Seattle Person
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- May 3, 2021
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Where things stand: The Seahawks firmly have Devon Witherspoon as the CB1. He isn’t going anywhere. I fully expect the team to re-sign Josh Jobe while letting Riq Woolen walk in free agency. They also have Nehemiah Pritchett coming back on his rookie deal. He’s a long rangy dude that has been in both Pete Carroll’s and Mike Macdonald’s defenses. Seattle signed Tyler Hall to a futures deal – a 25 year old CB that is 5’10. I think they’ll probably add another veteran to the practice squad that has some experience in-season as insurance (a la Shaq Griffin). They might even add an extra F.A after Jobe or they might draft a talented CB. We’ll just have to see in a couple of weeks when the league year begins.
What I look for: I’m deviating from what I have done in the past. It was so easy during the Pete Carroll era to know what the team wanted at CB. Tall, lean, long arms. Now, we are scrambling to figure out what’s the meta for Mike Macdonald? Woolen is the prototype for the Carroll CB. Mike inherited him. Witherspoon is the jack of all trades. I can say with full confidence that he’s a Macdonald guy. Jobe is the gritty undervalued guy. What do they all have in common? They excel in man and limiting yards of separation despite the Seahawks being a heavy zone defense. What does this mean? I think they look for man guys first and then go from there. After all, Mac’s defense tends to start zone and then go to match zone where CBs end up being manned up against their receivers. The players I’m looking for have to have good hips, tackle well and want to fight through to crash into run plays. Physicality is also a key. The main thing is how sticky they are in coverage. Whether this is in man or match zone. The key is are they allowing much separation and are they making it tough to catch the ball? Like with any position. Production. Attitude. Traits.
1st Round
Colton Hood: Corner Back: (Tennessee): 6’0: 193 lbs: 31’’ ⅜ arms: 4.44 speed: 1.58 split: 40.5’’ vertical: 10’5 broad. Will be 22 by the start of the season. “The bruiser.” I still think Ponds is one of the most complete CBs in this draft class. I’ll just have to concede that he’ll probably not be drafted higher. For this draft, I can see Hood being the selection at #32 if he lasts until there. You’ll need a few surprises such as Ty Simpson rising. Other dudes creeping into the 1st round. This is why I’m picking Hood. He is sticky in coverage. Jobe, Woolen, Witherspoon are all CBs that don’t allow much separation in coverage. They limit damage. I have questioned Hood when he was at Colorado because although he was good in coverage, he was allergic to the run defense. He massively improved his run defense and tackling ability. Hood had a 6% missed tackle rate in 2025. What he can do is stay in the hip pocket of WRs. Hips are loose and fluid. Looks back for the ball. He can beat up WRs at the line but needs to dial it back in the pros. He’s going to need to learn zone and match zone concepts. His overall eye discipline needs to improve in zone. He can be a tad slow firing when in off-man. Mac can coach him up! The Seahawks like to run 3 CBs in a dime package and it plays a crucial role in coverage. Hood is a good piece if he lasts. A lot to work with. Can step in and play for you. I think the CB class is deep with some dudes later but I really really like Hood. If he’s one of the 30 official visits then I’m on the watchout. Some might be pointing out his zone coverage grades and abilities but I'll double down here. I think Mac looks for dudes that can press and play man first. You can always teach zone. He is a 3 school guy. How much is that going to deter Seattle?
2nd Round
D’Angelo Ponds (Indiana): 5'9, 182 lbs, 29’’ ⅜ arms, (40-yard), (10-yard), 43.5'' (Vertical), (Broad): Will be 22 by the start of the season. “Mighty mouse.” He didn’t test at the Combine except for a vertical but he was a former track star in high school that put up a 10.3 in the 100 meters race. He’s going to be fast. D-Ponds is a complete CB. Tough, gritty, underdog his whole life. Indiana’s defense is very similar to Seattle’s defense. A lot of zones and a lot of match zones. I don’t think Ponds is going to have any trouble picking it up. Drives on the ball as well as any CB in this draft class. Plays the run very well despite his size. Jeremiah Smith is the only WR that really had his way with Ponds in college. Plenty of evidence on tape of Ponds holding up against much taller and bigger WRs – like Denzel Boston. However, in the NFL he is going to have limitations. He is going to get tested. Teams will try to run at him and punish him. Can he hold up? I don’t know because there isn’t much evidence players his size can flourish as a boundary CB. He also wasn't asked to play many press man snaps. Can he do it against bigger dudes? I don't know. Ponds has a career missed tackle rate of 6%! That is absurd… He has 7 career ints. It’s a damn shame he is short. A real plant the flag for player.
