Jaxon Smith-Njigba says it would be a 'dream come true' to play for Giants

The Giants sent nine representatives to OSU's pro day on Wednesday, including GM Joe Schoen and HC Brian Daboll, who were in attendance at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center to scout Smith-Njigba and the other participating Buckeyes.

The Giants were the second-most represented team at the event, according to Reese's Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy.  

New York fielded a lackluster group of receivers this past season, with the Giants finishing with the sixth-fewest receiving yards (3,431) and sixth-most drops (27) in the NFL. Even with the draft still a little over a month distant, the team has already added TE Darren Waller and WRs Parris Campbell and Jeff Smith in an effort to bolster the Giants' offense this offseason.

In 2021, Smith-Njigba, then a sophomore, recorded 95 receptions for 1,606 yards and nine touchdowns, capping off his season with a historic Rose Bowl performance. During that game, he caught 15 passes for 347 yards, both Rose Bowl records, while scoring three touchdowns. 

A hamstring injury limited Smith-Njigba to just three games last season, accumulating 43 yards on five receptions. Some believed he sat out as a precaution; nonetheless, he's fully healthy now.

The 6-foot-1, 196-pounder ran a 4.48-second 40-yard dash during his pro day workout, per Dan Hope of Eleven Warriors. It would've been the 20th-best time compared to receivers that ran at the NFL Scouting Combine.

"I would love to be in the Big Apple, in New York," Smith-Njigba said, when asked about the possibility of playing under the brightest lights in the world. "It would be a blessing. A dream come true."

With New York selecting 25th and Smith-Njigba considered in many corners to be the top receiving prospect in this class, a trade-up might be necessary if Schoen and company truly covet the Ohio State standout.

The 2023 NFL Draft, hosted in Kansas City, will get underway on April 27.