Seahawks DL Mike Morris is a hidden gem among the 2023 NFL Draft class
The Seattle Seahawks have a skill for selecting in the fifth round of the NFL Draft.
When it comes to drafting in the fifth round, the Seattle Seahawks must have things figured out.
A recent example is Tariq Woolen, who went from an unheralded player to an indispensable player out of UTSA. And then there was defensive lineman Quinton Jefferson in 2016. Richard Sherman is arguably the most famous of the fifth-round selections. His arrival dates back to 2011.
Now, again, the Seahawks may have struck gold in drafting Mike Morris out of Michigan with the No. 151 overall selection. Recently, Morris earned a shoutout from Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll during last week's mandatory minicamp.
“Mike did a really nice job, seriously,” Carroll said. "He’s different than the other guys. He looks different, plays different, and his range – he’s 6-6 and 297. You know, he’s gonna be a real factor. Mike’s a really good athlete and you can see he has really good timing to read (the) line of scrimmage, and he moves really well with blocks and stuff, which is a real plus for us.”
The looming question over Morris is where he will play on the Seahawks' defense. He’s used to playing on the edge, but the Seahawks hope to utilize his size inside.
“He’s played a little bit of 5-technique for us but we’ve basically kept him inside,” Carroll said. “We want to see him make that transition. He’s been on the edge for most of his career, yet he has played the positions that we’re asking him to play but not as a focus spot. But now he just jumped right at it.”
Carroll isn't the only one pointing out how important Morris will be to what the Seahawks plan to do in 2023. Former NFL linebacker Dave Wyman sees Morris as someone who must be an X-factor moving forward.
“He’s kind of the X-factor,” Wyman said. “He’s somebody we don’t really know about, and the good news is I’m not expecting that much from him. There’s no pressure for him, at all.”
Feature image via Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK.
