Jaxon Smith-Njigba, after absolutely torching the league with an astounding 1,793 receiving yards and snagging the NFL Offensive Player of the Year award, just punched his ticket into the final 10 players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2026 list! This isn’t just big for JSN, it’s a huge moment for Seattle to see one of our own recognized among the absolute elite. This marks the first time our guy has cracked the list, and anyone who watched him play last season knows it won’t be the last.
Honestly, it’s about time JSN got his flowers on this level. We’ve watched him light up defenses week after week, making impossible catches look routine. He’s a legitimate superstar, a certified playmaker who commands respect every time he steps on the field. He’ll be joining linebacker Ernest Jones IV, who landed at No. 97, and quarterback Sam Darnold, coming in at No. 21, as the only Seahawks on the entire ranking. Think about that for a second. We’re the reigning Super Bowl champions, the best team in the entire league, and we only have THREE players on the “Top 100”? That’s wild. Especially when our division rival, the Los Angeles Rams, who we stomped 31-27 in the NFC Championship last season, have three players in the top 10 *alone*. Something doesn’t add up here, Emerald City.
But maybe the biggest head-scratcher, the one that really gets under your skin, isn’t who made the list, but who got completely disrespected and left off. Pro Bowl cornerback Devon Witherspoon, who just became the highest paid player at his position, narrowly missed the cut at No. 107. He was placed behind Jalen Ramsey (No. 82), Jaycee Horn (No. 76), and Cooper DeJean (No. 38)! Are you kidding me? Spoon is a lockdown corner, a fearless tackler, and a true leader in the secondary. To miss the top 100 entirely, especially after the season he had, is a total snub. But even that wasn’t the biggest miss. Defensive lineman Leonard Williams, who helped anchor one of the most dominant defenses of the modern era for Coach Mike Macdonald, was arguably the biggest snub of all. The man had another incredibly productive year in 2025, racking up seven sacks and 58 pressures, while remaining an elite force in stopping the run. Yet, he didn’t even earn a mention! He was passed over for guys like Derrick Brown (No. 90), Zach Allen (No. 73), and Jalen Carter (No. 29). It’s an absolute joke. While JSN, Darnold, and Jones IV absolutely earned their spots, it’s clear several other members of our Seahawks got absolutely hosed.
The final reveal of the top 10 players kicks off on August 24, with one player unveiled per weekday. We’ll find out exactly where Jaxon Smith-Njigba landed soon enough, and you know we’ll be hyped. But don’t let this list fool you. Our Super Bowl champion Seahawks are loaded with talent, even if the “experts” don’t always acknowledge it. We know what we’ve got, and that’s all that truly matters.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Field Gulls.
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