It is not a secret that the Pittsburgh Steelers and head coach Mike Tomlin love family connections and bloodlines. In fact, the team has multiple sets of brothers on the team right now with TJ and Derek Watt and Cam and Connor Heyward. They also just signed Patrick Peterson, who is the cousin of former Steelers cornerback, Bryant McFadden. If you look historically at relations, the list goes on and on.
PHOTO COURTESY OF CHARLOTTE HEYWARD, PUBLISHED IN THE PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE
Brothers Cam and Connor Heyward are thrilled to be the latest family connection on the Pittsburgh Steelers.
It is really not surprising that a team which such a storied history would value these connections. Pittsburgh has been a competitive football team for over 50 years and the roots of the organization run deep. The 2023 NFL Draft once again has many connections to the Steel City and one of them would bring brothers back together in black and gold.
Could Pittsburgh Become The Home Of Smith-Njigba2?
The Steelers have been busy making offseason moves and working on improving the "trenches" with free agent acquisitions on both the offensive and defensive lines. The activity during free agency leaves some wondering what they might do with their first two draft picks (17 and 32). While lots of names are floating around, there is one name out there that already had a connection to Pittsburgh.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, the star wide receiver from Ohio State University, is the younger brother of Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Canaan Smith-Njigba. Canaan came to the Pirates in 2021 along with a few others in the Jameson Taillon trade and has been impressive in spring training, showing off an elite level of raw power.
Matt Freed/Post-Gazette
Canaan Smith-Njigba, an outfielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates, is showing off his impressive strength in spring training.
Now his little brother is set to enter the NFL Draft. Jaxon has gained quite a bit of attention during his time at Ohio, especially during 2021 when he set a Big Ten receiving record. He has excellent route running and separation skills, but he isn't the fastest receiver. He was a favorite target of CJ Stroud, the likely number-one pick in this draft, but injuries slowed his production in 2022.
Jaxon has shown himself to be highly intelligent and hard-working. He has great hands and ball skills, as well as excellent field vision. He is often compared to Jarvis Landry.
He performs best in the slot and he relies heavily on coverage to assist him since he lacks that explosive speed burst. There is also concern that most of his production happened during 2021. Jaxon was injured in 2022 and only played in three games as he declined to play in the college playoffs.
Due to the concerns over his limited usage and lack of playing time in 2022, there is a possibility that Jaxon could fall to the 32nd spot, the Steelers' second pick. There has been some interest shown by the Steelers as Tomlin had dinner with some Ohio State Players and reportedly met with Jaxon.
AP Photo/Jay LaPrete
Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) attempts to break a tackle against a defender.
Jaxon did improve his draft stock during his pro day workout. He was under 4.5 seconds in the 40 which is fast enough for football. He showed well during the positional drills and impressed scouts and coaches with improved footwork.
While the Steelers are likely not looking for a wide receiver with their first pick in the draft, there is always a chance that Smith-Njigba could fall to 32.
Where do you think Smith-Njigba will go in the NFL Draft? Do you think he will last until pick 32? Would you want the Steelers to draft him if he was available? Click to comment below.
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