Going back to his prep days, I still find it hard to believe that Jaxon Smith-Njigba didn’t get his fifth star until the end of the process. There were maybe one or two receivers better than him at the time. All the while, Julian Fleming was the top-ranked receiver in the class. I was vocal about the JSN slight then, and it looks like I’ll have to be vocal about the JSN slight heading into draft season. Oh well. They’ll learn eventually. Or they won’t. Not my problem. He’s been on my rosters for a long time now.
The NFL Combine is this week, so let’s start with measurables. JSN should come in around 6′ tall and 200 pounds. He’s not going to run a blazing 40, and I’m sure you are going to hear a lot about that. His straight-line speed in underwear has no bearing on his play speed on the field.
JSN is a great route runner who uses precision, quickness, and various tempos to get open. He snaps off his routes and accelerates out of breaks to create separation. He understands leverage and repeatedly uses it to his advantage. JSN has good spatial awareness and is able to change direction before or after the catch quickly. At the catch point, he shows soft hands and is not phased by contested catch situations. He’s able to work the middle of the field successfully. He demonstrates the body control to adjust to off-target throws. JSN is able to create for himself after the catch with quick decision-making and the understanding of angles rather than with sheer speed.
He’s going to be a slot receiver. That shouldn’t be an insult. The best receivers in this draft are going to destroy defenses from the slot. JSN is different though. While 80% of his snaps came from the slot, he has the playmaking ability to contribute from anywhere on the field.
If we are being honest, all of his production came in one season, but it was a season where he competed for volume with two other terrific college receivers. While we are bagging on him, he lacks elite top-end speed. He’s been caught from behind more than I’d like to admit.
A lot was made about Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson saying that JSN was the best Ohio State receiver when they were all in school together. While there is some truth to that, I believe there was some ego-boosting afoot. In 2021, when those three played together, JSN not only set school records, but he set Big Ten records for receiving.
As much as I love JSN – his jersey will be on my wall – I don’t think he’s a first round pick because of the lost 2022 season. His landing spot matters, but from a talent standpoint, JSN should finish in the Olave/Wilson ballpark of 77 catches, 1,000 yards, and 4 touchdowns as a rookie.
