Seattle Seahawks’ Jaxon Smith-Njigba was in his hometown of Rockwall, Texas, to award $20,000 in scholarships to high schoolers.
ROCKWALL, Texas — Seattle Seahawks star receiver and DFW native Jaxon Smith-Njigba sat down for an exclusive one-on-one with WFAA’s Jonah Javad.
The Dallas Cowboys held “informal discussions” with Smith-Njigba’s former Seattle head coach Pete Carroll , but ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Friday that Carroll accepted the Raiders job. In his interview with WFAA, Smith-Njigba shared his perspective on what it’s like playing for Carroll and why Carroll is beloved by his former players.
The 22-year-old wideout is fresh off a breakout sophomore year with the Seahawks, in which he tied the franchise record for receptions (100) in a single season.
Earlier in the week, Smith-Njigba watched from his home in Seattle as his Ohio State Buckeyes won the College Football National Championship. Smith-Njigba used to be college teammates with many of the star Buckeyes who were on the field in the title game, including Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau.
Smith-Njigba was also teammates with Quinn Ewers, when the Southlake Carroll quarterback began his college career at Ohio State before transferring to Texas.
Smith-Njigba was back in his hometown of Rockwall, Texas on Thursday night for his second annual JSN Scholarship Awards.
In partnership with Panini, the former Texas high school football star awarded $20,000 in scholarship money:
- $5,500 went to the winner (Rockwall senior WR Triston Gooch)
- $5,500 to the high school of the winner (Rockwall High)
- $3,000 to each of the other three nominees (Heath senior Ashton Bradford, Heath senior Layne Yudizky and Rockwall senior Landyn Locke)