Jaxon Smith-Njigba has had an April ascension with being called first-round material ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft. Zay Flowers is another wide receiver garnering a Day 1 draft projection and igniting someone’s offensive draft needs.
And both the Ohio State and Boston College wideouts are now predicted to bolster two aerial attacks being led by two former first-round quarterbacks — one now directed by Jordan Love with the Green Bay Packers and the other orchestrated by Lamar Jackson for the Baltimore Ravens (well, maybe the Ravens).
Latest NFL Draft Projections See Packers Finally Adding a WR
Pro Football Network’s Adam Caplan has plugged JSN to the Packers, who will start their draft at No. 13 — courtesy of the New York Jets following the blockbuster Aaron Rodgers trade.
Smith-Njigba is spearheading what’s been considered a hard-to-predict WR class, with analysts believing he’s the only one capable of being the true future No. 1 for a franchise. But as Caplan says, this selection would break a current streak for the Packers: They haven’t drafted a wideout in the first round since Javon Walker in 2002.
Included in that two-decade drought is Davante Adams, who fell to the second round of his class in 2014. Christian Watson then became the first second-round receiver selection for Green Bay since Adams in last year’s draft.
Caplan says that “finding an interior player at the position is evident” as the Pack transitions out of the Rodgers era for the first time since 2007, the season before he took over as the full-time starter.
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“Making Jaxon Smith-Njigba the first wide receiver off the board makes sense,” Caplan wrote.
Green Bay already has two perimeter options in Watson and 2022 fourth-rounder Romeo Doubs. With Allen Lazard also in New York with Rodgers, the need to find a WR3 for Love comes into play — hence the JSN prediction.
At 6’1″, 196 pounds, JSN fits the mold of a potential slot target for Love. He has the foot explosiveness to get into space and erase tackle angles with his speed after the short pass. He also comes equipped with stout lateral movements that force defenders into uncomfortable tackling pursuits.
But again, he’s projected to not be alone in the first round for his position group.
Ravens Add Zay Flowers To Join Odell Beckham Jr.
Jackson is still facing trade rumblings, but he posted this cryptic tweet Tuesday that left many fans and analysts wondering if a new deal was finalized after months of speculation and reported tensions.
Regardless, Baltimore can turn its attention to finally bolstering the WR room for their 2019 NFL Most Valuable Player as they hold five draft picks.
Flowers’ name has surfaced as a late hot commodity ahead of the draft’s first day, per Caplan.
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“The Ravens have addressed the wide receiver position in the offseason, but not enough for the future, which is why Flowers, a favorite of many offensive coaches around the NFL, is the selection here,” Caplan said.
The Ravens already made the aggressive move to lure in three-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl 56 winner with the Los Angeles Rams Odell Beckham Jr. weeks before the draft — with Jackson having involvement in the recruitment of OBJ. Now, Baltimore can add a talent with his own lateral quickness — but one that has an edge in elusiveness with the ball in his hand.
At 5’9″ and 182 pounds, Flowers has the perfect build to line up in the slot for the Ravens. But his change-of-direction attack after the catch can lead to defenders looking like they’re grabbing air and not grabbing Flowers for the stop. That plant-and-go prowess is what’s making him a fast riser ahead of the draft.
