The Seattle Seahawks brought in a whopping 17 undrafted free agents from the 2020 class to compete for spots on the active roster.
Most years, teams are lucky to get one UDFA to make the squad, as they are primarily brought in to give the team extra bodies during training camp. However, the Seahawks have had plenty of luck in the past, going all the way back to Dave Krieg and including Jermaine Kearse, Doug Baldwin and more recently, defensive tackle Poona Ford.
This years class is sure to have some intriguing players in it, and one who could stand out above the rest is Albany defensive end Eli Mencer.
Mencer was given one of Seattle’s largest signing bonuses among the undrafted players, earning $8,000. That’s not always a sign the player is more likely to make the team, but it usually indicates multiple other teams were interested in his services, which is never a bad thing.
Mencer originally lined up at outside linebacker while at Albany, but he moved to defensive end and set a school record with 14.5 sacks in 2019, along with 24 tackles for loss, five forced fumbles and one fumble recovery for a touchdown.
Mencer also played special teams all four years in college, which will almost certainly be his path to playing time in the Emerald City.
The Seahawks love players with versatility and a willingness to serve on special teams, and they also love guys who feel they have a lot to proof – another reason Mencer is a near perfect fit.
“Coming from not really being highly recruited out of high school to going to a school like Albany, where being an FCS school, it’s tough to get drafted,” Mencer told the Altoona Mirror. “I’m not going to have a chip on my shoulder, but it’s another thing that prepared me for this opportunity.”
Seattle is still doing everything virtually at the moment, with the hope that training camp can go on as usual in the summer.
