Still Growing at New Position, Tariq Woolen Aims to Follow Footsteps of Seahawks' Legend
RENTON, WA - Each year in the lead up to the NFL draft, the terms "freak athlete" and "generational talent" get thrown around by experts and fans alike with great frequency, diminishing the value of such words. If dozens of incoming prospects have rare athletic traits and physical talents, then how can they really be rare?
But in the case of UTSA cornerback Tariq Woolen, who Seattle drafted in the fifth round with the 153rd overall selection, he's truly one-of-one. As coach Pete Carroll noted chatting with reporters after the conclusion of day three of the draft, he's a unicorn unlike any the NFL has ever seen.
"There's probably never been a guy that's as tall as this guy, as fast as this guy, that's ever run. I don't know. Maybe there has been," Carroll said. "But to be over six-four and to run 4.2-something [40-yard dash] is a crazy number."
Back in March, Woolen made history at the NFL combine in Indianapolis, becoming the first prospect at 6-foot-4 or taller to ever produce a sub-4.30 40-yard dash (4.26 seconds) and a vertical jump of 40 or more inches (42). That combination had previously never been accomplished, putting him in exclusive company of his own.
To put these testing numbers in perspective, Lions legend Calvin Johnson and former Titans receiver Tyrone Calico were the only players at that height to run the 40 in under 4.35 seconds and Woolen beat both of them by nearly a full tenth of a second. In the vertical jump, only seven players 6-foot-4 or taller have ever jumped at least 40 inches vertically, with ex-Raiders draft pick Obi Melifonwu holding the top spot at 44 inches.
“It was pretty crazy. When I got the official time, I was like, ‘Dang’, it didn’t even feel real," Woolen told reporters via conference call. "I was just glad a person of my size could go out there and make history somewhat.”
Considering his historical performance at Lucas Oil Stadium, Tariq "The Freak" Woolen certainly seems accurate. But while his athletic profile has never been seen before, as the young defender knows from his own idolizing of the vaunted "Legion of Boom," his road traveled to the NFL as a former receiver in the midst of a transition to cornerback isn't an unfamiliar one to Carroll and the Seahawks.
Only 11 years ago, in one of the most pivotal drafts in franchise history, Seattle used the 154th selection in the fifth round on Stanford cornerback Richard Sherman. At the time, the pick was viewed like most fifth round selections: as an afterthought. In fact, Bleacher Report didn't even reference the brash 6-foot-3 defender when examining the team's draft haul. Nobody expected him to be a starter, let alone a superstar.
History made those experts look quite foolish, as Sherman started 10 games as a rookie and picked off four passes. Over the next four seasons, "Optimus Prime" earned four All-Pro selections, including three of the First-Team variety, and three Pro Bowls. He also famously made "The Tip" in the 2013 NFC Championship victory over the 49ers, swatting away a pass in the end zone intended for receiver Michael Crabtree that wound up being intercepted by linebacker Malcolm Smith to punch the Seahawks' ticket to Super Bowl XLVIII.
While Carroll never could have foreseen the immense success Sherman achieved in seven seasons in Seattle when the team drafted him, after recruiting the player while coaching at USC, he saw special qualities as a football player and competitor that he badly wanted to add to his defense.
"I had known him growing up and coming to school and all, so I had a little special insight on that one and was excited to see him as he went to defense how it physical he was and he really carried that through," Carroll remarked.
Coming out of college, Sherman wasn't blessed with the unique athletic gifts Woolen possesses. At the combine, he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.54 seconds, which tied for 26th among 35 cornerbacks. His short shuttle time (4.33) was dead-last among corners who participated.
However, Sherman did fare much better in other tests, including finishing seventh in the vertical jump (38 inches) and eighth in broad jump (125 inches). He also finished a respectable 12th among corners in the 3-cone drill at 6.82 seconds, showcasing elite change of direction skills for a taller cornerback. In that department, he actually holds the edge over Woolen, who posted a respectable 7.10 time in the "L" drill at his pro day workout.
When asked to compare where Woolen's development stands in comparison to Sherman, Carroll indicated he needed to see the rookie on the practice field before he could truly answer that question. Instincts-wise, Sherman came into the NFL well-ahead of the curve for a player who had only been playing cornerback for two years, and it's unclear where Woolen stands on that front still being in the early stages of his development.
With that said, Carroll has been impressed by the rapid improvement Woolen showed in just 16 games as a cornerback for the Roadrunners and said he's "really learning the spot" quickly. While they have vastly different athletic profiles and personalities, he sees parallels in how the rookie plays the game and how his size and length impacts receivers at the line of scrimmage in comparison to Sherman.
"Richard didn't run like Tariq runs, and so it's a little bit different in the dynamics of the player" Carroll explained. "I don't know enough about Tariq now to see all of the instincts that were so special to Richard. But what we do know is those are guys that because of their stature they present problems for a receiver and it's because they're so long and so wide and fill up so much space and can run with them. So there's some similarities."
Where does Woolen personally see his development? While he reluctantly moved to corner during the 2019 season, he quickly fell in love with his new position as he gradually improved each week. Over time, he found his groove, which allowed him to play faster, be "more comfortable in making my reads on the field," and better utilize his speed, quickness, and explosiveness.
The result? Woolen made dramatic strides as a senior, producing 25 tackles, an interception, and four pass breakups. He received Honorable Mention All-Conference USA honors while helping guide UTSA to the best record in school history, earning himself an invitation to the Senior Bowl in Mobile.
Given the relative rawness of his game, Carroll and the Seahawks will have to temper expectations early as Woolen gets acclimated to his new surroundings. Growing pains will certainly be part of the equation and he will be tested right away going against DK Metcalf at practice. The good news is that the team doesn't need him to be a day one starter and can afford to be patient handling his development, particularly from a technique perspective.
As for those matchups against Metcalf? Those who bear witness will get to see two Madden create-a-player prototypes duke it out and Woolen is ready to embrace the challenge with the belief those battles will bring out the best in him for his new team. If he's ever going to come close to being Sherman 2.0, he knows he will have to learn how to hold his own against top-tier receivers.
“I think it’s going to be great going against him in practice, because I know that to become a great corner, you have to have great receivers," Woolen said. "He’s a great receiver and being able to go against a guy like him, that has great stature, that’s going to be great going against him.”
Early on, Woolen will likely need to carve out a role on special teams as he continues to harness his craft under the tutelage of Carroll and defensive backs coach Karl Scott. He's a long-term project who may need seasoning before he's ready for prime time and Melifonwu's struggles in the league provide a cautionary tale that sheer athleticism only gets a player so far in the NFL.
But once his unique athletic traits collide with improved understanding of how to play the position and enhanced technical prowess, Woolen has no doubts his best football is yet to come. Looking to write his own story in Seattle, he hopes to see his adventure flipping from wideout to cornerback continue to fall in line with Sherman's as a future starter and impact playmaker in the secondary. After being drafted later than he expected, he couldn't have landed in a better spot and knows the onus now falls on him to put the work in to enjoy a stellar career of his own.
