SEATTLE — Over his previous two video games, Seattle Seahawks vast receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba has began to emerge as a key offensive possibility.
Smith-Njigba had his first 100-yard recreation in Week 2 towards New England with 12 catches for 117 yards, however he saved his breakout efficiency for Week 9 when he had seven catches for 180 yards and two touchdowns in a house loss towards the Los Angeles Rams.
Smith-Njigba broke the 100-yard mark once more in his subsequent recreation with 10 catches for 110 yards in Seattle’s win over San Francisco.
“It was just a matter of time,” Seahawks vast receiver DK Metcalf stated. “Jaxon is a great receiver. It was just a matter of time before he really got his opportunity to shine, and I’m glad he did it in the fashion that he did.”
The Seahawks drafted Smith-Njigba twentieth total in 2023 after his standout profession at Ohio State, the place he had 95 receptions and 1,606 yards in his sophomore yr.
He had a good yr as a rookie, with 63 receptions for 628 yards in 17 video games. However via 10 video games this season, he already has 678 yards on 60 catches whereas sharing targets with Metcalf and veteran vast receiver Tyler Lockett.
Currently, he has seemingly develop into quarterback Geno Smith’s go-to possibility, as he has led the workforce in targets every of the previous two video games.
“We’re always going to have stuff in the game plan where he’s the primary guy,” coach Mike Macdonald stated. “You see some of the stuff that’s on time, or he’s getting the right spots. How we’re running some of the routes is able to free him up.”
Metcalf attributed a big a part of Smith-Njigba’s current success to his “nonchalant” fashion of play.
“That’s just how he plays the game. Very loose and ‘all right, I’m going to just be me out there,” Metcalf stated. “I think that’s the best way to approach it, just be yourself and let the chips fall.”
Metcalf knew Smith-Njigba was particular after watching him in only one recreation — the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1, 2022, the place Smith-Njigba had 347 receiving yards and three touchdowns within the Buckeyes’ 48-45 win over Utah.
“That was all I need to see,” Metcalf stated.
On Sunday, Smith-Njigba will get to see a well-known face from that recreation, when Arizona Cardinals rookie Marvin Harrison, Jr. involves city. They had been teammates for 2 seasons at Ohio State, and every of them caught three touchdowns in that epic Rose Bowl efficiency.
Smith-Njigba and Harrison are just some of the group of Ohio State receivers at the moment taking part in within the NFL with the New York Jets’ Garrett Wilson and New Orleans Saints’ Chris Olave being a few different Buckeyes who’ve just lately discovered success.
(We take) a lot delight,” Smith-Njigba stated. “For the ones that are still there at Ohio State looking at us, or committed, we take much pride in that, to living up to the standard that the guys ahead of us had created.”
It’s an ordinary that Smith-Njigba appears intent on residing as much as within the NFL, too. Smith sees day by day the expertise that Smith-Njigba brings to the sphere, and raved after the younger receiver’s 180 yard-performance towards the Rams.
With these huge performances coming in simply his second season within the league, Smith sees huge issues forward for his 22-year previous teammate.
“He was all over the place,” Smith stated. “He played with extreme fire. Shoot, he was just doing his thing. That’s who he is. We’ve got to continue to build on that. He’s a guy who is only going to get better and (I) really appreciate playing with him.”