Getty Image / Kevin Sabitus
There is plenty of talent available at this year’s NFL Draft. So, it should be entertaining to see where players land in the final weekend of April.
Having said that, it’s beginning to sound like the league isn’t on the same page about the wide receiver class as the mainstream media.
Plenty of mock drafts are floating around social media right now and a ton of them have multiple wide receivers being taken in the first round.
Well, according to Jim Nagy, NFL teams are reportedly feeling the opposite about this year’s receiver class. In fact, reports suggest only one player is receiving a first-round grade league-wide.
One thing has become clear on calls around league past couple weeks: NFL isn’t nearly as high on this year’s WR class as media.
Frequently seeing 4-5 wideouts in mocks. Have spoken to numerous teams that have only one first round grade at the position. That guy is JSN.
— Jim Nagy (@JimNagy_SB) April 10, 2023
Jaxon Smith-Njigba seems to be the clear favorite receiver prospect in this year’s draft class.
Furthermore, he’s scheduled to visit multiple NFL teams on a top-30 visit, per Ian Rapoport.
#OSU WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, a consensus first-rounder, has already had a Top 30 visit with the #Falcons, source said. Among the many he's scheduled to visit are the #Ravens, #Texans, #Bills and #Cowboys.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 10, 2023
Now, this doesn’t guarantee that only Smith-Njigba will be taken in the first round. In fact, some teams with late first-round picks may opt to select one of the other receivers available at that spot.
However, it’s interesting to note how much more attention Jaxon Smith-Njigba is getting from NFL teams than his peers.
He has a great chance of being selected within the top 15 this year. Especially considering how many teams could use a talented receiver on their roster.
With that said, keep an eye on Smith-Njigba, as it’s looking like he’ll be an early pick in the upcoming NFL Draft.