Here’s a player comp the 12th Man will certainly enjoy to hear about. The Seattle Seahawks made an uncharacteristically splashy pick in the first round of the 2023 NFL draft when they selected Ohio State wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
Not only is it a fun pick, but it’s one for a position of need. Seattle had to find a legitimate No. 3 option behind DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, and when you hear Seahawks director of player personnel, Matt Berry, it seems like they’ve found their guy.
Berry recently went on the Locked on Seahawks Podcast where he compared JSN to another Seattle great – Doug Baldwin.
#Seahawks Senior Director of Player Personnel, Matt Berry, on Rookie WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba:
"You're comparing his change of direction to Doug Baldwin, when you're looking at the short shuttle and stuff … He reminded all of us how talented he was. And then he built on it at… pic.twitter.com/ONH9HvlIlL
— Emerald City Sporting News (@ECSN206) June 1, 2023
Baldwin’s eight years in the NFL ended with him being one of the most prolific receivers in Seahawks franchise history. When he retired, he was No. 2 all time in receiving touchdowns, which was only recently surpassed by Tyler Lockett this past season. He is still No. 4 all time in career receiving yards.
If this is truly the case, and the Seahawks have found their next “Doug Baldwin”, so to speak, then Seattle’s offense is about to take a huge leap forward in 2023. Opposing secondaries be warned.
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