“I wouldn’t be here without them.”
Jaxon Smith-Njigba on @GarrettWilson_V and @chrisolave_
⁰📺: @FanDuelTV | @heykayadams | @jaxon_smith1 | @OhioStateFB pic.twitter.com/BXZ4RTDkk4— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) April 27, 2023
The New Orleans Saints have done really well with former Ohio State Buckeyes, but it could be tough for them to pair Chris Olave with his former protégé Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Olave, Smith-Njigba, and Garrett Wilson kept defenses on their hills when they were running together in Columbus, and soon he’ll be joining them in the NFL.
And Smith-Njigba wants it known that he appreciates the mentorship they both shared with him. He expressed as much during an interview with noted Saints fan Kay Adams, who suggested Smith-Njigba can be an even greater pro than his old Buckeyes teammates.
“Those guys are in the league right now and I’m just trying to chase those guys.” Smith-Njigba said on the Up & Adams program. “I always appreciate, you know, Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave, the guys before me and who have already done it. I wouldn’t be here without them.”
When asked what advice they had given him going into the 2023 NFL draft, Smith-Njigba replied: “They just told me to be myself, they know I’m a hard worker and I want to be great. If I keep my head on straight and stay present, good things can happen.”
Smith-Njigba is projected to be a top-15 pick in Round 1 on Thursday night, so the Saints would have to make a big trade up the board to go get him. They have more pressing needs than adding another receiver but the idea of pairing him with Olave again has to be enticing.
