Jaxon Smith-Njigba certainly has drawn mixed reviews from the NFL Draft circles, some people swearing by him and others amplifying his weaknesses. I think that there’s a mix – he will be a very effective slot receiver, and I am worried about his ability to win from the boundary. But, there’s no doubt that he knows how to set defenders up to get open. His route running prowess at his age is incredible. 

I don’t see the upside potential with Jaxon Smith-Njigba. He looks to me like he’s pretty much a finished product who is who he is. The route running is near flawless, and he’s not going to be a deep threat consistently. 

Jaxon Smith-Njigba is going to lead the NFL in receptions and receiving yards one day
pic.twitter.com/J5tqFbddX8

— Kendell Hollowell (@KHollowell_) March 29, 2023

Missed just about the entire 2022 season with an injury that kept him out of 10 games.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s scouting report

Athletic Ability (25)

Speed/Athleticism: 15

• Speed (5/7) – Doesn’t look like he’s running very fast, but when he turns on the jets, he is gone. Speed is middling in the overall position group. Just not as quick as he could be. 
• Change of Direction (4/4) – Drilled through change of direction drills with crazy quickness. Changes direction pretty well on tape. 3.93 short shuttle is absolutely bonkers. 
• Body Control (3.5/4) – Excellent body control and strength. Does a good job manipulating movement to work around defenders. Shows good body agility. 

Acceleration/Burst: 10 

• Acceleration (3.5/5) – Doesn’t accelerate as well but once he gets up to speed, he is flying. 
• Explosiveness (3.5/5) – Fairly explosive receiver. 

Receiver Technique (25)

Route Running: 15 

• Footwork (7/7) – Ridiculous route runner. Might be a top-ten route runner as soon as he enters the league. 
• Route Tree (4/5) – Ran a good route tree at Ohio State, but ran 83% of his career routes from the slot. Some people are afraid that JSN will be limited to the slot. 
• Nuances (3/3) – Extremely nuanced route runner. Knows how to set defenders up and will consistently get open. Special in this regard. 

Release/Flexibility: 10

• Release Ability (3.5/5) – Release looks lazy at times. I don’t see him winning to often through a more physical press cornerback. Has quick enough feet to work through his release, just not consistent handling jams effectively. 
• Sideline Work (3.5/5) – Shows good body control to work the sideline well. 

Catch Ability (25)

Catch Ability: 15

• Natural Catch Ability (8.5/10) – Good hands with an excellent catch radius. Very strong hands. Good, natural hands. 
• Consistency (4/5) – Just 6 career drops (all in 2021 – accounted for a 5.9% drop rate). 

Contested Catch Ability: 10 

• Vertical Ability (3/5) – Offers limited vertical ability. Won’t really be a contested catch receiver. Mostly was schemed to space to win his routes. 
• Catch Through Contact (3/5) – Doesn’t always do a great job of catching through contact. Struggles with maintaining his focus, especially deep. 

Schematic Versatility (20)

Deep Threat/RAC: 10 

• Deep Threat Ability (3/5) – Offers some deep ball ability, but it isn’t so much his forte. Struggles to track the ball effectively. 
• Run After Catch Ability (4.5/5) – A master after the catch. Excellent at his craft. Can make defenders miss in a variety of ways. 

Run Blocking: 10

• Strength (3.5/5) – Strong run blocker. Wasn’t asked to do it often but looked good when he did. 
• Consistency (3.5/5) – Fairly consistent. 

Overall: (80.5) – 1st/2nd Round