One of the most highly-touted NFL rookies is unlikely to play in Week 1.
Speaking on 93.3 KJR in Seattle (via Gregg Bell of The News Tribune) Seahawks’ head coach Pete Carroll revealed that cornerback Devon Witherspoon (the No. 5 selection in April’s draft), will likely miss the team’s Week 1 opener against the Los Angeles Rams with a hamstring injury.
Witherspoon has been widely regarded as the best cornerback prospect of his class. The Seahawks obtained the No. 5 pick from the Denver Broncos thanks to the Russell Wilson trade, allowing Carroll and company to select Witherspoon there even though they made the postseason in 2022.
In his last year at Illinois, Witherspoon had 14 pass defenses to go along with three interceptions.
Witherspoon joins a star-studded Seattle secondary led by 2022 rookie standout corners Tariq Woolen and Coby Bryant and the Pro Bowl safety tandem of Quandre Diggs and Jamal Adams.
Though it’s obviously still early, many are already comparing this Seattle secondary to the “Legion of Boom” that led the ‘Hawks to the franchise’s first Super Bowl championship a decade ago. If Witherspoon comes as advertised, it’s not a stretch to think Legion of Boom 2.0 will soon arrive.
