The Seattle Seahawks clearly have a rising star in their secondary. From the moment the No. 5 pick in the 2023 NFL draft took the field, it became immediately evident he was a difference maker on Seattle’s defense. The former Illinois standout parlayed his strong rookie season into his first Pro Bowl nod last year, and the national recognition is not ending there.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler held his fifth annual ranking of players by position group, by surveying scouts, executives and coaches around the league. Seattle’s soon-to-be second year stud, Witherspoon, cracked into the top 10 list at No. 9 overall. The list goes as follows:
- Pat Surtain II – Denver Broncos
- Denzel Ward – Cleveland Browns
- Sauce Gardner – New York Jets
- L’Jarius Sneed – Tennessee Titans
- Jalen Ramsey – Miami Dolphins
- Trent McDuffie – Kansas City Chiefs
- Jaire Alexander – Green Bay Packers
- Jaylon Johnson – Chicago Bears
- Devon Witherspoon – Seattle Seahawks
- Derek Stingkley Jr. – Houston Texans
Witherspoon received high praise from an unnamed AFC scout, who called him a “baller,” and the “most physical corner in the NFL.”
During his rookie campaign, Witherspoon made life difficult for opposing quarterbacks and pass catchers. He recorded 79 total tackles, defended 16 passes, logged three sacks, and forced a fumble, while starting 13 out of 14 games played. Of course, no play was bigger or more memorable for Witherspoon than his 97-yard pick-six on Monday Night Football against the New York Giants.
9️⃣7️⃣
The number of days until the 2024 season.It's also the number of yards @DevonWitherspo1 ran on his first career INT 🏃♂️ pic.twitter.com/wzXLlXlFqV
— NFL (@NFL) May 31, 2024
Going into the 2024 season, one could make the claim Witherspoon is arguably the best defensive player currently on Seattle’s defense. He will have plenty of opportunities to make this case, as well as potentially increase his standings in Fowler’s poll for next summer.
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