Injuries prevented Jaxon Smith-Njigba from living up to the billing as the best receiver in college football in 2022.
What does that mean for Smith-Njigba's prospects for the 2023 NFL Draft? Will he be the first receiver off the board? Those are questions the Ohio State receiver can answer at the NFL Scouting Combine when receivers work out on Saturday.
Sporting News' latest mock draft has Smith-Njigba as the third receiver off the board behind USC's Jordan Addison and TCU's Quentin Johnston. Smith-Njigba, however, could make a move this weekend.
Smith-Njigba told reporters this week he is at 100 percent but will not run the 40-yard dash in Indianapolis. He will participate in the rest of the on-field drills at the combine, however.
MORE: Where Jaxon Smith-Njigba stands on SN's 125-player draft big board
Read on for more on the Buckeyes receiver, why there should not be concerns, and where Smith-Njigba might land in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba's NFL Combine profile
Smith-Njigba is listed at 6-0, 200 pounds ahead of the NFL Combine. He was a five-star recruit from Rockwall (Texas) High School. In his final two seasons, Smith-Njigba had 201 catches for 3,922 yards and 55 TDs.
He had a breakout season at Ohio State as a sophomore in 2021. Smith-Njigba had 95 catches on 112 targets, an 84.8% catch percentage with Heisman finalist C.J. Stroud. The arrival moment was the 2022 Rose Bowl in which Smith-Njigba had a bowl-record 15 catches for 347 yards and three TDs – including the game-winning score. It was quite the highlight reel.
Smith-Njigba’s 2022 season stopped before it got started. Smith-Njigba suffered a hamstring injury in the opener against Notre Dame on Sept. 3. He had two catches for 33 yards against Toledo on Sept. 17, and he did not play after that until Oct. 22 against Iowa. That was Smith-Njigba’s last game of the season.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Ohio State's 'WRU'
Smith-Njigba will join college teammates Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave, who became the first rookie tandem from the same school to have 1,000-yard seasons in 2022. Wilson won AP Offensive Rookie of the Year award after hauling in 83 catches for 1,103 yards and four TDs. Olave had 72 catches for 1,042 yards and four TDs. Smith-Njigba’s injury opened an opportunity for Marvin Harrison Jr., who was a Unanimous All-American for the Buckeyes last season.
Look for a quote from Wilson to be recirculated at the NFL Scouting Combine. When asked about Smith-Njigba on Aug. 29, 2021 – as in before his breakout season – Wilson had an eye-opening response.
"Jaxon is as good as I've ever seen, probably the best I've ever seen,” Wilson said. "Jaxon is the most natural athlete I’ve ever seen."
MORE: C.J. Stroud urges Bears to stick with Justin Fields: 'That's his team'
Jaxon Smith-Njigba draft concerns
ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay reported there was a notion from NFL scouts that Smith-Njigba sat out of the College Football Playoff semifinal matchup against Georgia to protect himself or the NFL Draft.
"I would love to see him play, and NFL scouts would love to see him play," McShay said on Dec. 31. "There are a lot of reports from NFL scouts I've talked to that have said, 'He's healthy enough to play and he's protecting himself for the draft.'"
Smith-Njigba's mother Maada responded to McShay's report.
"Being (with) my son yesterday for his first day of rehab and seeing his limitations for myself gave me peace (with) our families' choice to get my son healthy," she said in her statement.
McShay has not backed off that assessment, however. On Jan. 27, the analyst doubled down on that evaluation of Smith-Njigba.
"I struggle with Jaxon Smith-Njigba," McShay said. "I really do, because I see the talent there. I see the ability to create. I think he's going to be a No. 3 receiver. And every NFL scout that I've talked to said, 'You take a No. 3 early-mid-second-round pick. That's not a first-round pick.
Jaxon-Smith Njigba: Route-running artist
Smith-Njigba likely will garner praise during the workout portion of the NFL Scouting Combine.
Former Panthers receiver Steve Smith said Smith-Njigba has a "PhD in route running."
Not sure what @jaxon_smith1's college major is, but he definitely has his PHD in route running 💨
— Steve Smith Sr. (@SteveSmithSr89) February 22, 2023
Stay tune for more break downs on #CutToIt✂️ pic.twitter.com/Vc5LEKJvuu
ESPN "College GameDay" analyst Desmond Howard said Smith-Njigba's ability to track the ball in the air also is a separator in his game.
"I think he has great hand-eye coordination and his ability to track the ball is uncanny," Howard told SN. "When I say track the ball, he's a guy who can be running down the right sideline – and naturally you would be looking over your left shoulder for the ball – and he can track it to the point where he can catch it with his right shoulder on the sideline. There are not too many people who can do that."
Smith-Njigba said that is part of his game he will continue to master heading into the next level.
"I like to try to be creative," he said. "Work on my creativity. It's fun because I can do that sitting on the couch in my mind. I've tried some new things, new releases. There is stuff that I can always improve on. I like to work on my overall game and see where it takes me."
Jaxon Smith-Njigba: NFL Draft projection
In SN's latest mock draft, Vinnie Iyer projects the Chargers will take Smith-Njigba with the No. 22 pick.
"The Chargers could think about more defense or offensive line here, but it makes more sense to add another playmaker for Justin Herbert to make their 11 personnel more dynamic for more explosive-minded offensive coordinator Kellen Moore. Smith-Njigba can make big plays everywhere to be a terrific complement to Keenan Allen and Mike Williams."
