That one time Kyle Shanahan forgot about Jaxon Smith-Njigba

The San Francisco 49ers’ upcoming Week 5 clash with the Seattle Seahawks spotlights a standout player who nearly slipped through the cracks during the team’s 2021 draft process. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, now a rising star in Seattle, was briefly on coach Kyle Shanahan’s radar when he attended Ohio State’s Pro Day as a freshman.

Shanahan recalled noticing the electric young receiver dominating drills alongside potential quarterback Justin Fields, a prospect the 49ers were evaluating for their top pick. Midway through the event, Shanahan paused to ask scouting director John Lynch who the unheralded freshman was, only to be told he was a redshirt freshman with no draft eligibility.

The oversight was understandable—Smith-Njigba was still two years away from declaring, and Shanahan’s focus remained on securing a quarterback in a loaded draft class. The 49ers ultimately traded up to select Trey Lance, leaving them without a first-round pick in 2023, the year Smith-Njigba entered the NFL.

Shanahan later admitted he’d forgotten the receiver’s name entirely, a rare misstep for a coach who typically retains sharp memories of talent. Now, Smith-Njigba’s explosive playmaking in Seattle has made him a key piece in a divisional showdown that could define the season’s early narrative.

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