Heading into the 2025 NFL season, there were questions about whether Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba could slide into that No. 1 guy role after the trade that sent DK Metcalf to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Through four games, Smith-Njigba has recorded 26 receptions for 402 receiving yards and one touchdown. Moreover, the 23-year-old is recording 15.5 yards per reception.
Smith-Njigba ranks second in the NFL in receiving yards, trailing only Los Angeles Rams wideout Puka Nacua. He and Nacua are the only two players to have at least 75 receiving yards in each of their first four games.
On “Brock and Salk” on Seattle Sports, former NFL quarterback Brock Huard pointed out that the third-year receiver has traits similar to some of the best pass-catchers in Seahawks history.
“Jaxon Smith-Njigba is part Tyler Lockett, he’s part Doug Baldwin, and he’s part Steve Largent,” Huard said. “… He’s got the makeup of all three of those guys. And right now, he’s one of the five best receivers in all the NFL because of it.”
Seahawks’ Jaxon Smith-Njigba Gets Doug Baldwin Comp
Smith-Njigba’s body control and knack for making tough catches have drawn comparisons to Doug Baldwin. Huard highlighted just how impressive the receiver looks when contorting at full speed to make plays.
“He’s like Doug Baldwin with his body control. I mean, that deep post last Sunday (against the Saints), unbelievable,” Huard added.
The back-shoulder throw (against the Cardinals) – did you see him contorting his body like Doug Baldwin used to do to get in front of the (defensive back) on that? Do you know how hard that is to do full speed? … And he makes it look so silky smooth.”
Seahawks’ Jaxon Smith-Njigba Gets Other Comparisons
Furthermore, the praise from Huard for Smith-Njigba’s skill set didn’t stop there. The former NFL signal-caller revealed why he’s comparing the young receiver to two iconic Seahawks wideouts. He underlined the receiver’s blend of deceptive speed and precise route-running.
“Like Lockett, he’s got deceptive speed. It’s not this massive amount of turnover. It’s not this hyper quickness. It’s not a long stride. It’s just football speed. … Like, hey man, one on one, he’s going to run by you… Like Largent, he’s got a precision to his game. He’s got such detail. … Every single route has a precision and attention to detail, like Largent used to understand.”
With all the praise that Smith-Njigba is getting, the young receiver will need to continue to produce at the level he’s currently at. Nonetheless, the Seahawks star has taken a slight dip in his performance in the past two weeks.
In his last two games, the former Ohio State product has yet to hit over 100 receiving yards in a game after doing so in back-to-back games to start the 2025 season against the San Francisco 49ers and Steelers.
