Seattle Seahawks Rookie Jake Bobo Developing Into 'Trustworthy Guy' For Offense
Trust is something hard to gain and easy to lose, but for Seattle Seahawks rookie Jake Bobo, earning the trust of the coaching staff seems to have come already.
After impressing during preseason and scoring his first-career touchdown in Sunday's 37-27 win over the Carolina Panthers, head coach Pete Carroll can't help but be impressed with everything Bobo has done in the first three weeks.
“He’s just really capable," Carroll said. "He’s really comfortable with the role, he’s comfortable with everything we ask of him and handles it really well. ... He’s just a very gifted player, and the game comes to him pretty comfortably. Look at the onside kick, that was a great smooth play. It kind of goes unnoticed, but that was a heck of a play in that situation, and he just nailed it. He’s a very trustworthy guy, and we’re leaning on him in that way.”
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jake Bobo (19) celebrates after catching a touchdown pass against the Carolina Panthers during the fourth quarter at Lumen Field.
© Joe Nicholson, USA TODAY
The Seahawks have hit the jackpot before with either late-round or undrafted players. And while it is early in his career, Seattle will no doubt feel good about picking up the former UCLA product.
Though his stats of two catches for eight yards and a touchdown through three games don't jump off the screen, Carroll has said that Bobo's game goes beyond the numbers.
"He’s a real detailed player also, his routes are clean and crisp," Carroll said. "He’s got a lot of stuff in the running game, he’s blocking a lot, he’s doing a lot of things for us."
His play on special teams (recovering an onside kick vs. the Carolina Panthers), his ability to block, and the way he conducts himself have all caught the eye of his teammates - including his quarterback Geno Smith.
"He plays like a veteran," Smith said on Inside The NFL. "He prepares like a veteran. He's one of those guys who, we have to find him and get him the ball because he's doing such special things out there on the field."
Bobo has had a good start to his NFL career, and now it is all about stacking good days and performances on gameday. He grabbed his first touchdown against the Panthers, and Seahawks fans hope it will be the first of many.
He'll get that chance on Monday night at MetLife Stadium against the New York Giants.
