When it comes to rookies, many head coaches try to shy away from comparing them to NFL greats. Not Pete Carroll.

Carroll was asked on Wednesday about Seahawks rookie corner Kyu Blu Kelly, whom Seattle claimed off waivers following his release by the Ravens.

He did not hesitate to compare the fifth-round pick to another former Stanford corner who went in the same round back in 2011.

"Kelly in particular, we saw him all through the process and I really liked what he looked like as a cover guy. He hits well and reminds me of another Stanford corner I’ve seen back in the day. Kind of long and is really in control, body-control-wise, and all of the stuff. That was really cool."

It would placing a lot on Kelly's shoulders to ask him to quickly turn into Richard Sherman, and he likely initially won't have much opportunity at the bottom of a stacked Seattle depth chart at corner.

But Carroll is right in that their athletic profiles are similar. Kelly measured at 6ft and 191 pounds with 32-inch arms that put him in the 70th percentile for corners.

Back in 2011, Sherman measured at 6ft 3in and 195 pounds with, you guessed it, 32-inch arms.

It will take a lot more than simply having a similar frame for Kelly to live up to Carroll's comparison of him to a three-time first-team All-Pro and five-time Pro Bowler who will one day head to the Hall of Fame. 

Yet Carroll's willingness to say Kelly reminds him of Sherman is a clear indication of how highly he thinks of a player the Ravens weren't able to find room for on their roster.

If Kelly even comes close to justifying Carroll's praise, the Seahawks will have gotten a steal on the waiver wire.

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