The Houston Texans will take on the Seattle Seahawks on Monday Night Football with CJ Stroud looking to continue his team's winning streak coming up against Sam Darnold's team in the Pacific Northwest
08:00 ET, 20 Oct 2025
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CJ Stroud has named the best receiver he's ever played with
CJ Stroud has named Jaxon Smith-Njigba as the best wide receiver he has played with throughout his career, despite throwing to a number of the best players in the league.
Stroud had his best season at Ohio State in 2022 — the year in which Smith-Njigba broke the record for most yards by a Buckeyes receiver in a single season. Smith-Njigba had been somewhat of a one-year wonder at college, being a backup in his freshman year before missing his final season with an injury. But in that one season, the talented receiver made headlines by dominating throughout the year before having 347 receiving yards and three touchdowns in a Rose Bowl victory before the two entered the draft together.
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Throughout Stroud's time in college, he played with the likes of Marvin Harrison Jr, Emeka Egbuka, Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave. But he named Smith-Njigba, his opponent this weekend, as the best.
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Speaking ahead of Monday Night Football when Stroud's Houston Texans will take on the Seattle Seahawks, the quarterback said: "He's one of the best I have ever played with, if not the best.
"I am super proud of him, I have always known that this was going to happen for him."
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Stroud and Smith-Njigba had their best years together in Ohio State
Stroud was referring to Smith-Njigba's incredible start to the 2025 season with the Seahawks. Through six games, the receiver leads the league in receiving yards with 696 with three touchdowns.
Smith-Njigba was behind DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett in his rookie season, recording 628 yards as a backup before impressing last year with over 1,100 yards and 100 catches.
The Seahawks traded Metcalf and released Lockett this offseason, making Smith-Njigba the top option ahead of Cooper Kupp.
Smith-Njigba drafted in the same class as Stroud, both going in the 2023 draft while posing for pictures together on the red carpet.
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Jaxon Smith-Njigba leads the league in receiving yards
Stroud had hoped the Texans would select Smith-Njigba had they had the opportunity to do so, but Seattle instead picked him with the 20th overall selection.
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Smith-Njigba has benefitted from Sam Darnold's impressive play, taking another leap from the year he had with the Minnesota Vikings and proving the Seahawks right in their decision to pay him and trade Geno Smith.
The Seahawks have a 4-2 record with the Texans sitting at 2-3.
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