Seahawks 'Unsung Hero': Tariq Woolen or Kenneth Walker III?

The Seattle Seahawks saw major contributions from the unlikeliest of names this season.

If the 2022-23 Seattle Sehawks were a movie, the leading man is obviously quarterback Geno Smith in a resurgence season. A large cast of main characters also starred, including coach Pete Carroll, rookie running back Kenneth Walker III and safety Quandre Diggs.

But as the credits roll on, which player would earn the spotlight as unsung hero?

NFL.com picked one unsung hero, whose contributions flew under the radar, from all 32 teams. Rookie cornerback Tariq Woolen is the Seahawks' selection:

The second-fastest cornerback at the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine found a great home in Seattle, where he quickly produced, recording an interception in every game from Week 3 through Week 6. That's an incredible return on a fifth-round pick out of UTSA who first made a name for himself at the NFL level with his 40-yard dash time (4.26).

At 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds, Woolen possesses the length and size to win press battles at the line of scrimmage and erase separation between himself and a targeted pass-catcher. Woolen tied for the NFL lead with six interceptions (one returned for a touchdown), while also racking up 16 passes defensed, three fumble recoveries and 63 tackles. It feels as if he's only getting started. 

Adding to the 'unsung hero' story line, Woolen fell to the fifth round in the 2022 NFL draft due to doubts about the receiver-turned-cornerback's lack of experience in the secondary. Now, Woolen is a finalist for the Defensive Rookie of the Year and a Pro Bowler. 

"Whenever I first got here to now, it's crazy cause I made a lot of steps," Woolen said. "I beat a lot of odds and I beat a lot of expectations. People thought I was gonna be an experiment, I'm still getting better and got stuff to work on, but nobody thought a Pro Bowl, nobody thought I'd lead the league in interceptions, nobody thought I'd be a starter."

In addition to producing nine total turnovers, Woolen also blocked a field goal that was returned for a touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers. Woolen's clutch plays helped Seattle turn what was supposed to be a rebuilding season into a strong 9-8 season, good for the seventh seed in the NFC. 

While the Seahawks finished over .500 in a surprise season, the team fell short to the San Francisco 49ers in the Wild Card Round. Seattle will be watching the Super Bowl from home on Sunday, Feb. 12. The Kansas City Chiefs (1.5-point underdogs) will try to pull the upset over the Philadelphia Eagles in Glendale, Ariz. to become Super Bowl LVII Champions. 

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