After a historic season in which he led the league with an astounding 1,793 receiving yards and earned the NFL Offensive Player of the Year award, Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba continues to earn his flowers.
Seattle’s star receiver was named one of the final 10 players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2026 list, meaning he’ll join linebacker Ernest Jones IV (No.97) and quarterback Sam Darnold (No. 21) as the lone Seahawks on the ranking. In addition to Jones, Smith-Njigba’s appearance
marks the first of his career, and unlikely the last.
The final stretch of the ranking will kick off on August 24, unveiling one player per week day.
It should surely come as a surprise the reigning Super Bowl champions have just three players on the list, especially considering their division rival Los Angeles Rams, who the Seahawks defeated 31-27 in the NFC Championship last season, have the same number in the top 10 alone. Albeit, defensive end Myles Garrett hasn’t played a snap for the franchise yet.
But, perhaps the most noteworthy part of the ranking from Seattle’s perspective isn’t who made it, but who was left off. Pro Bowl cornerback Devon Witherspoon, now the highest paid player at his position, narrowly missed (No. 107), and was placed behind Jalen Ramsey (No. 82), Jaycee Horn (No. 76) and Cooper DeJean (No. 38).
While Witherspoon’s absence is notable, defensive lineman Leonard Williams, who helped anchor one of the most dominant defenses of the modern era, was arguably a far bigger snub. Williams had another incredibly productive year in 2025 under head coach Mike Macdonald, racking up seven sacks and 58 pressures, while remaining an elite force in stopping the run.
Yet, he didn’t even earn a mention, unlike Derrick Brown (No. 90), Zach Allen (No. 73), and Jalen Carter (No. 29), who all soared through the ranking.
Although Smith-Njigba, Darnold, and Jones earned the respect the deserved, several members of the Seahawks (including Byron Murphy II and Nick Emmanwori, by the way) did not.
