Seahawks CB and Former Illini Devon Witherspoon Named to Pro Bowl

Witherspoon, who played for Illinois from 2019-2022, was selected for his second straight Pro Bowl

Oct 6, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon (21) during warmups before the game against the New York Giants at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images / Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

The NFL named Seattle Seahawks cornerback and former Illinois defensive back Devon Witherspoon to the Pro Bowl for the second straight season, the league announced Thursday.

That's 2x Pro Bowler to you. @DevonWitherspo1 is heading back to Orlando! pic.twitter.com/gx9WVOLDeX

— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) January 2, 2025

After earning All-American honors at Illinois in 2022, Witherspoon was selected fifth overall in the 2023 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks and made an immediate impact. As a rookie in Seattle, he registered 79 tackles, eight tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks, 16 passes defended and a memorable 97-yard pick-six against the New York Giants – production that launched him to a Pro Bowl in his first NFL season.

Although Witherspoon's statistics haven't been quite as gaudy this season (90 tackles, six tackles for loss, one sack, and seven passes defended), his impact has held firm. Opposing offenses must account for him now and have since adjusted, while Witherspoon continues to provide intangibles that can be difficult to quantify.

Already a leader of Seattle's defensive unit – and the lone Seahawks player to be named to the Pro Bowl – Witherspoon has received effusive praise from head coach Mike Macdonald and defensive coordinator Aden Durde for his contributions and the standard he sets.

"He plays with his hair on fire," Macdonald said earlier this season. "You talk about shocking effort, and if you want to shock people, watch 21 play. We talk about ball-finding energy, and it kind of all comes together with Spoon. People want production and they want to be certain type of players, but if you don't do it every day, I don't see how you could have a reasonable expectation to be a great player. This guy brings it every single day, and does it every rep, and that's why he's a great player."

“Those kind of selfless acts, they build the defense, and they build the identity,” said Durde.  

Witherspoon became the first former Illini since Dick Butkus (1965-66, Chicago Bears) to be named to the Pro Bowl in each of his first two NFL seasons.

Three more former Illini were named Pro Bowl alternates: Tampa Bay Buccaneers kicker Chase McLaughlin (first alternate), Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph (second alternate) and Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown (third alternate).

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