It is not tough to find a set of rankings that have four wide receivers in the top 30 of the 2023 NFL Draft class. Those public rankings, however, may significantly differ from how NFL teams themselves see things.
Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy suggested Monday that many NFL teams only have one wide receiver with a first-round grade, even though mock drafts have as many as four or five being selected in the first round. According to Nagy, Ohio State’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba is the clear standout, with teams harboring lower opinions of the others.
This is a bit of a surprise, as you will often see TCU’s Quentin Johnston or Boston College’s Zay Flowers rated rather highly in positional rankings. Though some (or many) NFL teams might not agree, it does not necessarily mean either of them will slip to the second round.
As for Smith-Njigba, the former Ohio State star may have missed most of the 2022 season, but he certainly seems to have impressed NFL teams anyway. He has hinted at wanting one team in particular to make him their pick.
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