The Seattle Seahawks' pair of 2023 first-round picks are already becoming the faces of the team heading into their third NFL campaigns. The franchise has seen former stars like DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett and Geno Smith depart this offseason alone. As a result, it's a new set of top players taking over leadership within the team.
One of those players is cornerback Devon Witherspoon, who was the team's highest draft pick since linebacker Aaron Curry in 2009. Witherspoon has been one of the best slot cornerbacks in the league since his rookie season, impacting the game in far more ways than what appears in the stat sheet.
Witherspoon has become the energy that drives Seattle's defense, and that's landed him on the list of the top 25 NFL players under 25 years old from Pro Football Focus. He came in at No. 16, one spot ahead of Philadelphia Eagles defensive lineman Jalen Carter — the prospect many Seahawks fans wanted the team to take in 2023.
"Witherspoon has already proven to be one of the league’s most effective slot cornerbacks in all situations through his first two seasons, and he's a top-10 cornerback in PFF overall grade since 2022," PFF writer Jonathon Macri wrote. "The Illinois product is the only cornerback of the past two seasons to rank in the top 10 in PFF overall grade and the top five in PFF run defense grade (90.3).
"He also boasts a 78.5 career PFF coverage grade, which ranks 17th over the past two seasons, and a 90.2 PFF pass-rush grade (sixth) on 72 pass-rush attempts, making him one of the league’s most effective weapons at the position."
Perhaps one of the best plays of Witherspoon's career was on a Coby Bryant interception last season. Witherspoon forced the errant throw by Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray off an incredible chase down. He then threw a key block on Bryant's return that allowed him to reach the end zone.
For his career, Witherspoon has logged 177 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, four sacks, 25 pass deflections and one pick-six. He has just the one interception, which leaves room to be desired, but he's been lights-out in every other area of his game.
Entering his third season, Witherspoon is just 24 years old. The Seahawks will almost certainly have to look to extend him soon, as the last thing Seattle wants is to be terrorized by Witherspoon on another team.