3rd Round
Chandler Rivers (Duke): 5'9 ½, 185 lbs, 29’’ ⅜ arms, 4.40 (40-yard), 1.55 (10-yard), 39'' (Vertical), 10’10 (Broad): Will be 23 in the middle of the season. “The Pit Bull.” If there was ever a dude that walks like DJ Reed, plays like DJ Reed, moves like DJ Reed…It’s uncanny. He has a ton of experience playing in the slot and as a nickel CB. He also has experience on the outside. He just gets up in your face. He throws his body around. In coverage he’s pretty sound. Breaks on the ball really well and will get super physical with anyone on the other side. Common theme to the CBs I’m picking. They all stick to the hips of a WR. Rivers has a career missed tackle rate of 13%. He has 7 career ints.
4th Round
Devan Boykin (Indiana): 5'10, 195 lbs, 30’’ ⅞ arms, (40-yard), (10-yard), (Vertical), (Broad): Will be 24 by the start of the season. “The Safety”. I’m cheating here. He might very well be a safety in the NFL. Boykin is a nickel DB that flourishes and causes chaos near the line. He just makes plays. Fumble punch out? A pick? Break up? Boykin always seems like the one doing it. One of the smartest players on the team. I have no idea what position he plays. I just want him on my team. Dude is a baller. Probably the best run defender among CBs in this draft class. He can set an edge! Boykin had a missed tackle rate of under 4% in 2025. Not the fastest. Not the quickest. Just flies everywhere and remember Indiana’s defense is very similar to the Seahawks. I wouldn’t be surprised if a few of their defensive players find their way to our roster via draft or UDFA. He has 5 career ints.
5th Round
Tacario Davis (Washington): 6'4, 194 lbs, 33’’ ⅜ arms, 4.41 (40-yard), 1.59 (10-yard), 37’’ (Vertical), 10’3 (Broad): Will be 22 by the start of the season. “The prototype.” Tacario Davis is the prototype build for a Pete Carroll CB. Long, lean, tall, with super long arms. Davis is built to run straight, jam dudes at the line, or play deep cover 3 or cover 4. He doesn’t have the speed of Woolen but he’s a little bit more physical at the line than Riq. Davis has very little ball skills. He doesn’t have natural hands but he can cover. He can press. Davis is a little stiff in and out of breaks. I wouldn’t put him on a quick and shifty WR. Let him beat up dudes at the line or let him find them downfield on a match zone. Really good tackler and willing run supporter. Get him in a good system. He had his ups and downs in college but the dude is really talented. You can swing big here on day 3 to land a massive upside player. Davis has a career missed tackle rate of 6%. He has 3 career ints.
6th Round
Charles Demmings (Stephen F. Austin): 6'1, 193 lbs, 32’’ arms, 4.41 (40-yard), 1.55 (10-yard), 42’' (Vertical), 11’0 (Broad): Will be 24 by the start of the season. “From where?.” Charles Demmings caught my eye during the Senior Bowl. I have no idea where Stephen F. Austin is…I didn’t even know they had a football team. Demmings is a lean, muscled-up, and twitchy athlete. His speed and leaping abilities stand out on the little footage I see of him. Lives in the hip pocket of receivers. He is going to need some time to catch up to the speed of the NFL game because the pass catchers and QBs are better. He’ll need to develop his whole game. I would like for him to turn his head around more and be more decisive in zone. What he does now is being able to run with dudes at the lower level. He will be tested with the nuance and little things that determine whether a WR or DB wins in coverage. The eye discipline. The hand placement. Demmings is more athlete that thrives than football player that excel based on technique. However, he hasn’t played football for very long and is already an NFL prospect. His play at the Senior Bowl was encouraging to know he can get coached up quickly. His ceiling is massive with coaching. He is a very motivated cat that has a good head on his shoulders. You have to listen to him talk. Demmings has a career missed tackle rate of 14.9%. He has 4 career ints, all in the 2025 season.
