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Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba has been ranked fifth in the NFL’s Top 100 Players of 2026, marking his debut on the player-voted list.
The NFL’s official account on X (formerly Twitter) announced Smith-Njigba’s ranking alongside an NFL Films highlight package featuring some of his best plays and interviews.
The 24-year-old enjoyed a remarkable 2025 season, leading the NFL with 1,793 receiving yards and establishing himself as one of the league’s leading offensive players.
His performances earned him the Associated Press (AP) Offensive Player of the Year award and first-team All-Pro honours.
Smith-Njigba also played a key role as the Seahawks won Super Bowl LX, adding a championship to an individual season that has now earned him widespread recognition from his fellow NFL players.
His fifth-place ranking has generated debate among fans, particularly because he finished ahead of several established stars. Some supporters questioned the placing of Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen at number two, given that Smith-Njigba was the reigning Offensive Player of the Year.
The ranking represents another major milestone in Smith-Njigba’s rapidly developing NFL career.
Smith-Njigba has Sierra Leonean heritage through his father, Mandi Smith-Njigba, whose family is from Sierra Leone.
The Seahawks receiver’s Sierra Leonean roots have made him a figure of particular interest to football fans in the West African country, where his rise to the top of the NFL has been closely followed.
His No. 5 ranking places him among the most highly regarded players in American football ahead of the 2026 season.
With his rise to NFL stardom, Jaxon Smith-Njigba has now joined the ranks of notable American football players with Sierra Leonean roots, including Gibril Wilson, Madieu Williams, Amara Darboh and B.J. Tucker, further highlighting Sierra Leone’s growing presence on the American football stage.
