Seahawks 90-Man Countdown: CB Montrae Braswell
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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, I will 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.
Montrae Braswell, Cornerback
Height/Weight: 5-10, 194 pounds
2022 Stats*: 28 tackles, one kickoff returned for touchdown
*College stats at Missouri State
Originally beginning his college career at Central Michigan, Braswell moved down to the FCS level after his freshman season to join Missouri State and immediately became one of the best defensive backs in the Missouri Valley Conference. Intercepting four passes and returning one for a touchdown as a junior in 2021, he earned Second-Team All-American honors for the Bears while also earning First-Team All-MVC distinction as a kick return specialist.
Though he didn't pick off any passes as a senior on defense, Braswell netted 30.3 yards per kick return, the second-best average in the country, while once again garnering First-Team recognition as a cornerback and specialist. He finished his collegiate career with six interceptions and five total touchdowns, including three as a kick returner.
Best-Case Scenario: Despite arriving as a late addition to the competition, Braswell shines returning both kicks and punts during training camp and the preseason, emerging as a surprising 53-man roster addition for his special teams talents as a replacement for the departed Godwin Igwebuike.
Worst-Case Scenario: Struggling to make the transition from the FCS level to NFL competition and lost in the shuffle in the kick return competition, Braswell only lasts a week in training camp before being waived.
What to Expect in 2023: Signed in late May midway through Seattle's offseason program after being released by Kansas City, Braswell will have some catching up to do in order to give himself a fighting chance to stick around. But unlike many of the undrafted rookies set to participate in training camp, he does have a clear path to a spot on the roster or practice squad if his success as a kick returner at Missouri State translates to the NFL. Additional special teams contributions on kick and punt coverage would further improve his odds.
Competing at arguably the deepest position on the roster and lacking elite athletic traits, however, if Braswell isn't able to stand out and thrive on special teams for the Seahawks, it's difficult to envision him being more than a camp body auditioning for other teams or leagues in August.
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