7th Round
Latrell McCutchin (Houston): 6'2, 191 lbs, 31'' 1/4 arms, 4.43 (40-yard), 1.58 (10-yard), 38.5'' (Vertical), 10'11 (Broad), 7.00(3-Cone), 4.18 (Shuttle): Will be 24 by the start of the season. “The flyer.” McCutchin ran fast at the Combine. He might fit in a bail technique or heavy zone look. He'll probably need to be protected from twitchy WRs. He doesn't seem to have the best hips on film. He ran straight but can times struggles staying 1-1 with dudes. I just want to throw out a name that maybe folks never heard of. He has 0 career ints.
What I look for: I’m deviating from what I have done in the past. It was so easy during the Pete Carroll era to know what the team wanted at CB. Tall, lean, long arms. Now, we are scrambling to figure out what’s the meta for Mike Macdonald? Woolen is the prototype for the Carroll CB. Mike inherited him. Witherspoon is the jack of all trades. I can say with full confidence that he’s a Macdonald guy. Jobe is the gritty undervalued guy. What do they all have in common? They excel in man and limiting yards of separation despite the Seahawks being a heavy zone defense. What does this mean? I think they look for man guys first and then go from there. After all, Mac’s defense tends to start zone and then go to match zone where CBs end up being manned up against their receivers. The players I’m looking for have to have good hips, tackle well and want to fight through to crash into run plays. Physicality is also a key. The main thing is how sticky they are in coverage. Whether this is in man or match zone. The key is are they allowing much separation and are they making it tough to catch the ball? Like with any position. Production. Attitude. Traits.
1st Round
Colton Hood: Corner Back: (Tennessee): 6’0: 193 lbs: 31’’ ⅜ arms: 4.44 speed: 1.58 split: 40.5’’ vertical: 10’5 broad. Will be 22 by the start of the season. “The bruiser.” I still think Ponds is one of the most complete CBs in this draft class. I’ll just have to concede that he’ll probably not be drafted higher. For this draft, I can see Hood being the selection at #32 if he lasts until there. You’ll need a few surprises such as Ty Simpson rising. Other dudes creeping into the 1st round. This is why I’m picking Hood. He is sticky in coverage. Jobe, Woolen, Witherspoon are all CBs that don’t allow much separation in coverage. They limit damage. I have questioned Hood when he was at Colorado because although he was good in coverage, he was allergic to the run defense. He massively improved his run defense and tackling ability. Hood had a 6% missed tackle rate in 2025. What he can do is stay in the hip pocket of WRs. Hips are loose and fluid. Looks back for the ball. He can beat up WRs at the line but needs to dial it back in the pros. He’s going to need to learn zone and match zone concepts. His overall eye discipline needs to improve in zone. He can be a tad slow firing when in off-man. Mac can coach him up! The Seahawks like to run 3 CBs in a dime package and it plays a crucial role in coverage. Hood is a good piece if he lasts. A lot to work with. Can step in and play for you. I think the CB class is deep with some dudes later but I really really like Hood. If he’s one of the 30 official visits then I’m on the watchout. Some might be pointing out his zone coverage grades and abilities but I'll double down here. I think Mac looks for dudes that can press and play man first. You can always teach zone. He is a 3 school guy. How much is that going to deter Seattle?
2nd Round
D’Angelo Ponds (Indiana): 5'9, 182 lbs, 29’’ ⅜ arms, (40-yard), (10-yard), 43.5'' (Vertical), (Broad): Will be 22 by the start of the season. “Mighty mouse.” He didn’t test at the Combine except for a vertical but he was a former track star in high school that put up a 10.3 in the 100 meters race. He’s going to be fast. D-Ponds is a complete CB. Tough, gritty, underdog his whole life. Indiana’s defense is very similar to Seattle’s defense. A lot of zones and a lot of match zones. I don’t think Ponds is going to have any trouble picking it up. Drives on the ball as well as any CB in this draft class. Plays the run very well despite his size. Jeremiah Smith is the only WR that really had his way with Ponds in college. Plenty of evidence on tape of Ponds holding up against much taller and bigger WRs – like Denzel Boston. However, in the NFL he is going to have limitations. He is going to get tested. Teams will try to run at him and punish him. Can he hold up? I don’t know because there isn’t much evidence players his size can flourish as a boundary CB. He also wasn't asked to play many press man snaps. Can he do it against bigger dudes? I don't know. Ponds has a career missed tackle rate of 6%! That is absurd… He has 7 career ints. It’s a damn shame he is short. A real plant the flag for player.
