DK Metcalf: Jaxon Smith-Njigba ‘going to be special’ for Seahawks

Jul 27, 2023, 8:58 AM

Seattle Seahawks rookie WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba during minicamp on June 6, 2023. (Photo: Taylor Jacobs/Seattle Sports)

(Photo: Taylor Jacobs/Seattle Sports)

Assistant Editor of SeattleSports.com

Leadership was a big topic of discussion when star Seattle Seahawks receiver DK Metcalf joined Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk on Wednesday.

It came up in part because Metcalf is now entering his fifth training camp in the NFL, which started on Wednesday.

DK Metcalf Interview: What’s changed as Seattle Seahawks WR enters Year 5?

“I know I have a bunch of rookies behind me asking a lot of questions, so it’s just transitioning to, alright, I’m not the young guy anymore – I’m answering questions for the young guys. Just taking what Bobby (Wagner) and (Russell Wilson) and (Tyler) Lockett taught me my first few years in the league and just applying it to my life and giving them the same bits and pieces they gave me,” Metcalf said Wednesday morning.

That led former NFL quarterback Brock Huard to asking about one young guy in particular.

“I want to talk about one of those rookies that you mentioned there that are looking up to you. For the Hawks fans that are gonna sit on that berm that weren’t out there for OTAs and mini camps and they don’t get all the behind the scenes (information) …”

Before Huard could even name the player he was going to ask Metcalf about, the veteran receiver already knew.

“He’s going to be special. I knew you were gonna ask about him. He’s going to be special,” Metcalf said.

That player? Fellow recever Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who the Seahawks selected 20th overall in the first round of this April’s NFL Draft as part of Seattle’s 10-man draft class.

What did @Seahawks WR @dkm14 have to say about heading into Training Camp this season? What's it like to be in a leadership role on this team? Who made that tuxedo he was wearing at @TDLockett12's wedding? He answers that & much more in the exclusive @SeattleSports interview. pic.twitter.com/HWBW2DES0Z

— Seattle Sports (@SeattleSports) July 26, 2023

The Ohio State standout was an All-American for the Buckeyes in 2021 and capped off that year with a ridiculous 347 yards and three scores on 15 catches against Utah in the Rose Bowl. He played just three games in 2022 because of a hamstring injury.

Smith-Njigba was drafted in large part to be a consistent third receiver option alongside Metcalf and Lockett for quarterback Geno Smith. Metcalf sees big things in Smith-Njigba’s future.

“He’s gonna make a lot of plays for us this year, and I just can’t wait for everybody to see what he does in training camp and for him to experience the 12’s and 80,000 fans screaming at him every time he scores a touchdown,” Metcalf said. “He’s going to be very special for us in this offense.”

So who does Smith-Njigba remind Metcalf of?

“I really don’t like comparing and contrasting people because I think Jaxon is his own person and he’s gonna make his own lane to be his own great receiver,” Metcalf said. “I hear a lot of (former Seahawks receiver) Doug Baldwin comparisons, but I think Doug and Jaxon are two completely different receivers. Doug played outside and he would go in and block and block D-ends and I think Jaxon is more of a finesse receiver. He’s gonna get his his nose dirty a little bit, but he will shake you and he can definitely finesse when he runs and when he’s running routes. I think Jaxon is his own player.”

Listen to Brock and Salk’s full interview with DK Metcalf at this link or in the player near the top of this story.