Report: Rival Coaches Say Jaxon Smith-Njigba Better Than Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave

Ohio State has become WRU after the elite receivers it has sent to the NFL in recent years, but Jaxon Smith-Njigba could be the best of the bunch.

"Of all the wonderful Ohio State receivers that have come out of Brian Hartline's room in the past few years, rival coaches I spoke to thought he was the best prospect to this point," Bruce Feldman of The Athletic reported.

Five Ohio State receivers have been drafted in the five years since Brian Hartline became the Buckeyes' receivers coach, including Terry McLaurin, Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave.

Wilson was the league's Offensive Rookie of the Year last season after being drafted No. 10 overall by the New York Jets in 2022, while Olave also had a big first year after going No. 11 overall to the New Orleans Saints. Jameson Williams, the 12th pick last year, also spent time at Ohio State before transferring to Alabama.

Smith-Njigba still has as much upside as any of them.

"He's kind of unguardable," Hartline told Feldman. "He'll be uber-productive in the NFL. I think he will be a guy that leads the league in receptions and receiving yards. No one's gonna be shocked. That's just who he is, and he's only gotten better, Like C.J. (Stroud) said, he's the quarterback's best friend."

Hamstring issues limited Smith-Njigba in 2022, but he finished 2021 as Ohio State's leading receiver with 95 catches for 1,606 yards and nine touchdowns. If he reaches expectations, he could have similar numbers as a pro.