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Seahawks 2022 Combine Confidential: Tight Ends

Seattle may have one or two spots open on the depth chart at tight end once the dust settles in free agency. Luckily, several quality players should be available at the position in an underrated draft class to restock the cupboard if necessary.
Corbin K. Smith|
Seahawks 2022 Combine Confidential: Tight Ends
Seahawks 2022 Combine Confidential: Tight Ends

INDIANAPOLIS - Throughout the Pete Carroll era, the Seahawks have struggled to coax consistent production out of their tight ends in the passing game, and that trend continued to an extent in 2021.

While incoming free agent Gerald Everett flashed at times and set new career-highs in receptions and receiving yards, it took time for him to get comfortable catching passes from Russell Wilson. His performance fluctuated quite a bit on a week-to-week basis, as he battled issues with drops and ball security periodically while posting six games with 15 or fewer receiving yards.

Behind Everett, Will Dissly stayed healthy for a second straight year appearing in 15 games and excelled as an inline blocker, but he remained a relative non-factor as a receiver with just 21 receptions and a single touchdown. Meanwhile, former fourth-round pick Colby Parkinson failed to build off an outstanding start to training camp and caught a grand total of five passes in a disappointing sophomore season.

With both Everett and Dissly slated to become unrestricted free agents later this month and the team having several other key players to re-sign on both sides of the ball, it's possible Seattle could lose one or both of them. But if there was a year where undergoing substantial turnover at the position could be weathered, the 2022 draft class features a deep, talented array of tight ends to help fill that void.

Here are three tight end prospects who could be on Seattle's radar as targets in April's upcoming draft:

Isaiah Likely

Helping transform Coastal Carolina from an FBS afterthought into a viable top 25 program, the 6-foot-4, 241-pound Likely made an immediate impact upon his arrival on campus, catching five passes as a freshman for the Chanticleers. In four collegiate seasons, he hauled in 133 receptions for 2,050 yards and 27 touchdowns.

A high-IQ player, Likely understands how to find the soft spot in coverage and he's a true seam-stretcher with the ability to inflict damage as a vertical threat on the outside. Flashing excellent speed and acceleration for his position, he averaged north of 15 yards per catch feasting primarily on Sun Belt competition, including producing 601 yards as a junior on just 30 receptions. Though he has been known to play with delayed hands coming out of his breaks at times and suffered from random bouts with drops, for the most part, he was a consistent play maker for one of the country's best offenses over the past two years.

His slight frame doesn't scream NFL tight end and Likely will need to continue living in the weight room to hold up as an inline blocker at the next level, but he showed at the Senior Bowl in Mobile that he can be effective in that capacity. In many ways, his game compares favorably to Everett, as he may be one of the premier "move" tight ends in the entire draft with his ability to line up all over the formation. That alone could make him a fascinating replacement option or even potentially a sidekick in Shane Waldron's offense.

Jake Ferguson

While Ferguson isn't much bigger than Likely in the weight department, he plays a far more physical brand of football that you would expect to see from a player who has 15-20 pounds on him. Taking pride in his blocking playing in a pro-style offense, he helped open up running lanes for current Colts star Jonathan Taylor as well as Braelon Allen and others playing significant snaps all four years on campus.

Lacking elite quarterback talent, the Badgers didn't throw the football as much as most of their opponents and weren't a prolific offensive team ranking 85th in the nation in scoring last year. But when they did air it out, Ferguson may have been their most reliable contributor, as he posted at least 30 receptions and caught 13 touchdowns in his college career. He put his soft hands and underrated route running on display at the Senior Bowl as well, catching three passes for 62 yards and a score in the all-star showcase.

Ferguson may not have the same flash or sizzle as some of the more athletic tight ends featured in this year's draft class and it remains to be seen how high of a ceiling he will have with him likely to play in the league at around 250 pounds. But he plays with the grit, toughness, and mindset teams covet at the position as a blocker while also offering untapped receiving upside and would be an excellent addition for any team such as the Seahawks that intends to use 12 personnel extensively.

Cade Otton

A local product heralding from Tumwater, Washington, Otton stayed in the Pacific Northwest as a three-star recruit for the Huskies and after redshirting in 2017, he became an immediate starter. Despite being saddled by shaky quarterback play throughout his tenure in Montlake, he reeled in 91 receptions for 1,026 yards and nine touchdowns in four collegiate seasons.

Possessing quality size at 6-foot-5, 250 pounds, Otton's route running savvy and soft hands weren't maximized in a dysfunctional Washington offense for much of his time with the school and put a cap on his production. But when quarterbacks were actually able to get him the football and his talents weren't being wasted, he proved to be a reliable chain mover with smooth wheels moving in and out of his breaks in space to separate from defenders and get open.

At the next level, Otton will need to improve his functional strength to be able to hold up at the point of attack if regularly used as an inline blocker. But he plays with sound technique in this regard and made substantial strides in that department at the college level, so the foundation remains in place for him to be an effective all-around tight end. Playing in an offense with a quarterback of Wilson's caliber could turn him into a draft weekend steal, especially if an injury suffered late in the 2021 season winds up dropping him into day three.

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Corbin K. Smith
CORBIN K. SMITH

Graduating from Manchester College in 2012, Smith began his professional career as a high school Economics teacher in Indianapolis and launched his own NFL website covering the Seahawks as a hobby. After teaching and coaching high school football for five years, he transitioned to a full-time sports reporter in 2017, writing for USA Today's Seahawks Wire while continuing to produce the Legion of 12 podcast. He joined the Arena Group in August 2018 and also currently hosts the daily Locked On Seahawks podcast with Rob Rang and Nick Lee. Away from his coverage of the Seahawks and the NFL, Smith dabbles in standup comedy, is a heavy metal enthusiast and previously performed as lead vocalist for a metal band, and enjoys distance running and weight lifting. A habitual commuter, he resides with his wife Natalia in Colorado and spends extensive time reporting from his second residence in the Pacific Northwest.

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