Learning 'Tricks of Trade,' Seahawks' Jacob Sykes Proving Quick Study

Holding a degree from one of the most renowned academic institutions in the world, Jacob Sykes will have no issue landing a job after football in the future. But as he climbs the depth chart with the Seattle Seahawks, he has other plans in mind in the present.

RENTON, Wash. - Unlike incoming high draft picks, the vast majority of undrafted rookies enter the NFL as long shots to make rosters, making the need for a backup plan a critical one.

While some of his undrafted peers may not have as concrete of a secondary plan in the event professional football doesn't work out, however, Seattle Seahawks rookie defensive tackle Jacob Sykes doesn't fall into that category. Holding an Applied Mathematics and Economics degree from prestigious Harvard University, if he doesn't make it in the league, he isn't worried about finding a quality fallback option.

"I always have loved math since I was little kid," Sykes said of his degree, admitting he initially started out as a computer science major. "I went to applied mathematics and economics because it is a field that I think is booming right now. You can get some lucrative opportunities in and you can kind of have control over your career path."

Down the road, after putting in the work to earn a challenging degree from one of the world's premier secondary institutions, Sykes will be in good hands carving out a successful career. But in the meantime, he hopes he has prepared himself well enough to postpone those professional ambitions by earning a roster spot while learning the "tricks of the trade" in a new look defensive line in Seattle.

A three-star recruit out of Rockhurst High School in Kansas City, Missouri, Sykes prioritized the importance of education deciding where he would play football at the college level. Before eventually accepting a scholarship offer from Harvard, he considered other esteemed academic institutions, including Northwestern, Columbia, Cornell, and Dartmouth.

Starring for the Crimson on the gridiron and in the classroom, Sykes saw action in eight games as a true freshman, immediately earning a rotational reserve role. The following season, he took a big step forward, producing 36 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks. After sitting out the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he returned with a vengeance as a senior, earning First-Team All-Ivy League honors after amassing 27 tackles, seven sacks, and eight tackles for loss.

"I had the wonderful opportunity to go to Harvard University to play football," Sykes remarked. "We like to think of it as you're going all in on football when you're at the football facility. And then outside of that, you're going all in on school. I got a degree in Applied Mathematics and Economics, was very happy with that degree, worked hard for it, and hopefully it shows up in the future."

Before taking his shot at the NFL, Sykes decided to enter a classroom of a different kind, transferring to UCLA to join former 49ers and Eagles coach Chip Kelly with an eye on boosting his stock as a pro prospect. Playing in all 13 games with six starts for the Bruins, he acclimated well to the jump to Power 5 competition, producing 29 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, and a sack while earning Third-Team All-Pac 12 honors from Pro Football Focus.

Having been all over the country pursuing his goals athletically and academically, Sykes credited Kelly and his staff for elevating his game between the lines to another level and playing for a former NFL head coach made his transition to the Seahawks a seamless one.

"It was phenomenal," Sykes said of playing for Kelly." His background, his expertise, just knowing how to train athletes, getting on an NFL routine, learning how to take care of your body, all this stuff is like invaluable to you when you go to the next level."

Showing off his elite athleticism, Sykes impressed at UCLA's pro day workout, running a blazing 4.94 40-yard dash with a 1.72 10-yard split at 282 pounds. He also posted quality times in the 3-cone and short shuttle, demonstrating excellent quickness and change of direction skills for an interior defensive lineman.

But despite that performance and his steady play for the Bruins in his lone season with the program, Sykes wasn't drafted and the Seahawks signed him shortly after the conclusion of the seventh round. His NFL dream looked to be over before it even got started, as the team waived him in May, but he was granted another opportunity returning on June 5.

Since then, Sykes has quietly moved up Seattle's depth chart, playing substantial snaps with the second-team defense in recent weeks alongside returning veteran Myles Adams at the 3-tech defensive end position, catching the attention of coach Pete Carroll in the process.

“Jacob has done a nice job," Carroll said of Sykes' play after Thursday's practice. "He’s a really smart kid, he does stuff right a lot. He’s got a good motor, plays with good effort, and chases the ball really well. He’s getting all of it out of himself. He’s done a nice job. He’s going to play a lot in the next couple of weeks.”

Considering how disruptive Sykes was in his NFL debut last week, it's not difficult to understand why Carroll, defensive coordinator Clint Hurtt, and the rest of the defensive coaching staff would be giddy about seeing more of him in the final two exhibition contests.

In a 24-13 win over the Vikings at Lumen Field, Sykes stood out as one of the Seahawks most noticeable standouts. Logging 31 defensive snaps, he frequently penetrated gaps with an explosive first step to create problems in the backfield, particularly as a pass rusher with four pressures, a batted pass, and an impressive 21 percent pressure rate while playing at least four snaps at nose tackle, defensive end, and off the edge.

Citing his versatility as one of his greatest assets, Sykes indicated his role in Seattle is similar to the one he played at Harvard and UCLA. He's been aiming to sharpen his craft in a "free class" learning from veterans such as Dre'Mont Jones and Jarran Reed each day.

"I'm confident in my versatility," Sykes stated. "I can play kind of everywhere on the line and all the teams that I've been on so far, have complimented me with that, which is really good. So I can kind of play anywhere from shade to three to four to five to whatever. It's more just like, whenever you're in you go and you play hard and you handle that job assignment. You go back and handle the next job assignment."

Always pursuing excellence and high achievement, though he was encouraged by some of the plays he made in his first NFL game as a Seahawk, the astute Sykes still felt too many other chances to impress were left on the field. Turning the page towards Saturday's next audition against the Cowboys with much left to prove, just as he would attack a math or economics problem, he has dissected and analyzed his game in great detail seeking every solution to improve his performance.

A quick learner who relishes any chance to improve himself on and off the field, following advice received from Carroll upon his arrival, Sykes plans to out-grind his competition day in and day out to bolster his chances of sticking around in Seattle. As for his aspirations post-football, he's excited for those opportunities once the time comes, but he isn't in a rush to jump into another line of work just yet.

"Obviously, I hold myself to high standards, I want to be the best all the time, everyone should go on the field thinking that they're the best player on the field at that time. And I saw a lot of areas which I can improve in, some things that are good, but I try to focus on how to get better for the next game. That game is kind of behind me now and I just want to put all my attention on being the best version of myself in the game."

---

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.