Why Potential Patriots Draft Target Attended Red Sox-Pirates Game

There was a unique visitor in the crowd at Fenway Park on Monday night watching the Boston Red Sox take on the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Highly touted NFL draft prospect Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who has been linked to the New England Patriots, was in attendance for the ball game. While the Patriots met with Smith-Njigba at the scouting combine, it doesn’t seem like the prized wideout met with the organization again while in Massachusetts. NFL reporter Doug Kyed reported Smith-Njigba did not visit the Patriots.

The reason for the sighting of the Ohio State product at Fenway was he was there to support his brother Canaan Smith-Njigba, who is an outfielder for the Pirates. It certainly ended up being a worthwhile trip as Jaxon Smith-Njigba saw his older brother double home two runs in the top of the first inning.

The two siblings also got to share a special moment on the field prior to first pitch.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba did reveal some of his feelings about the area and potentially playing for the Patriots when NESN’s Jahmai Webster caught up with him midway through the game.

“I loved it here so far,” Smith-Njigba told Webster, as seen on the NESN broadcast. “You all have treated me with just great respect and shown me a good time. So, we’ll see. Maybe I’m here in a few months.”

Smith-Njigba could be an intriguing first-round option for the Patriots, who hold the No. 14 overall pick in the draft.

The 6-foot-1, 196-pound wide receiver played in just three games this past season due to a hamstring injury, but had a memorable 2021 campaign, in which Smith-Njigba caught 15 passes for 347 yards and three touchdowns in a Rose Bowl win over Utah.

Return trips back to Fenway sure aren’t out of the question yet for Smith-Njigba, especially if Patriots end up using their first-round pick on him.