The Seahawks don’t have to wonder whether Jaxon Smith-Njigba was worth the No. 20 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. In his third season, he led the league with 1,793 receiving yards and was named Offensive Player of the Year.
Across the division, the Rams have every reason to feel good about Puka Nacua, a fifth-round pick in that same draft class. He has delivered big production in three seasons, including two years with at least 1,486 receiving yards.
So the debate is simple enough on paper: which receiver would a team rather build around?
On the field, both cases are strong. Nacua is a natural fit in Sean McVay’s system, and Smith-Njigba has taken off since his rookie year, when Shane Waldron was failing him as Seattle’s offensive coordinator. But the argument for Smith-Njigba goes beyond the box score.
He carries himself like a pro the Seahawks can trust. He gives the media and fans a quick smile, shows respect, and stays away from unnecessary drama that can spill onto a team.
Nacua, meanwhile, has had more than one issue hanging over him in the last six months. That includes an accusation of assault and battery by biting. None of that proves guilt, but it is enough to raise questions around Rams headquarters.
That’s part of why some Seahawks fans bristle when rankings leave context out of the conversation. Tyler Sullivan of CBS Sports recently ranked his top players under 25 and put Nacua second, with Smith-Njigba fifth.
Sullivan wrote, "Nacua is a nightmare for opposing secondaries because he consistently finds ways to get open, and he's shown the ability to completely take over games. He has dealt with some off-the-field issues this offseason, but when he's right, he's at the top of his position."
The problem is that “when he’s right” doesn’t really capture the bigger picture. The off-field issues may not affect his catches, but they can still matter when it comes to locker-room fit and whether a team has to deal with avoidable distractions.
And those concerns weren’t limited to the offseason. Near the end of last season, Nacua said on a podcast that NFL officials were "the worst" and that they incorrectly called penalties just to be seen on football broadcasts.
His legal team has not fully denied the biting accusation, though his attorney called it "horseplay." The incident took place on New Year’s Eve, which means it happened while the season was still going.
Both receivers are likely to keep producing at a high level. But if a team is choosing between them, culture has to count too.
On that front, Smith-Njigba has shown he understands the value of being a positive presence. That’s why the better answer is the Seahawks’ receiver.
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