Seahawks 90-Man Countdown: WR Jake Bobo - Crafty Possession Wideout

Despite lacking even average speed for an NFL receiver, Jake Bobo has been a standout for the Seattle Seahawks throughout their offseason program and hopes to keep impressing as a potential sleeper to make the roster in September.

Corbin K. Smith | Jun 17, 2023

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Seattle Seahawks

With the calendar flipping to June and offseason activities wrapping up 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, we'll 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.

Jake Bobo, Receiver

Height/Weight: 6-4, 207 pounds

2022 Stats*: 57 receptions, 817 yards, seven touchdowns

*College stats at UCLA

One of the top recruits coming out of Massachusetts in 2018, Bobo took his talents from Belmont High School to Duke, where he quickly etched out a role as a reserve reserve during his true freshman season with 10 receptions for 167 yards and a touchdown. After a somewhat quiet sophomore season where he once again caught 10 passes and didn't score a touchdown, he amassed 106 receptions for over 1,100 receiving yards in his final two years with the Blue Devils, graduating with a degree in Economics.

With a year of eligibility remaining, Bobo went cross country from North Carolina to California to join UCLA, immediately becoming quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson's favorite target. Leading the team in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns, he earned Honorable Mention All-Pac 12 honors in his lone season with the Bruins. Unfortunately, a rough performance in his pro day workout, including running a 4.99 40-yard dash, led to him going undrafted before signing with the Seahawks as a free agent.

Best-Case Scenario: Building off an excellent offseason program, Bobo compensates for his underwhelming athleticism with savvy route running , an innate ability for getting himself open, and strong hands at the catch point in contested situations, leading to double-digit catches in the preseason and a surprise inclusion on Seattle's initial 53-man roster as a big-bodied possession receiver.

Worst-Case Scenario: With no shortage of competition for reps at a deep position group, Bobo's success from the spring doesn't translate with the Seahawks having a plethora of far more dynamic athletes at the receiver position and after a disappointing exhibition season, he receives a pink slip and isn't brought back on the practice squad.

What to Expect in 2023: Athletically, Bobo lacks most of the desired traits for an NFL receiver with a slower 40-yard dash than some offensive tackles at the combine and a mediocre short shuttle time. But looking deeper into his pro day numbers, he did showcase quality explosiveness with a 36-inch vertical jump and his 7.09 3-cone time is more than respectable for a 6-4 slot receiver.

A crafty wideout who has a knack for finding open space in coverage and converting his receptions into a high percentage of first downs, Bobo may have a place for him in the league, especially if he can find a way to contribute on special teams. But even given the rave reviews he has received coming out of OTAs and minicamp for the Seahawks, it will be tough sledding to make the team with DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Dee Eskridge, and Dareke Young all ahead of him on the depth chart, making the practice squad his most likely landing spot out of the gate.

Previous Seahawks 90-Man Profiles

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Published Jun 17, 2023

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.