A hamstring injury limited him to three games in 2022, though. Can the Lions fix their defense? NFL teams had hoped to see Smith-Njigba run the 40 in Indianapolis to compare him against the rest of the top wide receivers in 2023. 6 Ohio State still trails, 38-31 with the 4th quarter underway. Smith -Njigba played minimally with Bears . Smith-Njigba and Addison finished third and fourth in receiving yards in 2021, respectively, first and second among Power Five players, and JSN's Rose Bowl performance put him over the top. Rice is 6-0 200, Flowers is 5-9 180. Ohio State star wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who has been limited to parts of two games this season because of a hamstring injury, returned Saturday to start in the Buckeyes' 54-10 blowout of . Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. TOP 2023 WRs. After that performance, he was touted as one of the top prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft. It is impossible to ignore his monster finish to the 2021 season, and he has starting slot potential, but the speed concerns coupled with an injury-plagued 2022 season threaten to negatively impact his draft stock.". Stats. Smith-Njigba entered Ohio State in 2020 with a ton of pedigree. I see myself as a top-five player in this draft. Plays Football. As a blocker, Smith-Njigba is an energetic and high-effort player. I don't think he'll be limited to just a slot receiver in the NFL. The Ohio State WR has great zone and blind-spot awareness, and he can exploit spaces quickly. Smith-Njigba could be an immediate target hog in the NFL. , Most TD passes in single season by B1G QB, all-time:
50 - Dwayne Haskins, Ohio State (2018)
41 - C.J. But I just haven't had enough reps on the 40 yet, so pro day you'll see me run.". Sat., Jan. 1, 2022; Pasadena, California, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) races to the end zone for a touchdown during the second quarter of the 108th Rose Bowl Game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Utah Utes at the Rose Bowl. Like other Ohio State WRs before him, Smith-Njigba isnt an overwhelming size threat. Harrison, a freshman, also had the best game of his career with Olave and Wilson out of the lineup. If production was the only factor, then hed have that title locked down. His size and strong lower body make him a tricky task for corners once the ball is in his hands. Even without elite explosiveness, hes still a very abrupt player whose natural suddenness provides ample value. The NFL offseason is here (silently chuckles on the inside). Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. Another component that helps Smith-Njigba, however, is his agility and ease of motion. - He's a Grade A slot receiver. Ohio State's Jaxon Smith-Njigba is seen as one of the top wide receiver prospects ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft. Jaxon Smith-Njigba rose to stardom at Rockwell High School in Rockwell, Texas, where he became a five-star recruit, according to both 24/7 sports and Rivals. Fellow Buckeye Jaxon Smith-Njigba most likely won't be a top five pick but he believes he's that type of talent. The silver lining is that the Ohio State WR flashes great explosive capacity. He had six drops in his 2021 campaign. They were saying the Giants needed OL, edge and CB first. XFL Week 3 preview: Can AJ McCarron, Battlehawks continue their fourth-quarter heroics? Can beat the press with elusiveness or physical contact. [16] Smith-Njigba's older brother, Canaan Smith-Njigba, plays for the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball (MLB).[17]. A native of Rockwall, TX, Smith-Njigba has impressive route-running, agility, and a knack for making plays with the ball in his hands. 4 Zay Flowers - Boston College. [13] In that game, he also recorded 15 receptions (tying his own record set in the aforementioned Nebraska game) and passed David Boston for the single season receiving yards record at Ohio State with 1,606. Career; Var 19-20; Var 18-19; Var 17-18; Var 16-17; Career Stats. He tossed a touchdown on his second drive of the third quarter before OSU tacked on a field goal to cut into Utah's lead, dicing the score to 38-31. Saturday's game was Ohio State's 16th appearance in the Rose Bowl, entering with an 8-7 record in Pasadena. And Smith-Njigba holds up his end there as well. The No. The Ohio State WR also has great stop-and-start ability and can break at impressive angles with his loose hips. And as a true sophomore in 2021, Smith-Njigba led a talented Buckeyes receiving corps in both receptions and receiving yards with 95 catches for 1,606 yards and nine scores. Jaxon Smith-Njigba believes Ohio State would have won the national championship had he been healthy all of last season. Smith-Njigba (hamstring) said he's 100 percent healthy, according to ESPN's Turron Davenport. Index Of This Post [ show] The Ohio State WR sometimes needs room to quicken his feet and build up speed in short spaces. After catching 95 passes for 1,606 yards and nine touchdowns as a sophomore in 2021, Smith-Njigba . - He's great at getting open on broken plays, as he can often be found scrambling around nearly as much as his quarterback while trying to get open. by Matthew Jones. I just try to use all those qualities and get the job done. Smith-Njigba showed some star potential in college, especially during the 2021 season in which he finished with 95 catches for 1,606 yards and nine touchdowns. 2005-2023 CBS INTERACTIVE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 1 Pick, The Case for C.J. Smith-Njigba struggles with injury after first catch (0:19) Jaxon Smith-Njigba takes a big hit on his first catch and doesn't come back in the game until late in the second quarter. