Before the 2025 season, Jaxon Smith-Njigba was considered by many to be a wideout who did most of his damage out of the slot. However, ahead of Sunday’s Super Bowl showdown between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots, Smith-Njigba led all receivers in yards when lined up outside.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba totaled a league-leading 1,378 yards when aligned as an outside receiver this season after pacing the NFL with 956 from the slot in 2024.
He is the only player in the Next Gen Stats era to ever lead the NFL in both categories.#SEAvsNE | #SuperBowlLXpic.twitter.com/Z4k90wBBl4
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) February 3, 2026
Following a quiet rookie campaign in 2023, JSN produced 100 receptions, 1,130 receiving yards, and 6 receiving touchdowns in 2024, but he did record a career-high 83.6% slot rate (per PFF) a season ago. This caused many to label Smith-Njigba as a “slot merchant”, and there was a belief that he’d only excel as a slot receiver moving forward.
But in 2025, JSN certainly proved he’s capable of dominating on the outside and has the skills to be one of the premier wideouts in the NFL. In his first season playing under offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak and catching passes from Sam Darnold, Smith-Njigba logged a career-low 23.2% slot rate in 2025, and he produced career-best numbers across the board.
In an attempt to create mismatches and advantages, plenty of play callers tend to move their receivers around and sometimes have them line up in the slot. Although JSN is an effective slot receiver, his production and output as a primary outside receiver in 2025 go to show that he’s one of the most versatile pass catchers in the league already.
This article originally appeared on Seahawks Wire: Seahawks WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba led NFL in yards lined up outside
