RENTON, Wash. – The second day of Seahawks rookie minicamp was the was the first opportunity to watch Seattle’s rookies participate in 7-on-7 and full-team work, obviously with limited contact since they were without pads. These notes and observations include a few “highlights” from the day, along with other takeaways.
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1. One of the reasons defensive passing game coordinator Karl Scott was attractive to head coach Pete Carroll was his ability to teach the game to his players, so I spent some time watching him in action Saturday while he worked with the cornerbacks. There are rules about reporting conversations overheard on the field during practice, so I can’t get into specific teaching points Scott relayed to the guys, but it was interesting to get a look at all the small details he emphasized when working with the cornerbacks at the line of scrimmage. Hand placement on press technique, patience at the line, how to make their hands at feet work together when defending different releases, cutoff angles on outside releases — a little bit of everything was covered in these few minutes he had alone with his corners. Carroll even stopped for a moment to check in on the session.
All the corners Seattle brought in can play, of course, but the ones who make an impact on Sundays master and trust their technique. And with Seattle transitioning to a new defensive scheme this season, Scott teaching those techniques to the young cornerbacks on the roster will be very important.
“I love Coach Scott. He brings energy, he’s cool,” said cornerback Coby Bryant, Seattle’s fourth-round pick in the 2022 draft. “He’s a nice guy as well, too. I love being coached by him. He’s definitely the best of the best. The biggest thing here is competing. We’re picking up on technique each and every day. It’s only Day 2, a lot of work to be done. My ears are peeled back and I’m ready to listen and be coached by one of the best.”
2. Although plays on the ball aren’t permitted if it means making contact with the receiver, Bryant made a great play during the full-team period Saturday, nearly jumping a route for an interception (I believe the quarterback was Kaleb Eleby, but my vision was slightly obstructed). Undrafted receiver Rodney Coates ran a hitch from the outside and Bryant ran with him, sunk his hips when Coates went into his break and came down hard at the ball. He dropped it, but it was an impressive rep nonetheless. Scott was fired up about it after the play.
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“We’re really not supposed to go for the ball but the competitive guy I am, the first thing I do is try and go for the ball,” Bryant said, acknowledging how difficult is to fight that instinct during minicamp. “It’s extremely tough, especially for me. I like to show off my ball skills – obviously not right there because I dropped. But that’s the thing biggest thing, still adjusting to the NFL life, one step at a time.”
3. There was an actual interception later in the period. Quarterback Levi Lewis rolled left and tried to hit receiver Dareke Young on what looked like a corner route near the sideline, but Lewis didn’t get enough air on it. The route was undercut and intercepted by tryout cornerback Elijah Jones, who did a nice job snagging the ball at hits highest point.
“That was smooth,” Bryant said.
4. Bryant worked as the left cornerback opposite Josh Valentine-Turner, another member of the 14-man undrafted free agent class. Fellow undrafted free agent signees Bubba Bolden and Joey Blount were the two safeties I saw most often in the secondary with Bryant during team periods. Williams, another UDFA, is listed as a strong safety but might get some work at nickel in camp. That offers an early look at where Seattle sees these rookies fitting in.
5. Neither of the quarterbacks connected on any of the deep passes I saw, though there were some opportunities. Young got behind the defense a couple times but didn’t get any legitimate shots at making the catches. Coates flew by cornerback Kenneth George on one of the final plays of the day during 7-on-7 but the pass from Eleby was overthrown. Coates and seventh-round pick Bo Melton seemed to get a bunch of targets on Saturday. The latter had what might have been the best route of the day, getting a cornerback — it might have been Bryant, but again my vision was obstructed — on a double move before receiving a deep pass from Lewis. The defensive coaches could argue that had contact been permitted, Bolden would have jarred the ball loose, or even intercepted it, but that doesn’t take away from Melton’s well-executed route.
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6. Speaking of Melton, he helped continue the theme of using this space to provide a name update. While he goes by “Bo” and has for most of his life, that is not his real name.
“My real is Miles; I never told anybody that,” Melton said with a smile. “Y’all know now. My dad named me Bo, so I’ve been called Bo since I was seven years old. It kind of stuck with me.”
7. The best throw of the day came during the 7-on-7 session. Eleby sent a laser through the middle of the field to tight end John Mitchell on a seam route. It was one those of the middle-of-the-field throws that can be dangerous because you must have the touch to get it over the linebacker and the placement to get it between the safeties. Eleby did a good job with both there.
8. Young is two semesters away from completing his master’s in business administration, though he said he has put those studies on hold to focus on football. Whenever Young’s football career is finished, he plans on becoming a mechanical engineer and working on cars.
“I’ve been interested in cars growing up,” Young said. “I’ve fixed a couple parts of my car like changing tires, oil, things of that nature. Just being hands on with cars growing up made me fall in love with it.”
Young was then asked to name is dream car.
“As of right now with the gas prices, I’ll have to go with a Tesla,” he said. “I really like those Teslas.”
