The Seattle Seahawks lost Michael Bennett, Cliff Avril and Frank Clark in the past two offseasons, so finding a big, physical defensive end capable of getting to the quarterback was a necessity this offseason.
They used their first round pick to do just that, snagging defensive end L.J. Collier with their first pick of the 2019 NFL draft.
“Really glad he’s on our team,” defensive coordinator Ken Norton commented after OTAs on Wednesday. “Strong, fast, smart. He loves ball and he fits right in with our guys.”
Collier has already drawn comparisons to Bennett as a versatile defender capable of rushing off the edge and disrupting the running lanes in the trenches.
Norton isn’t the only person Collier has impressed so far this season.
“I think as a rookie coming in, he definitely has some savviness, some craft in his moves that you normally wouldn’t see from a younger guy,” left tackle Duane Brown commented. “He’s strong. He’s got long arms, strong player. I think right now with no pads on, it’s hard to assess someone, but I think he’s definitely going to make some plays this year just based on what I’ve seen so far.”
The Seahawks have another few weeks of OTAs before training camp begins and the players will get the full gear on.
