Seattle Seahawks Great Walter Jones Says Charles Cross is a 'Phenomenal Athlete'

The Seattle Seahawks' most important lineman has drawn the praise of one of the franchise's all-time greats.

Aug 10, 2023; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks offensive tackle Charles Cross (67) during warmups prior to the game at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports / Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

As currently constructed, the Seattle Seahawks' offensive line leans heavily on the younger side. That's not necessarily a bad thing, and it could bear plenty of fruit in the future, but there will likely be some growing pains along the way.

Of the Seahawks' young linemen, the one who's shown the most so far is definitely left tackle Charles Cross. Cross, the No. 9 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, has been a solid starter through his first two seasons in the league. A bigger improvement from Year 1 to Year 2 would've been nice, but at the very least, Cross has proven to be a dependable starter.

In fact, the Mississippi State product has caught the eye of one of the Seahawks' all-time greats. Former left tackle Walter Jones, who spent his entire 13-year career in Seattle and is a first-ballot Hall of Fame inductee, recently saw Cross take part in a charity basketball tournament. As he shared on 93.3 KJR radio, Jones was very impressed by what he saw.

"He's a great player, a phenomenal athlete," Jones said.

Hall of Famer Walter Jones to us on @933KJR on #Seahawks' LT Charles Cross: "He's a great player, a phenomenal athlete."

Says he saw Cross in a charity basketball tournament this offseason, and Cross was running the floor, dunking on alley-oops. @thenewstribune

— Gregg Bell (@gbellseattle) August 21, 2024

For someone who stands at 6-5 and weighs 311 pounds, Cross does indeed have some very impressive athleticism. He ran a 4.95-second 40-yard dash at the combine, and he also had a strong showing in his agility drills.

That said, athleticism has never been Cross' problem, it's his technique,. Luckily for Seattle, he's been working on that technique this offseason, fueling hopes that he could take a huge leap forward in Year 3.

"I think this is going to be his breakout year...Year 3, for me personally, that's when you take the blinders off...and seeing the whole field," Jones said.