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. We present them here for purely educational purposes. Check out Jaxon Smith-Njigba's College Gamelog and More College Stats at Sports-Reference.com . He earned rave reviews from a number of media outlets. Those are two of the most important jobs for a wide receiver. They won that game 64-6. Is Ohio State WR and 2023 NFL Draft prospect Jaxon Smith-Njigba the best of the bunch from the historic 2021 OSU trio? In 2022, Fields rushed for 1,143 yardsthe second most by a quarterback in NFL historyand eight touchdowns and threw for 2,242 yards with 17 TDs, 11 interceptions and an 85.2 passer rating. He also uses route angles and sudden movements at stems to generate displacement. Seeing him against press coverage in 2021 will be key, but he projects well there. Additionally, he primarily operated out of the slot in 2021 and frequently had free releases. As a prospect, he rated as the 29th overall prospect. . Stroud dropped a dime to Marvin Harrison Jr. , C.J. Smith-Njigba was ninth in yards per route run on deep targets, tied for first in PFF deep receiving grade, and second in passer rating when targeted on routes 20-plus yards in 2021 (minimum 15 deep targets). [7] A 5 star prospect and the #5 ranked wide receiver in the nation, Smith-Njigba received offers from many top college football programs including Notre Dame, Nebraska and Ole Miss. 10 overall to the Jets) and Chris Olave (No. Are you looking to contact Customer Support about a subscription or account related question? Smith-Njigbas snap at the top of his stem is excellent, which allows him to create easy separation. After the departure of Davante Adams and Marquez Valdes-Scantling during the 2022 off-season, many thought that a wide receiver would be on their mind in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft. [11] On November 6, 2021, Smith-Njigba recorded 15 receptions (single game school record) for 240 yards (the second most receiving yards in a game in school history at the time) and one touchdown in a 2617 win against Nebraska. "I see myself as a top-five player, not just a receiver. Lets find out. Smith-Njigba struggles with injury after first catch, These five players highlight 2023 NFL mock draft. In a wide receivers room that also featured reigning 2022 Offensive Rookie of the Year Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave, Smith-Njigba led the Buckeyes with 95 receptions, 1,606 receiving yards (16.9 yards per catch) and nine touchdowns. Jaxon Smith-njigba Stats, News, Fantasy Football Rankings Jaxon Smith-Njigba Wide Receiver Number # AGE 21 weight 198 lbs. Garrett Wilson in 2021 on Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Stroud has a message for those who question whether Fields can excel as a passer and not just a runner. Jaxon Smith-Njigba says he's 100% but skipping 40-yard dash Wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba won't run the 40 at the scouting combine but says he is fully healed from the hamstring. He can create in minimal space with the best of them. "I just think . January 21, 2023 11:30 pm ET. Good effort and technique as a blocker for his size. Furthermore, he shows off exceptional reaction quickness and makes high-difficulty adjustments with very little response time. He only played three games in 2022 due to a lingering. Other than his standout sophomore season, Smith-Njigba hasn't done much. Do you have a sports website? He was named a starter at the slot receiver position for the Buckeyes going into his sophomore season. Ohio State has a type at wide receiver. His size and strong lower body make him a tricky task for corners once the ball is in his hands. He was replaced by freshman quarterback Bryson Barnes. Smith-Njigba has 326 yards receiving, which is the most in any bowl game in college football history. He capped his 2021 campaign with a ridiculous performance in the Rose Bowl against Utah, catching 15 passes for 347 yards and three touchdowns through the air, setting a new record for receiving yards in the legendary bowl game. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. Is he a player worth trading up for in any way? The next great one Omg @jaxon_smith1 stop it # . Canaan Elijah Smith-Njigba (born April 30, 1999) is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball (MLB). If the Bears have a chance to snag him, JSN feels like one of the few no-brainers of the draft. The Buckeyes are winning 45-38 thanks to the 85-yard drive capped by Smith-Njigba. He caught just five passes for 43 yards in his final season with the Buckeyes, which has some wondering how teams currently view him with his best season over a year removed. Smith-Njigba is just 20 years old. Stroud completed 37 of 46 passes for 572 yards and six touchdowns against one interception. Rising didn't have a performance quite like Stroud's, but he's still worth talking about. MORE:Tracking the fastest 40 times from the 2023 NFL Combine, "My playmaking ability is second to none," Smith-Njigba said. ANY GAME! Or write about sports? Ohio State sophomore wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba is earning high praise from coaches and teammates alike this preseason, and is preparing for an increased role in the offense. Smith-Njigba was born and raised in Rockwall, Texas, and graduated from Rockwall High School. He also lacks breakaway long speed and can be run down in open field by plus athletes. But as a 2023 NFL Draft prospect, is Smith-Njigbas scouting report stronger than his predecessors? He has a very reasonable path to success at the next level, but his lack of elite burst and speed are notable concerns. [5][6] Smith-Njigba finished his high school career with 5,346 career receiving yards and 82 touchdowns in 44 games played. There is no doubt C.J. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. Draft analyst Todd McShay reported in December that Smith-Njigba was healthy enough to play in the College Football Playoffs, but chose not to. Copyright 2019-2023. The hamstring injury occurred early in Ohio State's season opener against Notre Dame, and Smith-Njigba went on to play in parts of two more games, finishing the season with five receptions for 43 yards while running a total of 42 receiving routes.
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