Seahawks GM John Schneider Scouts C Olu Oluwatimi, NFL Draft's 'Biggest Steal'
Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider and coach Pete Carroll entered the 2023 NFL Draft looking to repeat the previous year's success, having assembled a stout class that featured several impact players.
And while it's obviously too early to tell how this year's group will turn out, Schneider and Carroll have once again earned high marks - especially for the fifth-round selection of Michigan center Olusegun Oluwatimi.
Despite being a consensus All-American and winning both the Rimington Award and Outland Trophy given annually to college football's best center and interior lineman, respectively, Oluwatimi fell to Seattle at No. 154 overall.
The Seahawks' selection of Oluwatimi was dubbed the draft's "biggest steal" by ESPN, which cited his ability to be a "fixture" in the middle of Seattle's offensive line for the next decade and potential to grow into one of the league's best centers.
After starting his collegiate career at Air Force, Oluwatimi spent four years at Virginia before finishing off with one season at Michigan. Through it all, he impressed, starting four years and earning countless honors.
But what exactly are the Seahawks getting in Oluwatimi? Here's a scouting report from Schneider ...
"He comes in (at Michigan), he's named captain the first year," Schneider said. "Again, another grown man, incredibly smart, knows the game, natural-born leader, awesome week at the Senior Bowl. You can't move him. He's just super stout, really good person, and top-level competitor."
As his captainship illustrates, Oluwatimi is impressive off the field - just consider that he was the Big Ten's Sportsmanship Award winner in 2022, his first (and only) year in the conference.
While veteran free agent signee Evan Brown will likely enter summer workouts leading the way at center, the 6-3, 305-pound Oluwatimi has a chance to be a long-term difference maker in Seattle.
The only question now is how soon he gets the opportunity - and if his resume says anything, it may come sooner rather than later.
You can follow Daniel Flick on Twitter @DFlickDraft
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