Seahawks Draft Profile: Devin Lloyd
With the 2022 NFL Draft set to kick off in Las Vegas on Thursday, April 28, the Seahawks will have a chance to kickstart a new era for the franchise with eight selections, including a top-10 pick and four picks total in the first three rounds.
Over the next month leading up to draft weekend, the AllSeahawks writing staff will dish out in-depth profiles on numerous prospects who could be targets on Seattle's big board.
Up next in the series, with the departure of Bobby Wagner this offseason, the Seahawks suddenly have a massive hole to fill in the middle of their defense. If they want to find a successor for No. 54 early in the draft, could Utah stat sheet-stuffing dynamo Devin Lloyd be a possible option at No. 9 overall?
Background
Starring on the gridiron at Otay Ranch High School in Chula Vista, California, Lloyd excelled as a three-way player at receiver, safety, and punter. During his senior season, he registered 52 tackles, eight interceptions, and three defensive touchdowns while also catching 29 passes and six touchdowns on offense, earning Second-Team All-CIF honors. After committing to Utah and redshirting in 2017, he primarily played special teams in 2018 before being thrust into the starting lineup the following year. Even with the 2020 season being shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he racked up 250 tackles, 15.5 sacks, 43 tackles for loss, and five interceptions over his final three seasons with the Utes, earning First-Team All-Pac 12 honors twice as well as being named the Pat Tillman Defensive Player of the Year and a First-Team All-American selection in 2021.
Strengths
A smooth athlete at 237 pounds, Lloyd plays faster than his 40 time on the field and never fails to bring his hard hat to work on game day. A highly-physical presence who isn’t afraid to mix it up in the trenches with offensive linemen and tight ends, he’s a punishing hitter who regularly knocks blows blockers standing in his path and wraps up runners in the backfield for tackles for loss.
A true sideline-to-sideline linebacker whose talents project well to the modern game, Lloyd tracks ball carriers like a heat-seeking missile shot directly towards the sun. Aggressive at the point of attack, he routinely chases down running backs and receivers in weak side pursuit on running plays as well as screens and quick dump off passes, rarely missing tackles once he's zeroed in on his prey.
A sneaky-good pass rusher when utilized in sub-packages, Lloyd produced 7.0 sacks as a senior and offers surprising polish working against tackles off the edge. While he has work to do in the finishing department and left sacks on the field a year ago, he mixes in swipe, rip/dip combos, and spin moves to slip past his blocker and turn up the heat on quarterbacks. He’s also been effective collapsing the pocket as a blitzer from his traditional off-ball position.
Instinctive and opportunistic in coverage, Lloyd runs well with tight ends down the seam and his prior safety background is evident when he drops back into zone, as he baits quarterbacks into throws that look open before undercutting them for interceptions and pass breakups. Possessing elite ball skills and hand eye coordination for his position, he posted outstanding ball production with four interceptions in 2021, returning two of them for touchdowns.
Weaknesses
Body position wise, Lloyd sometimes eliminates himself from run plays by being overaggressive in pursuit and not reading keys in front of him adequately. He also can be delayed in diagnosing certain run concepts as well, which could create problems in the league. This has been especially evident against zone-heavy schemes where he has struggled to identify and attack proper run fits, leading to big creases for opposing running backs.
While his athleticism shows up consistently when getting downhill defending the run and shooting past tackles as a rusher, Lloyd can occasionally get caught flat-footed in coverage and doesn't always play with loose hips transitioning out of his breaks. If manned up on a running back or tight end, he can give up quick separation as a result and compensated with his high football IQ at Utah.
Fit in Seattle
Off-ball linebackers aren't valued as they used to be in today's NFL and after picking Jordyn Brooks in the first round two years ago, the Seahawks have other needs that appear to be more pressing at the moment. However, in terms of pro-readiness and impact playmaking ability, Lloyd has few holes in his well-rounded game and he's a rare chess piece who can play all three linebacker spots while also moon-lighting as an edge rusher on passing downs. He also brings leadership intangibles to the table and could emerge as a successor for Wagner in that department as well.
With Seattle transitioning to more 3-4 looks, Lloyd could slide right into the starting lineup alongside Brooks, giving defensive coordinator Clint Hurtt an athletic, instinctive cover linebacker who can help slow down opposing intermediate passing games. When the Seahawks shift out of base looks into nickel and dime sets, he could also see snaps on the line of scrimmage to put his pass rushing savvy to use. Few players offer more versatility and talent, making him well-worth consideration for a top-10 selection.
Previous Seahawks NFL Draft Profiles
Sam Howell, QB, North Carolina | Tyler Linderbaum, C, Iowa | Arnold Ebiketie, EDGE, Penn State | Tyler Allgeier, RB, BYU | Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati | Tariq Woolen, CB, UTSA | Cameron Thomas, EDGE, San Diego State | Trevor Penning, T, Northern Iowa | Hassan Haskins, RB, Michigan | Abraham Lucas, T, Washington State | Troy Andersen, LB, Montana State | Boye Mafe, EDGE, Minnesota | Kingsley Enagbare, DE, South Carolina | Cade Otton, TE, Washington | Rasheed Walker, T, Penn State | Brandon Smith, LB, Penn State | Daniel Faalale, T, Minnesota | Dameon Pierce, RB, Florida | Ahmad Gardner, CB, Cincinnati | Charles Cross, T, Mississippi State | Calvin Austin III, WR, Memphis | Chad Muma, LB, Wyoming | Jalyn Armour-Davis, CB, Alabama