(Photo of Bo Melton: AP / Ted S. Warren)
RENTON, Wash. – The second day of Seahawks rookie minicamp was the was the first opportunity to watch Seattle’s rookies participate in 7-on-7 and full-team work, obviously with limited contact since they were without pads. These notes and observations include a few “highlights” from the day, along with other takeaways.
Advertisement
1. One of the reasons defensive passing game coordinator Karl Scott was attractive to head coach Pete Carroll was his ability to teach the game to his players, so I spent some time watching him in action Saturday while he worked with the cornerbacks. There are rules about reporting conversations overheard on the field during practice, so I can’t get into specific teaching points Scott relayed to the guys, but it was interesting to get a look at all the small details he emphasized when working with the cornerbacks at the line of scrimmage. Hand placement on press technique, patience at the line, how to make their hands at feet work together when defending different releases, cutoff angles on outside releases — a little bit of everything was covered in these few minutes he had alone with his corners. Carroll even stopped for a moment to check in on the session.
All the corners Seattle brought in can play, of course, but the ones who make an impact on Sundays master and trust their technique. And with Seattle transitioning to a new defensive scheme this season, Scott teaching those techniques to the young cornerbacks on the roster will be very important.
“I love Coach Scott. He brings energy, he’s cool,” said cornerback Coby Bryant, Seattle’s fourth-round pick in the 2022 draft. “He’s a nice guy as well, too. I love being coached by him. He’s definitely the best of the best. The biggest thing here is competing. We’re picking up on technique each and every day. It’s only Day 2, a lot of work to be done. My ears are peeled back and I’m ready to listen and be coached by one of the best.”
2. Although plays on the ball aren’t permitted if it means making contact with the receiver, Bryant made a great play during the full-team period Saturday, nearly jumping a route for an interception (I believe the quarterback was Kaleb Eleby, but my vision was slightly obstructed). Undrafted receiver Rodney Coates ran a hitch from the outside and Bryant ran with him, sunk his hips when Coates went into his break and came down hard at the ball. He dropped it, but it was an impressive rep nonetheless. Scott was fired up about it after the play.
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“We’re really not supposed to go for the ball but the competitive guy I am, the first thing I do is try and go for the ball,” Bryant said, acknowledging how difficult is to fight that instinct during minicamp. “It’s extremely tough, especially for me. I like to show off my ball skills – obviously not right there because I dropped. But that’s the thing biggest thing, still adjusting to the NFL life, one step at a time.”
3. There was an actual interception later in the period. Quarterback Levi Lewis rolled left and tried to hit receiver Dareke Young on what looked like a corner route near the sideline, but Lewis didn’t get enough air on it. The route was undercut and intercepted by tryout cornerback Elijah Jones, who did a nice job snagging the ball at hits highest point.
“That was smooth,” Bryant said.
4. Bryant worked as the left cornerback opposite Josh Valentine-Turner, another member of the 14-man undrafted free agent class. Fellow undrafted free agent signees Bubba Bolden and Joey Blount were the two safeties I saw most often in the secondary with Bryant during team periods. Williams, another UDFA, is listed as a strong safety but might get some work at nickel in camp. That offers an early look at where Seattle sees these rookies fitting in.
5. Neither of the quarterbacks connected on any of the deep passes I saw, though there were some opportunities. Young got behind the defense a couple times but didn’t get any legitimate shots at making the catches. Coates flew by cornerback Kenneth George on one of the final plays of the day during 7-on-7 but the pass from Eleby was overthrown. Coates and seventh-round pick Bo Melton seemed to get a bunch of targets on Saturday. The latter had what might have been the best route of the day, getting a cornerback — it might have been Bryant, but again my vision was obstructed — on a double move before receiving a deep pass from Lewis. The defensive coaches could argue that had contact been permitted, Bolden would have jarred the ball loose, or even intercepted it, but that doesn’t take away from Melton’s well-executed route.
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6. Speaking of Melton, he helped continue the theme of using this space to provide a name update. While he goes by “Bo” and has for most of his life, that is not his real name.
“My real is Miles; I never told anybody that,” Melton said with a smile. “Y’all know now. My dad named me Bo, so I’ve been called Bo since I was seven years old. It kind of stuck with me.”
7. The best throw of the day came during the 7-on-7 session. Eleby sent a laser through the middle of the field to tight end John Mitchell on a seam route. It was one those of the middle-of-the-field throws that can be dangerous because you must have the touch to get it over the linebacker and the placement to get it between the safeties. Eleby did a good job with both there.
8. Young is two semesters away from completing his master’s in business administration, though he said he has put those studies on hold to focus on football. Whenever Young’s football career is finished, he plans on becoming a mechanical engineer and working on cars.
“I’ve been interested in cars growing up,” Young said. “I’ve fixed a couple parts of my car like changing tires, oil, things of that nature. Just being hands on with cars growing up made me fall in love with it.”
Young was then asked to name is dream car.
“As of right now with the gas prices, I’ll have to go with a Tesla,” he said. “I really like those Teslas.”
(Photo of Bo Melton: AP / Ted S. Warren)
