The 2023 NFL Draft continues to inch closer and closer every passing day. We're now in March, which means the NFL Scouting Combine is underway and the draft itself is less than two months away. Top prospects are continuing to try and raise their draft stocks, and one of those top prospects is Ohio State wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
Smith-Njigba is a very strange case because of how his college career unfolded. He was terrific in 2021, posting 95 catches for 1,606 yards, both team highs, with nine touchdowns. This is the same team that also had Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave at wideout, both of whom were early first-round picks in 2022. His outstanding production got people buzzing, with some projecting he could be a top-1o or even top-five pick in the 2023 draft.
The 2022 season was a very different tale for the star wideout, though. Jaxon Smith-Njigba suffered an injury in the Buckeyes' season opener against Notre Dame, and could never get back to full strength. He played sparingly in just three games this past season, recording just five catches for 43 yards. This caused a significant fall in his draft stock, with many mock drafts now predicting him to go in the 20s.
Still, Smith-Njigba has sky-high potential in the NFL. In fact, there are a number of teams in this range that could benefit from his talents, and should consider taking him. With that said, here are the three best NFL Draft destinations for the Buckeyes' star wideout.
3. Dallas Cowboys
There's no doubt that the Cowboys are a good team, but they have some work to do to become a great one. Dallas' 2022 season was more of the same, finishing 12-5 but falling to the San Francisco 49ers in the Divisional Round. Now, the team faces a number of substantial questions this offseason on its quest to become true contenders.
One area where Dallas could improve is at wide receiver. Ceedee Lamb is great, but there's not much depth behind him as he had over 800 more yards than the next-closest wideout this season. If opposing defenses decide to key in on Lamb, then the Cowboys' passing game takes a massive hit.
Enter Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who could be an excellent No. 2 receiver behind Lamb. He has already shown that he performs well with other elite wideouts, as he did in 2021 with Wilson and Olave. One snag is that Smith-Njigba is primarily a slot receiver, and Lamb took 45.5% of his snaps there in 2022, per playerprofiler.com. If Mike McCarthy and co. can solve that slight issue, then Smith-Njigba would be a fantastic addition to the offense.
2. Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore's issues at wide receiver have been well-documented, and that will continue as long as it isn't addressed. If the Ravens do keep Lamar Jackson, then they need to surround him with much better weapons. They hold the 22nd overall pick in the draft, which should be the perfect place to take Smith-Njigba.
To illustrate how bad the Ravens need receiver help, no wideout on the team had 500 yards last season. Granted, there are several factors playing into that, like Jackson's injury and Rashod Bateman missing over half the season. However, they still need a massive upgrade at wideout regardless of injuries.
In this scenario, Smith-Njigba might be the top guy right away, or a 1A-1B situation with Bateman. He could fit in perfectly in the slot, as neither Bateman nor Devin Duvernay line up there too often. If the Ravens want to improve their barren receiver corps, as they should, then Jaxon Smith-Njigba would be a home-run selection.
1. New York Giants
Much like the Ravens, the Giants desperately need help at wideout. New York's receivers had better statistical seasons than Baltimore's, but the Giants have arguably even less talent at the position. No offense to Darius Slayton, Richie James and Isaiah Hodgins, but they aren't exactly cutting it as top wideouts for a playoff-contending team. Yes, the Giants made the playoffs, but that was more in spite of their receivers rather than because of them.
New York holds the 25th overall pick in this year's draft, and wide receiver is the team's biggest need. If Smith-Njigba is still available then, the Giants need to take him as soon as the clock starts ticking. He could instantly become their top wideout and potentially a true game-changer.
New York is in an uncertain situation, with both Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley about to hit free agency. Regardless of if they re-sign, though, the wide receiver position must improve drastically. Drafting Smith-Njigba would be an absolute slam dunk, and go a long way towards accomplishing that goal.
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