Getty Images Jaxon Smith-Njigba is set to visit the Cowboys.
The Dallas Cowboys are set to host Ohio State wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba for a visit ahead of the NFL draft.
Smith-Njigba has already had a top-30 visit with the Atlanta Falcons and will also meet with the Cowboys, Bills, Ravens and Texans ahead of draft day on April 27, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
Smith-Njigba sat out most of last season with Ohio State with injuries but set the Big Ten receiving record in 2021 with 1,606 yards. He was an explosive weapon for the Buckeyes and could be a solid option for the Cowboys with their first-round pick — No. 26 overall.
Smith-Njigba would join a wide receiver corps that includes CeeDee Lamb, Brandin Cooks and Michael Gallup, among others. It would be a great spot where he could learn from some top-tier veterans, while not being expected to carry the load as the top pass-catcher out of the gate.
He previously expressed an interest in joining the Cowboys during a previous interview with RJ Ochoa of “Blogging The Boys.”
“Just growing up right there in Rockwall, Texas, just close and all my family. Being a Cowboy, it would definitely be a blessing and an honor,” Smith-Njigba told Ochoa. “I know that star on that helmet means something. Growing up I always loved watching them play. It was hard sometimes, I’ve been there with the fans. Ups and downs. It would be a blessing, wherever I go, but definitely special if I was a Cowboy.”
Cowboys Gave Themselves Flexibility in Draft With Roster Moves
Recent Cowboys moves:
Franchise tag: RB Tony Pollard
Traded for CB Stephon Gilmore
Traded for WR Brandin Cooks
Re-worked contract: OT Tyron Smith
Re-signed S Donovan Wilson
Re-signed LB Leighton Vander Esch
Re-signed QB Cooper Rush
Re-signed ST ace C.J. Goodwin
Re-signed RB Rico…
The Cowboys made some significant moves this offseason to bolster their positions of need. Dallas traded for former Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore to man the cornerback spot opposite of Trevon Diggs and also brought in Cooks to bolster their pass-catching corps.
Free agency also went swimmingly for the Cowboys, who were able to retain some key pieces as they look to build on a 12-win season. Because of their solid improvements to the roster, the Cowboys have some flexibility with what they can do in the draft.
“Part of the reason I think we’ve been confident in our system is we are able to take care of a lot of our needs before we ever get to the draft,’’ Jones said. “We feel like we’ve done a really good job of that.
“You’re never going to take care of every last one. You certainly want to take care of as many things as possible before you pick, and I think that allows you to have a really successful draft.’’
Cowboys Want to Surround Dak Prescott With Weapons
The Cowboys will be able to pick the most talented player on the board, rather than being hampered by needs. If it’s Smith-Njigba, he’d be a tremendous addition to an offense that has been open about adding more weapons.
“You gotta surround (the quarterback),” Lamb said during Super Bowl week. “You go look at the Eagles, and they’ve got three receivers, a great tight end group, they run the ball well, the O-line is very phenomenal. You look at San Fran, they surrounded their quarterback and you get success ultimately. I mean we’ve got just as many weapons, but that extra player, all it takes is one. You can be so close to the Super Bowl and it can be a deciding factor.”
The one position that the Cowboys could use a significant addition is at running back to help fill the void left by Ezekiel Elliott’s departure. A name the Cowboys have been linked to often is Bijan Robinson, although he may be gone before Dallas is on the clock.
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Cowboys Set to Bring in Highly Touted Ohio State Receiver