Former Seattle Seahawks quarterback Jake Heaps recently stated on 710 ESPN Seattle that the team should have Ugo Amadi in mind as the starting nickel corner.
“I don’t know if you can say confidently that he is the outright, penned in nickel corner starter, but for me, I think they should be going into this year thinking that way,” Heaps said. “Ugo Amadi, when he stepped in and they actually gave him a chance … late in the season, and Pete Carroll even said they should have gotten him out there (sooner).”
Heaps praised Amadi’s ability to make substantial contributions in the form of big plays on the field.
“This guy is a playmaker,” Heaps said. “When you watch his film or his tape from college, he’s a playmaker and I think that’s what Ugo Amadi brings to the table is if you actually roll him out there, and let him play 70% of the snaps during the season, he’s going to be better, he’s going to make plays for you and he’s a guy that is reliable.”
However, Heaps went on to state that Amadi’s run defense is questionable and is the reason why he is not the clear-cut starter at nickel yet.
“You’ve got to remember, you’re taking Mychal Kendricks out, a player like him or Cody Barton, and you’re putting Ugo Amadi in there, and typically, their nickel corners have been excellent run defenders,” Heaps said. “That’s the one question that you just don’t know because he hasn’t played enough snaps to have a full answer (for) that and unfortunately, I think that’s been a mistake for them, is that they don’t have a clear-cut answer as to ‘is Ugo Amadi our penned-in starter.’ If not, I think he has everything it takes to be that guy and be their next great nickel corner in the future.”
Amadi’s rookie year certainly looked promising. We will see if he gets more playing time in the future.
