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Riq Woolen tells Seahawks great Richard Sherman about transition from WR to CB

He’s entering the final year of his rookie contract. Seattle’s Riq Woolen has developed into a quality defender and come a long way from his wide receiver days.
Russell Baxter|
Dec 8, 2024; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Seattle Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen (27) celebrates after a missed field goal by Arizona Cardinals place kicker Chad Ryland (38) during the second half at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
Dec 8, 2024; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Seattle Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen (27) celebrates after a missed field goal by Arizona Cardinals place kicker Chad Ryland (38) during the second half at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

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Seattle Seahawks

Back in the day, there were plenty of players who performed at multiple positions. More than 40 years ago, there was a talented performer named Roy Green. He began his NFL career as a defensive back and slowly but surely transitioned into a fulltime wide receiver for the then-St. Louis Cardinals. The two-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro ranks fourth in franchise history in catches, and second in both receiving yards and touchdown receptions.

Current Seattle Seahawks’ cornerback Riq Woolen has spent three seasons in the NFL. He was a fifth-round pick in 2022 out of Texas-San Antoino, and began his collegiate career at wideout before making the shift to cornerback. He recently spoke on The Richard Sherman Podcast about the move in college from offense to defense.

In his first three seasons with the Roadrunners, Woolen only played in a combined 22 games. He totaled 24 receptions for 263 yards and one touchdown. He made the fulltime transition to cornerback in 2020, and excelled from the get-go. In a combined 20 games during his final two collegiate seasons, he amassed 60 tackles (6 for losses), a pair of interceptions, and was credited with nine passes defensed.

Seahawks’ CB Riq Woolen has been a big-time ballhawk

During his rookie campaign with Pete Carroll’s Seahawks, Woolen was tied for the NFL lead with six interceptions—returning one for a score—and earned an invitation to the Pro Bowl. In three NFL campaigns, he has shown a definitive nose for the football.

In 48 regular-season contests, the 6’4”, 210-pound cornerback has totaled 11 interceptions, been credited with 40 passes defensed, and also has five fumble recoveries. He’s an ideal compliment to two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Devon Witherspoon, and Seattle’s secondary has emerged as one of the better units in the league.

NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein had these comments prior to the 2022 draft. “Woolen has shown growth over his two years at cornerback but he’s still raw and needs time to get where he needs to go. He has an exceptionally rare blend of size, length and speed to contest catches on all three levels of the field if a team can develop his technique…Woolen’s rare measurables and potential to play in a variety of schemes make him worthy of drafting and molding for the long haul.”

In the case of this three-year pro, it was obviously better to defend than to receive.

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Russell Baxter
RUSSELL BAXTER

Russell S. Baxter has been writing and researching the game of football for more than 40 years, and on numerous platforms. That includes television, as he spent more than two decades at ESPN, and was part of shows that garnered five Emmy Awards. He also spent the 2015 NFL season with Thursday Night Football on CBS/NFLN.