Seahawks 90-Man Roster Rundown: Boye Mafe

After a standout career for the University of Minnesota, Mafe comes to the Seahawks as a second round selection looking to make an immediate impact rushing as a hybrid outside linebacker.

Tyler Forness | Jul 25, 2022

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Seattle Seahawks

With the calendar flipping to July and offseason programs wrapped up across the country, NFL training camps will begin around the NFL in less than a month's time. To celebrate the new incoming season, the All Seahawks staff will be breaking down the Seahawks 90-man roster over the next several weeks, exploring best and worst case scenarios and what to expect from each player entering the 2022 campaign.

Boye Mafe, EDGE

Height/Weight 6-foot-4, 261 pounds

2021 Stats*: 26 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 7.0 sacks

*College stats at Minnesota

A three-star edge out of Hopkins, MN, Mafe joined the Gophers in the 2017 recruiting class. After redshirting his true freshman season, he only played in 13 games out of a possible 26 over the next two years. Enjoying a semblance of a breakout in 2020, he played in all six games in a COVID-19 shortened season, netting 5.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. His redshirt senior season was the true breakout, playing in a career-high 530 snaps and earning Second-Team All-Big Ten recognition. He then competed in the Senior Bowl and dominated the contest, recording a pair of sacks and a forced fumble. His stock continued to climb at the NFL combine when he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.53 seconds and posted a 37-inch vertical jump. Following an excellent top-30 visit with the team, the Seahawks snagged him 40th overall in the second round of April's draft.

Best Case Scenario: Benefitting from a transition to a 4-3 defense, Mafe uses his size and athleticism to thrive off the edge and also finds occasional success shifting inside in sub packages. Racking up 8.0 sacks along the way, he pushes Darrell Taylor and Uchenna Nwosu for a starting job in the second half of the season.

Worst Case Scenario: Hindered by the limited number of snaps he played at Minnesota, Mafe endures a difficult adjustment period moving to the NFL level and only plays sparingly on defense, finishing with only a sack and a handful of quarterback pressures.

What to Expect in 2022: Even though he is a second-round pick, Mafe should have the same expectations as a first-round pick, as that is where his talent lies. He should see a rotational role early, with most of his snaps coming on obvious pass rush situations. He must sharpen up his run defense to be an every down player down the line and needs some work with his pass rush moves, but those have been a slow build over his time in college and progress should continue in Seattle. Compared by Pete Carroll to former Seahawk great Cliff Avril, Mafe turned in a strong first offseason program and should be in the thick of things battling for extensive reps on day one. Don't be surprised if he ends up with a high sack total compared to other rookie edge rushers rotating in behind Darrell Taylor and Uchenna Nwosu, setting the table for him to become a household name rushing off the edge in future seasons.

Previous Seahawks 90-Man Roster Profiles

Published Jul 25, 2022

TYLER FORNESS