Preseason 2023 NFL Week 2: Biggest Takeaways from Saturday's Games | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors
Jessica Wood The Seattle Seahawks already featured one of the NFL's top wide receiver duos in Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf. During this year's draft, the organization chose to turn the duo into an outstanding trio with the first-round selection Ohio State's Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
The skill set of this year's 20th overall draft pick became immediately evident.
"Oh, man, he's really, really natural," Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll told reporters in June. "He's really a natural athlete, gifted in his timing, in and out of breaks and things and his feel. He also has, which we saw this in the workout at school, he's got great change of direction in him, and he's got this marvelous ability to get in out of his turns."
Natural ability doesn't always translate, though. In Smith-Njigba's case, he showed continued improvement throughout training camp to earn the respect of his quarterback, Geno Smith.
"We've got option routes where he's making quick decisions. He's seeing the same things we're seeing as quarterbacks," Smith said Wednesday. "He's in the right spots. "Then, after that, he's just being himself."
The final step is having everything translate to the field against legitimate competition. In the rookie's first taste of professional action, Smith-Njigba snagged three passes for 25 yards. He caught three balls Saturday for 58 yards, including a 48-yard explosive play, against the Dallas Cowboys.
Seattle Seahawks @SeahawksWhat a dime by <a href="">@DrewLock23</a>. 🎯<br><br>📺 <a href="">#DALvsSEA</a> on KING 5 <a href="">
According to ESPN's Brady Henderson, the performance isn't anything new for those who have regularly attended practice. Smith-Njigba has been "constantly open" and "always looks in control."
The Seahawks' wide receiver corps officially reached the point where opposing defensive coordinators must pick their poison and every choice is the wrong one.