Top receiver prospect would ‘definitely like playing’ with Patriots following meeting at combine
"It definitely would be awesome being in that system," Jaxon Smith-Njigba said of possibly joining the Patriots.
It’s no secret that the Patriots have a need at wide receiver entering this offseason, and with the 14th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, they might be able to select the best receiver prospect in this spring’s draft class.
Ohio State’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who some draft experts view as the top receiver in the draft class, revealed that he met with the Patriots at the NFL Scouting Combine this week. The meeting, in Smith-Njigba’s eyes, “went good,” he told reporters.
Smith-Njigba also had some high praise for the team.
“Coach [Bill] Belichick, he’s, you know what type of franchise program they have over there,” Smith-Njigba said. “So, it definitely would be awesome being in that system – Mac Jones, also a great arm talent. Great quarterback.
“Definitely would like playing there.”
Smith-Njigba has been linked to the Patriots in mock drafts recently. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. has New England selecting him with its top pick in his most recent mock draft.
“The Patriots have a new offensive coordinator in Bill O’Brien and could look completely different on that side of the ball in 2023,” Kiper wrote. “That’s a good thing, because quarterback Mac Jones regressed last season. He’d benefit greatly from Smith-Njigba, a true No. 1 wideout who knows how to get open.”
NFL Network’s top draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah also recently mentioned Smith-Njigba as a possibility for the Patriots, saying on a conference call that the receiver has “good feel” and “works really good in the middle of the field.” Jeremiah thinks both those traits would make Smith-Njigba had solid fit in New England.
In a receiver room that included first-round picks Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave, Smith-Njigba was the most productive of the group at Ohio State in 2021. He had 95 receptions for 1,606 yards and nine touchdowns that season, ranking ninth in the nation in receptions and third in the nation in receiving yards.
The 2022 season wasn’t as kind to Smith-Njigba, though. He suffered a hamstring injury in Ohio State’s season-opener, which caused to him play just three games in 2022.
If Smith-Njigba’s “medicals check out and his hamstring won’t be an issue,” Kiper wrote that the former Buckeye will be his top-ranked receiver in the draft class.
There are some other question marks surrounding Smith-Njigba. He mostly played in the slot at Ohio State and some draft analysts believe that he’ll likely end up as a possession slot receiver, which might not translate to being a game-changer for an offense.
Still, it’s tough to deny just how well Smith-Njigba played when he was on the field at Ohio State, which will likely make him a first-round pick regardless of some of the concerns surrounding him.
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