Seahawks 'Tough-Minded' Derick Hall Brings Tenacity, Leadership to EDGE Group

Already a big winner at the game of life overcoming incredible adversity, the Seattle Seahawks couldn't pass up on the chance to add Derick Hall's winning combination of toughness, athleticism, and leadership to their edge rushing group.

RENTON, Wash. - In today's NFL, as Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider know all too well, there's no such thing as too much pass rush.

Keeping that in mind, even with breakout star Uchenna Nwosu, Darrell Taylor, and Boye Mafe all set to return, the Seahawks kept improving the edge rushing group near the top of their priority list entering the 2023 NFL Draft. Identifying a prospect who could hunt down quarterbacks while also bring other valuable skills to the table, Schneider and Carroll bolstered their defense by selecting Auburn's Derick Hall with the 37th pick in the second round.

While Carroll had plenty of positives regarding Hall's game between the lines, he indicated Seattle fell in love with the young man as much for his leadership intangibles and work ethic as his football talent.

“People love him, the coaches love him for what he brings and what he stands for," Carroll told reporters after day two of the draft. "Leadership, toughness, and all of the things that we love adding to our team.”

Previously starring in football and track and field at the prep level, Hall took his talents to Auburn as a four-star recruit, a remarkable journey given the difficult start to his life he and his family endured.

Born four months premature and weighing barely over two pounds, Hall was dead at birth without a heartbeat, leading the medical team to resuscitate him. He spent the next five months in the NICU before finally being sent home with his family and at one point early in the process, doctors advised removing him from life support. But his mother refused.

After battling health issues such as asthma early in his life, Hall quickly latched onto athletics, starting tackle football when he was nine years old. By the time he started his senior season, he was viewed as one of the best prospects in the country, ultimately choosing Auburn over Ole Miss and Mississippi State.

Considering everything he has overcome to simply live a normal life, let alone emerge as an NFL draft pick, Hall couldn't be happier about continuing to play the sport he loves. When asked what he expects to bring to the Seahawks, he emphasized his desire to reward the Seahawks for selecting him by putting "his best foot forward every single day."

“I feel like I play with a high motor, great attitude, and this game really means a lot to me, so I just really show that love and appreciation, and will continue to do what got me there" Hall responded. "I’m looking forward to it, but I am a great, humble guy who is going to come in and bust his butt every single day to help the team get better.”

On the field, Seattle will be counting on Hall to make an instant impact on numerous fronts after capping off a stellar college career with two outstanding seasons as an All-SEC performer.

In the pass rushing department, Hall earned a reputation for his bodacious bull rushes, overwhelming opposing tackles turning 4.5 speed into power off the edge to collapse the pocket. Making marked strides adding counters to his arsenal, including dishing out a devastating long arm move, he racked up 15.5 combined sacks in 2021 and 2022 and ranked in the top 30 players in the nation in pressures a year ago, putting his name on the map as a viable NFL prospect.

Away from his improved production getting to quarterbacks, Hall regularly made splash plays behind the line of scrimmage as a run defender. Utilizing an explosive first step developed as a sprinter in track running the 200-meter dash and multiple relay races coupled with a relentless motor, which Carroll highlighted as one of his most valuable traits, he amassed 24 tackles for loss over the past two years, regularly living in the backfield.

“He’s stout, he’s a penetrator, he really gets off, and he’s really fast," Carroll said. "If you have seen the highlight of his pass rush and how he digs into guys, speed and power are really his strength, and he pursues the ball really well, he chases it... He’s really a constant. He plays with great energy."

Further improving his draft stock, Hall participated in the Senior Bowl and turned in a strong week in Mobile, meeting with the Seahawks during the week. He would later meet with Carroll, Schneider, and defensive coordinator Clint Hurtt for a formal meeting at the NFL combine, a clear sign of the team's growing interest in him.

Aside from surprising in some regards with a dominant showing testing in Indianapolis and dazzling in the interview process, Schneider said Seattle loved what it saw from Hall at Auburn's pro day, seeing an overall skill set the organization feels will translate well to playing off the edge in a hybrid 3-4 defensive scheme and complement the group of outside linebackers already on the roster.

“He had a really impressive Pro Day," Schneider said. "Some of his deficiencies in his game during the fall, he really showed well to compensate for some of those things at his Pro Day that you can really say, ‘Wow, this guy, it’s really impressive what he did.’ 

With Nwosu coming off a career year with 9.5 sacks in his first season with the Seahawks, Taylor aiming to build off a fantastic finish to last season, and Mafe poised to take a big step forward entering his sophomore year, Hall will have to scratch and claw for reps out of the gate. The presence of Alton Robinson and Tyreke Smith returning from injuries will further elevate the competition at a position group with the potential to be a major strength for the team.

But while Hall may not be a starter right away and will have to earn his keep like any other rookie in a crowded stable of pass rushers, he won't be fazed by the challenge with far more impressive feats already on his resume for beating insurmountable odds. Eager to get back to work, he's ready to do whatever it takes on and off the field to help his new team win games.

"I just try to do what I can to help my team get better in every aspect of my life. A lot of that is realizing to not really focus on you, but putting the team first and doing whatever you can to put the team before yourself. Whatever that requires, I’m willing to do to be successful.”

---

Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Seahawks? Click Here to subscribe to AllSeahawks.com's Newsletter.

Follow All Seahawks.com on Twitter and Facebook

Make sure to subscribe to our daily podcast @lockedonseahawks today! Click here To Listen.

Want even more Seattle Seahawks news? Check out the SI.com team page here.