Jaxon Smith-Njigba WR Ohio State: Scouting Report

Height: 6’1

Weight: 200

Overall

Jaxon Smith-Njigba is an electrifying receiver in Ohio State’s pass heavy offense. In his 3 collegiate seasons, he played in 23 games, starting 16 of them. He suffered a hamstring injury in the season opener against Notre Dame this past season which lingered throughout the year resulting in him only playing in 3 games. When he was fully healthy in 2021 though, he was extremely productive.

Pass Game

Smith-Njigba is very quick off the line of scrimmage and his shiftiness and acceleration allows him to create a lot of separation at the top of his routes. He has a lot of route savvy and ran a lot of different routes while in college which will allow him to have an easier transition to the pros. He has good size but he has some struggles against physical corners who get hands on him down the field. He has good hands and made some very difficult catches on film but he makes too many body catches as well. After the catch, he is explosive at the 2nd level where he has the space to juke defenders and outrun deep safeties but he often goes down on first contact. When the play breaks down he does a very good job of getting his eyes back to the quarterback and finding open space to create an easy outlet space for the passer outside of the pocket. 

Run Game

Smith-Njigba was often used on wide receiver screens and occasionally on jet sweeps where he had some success using his speed but he still struggled creating yards after contact. As a blocker he shows a lot of effort on film to create space for his teammates on the outside.

Last Word

Smith-Njigba played almost entirely in the slot on film but he has the size and athleticism to be utilized on the outside and as a constant motion man. He projects best in a pass heavy offense that will get the ball in his hands down the field. He plays his best football when he gets the ball in space to use his playmaking ability to get up the field in a hurry. He demonstrated this well when he had a remarkable performance against Utah in the 2021 Rose Bowl. His hamstring injury this past season is a concern but when he plays at full health, he is a number 1 receiver.

One-Liner: Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s ability to create separation in his routes and make plays after the catch will allow him to be an immediate impact player in the NFL, if he is at full health.

Grade:7.1 (High End 3 Down Starter)

Games Watched: 2022 - Notre Dame; 2021 - Utah, Penn State, Nebraska

Team Fits: Los Angeles Chargers, Chicago Bears, Minnesota Vikings