Wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Adam Cairns-USA TODAY Sports

Jaxon Smith-Njigba already sounds like a Cowboys WR

By Clark Dalton | Last updated 3/3/23

Jaxon Smith-Njigba already has the trademark of a star Cowboys wideout: swagger.

"I think I'm a top-five player in this draft, not just a top five WR," the Ohio State receiver said in a Friday news conference at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.

Smith-Njigba is from Rockwall, Texas, 30 minutes from Dallas, and is a Cowboys fan. He recently said Pro Football Hall of Famer Terrell Owens was his "guy" growing up. T.O. played for Dallas from 2006-08.

Smith-Njigba told the media his meeting with the Cowboys at the combine went well.

Ohio State WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba said he had a good meeting with the Dallas Cowboys

(Video: @Schrock_And_Awe) pic.twitter.com/ZuXzCseIEl
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) March 3, 2023

Dallas EVP Stephen Jones recently told ESPN's Todd Archer that it's "probably fair" to admit the Cowboys didn't find a replacement for star Amari Cooper. After trading the Pro Bowl WR to Cleveland, Dallas fell from second in passing yards in 2021 to 14th last season.

Could Smith-Njigba fill that void left by Cooper?

During his sophomore season at Ohio State in 2021, Smith-Njigba set school records for receptions (95) and receiving yards (1,606). In a 48-45 win in the Rose Bowl that season, he set a game record for receiving yards (347).

Jaxon Smith-Njigba put on a show in the Rose Bowl @jaxon_smith1 pic.twitter.com/vYfLhGwRJm
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) August 16, 2022

In 2022, he battled a nagging hamstring injury and only played in three games. Per NFL Network's James Palmer, Smith-Njigba won't run the 40-yard dash at the combine.

Fox Sports analyst Rob Rang pegs Smith-Njigba as the sixth-best WR in the draft, but it could be hard for Dallas to ignore his upside, confidence and hometown connection. It might not be a stretch for the Cowboys to pick him in the first round with the 26th overall selection.

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