Seahawks 90-Man Countdown: S Mo Osling III - Gunning For a Nickel Role

Having played nearly every position in the secondary for UCLA in six college seasons, Mo Osling III will be banking on his versatility giving him a fighting chance to surprise and stick around with the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent.

Author:
Corbin K. Smith
Publish date:
Jun 16, 2023 10:17 PM EDT

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Seattle Seahawks

With the calendar flipping to June and offseason activities well underway league-wide, the Seattle Seahawks will open training camp at the VMAC in less than two months, officially ushering in the 2023 season.

To celebrate the new incoming season, we'll be detailing every member of the Seahawks 90-man roster over the next several weeks, exploring best and worst case scenarios and what to expect from each player entering the 2023 campaign.

Mo Osling III, Safety

Height/Weight: 6-1, 195 pounds

2022 Stats*: 89 tackles, three pass breakups

*College stats at UCLA

Staying in state as a three-star recruit out of Antelope Valley High School, Osling saw immediate playing time at UCLA, appearing in all 13 games as a true freshman while producing 18 tackles and returning nine kicks. In three of the next four seasons, he dealt with nagging injuries that limited him to just 21 total games, limiting his development and overall production. He also only played in seven games in 2020 due to a shortened season as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, but played well with 39 tackles, three sacks, and an interception.

After only playing in seven games in 2021, Osling returned to the Bruins with one more year of eligibility and posted the best numbers of his collegiate career, setting personal bests in tackles and pass breakups. Due to his underwhelming production over six years at Westwood and injury history, he wasn't selected in the 2023 NFL Draft and signed with the Seahawks as a priority free agent.

Best-Case Scenario: A versatile defender entering the NFL with prior experience playing free safety, outside cornerback, and slot cornerback along with special teams, Osling's positional flexibility helps him earn extra snaps during the preseason and in an unexpected development, he vaults past Joey Blount on the depth chart to win a roster spot.

Worst-Case Scenario: Lacking the refinement expected from a player who spent six seasons in the Pac-12, Osling gets outperformed by fellow undrafted rookies Jonathan Sutherland and Ty Okada at safety, leading to him being waived after the first preseason game.

What to Expect in 2023: On tape, Osling has looked the part of an NFL player in brief spurts at UCLA. He's a reliable, physical tackler who made 21 stops on special teams during his time with the Bruins and when he's been healthy, he has done a decent job getting his hands on the football for pass breakups while playing multiple positions in the secondary. He also has plus size for a free safety or slot defender.

But at the same time, durability woes have prevented Osling from reaching his potential, as he failed to eclipse 20 tackles in four of his six college seasons and generated only one interception during that time. Coming into the league as an older 24-year old rookie, he may not have as much upside as some of his counterparts competing at the safety spot, making the practice squad a likely ceiling for him at one of Seattle's best position groups.

Previous Seahawks 90-Man Profiles