm of 49ers linebacker Fred Warner for a 15-yard completion to extend the drive.

Four plays later, with another Smith-Njigba reception pushing Seattle into the red zone as the clock ticked under 20 seconds on the scoreboard, Smith took off from the pocket again. But this time, he kept the ball himself, beating a pair of oncoming defenders to the left pylon for a game-winning 13-yard rushing touchdown to clinch a hard-fought 20-17 win over San Francisco.

Understandably, Smith has received much of the acclaim in the 24 hours since the Seahawks snapped a six-game losing streak to their bay area rivals, as two long scrambles by the quarterback ultimately won the game. But those opportunities wouldn't have happened without Smith-Njigba's latest efforts in the clutch, as he caught four passes for 38 yards and a pair of first down conversions on the decisive drive, surpassing 100 receiving yards for the second straight week in the process.

"Jaxon is such a special player," Smith said after the game. "His confidence is growing. He can do so many great things out there, he's got such a feel for the game. He knows how to play. He's so young, but he's just a professional in every sense of the word. As long as he continues to work the way that he does, he's got a tremendous future. I think he can be one of the best in this game. He's showing it. He's so tough, he blocks, he catches, he runs after catch, and then he's just a great teammate."

While fans outside of the Pacific Northwest may not yet be privy to Smith-Njigba's talents in a receiving corps already featuring DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, the former Ohio State standout quietly has emerged as one of the NFL's best young receivers in his sophomore season, blossoming into Smith's go-to target with the game on the line.

Through 11 weeks, Smith-Njigba ranks sixth in the NFL in receptions (60), 12th in receiving yards (678), and seventh in yards after the catch (274), stacking up favorably against his peers while excelling in coordinator Ryan Grubb's offense. He has been especially prolific from the slot, snagging a league-best 50 passes for 572 yards and 28 first downs when lining up inside.

As great as those overall numbers are for Smith-Njigba, however, his penchant for coming up big in crucial moments has become his true calling card. Last season, he hauled two game-winning touchdown receptions in the final two minutes to beat the Browns and Eagles, and only two weeks ago, he snagged the game-tying touchdown from Smith to send the Seahawks to overtime against the Rams, finishing the game with a career-high 170 receiving yards.

Earning the trust of his quarterback and the rest of his teammates, Smith-Njigba has come through time and time again late in games, continuing that trend by accounting for nearly half of Seattle's 80 yards on the game-winning drive on Sunday. While he isn't one who gets caught up in individual statistics and simply wants to do whatever he can to help his team win, he acknowledged that he relishes having his number called in critical situations.

"I love those moments," Smith-Njigba said. "I can tell you that. I love making those plays when we need it, when it's time. I love to show up for my team, whenever they ask, whenever they need me, I'm there."

Witnessing Smith-Njigba's latest late-game theatrics with a front row seat on the sideline, coach Mike Macdonald gushed about the second-year pass catcher's propensity for delivering "big time" in high-leverage situations for the Seahawks following the game, lauding him for his ability to get open late in plays to provide a reliable outlet for Smith as the quarterback/receiver connection continues to grow stronger by week.

"It's great, because they're happening within the flow of the progressions," Macdonald commented. "And I think Geno feels like, late in the down, that Jax is going to find a way to get open, so they're building a cool chemistry that we can keep the ball moving and converting on some of those big-time medium-range conversions."

When Smith-Njigba erupted against the Rams two weeks ago, some may have believed his numbers were inflated by Metcalf being sidelined with a knee injury and that he would fall back to earth once his teammate returned to action. But as evidenced on Sunday in Santa Clara, the former first-round pick looks to be coming into his own as a star in his own right, doing everything from making tough catches over the middle to reeling in deep balls downfield to racking up yardage after the catch on screens and quick passes.

In addition, as Smith noted and Macdonald has assessed in recent weeks, Seattle loves what Smith-Njigba provides without the football in his hands, as he has embraced doing the dirty work as a blocker on run plays and made significant improvements in that area of his game as the season has progressed.

Still just 27 games into his career, the sky should be the limit for Smith-Njigba, who has only scratched the surface of his potential. With him playing like a top-10 receiver in his recent two-week explosion and continuing to stack up key catch after key catch in the clutch, the young receiver's ascendance could prove to be a major catalyst for the Seahawks to make a push for a playoff spot in the final seven games.

More Seahawks News

Rapid Reaction: Seahawks Slay Demons, Hand 49ers 20-17 Loss

Seahawks C Connor Williams to Retire From NFL

Seahawks Make Multiple Roster Moves Prior to Week 11 Matchup vs. 49ers

Seahawks' Geno Smith Remains Confident Amidst Skid

Free Agent Gaffes Put Seahawks GM John Schneider Under Microscope