ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay is in hot water with Ohio State receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s family.
Smith-Njigba’s father, Maada, and the wideout’s brother, Canaan, an outfielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates, took to Twitter to call out McShay, who reported that NFL scouts have told him that the Buckeyes star is sitting out to preserve himself for the 2023 NFL draft.
“[I’d] love to see him play, and NFL scouts would love to see him play,” McShay said on ESPN’s “College Football Live” on Monday. “There are a lot of reports from NFL scouts I’ve talked to that have said, ‘He’s healthy enough to play and he’s protecting himself for the draft.’
“I’ve got news for every prospect out there: NFL teams know. They know what you had for lunch last Thursday. They are going to know if you are healthy or not. And if you are healthy enough to play, you need to be out there with your teammates and play.
“I’m not saying it’s going to hurt his draft stock… but the difference is with Jaxon Smith-Njigba, he is like a late first, early second rounder. He’s a great college player, great slot receiver. But he has some drops, doesn’t have exceptional size, doesn’t have exceptional speed. There were some things coming into the year, after the great season he had, scouts were pointing to that said, ‘I don’t think he’s a lock to go top-15, top-20.’ Now the fact that he’s not playing certainly isn’t going to help those odds.”
McShay’s comments came on the same day Smith-Njigba — who’s been out for the majority of the season with a hamstring injury — announced he’s declaring for the draft.
“I did everything possible to put myself in a position to get back on the field multiple times this year,” Smith-Njigba wrote. “I wanted it as much, if not more than anyone else. After consulting with my doctors, it has been determined that I will not be able to participate in the playoffs.”
On Wednesday, Maada took to Twitter, writing, “Being [with] my son yesterday for his first day of rehab and seeing his limitations for myself gave me peace [with] our families choice to get my son healthy. Encouraging him [to] play would be selfish and abusive. I’m at peace [because] I know he’s in the right hands [for] recovery.”
Shortly after, Canaan called out McShay in a tweet, saying it is “so wrong” to make these “false claims” on television.
“If he was healthy he would be playing.. like what?? We not protecting our ‘Draft stock’ they know who JSN is when healthy. You sorry @McShay13 and so wrong to be on tv making these false claims.” Canaan tweeted, adding a clown emoji.
Maada also reposted a tweet by Jets receiver Garrett Wilson, who wrote: “Damn, Dr Mcshay.. JSN got a big heart, you don’t know the man. Not to mention, don’t speak on what you don’t know. Simple. Sorry to see this.”
Smith-Njigba appeared in just three games for the Buckeyes, recording five catches for 43 receiving yards against Notre Dame, Toledo and Iowa.
In a statement on Monday, Ohio State coach Ryan Day thanked Smith-Njigba for his work in the football program.
“He has had such a major impact here in Columbus, on and off the field, in a relatively short period of time,” Day said in a statement. “We all know he has a very bright future ahead of him and we all support him as he moves forward with his career.”
Ohio State will face Georgia in the College Football Playoff on Dec. 31.
