Seahawks’ draft pick of JSN started a run on WRs; he’s clearly been the best

Despite coming into this year with the added attention of being the NFL’s reigning Offensive Player of the Year, teams still aren’t slowing down Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

Seahawks’ DeMarcus Lawrence backs up words with ‘dominant’ performance

Smith-Njigba is having another incredible start to his fourth pro season and on Sunday joined Tyler Lockett and Pro Football Hall of Fame member Steve Largent as just the third receiver in Seahawks history to produce three straight 1,000-yard receiving seasons. And for the second straight year, he needed just nine games to get there.

Smith-Njigba is also vying to be just the sixth triple crown-winning receiver since the AFL-NFL merger completed in 1970, a feat that was also accomplished by Seahawks teammate Cooper Kupp in 2021 when he was with the Los Angeles Rams. He leads the league in both receiving yards (1,036) and receiving touchdowns (nine), and with 71 receptions he is just two behind Arizona’s Trey McBride for the league lead.

When Seattle made Smith-Njigba the first wide receiver to come off the board with the 20th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, it started a run on receivers that saw four straight players at the position get picked. At this point, he’s clearly been the best of the bunch.

With Smith-Njigba putting together another standout year, let’s take a look at how he compares to wideouts drafted immediately after him through three-plus seasons.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba

The Ohio State product had a relatively quiet rookie season as Seattle’s No. 3 receiver, but he has gone on to amass 4,587 yards and 29 TDs on 353 receptions in 60 career games thus far. He’s averaging 76.5 yards per game.

What makes Seahawks’ Jaxon Smith-Njigba so hard to defend

Smith-Njigba’s accolades so far include being named the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year and a first-team All-Pro last season while leading the league with 1,793 receiving yards – the most in a single season in Seahawks history and eighth-most in league history. He’s also earned two Pro Bowl nods and was made the highest-paid wide receiver in league history when he signed a four-year, $168.6 million contract extension with the Seahawks this past offseason.

JSN MAKES IT LOOK EASY‼️

The WR was 0.9 yards away from the nearest defender and STILL caught this 27-yard pass for the TD, per @NextGenStats

KCvsSEA on NBC/Peacock
Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/E6jdM8BrcR

— NFL+ (@NFLPlus) October 26, 2026

Quentin Johnston

After JSN went off the board at No. 20, the Los Angeles Chargers followed by picking big-bodied TCU standout Quentin Johnston 21st overall. The 6-foot-2 Johnston is the only of the four receivers picked in the first round not to have a season with at least 800 receiving yards. And while he’s shown off some big-play ability averaging 20 yards per reception this year, he’s also on pace to finish with his least productive season since his rookie year.

Johnston has 260 yards and one TD receiving on 13 catches while playing in seven of the Chargers’ eight games this season. Over 53 career games, he’s hauled in 157 receptions for 2,137 yards and 19 TDs.

Justin Herbert ➡️ Quentin Johnston touchdown!

HOUvsLAC on CBS/Paramount+
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— NFL (@NFL) November 8, 2026

Zay Flowers

Zay Flowers, who went 22nd overall to the Baltimore Ravens, has come the closest to matching Smith-Njigba’s production and can match the Seattle standout in having three straight 1,000-yard seasons if he gets there this year. The Boston College product is currently at 614 yards while appearing in eight of the Ravens’ nine games.

A two-time Pro Bowler, Flowers has totaled 3,742 yards and 17 TDs on 280 receptions in 58 career games, adding another 225 yards and two TDs on 33 carries. Flowers’ 1,211 receiving yards last season is the closest in terms of receiving yards to matching JSN’s award-winning 2025 campaign.

Zay Flowers is FAST.

54-yard TD!

BALvsIND on CBS/Paramount+ pic.twitter.com/IQfU8vIXhY

— NFL (@NFL) September 13, 2026

Jordan Addison

Jordan Addison, a USC product who went 23rd overall to the Minnesota Vikings, looked like the best of this bunch after a standout rookie year where he had 70 catches for 911 yards and 10 TDs – all career highs. But his production has dropped each year while dealing with a quarterback carousel in Minnesota, and he was suspended three games last season for violating the NFL’s substances of abuse policy. It’s also worth noting he’s been the clear No. 2 receiver for the Vikings behind four-time All-Pro Justin Jefferson.

Addison has hauled in 191 receptions for 2,645 yards and 23 TDs in 52 career games. This season he’s averaging a career-low 41.5 yards per game, totaling 249 yards and one TD on 33 catches while appearing in six of Minnesota’s seven games.

Big play to Jordan Addison ‼️

MINvsDET on FOX/FOX One
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— NFL (@NFL) November 1, 2026

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