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By Anne Erickson
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Jaxon Smith-Njigba has officially moved into rare air, and the Seattle Seahawks wide receiver is getting the kind of respect that he better get after winning a Super Bowl.
According to ESPN's survey of league executives, coaches, and scouts, Smith-Njigba was ranked the No. 3 wide receiver in the NFL, which feels like a fitting spot after the kind of season he just put together. Did we mention that he wasn't even ranked last year?
His 2025 campaign wasn't just good. It was the kind of season that forces people to stop and watch. Even those outside of Seattle. Smith-Njigba led the league with 1,793 receiving yards, and he accounted for 44% of Seattle's receiving production. That's a ridiculous workload, and it puts him in some pretty impressive company. He wasn't just putting up numbers; he was carrying a massive part of the offense on his shoulders.
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What stands out about Smith-Njigba is how complete his game has become. He's not just a talented runner. He's a receiver who can line up outside, win matchups, create separation and make difficult plays look easy. His 10.9 yards per target while playing more than 80% of his snaps out wide shows he's not just thriving in a comfortable role. He's beating defenses.
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Some voters noted that he doesn't necessarily create the same fear factor as a few of the league's biggest stars when coaches are building a game plan. That's fair, because some receivers have already built that reputation. But Smith-Njigba's production is getting harder and harder to ignore.
"He reminds me so much of Cooper Kupp's tremendous performance in 2021, only JSN is better on the outside than him," an NFL coordinator told ESPN. "Love his game. Relentless. Smooth. Competitor. He's not the elite outside player those top guys are."
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He's a great wide receiver, plain and simple. He's polished, explosive and he plays with the kind of confidence that usually belongs to veterans.
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