Seahawks CB Tariq Woolen Named Team's Most Underappreciated Player
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In a season full of surprises for the Seattle Seahawks, rookie cornerback Tariq Woolen may have been the most pleasant one.
A fifth-round pick out of UTSA, Woolen wasted little time leaving his mark on the NFL. He started all 17 games for the Seahawks, racking up 63 tackles, 16 passes defended and six interceptions, tied for the most in the league. He not only made the Pro Bowl, but was also a finalist for the Defensive Rookie of the Year Award.
Even with his outstanding debut season, some believe that Woolen still hasn't received enough recognition. NFL.com recently named him as the Seahawks' most under appreciated player heading into the 2023 season.
"In his rookie campaign, the fifth-round pick tied for the league lead with six interceptions and posted a whopping 16 pass breakups," NFL.com writes. "His 23.2 percent ball hawk rate (a Next Gen Stats measure of how often a player disrupts a pass divided by targets as the nearest defender) was the third-highest mark in the NFL last season, while his 31.9 passer rating allowed as the nearest defender in zone coverage was the lowest mark in the league. I know Woolen got some love for his excellent debut season, but he was still largely overshadowed by fellow rookie corner Sauce Gardner. I'm here with flowers in hand."
The comparisons between Woolen and Gardner, the No. 4 overall pick of the New York Jets, persisted throughout the season, even when both players downplayed their supposed rivalry. While Gardner ended up winning Defensive Rookie of the Year, the fact that a fifth-round pick like Woolen pushed him for the award is a testament to how good he was.
Woolen has big expectations heading into Year 2, but he'll have to wait a while to get back on the field. The 6-4 cornerback underwent arthroscopic knee surgery on Tuesday, sidelining him for four to six weeks.
Regardless of his injury, Woolen is one of the top young corners in the league and should be a staple in Seattle's secondary for years to come.
You can find Jonathan Alfano on Twitter @JonAlfano_News
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