10 Defensive NFL Combine Standouts Who Should Interest Seahawks

Closing out the week-long combine, several defensive prospects improved their stock with impressive showings in Indianapolis. Which ones would be good fits for Seattle?

As part of a new format for the NFL Scouting Combine, the workout and drill portion of the week was moved into prime time in an effort to maximize on television viewership.

After wrapping up interviews, weigh-ins, and medical evaluations during the first couple days in Indianapolis, defensive ends, defensive tackles, and linebackers took the field for drill work on Saturday. Closing out the combine, cornerbacks and safeties had their chance to impress on Sunday.

Revisiting the final two days of workouts featuring defensive players, which standouts posted numbers that should intrigue the Seahawks?

Defensive End/EDGE

Jabari Zuniga, Florida

Zuniga stands out as one of those prospects who tantalizes with his athletic traits and size, but never has necessarily produced as expected on the field. He's flashed as a pass rusher, finishing with 18.5 sacks in four seasons with the Gators. However, he never amassed more than 6.5 sacks in a single season and wasn't able to build off a red-hot start as a senior due to a nagging high ankle sprain. With that said, Zuniga has the measureables Seattle desires at defensive end (6-foot-4, 264 pounds, 32 7/8-inch arms), can be an effective run defender splitting gaps, and showed off his rare explosiveness by running the 40-yard dash in 4.64 seconds and posting a 127-inch broad jump.

Curtis Weaver, Boise State

Listed as a linebacker at the combine, Weaver has been connected to NFL teams running a 3-4 defensive scheme after primarily playing a standup linebacker role for the Broncos. However, at 265 pounds, he has enough size to put his hand in the dirt and play defensive end in a 4-3 scheme. After recording 34.5 sacks and 47.5 tackles for loss during the past three seasons, his ability to chase down opposing quarterbacks should interest the Seahawks as a day two possibility, especially after he posted fast times in the 3-cone drill (7.0 seconds) and short shuttle (4.27 seconds) for his position.

Defensive Tackle

McTelvin Agim, Arkansas

Out of nine defensive tackles drafted by the Seahawks under John Schneider, only one (Jesse Williams) weighed more than 307 pounds. In other words, Seattle has generally looked for smaller, more athletic interior defenders and based on past precedent, Agim matches up well with previous selections at the position. Weighing 309 pounds, he posted a sub-5.00 40-yard dash and 27 bench press reps in Indianapolis, choosing not to partake in any other drill work. With his speed, size, and prior pass rushing production (14.5 sacks for the Razorback), he may be on Schneider's radar early in day three.

Raequan Williams, Michigan State

Like Agim, Williams falls right in line with Seattle's size thresholds at defensive tackle and he put together a solid workout at the combine. He ran the 40-yard dash in a respectable 5.04 seconds and finished the 3-cone drill in 7.72 seconds. Though he wasn't quite as productive of a pass rusher at the college level, he still had 11.5 sacks in four seasons with the Spartans and added 29 tackles for loss. At 6-foot-4, 308 pounds, he projects to be a 3-tech one-gap defensive tackle at the next level and should be selected sometime early in day three on draft weekend.

Linebacker

Zack Baun, Wisconsin

A former high school quarterback, Baun transitioned to defense and transformed into one of the nation's most versatile defenders for the Badgers. After battling injuries his junior season, the 6-foot-3, 230-pound hybrid defender earned Second-Team All-American honors with 12.5 sacks and 19.5 tackles for loss, proving himself equally adept at rushing the passer and covering running backs and tight ends. His size may prevent him from being an every down EDGE defender, but he posted a respectable 4.65 40-yard dash time and finished within Seattle's thresholds for the position in the 3-cone drill and broad jump. Given his ability to rush off the edge and play multiple linebacker spots in a pinch, the Seahawks could consider him with their first-round selection.

Davion Taylor, Colorado

Only playing one game of high school football due to his family's religious practices, Taylor joined the Buffaloes after going the JUCO route in 2018 with much to learn about the game. But as a former state champion in track, his outstanding athletic traits allowed him to succeed in the Pac-12, as he produced 129 tackles and 18 tackles for loss in two seasons with the program. Due to his lack of experience and smaller size (228 pounds), he's likely a day three pick, but after posting elite times in the 40-yard dash (4.49 seconds) and 3-cone drill (6.96 seconds), the Seahawks may have interest taking a flier on this high-upside prospect.

Cornerback

Michael Ojemudia, Iowa

Seattle prefers height and length for its outside cornerbacks and the 6-foot-1, 200-pound Ojemudia checks off both boxes. Possessing 32 1/4-inch arms, he showed improved ball skills with six interceptions and 15 passes defensed during his final two seasons with the Hawkeyes and also produced 125 tackles in his college career. Some questioned his athleticism coming into this week's combine, but he improved his stock by running the 40-yard dash in 4.45 seconds and posting a 36-inch broad jump. He's likely a project entering the league, but will be well worth a day three flier given his size and overlooked athletic traits.

Essang Bassey, Wake Forest

Based on Pete Carroll's comments last week, the Seahawks are optimistic about Ugo Amadi settling in as the team's primary nickel cornerback. However, it wouldn't be a surprise to see the team use a late-round pick to add competition at the position and Bassey could be a potential fit. A three-year starter for the Demon Deacons, he primarily played on the outside and made 45 pass deflections, but his small 5-foot-9, 191-pound frame will likely require him to slide into the slot in the NFL. Running a blazing 4.46-second 40-yard dash and posting a 39-inch vertical on Sunday, he showcased the athletic attributes necessary to play inside for an NFL team.

Safety

Jeremy Chinn, Southern Illinois

Overlooked by recruiters, Chinn wound up with the Salukis and became an immediate starter, eventually earning Second-Team All-American honors as a senior. Standing 6-foot-3 and weighing in at 221 pounds, he offers rare size at the position and put on a clinic in Indianapolis, running the 40-yard dash in 4.41 seconds and exhibiting rare explosiveness with a 41-inch vertical jump and 138-inch broad jump. The Seahawks look to be in good hands at safety with Quandre Diggs, Bradley McDougald, and Marquise Blair on the roster, but Chinn's ball skills (13 interceptions) coupled with his unique build and athletic traits could make him an enticing day two option.

Tanner Muse, Clemson

While it would be a stretch to call him Kam Chancellor 2.0, at least from a size and athleticism standpoint, Muse offers an intriguing comparison. At 6-foot-2, 227 pounds, he's nearly the same size as Chancellor when he came out of Virginia Tech, and he was a highly-productive All-American for the Tigers (191 tackles, seven interceptions). Many scouts have felt Muse would need to move to linebacker to make it in the NFL, but after running an impressive 4.42-second 40-yard dash, he's likely caught the attention of teams such as the Seahawks as a versatile box safety with the potential to be drafted as early as the third or fourth round.