There is still a lot on the table in front of the 2019 Ohio State football team. Saturday, they have an opportunity to clinch their fourth straight division title. They could still win the conference, earn a spot in the College Football Playoff, and win a national championship.
So it’s important that you don’t get too far ahead of yourself while watching the highlights below. Okay?
With that said, 2020 OSU wide receiver commit Jaxon Smith-Njigba basically went supernova on Friday night in a Texas high school playoff game.
Just to set the scene: Smith-Njigba’s Rockwall team was facing Allen in the second round of the 6A state playoff. This is big-school Texas football, and not for the faint of heart.
Allen is the school district that rather famously spent $60 million building an 18,000 seat stadium a few years back. They’ve had three players drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft since 2016, including 2019’s No. 1 overall pick Kyler Murray. So they put a little effort into their football program.
Friday night, playing at the Dallas Cowboys’ stadium, Smith-Njigba racked up 15 receptions for 252 yards, and scored 6 touchdowns in a 60-59 upset win for Rockwall over Allen.
You might say he put a wrench in Allen’s plans to win a state title.
This isn’t the first time Smith-Njigba has had a game like this against a good opponent this fall.
He has put up more than 5,000 receiving yards in his career, something only two other players in Texas high school history have accomplished.
Smith-Njigba is currently ranked as the No. 9 wide receiver in the country, the 7th-best player in the state of Texas, and the 56th-best player in the 2020 class overall.
He’s not even the top-rated wide receiver in his own school’s recruiting class. Julian Fleming, a 5-star prospect from Pennsylvania, is the top-ranked receiver in the 2020 class and is another Buckeye commit.
Smith-Njigba’s rankings may seem comically low after you watch some of the highlights below.
Future Ohio State WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba with a sweet one-handed TD grab to give Rockwall a 7-0 lead vs Allen in AT&T Stadium. @NBCDFW @ihss_dfw @SportsDayHS pic.twitter.com/cyPiYQQGm1
— Pat Doney (@PatDoneyNBC5) November 23, 2019
We ? you with the one-handed catch @jaxon_smith1! This kid's heading to Ohio State after he finishes taking care of business with @Rockwall_HS.
?Watch Allen vs. Rockwall LIVE: https://t.co/aln1RTNFWP@uiltexas | @rockwalljfndfb | #NFHSNetwork pic.twitter.com/shR2M7qUn3
— NFHS Network (@NFHSNetwork) November 23, 2019
Oh, look, Jaxon Smith-Njigba scored again.@rockwalljfndfb 14, @alleneaglesfb 14
6:58 1Q.#txhsfb #Txhsfbplayoffs pic.twitter.com/2M2ixwgpvG
— Dave Campbell's Texas Football — TexasFootball.com (@dctf) November 23, 2019
Third TD of first quarter for @OhioStateFB commit Jaxon SMITH-NJIGBA.
He good. Like, real good.@rockwalljfndfb up 21-14 w 3:50 left in 1Q.#txhsfb #Txhsfbplayoffs pic.twitter.com/yXo3zgRbxT
— Dave Campbell's Texas Football — TexasFootball.com (@dctf) November 23, 2019
“He looked at him before he even scored.”
TD 4️⃣ @jaxon_smith1 I. 1 #TXHSFB quarter. pic.twitter.com/a4JckqGz4H
— Greg Powers ? (@GPowersScout) November 23, 2019
Jaxon SMITH-NJIGBA just scored for the 879th time this half.
5 TDs for him so far.@rockwalljfndfb 38, @alleneaglesfb 24#txhsfb #Txhsfbplayoffs pic.twitter.com/Fa9za349pG
— Dave Campbell's Texas Football — TexasFootball.com (@dctf) November 23, 2019