Mike Macdonald coaches a Seahawks minicamp workout.
Momunetal expectations are placed on young NFL players in year two. Rookie seasons are all about how they respond during the transition from college to the pros, but the second focuses on building off that valuable experience. It’s no different for Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, fondly known by all as “JSN.”
“JSN’s a great player and [we’re] expecting big things out of him,” Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said during the second week of organized team activities (OTAs) via ESPN’s Brady Henderson.
Macdonald spoke about the work ethic Smith-Njigba displayed during his second offseason in Seattle: “He’s had a great offseason. Works his tail off, his practice habits are awesome, moving ability is pretty elite.”
Macdonald then revealed a tidbit that the team hopes will unfold once the season gets underway: “I think we’ve got a really cool plan for him.”
#Seahawks HC Mike Macdonald on Jaxon Smith-Njigba:
“JSN’s a great player, and expecting big things out of him. He’s had a great offseason. Works his tail off, his practice habits are awesome, moving ability is pretty elite. So, I think we’ve got a really cool plan for him.”
Seahawks Head Coach Mike Macdonald Has Confidence in Jaxon Smith-Njigba
In Smith-Njigba’s rookie season under then-head coach and offensive coordinator Pete Carroll and Shane Waldron, he was utilized all over the field, both outside and in the slot.
Macdonald doesn’t expect that to change under first-year NFL offensive coordinator Ryan Grub.
“[Smith-Njigba]’s just a hard cover, man,” said Macdonald. “He can play outside, inside, and Grubb does a great job of kind of moving guys around and finding some matchups. His lower body power and flexibility and being able to accelerate and obviously just having great hands and being able to track the ball is pretty impressive.”
Macdonald is confident enough with what he saw during Smith-Njigba’s first season to focus the offense around the 22-year-old.
“He’s a guy that we can focus our offense around, along with other guys,” said Macdonald. “Tyler Lockett is still a great player. DK Metcalf, phenomenal player. The runners, Noah Fant. But he’s definitely going to be a massive piece of what we’re trying to do offensively.”
Jaxon Smith-Njigba Rises From Ohio State University to the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks
Smith-Njigba’s rise from the collegiate ranks to the NFL was impressive.
With his breakout 2021 season, Smith-Njigba was essentially a one-year wonder at the Ohio State University. It was then that he set multiple single-season receiving records at the school and FBS levels. According to his football bio, Smith-Njigba broke the 20-year-old Big Ten receiving yards record set by Lee Evan in 2001.
Based on that season alone, Seattle took a flier on Smith-Njigba, taking the receiver with the second of its two first-round picks in the 2023 NFL draft.
According to College Sports Reference, Smith-Njigba logged 1,698 yards (15.4 yards-per-reception) and 10 touchdowns in three seasons. 1,606 yards and nine of those scores came in his 2021 sophomore season.
Smith-Njigba expected to ride the waves of his stellar second season into what would be his final before declaring for the NFL draft. But his left leg had different plans. In the season’s first game versus Notre Dame, Smith-Njigba suffered a hamstring injury and never fully recovered during the remainder of the year.
Despite the injury, one that’s often tough to shake for athletes, the Seahawks saw enough to risk their 20th-overall pick on the young phenom.