One of the first big surprises in the 2023 NFL draft last week came when the Seattle Seahawks went on the clock at No. 5 overall. The Seahawks selected Illinois cornerback Devon Witherspoon, a stunning deviation from the expectations that the team would draft either Georgia DT Jalen Carter or perhaps trade back for extra picks.
Based on what Seahawks GM John Schneider told a Seattle radio station in an interview, they were locked in on Witherspoon. Schneider even noted that they rejected trades in order to snag Witherspoon.
“We had options there to go back,” Schneider told Seattle Sports via Michael-Shawn Dugar. “(Witherspoon) was a guy that we really just knew if he was there we weren’t going to trade back. Once Indy (Colts) picked we had a clear-cut idea of where we were headed and I think everybody in the room just felt a big sigh of relief. We called off the dogs in the other trade and just went ahead and picked him and it felt great.”
Many felt that Witherspoon was heading to Detroit at No. 6, but Schneider admitted that the Seahawks were worried their division rivals, the Arizona Cardinals, were fixing to take the Illinois CB at No. 3.
“Yeah, there was a lot of whispers with Arizona that if they got stuck and didn’t get out (of the No. 3 pick), he was one of two players they were going to take. We were concerned they might get stuck and just take him.”
Most projections expected the Cardinals to take Texas Tech EDGE Tyree Wilson, Alabama EDGE Will Anderson or Carter or an offensive lineman at No. 3 if they didn’t trade back. They did, of course, trade out with the Houston Texans at No. 12. Arizona later traded back up to No. 6 to select Ohio State OT Paris Johnson.
John Schneider said on @SeattleSports that they breathed a sigh of relief on draft night after Indy picked. Devon Witherspoon being available ended the thought of trading back.
"We called off the dogs in the other trade and just went ahead and picked him and it felt great.” pic.twitter.com/g1k8Rfo1Tp
— Dugar, Michael-Shawn (@MikeDugar) May 4, 2023
