Why Jaxon Smith-Njigba believes the slot receiver position is evolving in NFL Draft

Thoughts from this year’s top wide receiver prospect.

Once upon a time referring to an NFL wide receiver as a “slot guy” seemed like a demerit of sorts. While working out of the middle is hardly an easy thing the implication was that the player in question did not have the talent (or physical dominance) to win outside.

Looking at the top wide receiver in this year’s draft class in Ohio State WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, there are many who have characterized him as somebody who only does his work in the slot. We can sit here and pontificate on what JSN will do at the NFL level or we could just ask him about it point blank.

Let’s do the second thing!

Thanks to our friends at Tide we were very fortunate to be able to speak with Jaxon Smith-Njigba on Wednesday afternoon, just one day before his life changes forever. We obviously discussed the pending draft, that he would enjoy playing for any NFL team, and how he feels that the current game is changing to a point where matchups have to be won out of the slot and you cannot just treat the position likely like teams have in the past.

A lot of current mock drafts seem to think that JSN will wind up with the Green Bay Packers and if they spend a first-round pick on a wide receiver for the first time in forever just days after trading away Aaron Rodgers, well, it would be one of the funniest things ever.

As a Dallas Cowboys fan this hypothetical enrages me, though. Please find a way to keep Jaxon in DFW, Cowboys. Please.