Seahawks 90-Man Roster Primer: Jarrod Hewitt

Following Jarran Reed's unceremonious exit, the Seahawks have a need for depth in the interior defensive line. Could the former Hokie provide some much-needed pass rushing help as an undrafted rookie?

Author:
Corbin K. Smith
Publish date:
Jun 9, 2021 8:30 PM EDT

With the calendar flipping to June and offseason programs in full swing across the country, NFL training camps will begin around the league in less than two months. To celebrate the new incoming season, we will be breaking down the Seahawks' 90-man roster over the next several weeks, exploring best and worst case scenarios and what to expect from each player entering the 2021 campaign.

Jarrod Hewitt, Defensive Tackle

Height/Weight: 6-foot-1, 290 pounds

2020 Stats (at Virginia Tech): 31 tackles, 5.5 sacks, 7.5 tackles for loss

A three-star recruit coming out of Venice, Florida, Hewitt enjoyed a productive career at Virginia Tech, including registering 9.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss total in his final two seasons on campus. Known for a quick first step, relentless motor, and penetrating ability, he compensated for his lack of size and strength to be an effective interior rusher playing in the ACC. Being undersized hurt him in the draft process, however, and concerns about his ability to hold up physically as an NFL 3-tech defensive tackle led to him going undrafted. In Seattle, he will be competing against the likes of Cedric Lattimore, Robert Nkemdiche, and Myles Adams for a reserve rotational role behind starter Poona Ford.

Best Case Scenario: With Clint Hurtt taking him under his wing, Hewitt quickly moves up the depth chart due to his penetrating ability and records a pair of sacks in three preseason games, paving his way to a surprise roster spot and earning a rotational role spelling Ford at the 3-tech position.

Worst Case Scenario: Unable to make up for his lack of girth and length, Hewitt struggles to hold up against NFL offensive linemen and disengage from blocks, falling behind in the competition and leading to his release after the second preseason game.

What to expect in 2021: If there's a franchise that already has a sterling track record turning "small" defensive tackles into quality NFL players, the Seahawks would take the cake. Most recently, Ford went undrafted out of Texas because he was listed at 5-foot-11 and all he has done in three seasons is evolve into one of the best young interior defenders in the league. This isn't to say Hewitt will become the next Ford, who had a more productive college career overall at Texas and offers superior skills defending against the run. But Seattle has a need for depth at the 3-tech spot after Jarran Reed's departure and if his pass rushing success in college translates to the pros, it's not out of the question the former Hokie could beat out the likes of Lattimore and Nkemdiche for a roster spot. At the very least, he's an intriguing practice squad candidate with enough upside to eventually play on Sundays.