Seahawks Camp BREAKING: Where's Witherspoon? No Deal for Devon
The Seattle Seahawks have high hopes for Devon Witherspoon, the No. 5 overall pick in April's NFL Draft. But those hopes cannot be realized until a next step is taken. And as the team takes the field for the start of training camp, the standout cornerback prospect is not in uniform.
Witherspoon will end up being a trivia question as he is the final player among this year’s 259 draft picks not under contract. Given the slotting system used for NFL picks, that will change soon enough. ... at which time the hopes can begin to be realized.
Thanks to the Russell Wilson trade to the Denver Broncos an offseason ago, the Seahawks acquired the pick that gives them Witherspoon may never go to Seattle. The Illinois cornerback brings high expectations; since arriving in Seattle, Witherspoon has drawn comparisons to former Seahawk great Richard Sherman and even Earl Thomas.
With those high comparisons in mind, DraftKings gave Witherspoon +1000 odds to be the Defensive Rookie of the Year, making him third-best in the NFL. The only two rookies with better odds than the newest Seahawk are Will Anderson Jr. (Houston Texans, +400) and Jalen Carter (Philadelphia Eagles, +700).
Witherspoon's place in third behind Anderson and Carter isn't all too surprising, considering both were considered two of the best players available in this past offseason's NFL Draft.
Yet, a cornerback beating out high-profile rookie edge rushers isn't uncommon. Just look at last season, where New York Jets corner Sauce Gardner beat out Detroit Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson and the Seahawks' Tariq Woolen. But for any of that to happen? He's got to get here first.
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