Seattle Seahawks: 5 Burning questions entering 2019 training camp
By Samuel Teets
4. What role will the rookie defensive backs play?
The Seahawks selected two defensive backs in the 2019 NFL Draft. In the second round, the team took safety Marquise Blair from Utah. Blair was drafted 17 spots before D.K. Metcalf, who has received much more media attention due to his combine performance and insane measurables.
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Seattle went on the select Ugochukwu Amadi in the fourth round. The Oregon product played multiple positions in college. He started as a cornerback but transitioned to a safety role as a senior. The Seahawks will find a variety of ways to utilize Amadi, but one of the most theorized ideas is that he will fill some of the void left by the departure of slot cornerback Justin Coleman.
There are some questions and concerns about Amadi’s size, though. At the NFL combine, he measured in at 5-9, 199 pounds. It will be interesting to see how quickly Amadi gets on the field this season.
Considering how early Seattle picked Blair, the team must have some role in mind for him in the immediate future. Remember, Shaquill Griffin started the majority of his rookie season, and he was a third round selection. Even last season, Tre Flowers started 15 games at cornerback despite being taken in the fifth round and playing safety in college. Going off of that example, it wouldn’t be shocking to see Amadi get significant snaps during the season either.
The Seahawks have a habit of playing their young defensive backs early and often. Even if both of Seattle’s starting safeties from last season are coming back, it’s hard to imagine Blair riding the bench for very long. After all, the only defensive back the Seahawks drafted higher than Blair in the last decade was Earl Thomas.