The Seattle Seahawks were once known for the Legion of Boom. While Earl Thomas and Richard Sherman are long gone, general manager John Schneider is adding some dogs in the secondary. With the No. 5 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Seahawks selected former Illinois cornerback Devon Witherspoon.
Witherspoon did not even start playing football until his junior year at Pine Forest High School in Florida, so by the time he was set to graduate, he was a 0-star recruit without much college interest. However, Illinois took a chance on Witherspoon, and he rewarded them by becoming the first defensive back in school history to earn consensus All-America honors. What he lacks in size, he makes up for in instincts, physicality, and ball skills (17 passes defended in 2022)
Witherspoon is the first top 15 pick from Illinois since 1996. He did not allow a touchdown in his final college season, and allowed fewer yards per attempt (3.0) than reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year Sauce Gardner (3.1) in his final collegiate season. Seattle scored on a Pro Bowl cornerback in Tariq Woolen last year, and now grab another Day 1 contributor in 2023. Witherspoon had the highest coverage grade (92.5) among defensive backs in 2022, per PFF, and his competitiveness will stand out immediately.
Below is a comprehensive draft profile for Witherspoon, including his scouting report, prospect ranking, pro comparison, combine results, college and high school accolades and overall NFL outlook.
NFL Draft grade: B-
"He's a good player, but he is a smallish corner who throws his body around. Will he hold up? Seattle usually likes taller corners, which makes this somewhat of a surprise." -- Pete Prisco
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Devon Witherspoon draft profile
- Age: 22
- Hometown: Pensacola, Florida
- Interesting fact: Didn't start playing football until his junior year in high school
- CBS Sports prospect ranking: No. 9 overall | No. 2 CB | 90.47 rating (All-Pro)
NFL Combine measurements/results
Height: 5-11 1/2" | Weight: 181 lbs | Arms: 31 1/4" | Hands: 8 7/8"
- 40-yard dash: N/A
- Broad jump: N/A
- Vertical jump: N/A
*Witherspoon did not test at the NFL Combine due to a hamstring injury. He'll conduct a private workout for NFL teams on April 6.
NFL comparison
Scouting report
Devon Witherspoon is neither the biggest nor the twitchiest prospect at his position. However, he makes up for it with his preparation and anticipation. Witherspoon is a great leader and a fiery competitor who is willing to play downhill and tackle in the flat.
Strengths
- Elite competitor, fiery personality
- Will play downhill and attack the flat
- Competitive at the catch point
- High football IQ
- Will jam and stab to re-route wide receivers
Weaknesses
- Needs to pack more weight on his 6-foot frame
- Average top-end and recovery speed
- Plays through the wide receiver's back too often
College stats, accolades
| Year | Games | Tackles | TFLs | PD | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 12 | 41 | 2.5 | 17 | 3 |
| 2021 | 10 | 52 | 8.0 | 9 | 0 |
| 2020 | 7 | 33 | 1.0 | 2 | 2 |
| 2019 | 13 | 33 | 0.0 | 2 | 0 |
Accolades
Honors
- 2022: Consensus All-American (School's first-ever DB to do so)
- 2022: Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year
- 2022: Jim Thorpe Award finalist (best DB in FBS)
- 2022: First-team All-Big Ten
- 2022: Illinois Dick Butkus Defensive MVP
Notable statistics
- 2022: No. 1 coverage grade in the nation (92.5), per PFF
- 2022: Fewest yards/attempts allowed (3.0) in FBS (minimum 50 attempts)
- 2022: Third-lowest reception percentage in the nation (34.9), per PFF
- 2022: Second in Big Ten and eighth in nation in passes defended (17)
- 2022: Did not allow a touchdown all season
247Sports profile
High school: Pine Forest (Pensacola, Florida)
Class: 2019
Composite Rating: 0 stars
- National: N/A | CB: N/A | Florida: N/A
High school accolades: 2018 Male Athlete of the Year (Pensacola News Journal), 2018 Defensive Player of the Year (Pensacola News Journal)
Check out Devon Witherspoon's full 247Sports profile, here. For his MaxPreps profile, click here.
