The formal interview setting of the NFL combine is rarely formal … or much of an interview.
We hear stories every year from NFL draft prospects who were asked strange questions from teams, basically as clubs look to get the players rattled. It’s apparently part of the NFL’s evaluation process, but you’re not going to convince me that the Seahawks’ interview strategy with Kentucky cornerback Lonnie Johnson Jr. provided any value.
According to Johnson, the Seahawks had him partake in a staring contest for 15 or 16 seconds. Johnson did say he won, so there was that. You never want to lose a staring contest in a job interview.
The Seahawks may say that they wanted to gauge Johnson’s focus or see how he responds to unexpected requests. I’ll just say that there’s no reasonable rationalization for holding a staring contest with a draft prospect. Blinking is important.
Plus, Pete Carroll already has the blank stare down pat. That should be enough.
This isn’t the second grade, Seahawks.
