Devon Witherspoon is Seahawks 'Through and Through': Senior Bowl Director Loves Seattle's No. 5 Pick
Before the start of the new year, Senior Bowl director and former Seattle Seahawks scout Jim Nagy thought he had reeled in one of the nation's biggest fish with Illinois superstar cornerback Devon Witherspoon signed on to compete in the all-star showcase.
But then, renowned NFL.com analyst Daniel Jeremiah released his first 2023 NFL Draft rankings in January, listing Witherspoon as the fifth-best player in the class. Within 24 hours, the star corner's agent called Nagy to inform him that his client would no longer be attending in Mobile, bypassing the event with a first-round selection likely already in the bag.
In an interview with the Locked On Seahawks Podcast, while Nagy expressed disappointment about losing Witherspoon from the Senior Bowl roster, he understood the decision made by the player and his representatives.
"Would've loved to have him. But when you're a top-10 pick - and even back in January it looked that way - I get it. I'm not dumb," Nagy laughed.
Four months later, the Seahawks ensured Witherspoon would indeed be a top-10 selection. Picking the consensus All-American fifth overall, general manager John Schneider threw one of his patented draft weekend curveballs by opting against drafting Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter and instead further bolstering an already talented secondary with the best cornerback in this year's class.
But Nagy is giving Seahawk fans another reminder about why they should be excited.
"For Seahawks fans who haven't watched this guy yet, this guy's a Seahawk through and through. He's going to be a lot of fun to watch out there with a Seahawk helmet on. It's going to be awesome."
Many draft experts and fans were caught off-guard by the selection, as Seattle historically had not invested high draft picks in cornerbacks with Schneider and coach Pete Carroll calling the shots. In fact, the franchise had not picked a player at the position earlier than the third round, as Shaquill Griffin joined the team in the 2017 NFL Draft as the 90th overall selection.
In the past, the Seahawks also had enjoyed immense success drafting and developing cornerbacks in the fourth round or later under Carroll's tutelage, including unearthing a gem in fifth-round pick Tariq Woolen only a year ago. The ex-UTSA standout won a starting job out of the gate and tied for the league lead in interceptions, earning Pro Bowl honors as a rookie and finishing third in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting.
Given that success, the vast majority of draft analysts scoffed at the idea Schneider and Carroll would use a rare top-five pick at a position where they had consistently found top-tier starters in the final four rounds, especially considering significant needs along the defensive line.
But Nagy, who worked as a regional scout under Schneider for five seasons before replacing Phil Savage as the new Senior Bowl director in 2018, wasn't among those surprised by the Seahawks decision to draft Witherspoon. Having watched him closely as part of the country's top-ranked scoring defense, he identified the hard-hitting, instinctive ball hawk as an excellent fit for the team early on in the pre-draft process.
"Honestly, I wasn't that shocked that Seattle picked him, although that goes way against what John and Pete have done at the position" Nagy said of the Witherspoon selection. "But when you looked at that top part of the draft, I didn't see a quarterback - I thought maybe Anthony Richardson if he got there would be too enticing to pass up. If Will Anderson was there, I think he would have been the pick. But after that, Devon Witherspoon was the best player and he's got that Seahawks DNA."
Formerly a zero-star recruit coming out of Pensacola, Florida, Witherspoon originally enrolled at Hutchinson Community College in Kansas and started taking classes in July 2019. But after earning an SAT score high enough to qualify for NCAA eligibility, Division I offers started to come in, with numerous FBS schools entering the fray in the final months before training camp opened.
Jumping in late in the process, Illinois made a hard push for Witherspoon, who they coveted not just for his ball skills after registering 11 interceptions in two high school seasons. The coaching staff also loved his physicality and willingness to tackle, rare attributes for a boundary cornerback.
Less than a month after relocating to Kansas, Witherspoon was on the move again as the final member of the Fighting Illini's 2019 recruiting class, carrying a giant chip on his shoulder with him as he arrived in Champagne. Along with leading the team in special teams tackles, by the end of his freshman season, he had vaulted into the starting lineup, setting the stage for his ascendance as a top NFL prospect.
Three years later, the feisty Witherspoon put up ridiculous numbers in coverage while creating a no-fly zone wherever he traveled. In addition to not yielding a single touchdown during his senior season and intercepting three passes, according to Pro Football Focus, he ranked first in pass breakups (14) and opposing passer rating (25.3). He also finished third surrendering a 35.3 percent completion percentage.
While some may question how much playing in a secondary that also featured future NFL draft picks Sydney Brown and Quan Martin benefited Witherspoon at the college level, Nagy never questioned him as a top-five talent on his own accord due to his ability to do it all in coverage.
"I didn't have any reservations on Devon, I really didn't," Nagy said. "I thought that was a great pick. I think he can play man, I think he can play zone, just the competitiveness... I think the guy can really cover."
Away from his gaudy ball production, Witherspoon also became renowned for delivering bone-jarring hits, including a blown up screen against Indiana that went viral on social media. As it did when Illinois offered him a scholarship, his penchant for laying the lumber coupled with top-notch football instincts that Carroll compared to Hall of Famer Troy Polamalu stood out to Seattle, making it an easy choice to pick him.
Citing Witherspoon as a rare example of a cornerback he could watch dish punishment working in run support "all day," Nagy expects that tenacity and physical mindset will endear him to fans quickly starring across from Woolen. When it's all said and done, he has no doubt there will be plenty of No. 21 jerseys in the stands at Lumen Field.
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