3rd Round
Chandler Rivers (Duke): 5'9 ½, 185 lbs, 29’’ ⅜ arms, 4.40 (40-yard), 1.55 (10-yard), 39'' (Vertical), 10’10 (Broad): Will be 23 in the middle of the season. “The Pit Bull.” If there was ever a dude that walks like DJ Reed, plays like DJ Reed, moves like DJ Reed…It’s uncanny. He has a ton of experience playing in the slot and as a nickel CB. He also has experience on the outside. He just gets up in your face. He throws his body around. In coverage he’s pretty sound. Breaks on the ball really well and will get super physical with anyone on the other side. Common theme to the CBs I’m picking. They all stick to the hips of a WR. Rivers has a career missed tackle rate of 13%. He has 7 career ints.
4th Round
Devan Boykin (Indiana): 5'10, 195 lbs, 30’’ ⅞ arms, (40-yard), (10-yard), (Vertical), (Broad): Will be 24 by the start of the season. “The Safety”. I’m cheating here. He might very well be a safety in the NFL. Boykin is a nickel DB that flourishes and causes chaos near the line. He just makes plays. Fumble punch out? A pick? Break up? Boykin always seems like the one doing it. One of the smartest players on the team. I have no idea what position he plays. I just want him on my team. Dude is a baller. Probably the best run defender among CBs in this draft class. He can set an edge! Boykin had a missed tackle rate of under 4% in 2025. Not the fastest. Not the quickest. Just flies everywhere and remember Indiana’s defense is very similar to the Seahawks. I wouldn’t be surprised if a few of their defensive players find their way to our roster via draft or UDFA. He has 5 career ints.
5th Round
Tacario Davis (Washington): 6'4, 194 lbs, 33’’ ⅜ arms, 4.41 (40-yard), 1.59 (10-yard), 37’’ (Vertical), 10’3 (Broad): Will be 22 by the start of the season. “The prototype.” Tacario Davis is the prototype build for a Pete Carroll CB. Long, lean, tall, with super long arms. Davis is built to run straight, jam dudes at the line, or play deep cover 3 or cover 4. He doesn’t have the speed of Woolen but he’s a little bit more physical at the line than Riq. Davis has very little ball skills. He doesn’t have natural hands but he can cover. He can press. Davis is a little stiff in and out of breaks. I wouldn’t put him on a quick and shifty WR. Let him beat up dudes at the line or let him find them downfield on a match zone. Really good tackler and willing run supporter. Get him in a good system. He had his ups and downs in college but the dude is really talented. You can swing big here on day 3 to land a massive upside player. Davis has a career missed tackle rate of 6%. He has 3 career ints.
6th Round
Charles Demmings (Stephen F. Austin): 6'1, 193 lbs, 32’’ arms, 4.41 (40-yard), 1.55 (10-yard), 42’' (Vertical), 11’0 (Broad): Will be 24 by the start of the season. “From where?.” Charles Demmings caught my eye during the Senior Bowl. I have no idea where Stephen F. Austin is…I didn’t even know they had a football team. Demmings is a lean, muscled-up, and twitchy athlete. His speed and leaping abilities stand out on the little footage I see of him. Lives in the hip pocket of receivers. He is going to need some time to catch up to the speed of the NFL game because the pass catchers and QBs are better. He’ll need to develop his whole game. I would like for him to turn his head around more and be more decisive in zone. What he does now is being able to run with dudes at the lower level. He will be tested with the nuance and little things that determine whether a WR or DB wins in coverage. The eye discipline. The hand placement. Demmings is more athlete that thrives than football player that excel based on technique. However, he hasn’t played football for very long and is already an NFL prospect. His play at the Senior Bowl was encouraging to know he can get coached up quickly. His ceiling is massive with coaching. He is a very motivated cat that has a good head on his shoulders. You have to listen to him talk. Demmings has a career missed tackle rate of 14.9%. He has 4 career ints, all in the 2025 season.
7th Round
Latrell McCutchin (Houston): 6'2, 191 lbs, 31'' 1/4 arms, 4.43 (40-yard), 1.58 (10-yard), 38.5'' (Vertical), 10'11 (Broad), 7.00(3-Cone), 4.18 (Shuttle): Will be 24 by the start of the season. “The flyer.” McCutchin ran fast at the Combine. He might fit in a bail technique or heavy zone look. He'll probably need to be protected from twitchy WRs. He doesn't seem to have the best hips on film. He ran straight but can times struggles staying 1-1 with dudes. I just want to throw out a name that maybe folks never heard of. He has 0 career ints.
