The 49ers’ defense has another wide receiver to worry about when they face the Seahawks this season. Seattle selected Ohio State wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba with the No. 20 overall pick in the first round of this year’s draft.
Smith-Njigba was terrific in his career at Ohio State. He can play all over the field and posted 1,606 yards with nine touchdown on 95 receptions in 2021. Last year he was hampered by a hamstring injury and only played three games.
Here’s the Athletic’s Dane Brugler on Smith-Njigba:
Smith-Njigba isn’t an elite size/speed athlete and won’t be an ideal fit for every role, but he is a crafty route runner with smooth short-area quickness and tracking talent to be a surehanded target. He projects as an early NFL starter who is at his best in the slot.
Smith-Njigba was the second pick of Thursday night by Seattle. They also took Illinois cornerback Devon Witherspoon with the No. 5 pick, which they got from the Broncos is the Russell Wilson trade. The former Ohio State star joins a strong receiving corps with DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett.
