Welcome to the NFL young beginner! After being important players in their universities, rookies must once again earn their places in the pros. Who are they and what hopes do they raise? Come and discover these new gems. Devon Witherspoon of the Seahawks is there.
Devon Marquis Witherspoon
Born December 11, 2000 in Pensacola, Florida
1m83 for 84 kilos
Cornerback, Seattle Seahawks
While Jalen Carter (Eagles) is having a sumptuous start to the season, some Seahawks fans regret that their franchise preferred another player. However, Devon Witherspoon could well become a star.
If I were a start in the NFL: indisputable starter
After 9 games (8 played by the rookie), Devon Witherspoon is already the 3rd most used defender by the Seahawks. Yet a beginner in the NFL, only linebacker Bobby Wagner and safety Quandre Diggs play more than him in Seattle’s defense.
Like at the University of Illinois, he’s all over the field. In the NFL, he is very good in coverage (12 passes defended including 1 interception) allowing a quarterback evaluation of only 56.7: a result which ranks Witherspoon 6th of all NFL cornerbacks!
The physical dimension of his game allows him to defend runners but also to put pressure on quarterbacks. This versatility is a valuable asset for his coordinator, who uses it in different ways depending on the strengths and weaknesses of the opponents.
Against the New York Giants in Week 4, the main tactic was to put pressure on quarterback Daniel Jones. Devon Witherspoon is then aligned 60 times inside the field and only 11 times outside. Thus, he fakes an opponent expecting to see him cover the slot as he comes to put pressure: 3 QB hits and 2 sacks in this match!
If Devon Witherspoon was a personality: provocative
On a football field, Devon Witherspoon plays with her mouth wide open! A former teammate at the University of Illinois, Isaiah Williams, confirms this to 247 Sports:
Spoon is number 1 in trash talker. And you can rank the next one 5th, not before, as Devon is the most talkative of all!
Always ready to challenge and challenge the opponent, this mentality is often the prerogative of players in this position. Aaron Henry, backs coach at Illinois, confirms this:
Most good cornerbacks talk a lot, from Deion Sanders to Jalen Ramsey. Because you have to know how to be confident to recover from a big gain from the receiver and bounce back the next play! In addition, this attitude reflects on all the teammates and especially the younger ones: it boosts everyone.
More than arrogance, it is a question of self-confidence. What the player explains to Seahawks.com:
I learned a lot from Nate Hobbs (Raiders) and in particular that you have to have a short memory in this position. That you have to play with swag and self-confidence to constantly think that you are better than the receiver!
As explained in this video on the site’s Twitch channel, cornerback Christian Gonzalez was not a top 10 choice due to a character considered too shy. A cornerback who challenges his opponents with words is often favored by NFL staff.
If Devon Witherspoon was a quality: total commitment
A cornerback must be able to track a receiver and prevent him from catching the ball. To do this, he can physically disrupt the receiver in the first 5 yards: his opponent feels his presence and must fight to be able to start his route. Devon Witherspoon is a fan of this tactic called Press.
And because about 40% of NFL plays are runs, he needs to know how to help his teammates in that area as well. Here too, he brings a lot of quality by being one of those who accelerates just before crashing!
Of course, this physical game is not his only quality. This would have been insufficient to be drafted in the top 5 in 2023.
Devon Witherspoon also defended 14 passes including 3 interceptions during his final season at Illinois. A glue pot for receivers, he has an essential quality for this position. That of turning around at the right moment to have your eyes on the incoming ball.
If Devon Witherspoon was a fault: too aggressive
NFL referees tend to be more particular about defensive contact rather than calling an offensive foul.
Devon Witherspoon learned this the hard way during her debut. Penalized for pass interference against Detroit (2nd game) then against Carolina (3rd game). Each time on the 3rd attempt, thus giving the opposing attack four new attempts. And both times, the opponent scored a touchdown in this series!
Seahawks defensive coordinator Clint Hurtt thinks the rookie needs to be careful not to do anything that might prompt a tissue throw. But he tells The Spokeman-Review that teaching this is tricky:
Explain to him why the referees blew the whistle so that he wouldn’t do it again: yes. But you don’t want to insist too much either, because otherwise the player could be hesitant before intervening and that’s the worst thing! There is a fine line between the two: you have to be very careful with that.
If his physical commitment can cause penalties, it also causes him to miss tackles! Eager to produce an impactful play, he rushes to intervene as quickly as possible. Witherspoon therefore sometimes finds herself poorly positioned to stop her opponent. Result: 25% of missed tackles in the NFL!
If I were an NFL player: Jaire Alexander (Packers)
Jaire Alexander is a top 5 cornerback in the NFL. He and Devon Witherspoon share the same size but also this tendency to sleep around!
NFL week 15 in 2022, after an effective coverage on Jaylen Waddle, Jaire Alexander mimes the celebration dance used by the Miami player (penguin dance). The following Sunday, he made fun of Justin Jefferson after a winning duel, by dancing the griddy behind him.
The Seattle rookie seems set to have as good a career as the Green Bay player. Devon Witherspoon has all the assets to join the top 5 cornerbacks in the near future.
If I were a project: reviving the Legion of Boom
NFL staff are sensitive to history and recipes that have worked in the past. The fans too.
Those of Seattle keep the memory of defensive backs making them proud. From 2012 to 2017, the Seahawks’ back line was the most intimidating in the NFL: Richard Sherman, Kam Chancellor, Earl Thomas, Brandon Browner and Byron Maxwell were the terror of opposing attacks!
During this period, Seattle had six seasons with a positive record, five playoff qualifications and, above all, a Super Bowl won in 2013. The fans remember it but so do the staff since Pete Carroll (coach) and John Schneider (manager) were already in office during this prosperous period.
After drafting Coby Bryant and especially Riq Woolen in 2022, the duo of managers therefore did not hesitate to invest the number 5 choice of the 2023 draft on Devon Witherspoon. With the addition of Quandre Diggs and newcomer Julian Love, the backline looks great! Even more so if Jamal Adams manages to stay healthy all season.
Devon Witherspoon reflects Seattle’s desire to find a backfield dominant defensive: a second Legion of Boom. And for that, they need a leader. His skill on the pitch as well as his attitude designate Devon Witherspoon for this role of number 1: the one who pulls everyone up.
