With Pro Days going on across the country, you already know that NY Giants general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll are making the rounds to see the top talent out there. With Ohio State studs ready to put on a show, plenty of eyes are going to be on star wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
The 6-1, 200-pounder was only able to play in three games last season due to injury, but he’s got first-round pick written all over him. The Giants of course have strong interest in him, which was made clear with Schoen and Daboll taking him out to dinner on Tuesday night. If the speedster is there at No. 25 overall, could we see the G-Men go with him?
A Saints contingent led by HC Dennis Allen and GM Mickey Loomis had dinner with a big group of OSU players last night in Columbus, couple tables over from WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba and the Giants folks.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) March 22, 2023
Saints spent 5 first- or second-round picks on Buckeyes in the last 7 drafts.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba having dinner with the Giants has turned heads
While there’s been plenty of speculation on which direction Schoen will go in with his first-rounder, with an interior offensive lineman and cornerback being mentioned several times, this team still needs a WR1 for the future. Re-signing Sterling Shepard and Darius Slayton has been great, while adding Parris Campbell’s speed has people excited.
However, Daniel Jones still needs a playmaker of a wideout to make plays for him. Tight end Darren Waller will be a beast, no doubt, but a young wideout is needed to help open up the field. That’s where someone like Smith-Njigba could step in early on.
Several wideouts have been mentioned as possibilities for the Giants at No. 25 overall, with the list including Quentin Johnston, Zay Flowers, Smith-Njigba, Jalin Hyatt and others. There’s a chance Smith-Njigba could be off the board by the time the Giants are on the clock, but several Mock Drafts have him falling to the G-Men late in the first round.
If he’s still there for the taking, countless Big Blue supporters will be ready to do cartwheels if the Giants bring him to town. Come late April, we’ll know who Schoen takes first, but Smith-Njigba will most definitely be an intriguing guy to keep an eye on leading up to draft night.
More Giants updates
• Addison is another WR who fans would love to see in a Big Blue jersey. Earlier this week, he said that the team that he had been in contact with most recently was NY. The former Biletnikoff Award winner could also be on the board at No. 25 overall.
• In their latest NFL Mock Draft, The Ringer has the Giants going with Johnston in the first round. The TCU wideout is a big-bodied pass-catcher, one who could be a brilliant addition for the Giants offense and Mike Kafka. Either way, the general feeling continues to be that Schoen will go with a WR in the first round now.
• Did Jullian Love blow it in his negotiations with the Giants? According to The Athletic, Love and the Giants tried to work on an extension during the bye week, but the team’s offer wasn’t enough for him. He signed a two-year, $12 million with the Seahawks this month, but it turned out to be less than what NY put on the table last fall, per The Athletic.
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