Seahawks WR DK Metcalf is Straight Out of Wakanda

Given his incredible combination of size, speed, and catching ability, DK Metcalf has already conjured up comparisons to super heroes. But there's one in particular that seems to be the perfect fit for a player who truly is unique amongst other NFL stars.

The comparisons to Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf to (insert superhero here) are becoming mundane and saturated. That just speaks to the huge season Metcalf, and the Seahawks, are having. Allow me to include one more.

What Metcalf put on display on Sunday was nothing short of super-heroic. First off, he just looks like the part. His chiseled physique coupled with his feats of strength and speed look to be something straight out of a comic book. Plus, allow me to indulge in a belated tribute to the King of Wakanda himself, the Black Panther, the late, great Chadwick Boseman, a hero in real life and on screen, who played the role perfectly in the recent string of Marvel Cinematic Universe movies before Boseman's tragic bout with cancer and eventual death.

It's almost as if the character of Black Panther was created for DK Metcalf. If Marvel is looking to make any future movies including the Black Panther character, insert Metcalf as a candidate at least as a body-double for the film.

Name an ability of the comic book character created by another late legend, Stan Lee, and Metcalf possesses it. King T'Challa himself possesses many abilities, such as superhuman speed, strength, reflexes, stamina, endurance, senses and a high intellect. From running tight routes, to catching balls in the stratosphere, to out-muscling talented defensive backs, to out-running entire defenses, who else in the entire NFL emulates Black Panther's skills better than Metcalf? Coaches and teammates alike praise his mental approach to the game, his confident-yet-humble persona, and his sincere desire to be great, a mindset of a good king. 

Need I remind you of what he did to Budda Baker, tracking him down like a Marvel villain trying to escape with stolen goods? 

Budda Baker ran a 4.45 40-yard dash at the combine, mind you. Only superheroes can make plays that require such other-worldly endurance, speed, and strength. It looked like, well, a panther in pursuit of its dinner. 

In case you didn't know, Metcalf doesn't just chase down intercepting defenders for a living (he wouldn't have much work with Russell Wilson at the helm). He is quickly becoming one of the best all-around receivers in the game. Speaking of Wilson, he continually calls Metcalf "the fastest in the world" on the football field. 

Sunday's performance against the 49ers was further testimony to Metcalf's skills and growth as a receiver. He re-set his career highs for a single game with 15 targets, 12 catches, 161 yards and tied his career-best with two touchdowns. He did so in a plethora of ways, including catching and running, making defenders miss and cutting upfield for a score. He also caught several balls while being harassed, balls that lesser receivers would not even have a prayer of catching.

The only thing Metcalf is missing is a kinetic energy suit built from advanced Wakandan technology. If he ever gets his hands on one, it's over for the rest of the league. Alas, he might not even need it. 

The Ole Miss product is fourth in the NFL in receiving yards, second in yards per reception, and tied for the lead in receiving touchdowns. Defenders only hurt themselves when they try to lay a hit on Metcalf, almost as if his pads and uniform were made from the invincible metal called vibranium. 

As Marcus Spears said on ESPN's "Get Up" this week, "All superheroes don't wear capes, they wear shoulder pads," talking about Metcalf's huge game against San Francisco. He even alluded to Wakanda in his praise for Metcalf as a possible place from whence he came. 

Whether Metcalf came from Oxford, Mississippi, like his bio says, or Wakanda, either way, he is playing like a superhero and a king from another world. If he keeps this up throughout his career, he will be remembered for as long as Wakanda...forever.