Seattle had a ‘Mock Game’ Friday night and I have a few notes from it.
But consider -- this was a ‘mock game’ in a sense where they played 11-on-11 and moved the chains, and had kickoffs, etc., but it was a non-contact structured practice essentially. There was off-and-on urgency displayed and Geno Smith played like it was a mild walkthrough type practice at times. It’s hard to get a true read on things/players capabilities when they are only going 75-100% with no contact.
But it was a ‘game’ and there are some notes to share…
1) Watching camp tape and seeing his brief work here -- Devin Witherspoon is adjusting to the NFL fine. I guess the thing to consider with him is that he’s running as a slot corner (he was an outside/shutdown CB in college). He’s not bad at that at the slot…I didn’t know if it would suit him, but he’s fine. I see him keep up with Jaxon Smith-Njigba just fine in 1-on-1 drills.
2) Jaxon Smith-Njigba started for the ‘1s’…Metcalf, JSN, and Cody Thompson (filling in for minor injury/held out Tyler Lockett). JSN put up a 2-37-0 line in his work. JSN is starting as the #3 WR for sure. He looks good…but he’s not blowing me away with what I see in camp or this game, but he’s fine/good.
3) UCLA WR/TE now a UDFA TE for Seattle, Jake Bobo, caught 7 passes for 76 yards and a TD…and just missed another. I’d say he was the MVP of this game…if you were naming one.
I keep hearing great things on Bobo’s camp, but I’m a little jaded on him because of his slow-arse 40-times (4.99) but he’s a ‘good hands’ receiver and a LONG target (6’4”, 78.25” wingspan, 10” hands). He has WR sensibilities but is at TE now.
He has really been one of the talks of camp, but he needs to add 25+ pounds to get into a legit TE discussion (he was 206 pounds at his Pro Day) and then there’s concern that might slow him down even more (foot speed). He’s likely headed to the practice squad for a year of physical development.
4) 2nd-year EDGE Boye Mafe seems to shine brightest among the pass rushers this camp, and in this game.
5) DeeJay Dallas had to start at RB because of all the Seattle RB injuries…and he held down the fort fine. But Seattle cannot seem to stay healthy at RB this year: Rookie RB Kenny McIntosh had his knee bent awkwardly in this game and had to come out -- he has a knee sprain and is out for an unknown projection.
6) Uber-athletic, 2nd-year WR (that I like a little) Dareke Young didn’t play…I learned that he has a sports hernia and there’s real concern about how bad it really is. He’s like a discount D.K. Metcalf in training.
7) Lastly, a couple low-level rookies hooked up for a TD later in the ‘game’…UDFA rookie QB Holton Ahlens is looking like he can hang in the NFL potentially, he threw his TD pass to big-time athlete rookie TE Griffin Herbert. I think Herbert will make the roster and Bobo will head to the practice squad among the rookie TEs.
