Buffalo Bills Big Board for 1st Round of 2023 NFL Draft, 1.0
By Ryan Heckman
Buffalo Bills Big Board for 1st Round of 2023 NFL Draft, Number 4: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State
Staying at wide receiver, if Jaxon Smith-Njigba is there at 27, somehow, the Bills have to take him. He will likely be gone by that point, but we’ve seen crazier things happen on draft weekend. Again, some view him as the WR1 in this draft. Others might be scared off from his injury-plagued 2022 season.
Maybe, receivers simply fall in this draft due to the overwhelming talent across the defensive line, offensive tackle, cornerback and, of course, the four quarterbacks likely to go in the first round as well.
Smith-Njigba is 6-foot-1 and just under 200 pounds. He does everything well, which is why he’d fit anywhere within the Bills offense. Like Flowers, he’s best in the slot. But, with his size, he can be asked to line up outside if need be.
Smith-Njigba possesses a good combination of size, speed and route running. Like Flowers, he gets open. But, because of his bigger frame, Smith-Njigba uses his frame more to front himself toward the quarterback. With a guy like Allen under center, having someone he can rely on in scramble drills would be huge.
The last time we saw Smith-Njigba play a full season, in 2021, he went over 1,600 yards on 95 receptions — and that was while sharing the field with Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson.