Seahawks Draft Grade of Devon Witherspoon: Did Seattle Pass or Fail?
The Seattle Seahawks' promising group of young defensive backs gained another weapon in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft on Thursday. With the No. 5 selection, Seattle drafted Illinois cornerback Devon Witherspoon.
Witherspoon joins Tariq Woolen with goals of a "Legion of Boom" caliber secondary to help push the team further into postseason. Coach Pete Carroll described Witherspoon as "rare" with an attitude that is going to fit in perfectly with his team.
The team at Sports Illustrated also gives the selection an exemplary grade. Why SI says it's a "A-" pick:
Seattle struck gold last year with corner Tariq Woolen, and it's looking to give him a running mate in Witherspoon. At 5'11" and 181 pounds, the Illinois product is undersized but plays with excellent technique and anticipation. Adding Witherspoon also gives the Seahawks more firepower to fight with the 49ers’ perimeter weapons in Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk. If Seattle is going to contend in the NFC West, it starts with slowing down San Francisco.
Though only weighing 180 pounds, Witherspoon was a consensus First-Team All-American selection for the Fighting Illini's top-ranked scoring defense. Last season, He finished with three interceptions, 14 pass breakups and was named a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, given to the nation's best defensive back.
"Since the years we've been here, we haven't seen a guy like this," Carroll said. "We have not drafted corners high just because we haven't come across a guy of this makeup. It's his athletic ability, it's his speed, it's his playmaking, it's his mentality."
The draft continues Friday with the second and third rounds beginning at 7 p.m. ET. One of the biggest storylines is focused on what will happen with Kentucky quarterback Will Levis, who still remains on the board. The Tennessee Titans are the favorites to land a guy that was widely-expected to go in the first round.
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