Seattle Seahawks 90-Man Roundup: Will Jaxon Smith-Njigba Be WR2?

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba flashed his exceptional talent as a rookie, but was underutilized in 2023. Is he primed for a breakout season?

Connor Benintendi | Jul 8, 2024

Jan 7, 2024; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) makes a catch against Arizona Cardinals cornerback Starling Thomas V (24) during the first half at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports /

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Seattle Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks will open training camp at the VMAC in less than a month, officially ushering in the first season under new coach Mike Macdonald.

In preparation for the new incoming season, we’ll be detailing every member of the Seahawks 90-man roster over the next several weeks, diving into scheme fits, exploring best- and worst-case scenarios and predicting what to expect from each player entering the 2024 campaign.

After showing promise as a rookie, will Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba have a breakout campaign in 2024?

Background

A five-star recruit out of Rockwall High School in Rockwall, Texas, Smith-Njigba was a high-profile commitment to Ohio State as part of the 2020 recruiting class. Smith-Njigba was the No. 2-ranked wide receiver in the nation for the 2020 class, per 247Sports, behind only Julian Fleming, who also committed to Ohio State. However, Smith-Njigba found much greater success with the Buckeyes, breaking out as a sophomore in 2021 with 95 receptions for 1,606 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. He was limited to three games in 2022 after suffering a hamstring strain but still declared for the NFL Draft. Seattle selected Smith-Njigba with the 20th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft as one of the team’s two first-round picks. As a rookie, Smith-Njigba finished with 63 catches for 628 yards and four touchdowns, becoming the Seahawks’ first No. 3 wide receiver to eclipse 600 receiving yards since Tyler Lockett in 2015, who was also a rookie that season.

Scheme Fit

New offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb’s scheme uses slot receivers similar to the Ohio State offense that Smith-Njigba excelled in. Instead of overloading Smith-Njigba with screen passes and short routes at or behind the line of scrimmage, Grubb’s approach should emphasize getting the ball to the elusive wideout in space in the intermediate-to-deep middle third of the field. This is a perfect fit that presents immense potential for explosive plays.

Best Case Scenario

With DK Metcalf’s vertical threat being the primary aspect of Seattle’s offense opponents try to take away, Smith-Njigba shatters even the highest of expectations and leads the Seahawks in catches, receiving yards and touchdowns. He puts together an elite season in an offense that is difficult to defend, posting more than 1,300 receiving yards and seven or more touchdowns.

Worst Case Scenario

The second-year wideout shows very little improvement upon his rookie season, combined with Grubb’s scheme not porting over to the NFL as effectively as hypothesized. Tyler Lockett remains Seattle’s No. 2 wide receiver, and Smith-Njigba remains around 10 yards per catch but sees a slightly higher volume to finish with just under 800 receiving yards and a few touchdowns.

What to Expect in 2024

Smith-Njigba should fall somewhere between the best- and worst-case scenarios in 2024, leapfrogging Lockett as the Seahawks’ No. 2 wide receiver behind Metcalf. He should crack 115 targets and post an average depth of target much higher than his 6.4 ADOT last season (81st of 84 wide receivers with at least 50 targets in 2023, per Pro Football Focus) in Grubb’s offense. With those two projections in place, Smith-Njigba should cross 1,000 yards receiving and be a difference maker for Seattle — potentially paving the way for the Seahawks to be a top-10 offense in 2024.

Even though he was a one-year wonder at Ohio State, Smith-Njigba’s 2021 season was not a fluke. He was in an offense that understood how to maximize his talents, and that’s what Grubb will aim to do this season. Smith-Njigba is just 22 years old and, of course, still has plenty of room to improve. He played just 64 percent of Seattle’s total offensive snaps last season, per Pro Football Reference, and will undoubtedly see the field much more in year two. The table is set for a breakout season, and anything less would be a disappointment.

Previous 90-Man Roundups

Published Jul 8, 2024

CONNOR BENINTENDI