Seahawks 90-Man Countdown: TE Griffin Hebert - Seattle's Version of Kyle Juszczyk?

Possessing an enticing array of athletic tools and an extensive background as a pass catcher, Griffin Hebert may have the ingredients to fill a role the Seattle Seahawks haven't utilized since Mike Robinson retired after Super Bowl XLVIII.
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With the calendar flipping to June and offseason activities well underway league-wide, the Seattle Seahawks will open training camp at the VMAC in less than two months, officially ushering in the 2023 season.

To celebrate the new incoming season, I will be detailing every member of 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 2023 campaign.

Griffin Hebert, Tight End

Height/Weight: 6-1, 239 pounds

2022 Stats*: 23 receptions, 431 yards, three touchdowns

*College stats at Louisiana Tech

Initially recruited as a receiver, Hebert didn't make a single reception in his first two years on campus, redshirting in 2017 and playing primarily special teams in 2018. Finally breaking into the lineup as a redshirt sophomore, he burst onto the scene with 30 receptions for 527 yards and six touchdowns while averaging north of 17 yards per catch. Even during a COVID-delayed 2020 season, he still snagged 19 receptions for 275 yards and a trio of scores in 10 games.

While Hebert never quite reached his 2018 numbers, he transitioned to a move tight end role by his final season with the Bulldogs, catching 23 passes for 431 yards and three scores in just nine games. Despite posting impressive athletic testing numbers at his pro day workout, he went undrafted and signed with the Seahawks, who list him as a tight end on their roster.

Best-Case Scenario: Doing his best Kyle Juszczyk impersonation, Hebert sees significant action as an H-back during the preseason and hauls in several catches out of the backfield, creating a potential exciting new role in Shane Waldron's offense and leading to a spot on Seattle's practice squad with a change to contribute later in the season.

Worst-Case Scenario: Rarely used as a blocker at Louisiana Tech, Hebert struggles to handle duties as a tight end or an H-back, getting physically manhandled even when trying to block out of the backfield, leading to his release midway through camp.

What to Expect in 2023: A natural receiver with soft hands and a fun set of athletic tools at nearly 240 pounds, Hebert presents an intriguing ball of clay to develop as either a tight end or a modern hybrid fullback. If he's able to quickly get up to speed in the blocking aspect of the game and improve technique-wise, his skill set could make him a fun gadget player to sprinkle into the Seahawks offensive arsenal.

With that said, with minimal experience blocking away from receiver, Hebert likely will be a long-term project that needs extensive time to develop before he's ready to play tight end on Sundays. Due to his athletic profile and receiving talent, he's a prime candidate to land on the practice squad and with Colby Parkinson and Noah Fant both scheduled to become free agents next March, an extra year in the weight room and hitting the blocking sled could position him to compete for a spot in 2024.

Previous Seahawks 90-Man Profiles

Montrae Braswell | John Hall | Bryant Koback | Cam Bright | Jacob Sykes | Benjie Franklin | Tyjon Lindsey | Austin Faoliu | Kendall Randolph | Ty Okada | Patrick O'Connell | Arquon Bush | Chris Stoll | MJ Anderson | Noah Gindorff | Christian Young | Jalen McKenzie


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Corbin K. Smith
CORBIN K. SMITH

Graduating from Manchester College in 2012, Smith began his professional career as a high school Economics teacher in Indianapolis and launched his own NFL website covering the Seahawks as a hobby. After teaching and coaching high school football for five years, he transitioned to a full-time sports reporter in 2017, writing for USA Today's Seahawks Wire while continuing to produce the Legion of 12 podcast. He joined the Arena Group in August 2018 and also currently hosts the daily Locked On Seahawks podcast with Rob Rang and Nick Lee. Away from his coverage of the Seahawks and the NFL, Smith dabbles in standup comedy, is a heavy metal enthusiast and previously performed as lead vocalist for a metal band, and enjoys distance running and weight lifting. A habitual commuter, he resides with his wife Natalia in Colorado and spends extensive time reporting from his second residence in the Pacific Northwest.