The Seattle Seahawks were one team that many people were keeping an eye on coming into the offseason. After looking like they were heading toward a rebuild during the 2022 offseason, the franchise shocked everyone with their performance during the regular season.
Despite trading quarterback Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos and releasing linebacker Bobby Wagner, Seattle ended up going 9-8, earning a Wild Card spot in the NFC Playoffs. They certainly weren’t rebuilding, as they now possessed the assets to quickly turn into contenders.
Armed with two first-round picks in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Seahawks had a chance to add multiple impact players to their roster. With the second of those selections, Seattle opted to upgrade their offensive weapons.
With the No. 20 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Seahawks selected Ohio State wide receiver, Jaxon Smith-Njigba. He ended up being the first wide receiver off the board and Seattle couldn’t have been happier about how things turned out.
Smith-Njibga was dominant during the 2021 season for the Buckeyes before injuries derailed his 2022 campaign. He started practice as a limited participant, as the team didn’t want to push him too soon. But, once he was cleared, he looked as good as advertised.
The Ohio State product made a good first impression on quarterback Geno Smith. Smith, who resurrected his career in 2022, was very impressed by the route running and attention to detail his newest weapon showcased during minicamp.
“He’s so impressive,” quarterback Geno Smith said. “Very smooth route-runner. Natural hands. Also, the game is not too big for him. You can see he’s got that self-confidence that you look for.”
Throughout the pre-draft process, evaluators lauded the route-running ability that Smith-Njigba possessed but one knock against him was his speed and athleticism. Despite the knock, both attributes were on full display.
One standout from minicamp, according to Brady Henderson of ESPN, was Smith-Ngjiba blowing by fellow first-round pick, Devon Witherspoon, on a wheel route for a long touchdown. If Smith-Njigba has unlocked another level of his game as a downfield threat, he is going to be difficult to stop.
2022 was an impressive season for Smith and the Seahawks’ offense, but the addition of Smith-Njigba could take things to another level. Adding him to a passing attack that already includes D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett gives Smith arguably the best wide receiver trio in the NFL.
