RENTON, Wash. — Throughout their 14 years along with the Seattle Seahawks, John Schneider and Pete Carroll stayed of their respective lanes when it got here to dealing with draft-day questions from reporters. The overall supervisor would often take those a couple of participant’s traits or school tape, whereas something associated to the position they envisioned for him could be the pinnacle coach’s to reply.
Schneider and new coach Mike Macdonald largely adopted that MO throughout their first draft collectively, with one exception. It got here when Schneider was requested about Tyrice Knight, the within linebacker from UTEP whom Seattle drafted within the fourth spherical.
“That is a superb one for Mike,” he stated. “Mike’s extra the linebacker guru.”
Schneider did not simply defer to Macdonald on the query due to his background teaching linebackers, which he did for the Baltimore Ravens for 3 seasons earlier than changing into Michigan’s defensive coordinator in 2021. It was additionally as a result of, to some extent, Schneider had deferred to Macdonald on the decide itself.
Knight had turn out to be a favourite of Macdonald and his defensive employees after the staff introduced the prospect to the Virginia Mason Athletic Heart on a pre-draft staff go to. The coaches most well-liked Knight over a cluster of different inside linebackers the Seahawks figured could be accessible early on Day 3. He was projected by some to final till later within the day — ESPN’s Jordan Reid and Matt Miller each had him getting in Spherical 6 of their seven-round mock drafts — however Schneider took him at No. 118 total, fearing that the Seahawks may miss out on a participant that their teaching employees beloved.
“The very first thing that pops out on the tape is he sees the sport shortly, so key and diagnose,” Macdonald stated. “Instincts, I assume, is an effective approach to put it, however like transferring the place the ball goes type of earlier than all people else possibly is an effective approach to describe it. He stays sq..
“I believe he brings some thump on the level of assault after which after we introduced him in, we acquired to satisfy him and we simply actually appreciated the particular person and the competitor. His demeanor is soft-spoken proper now, however I believe he is a really clear communicator after which only a man all through the method we began to essentially like.”
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Knight joins an inside linebacker corps that may look fully totally different from final season, although the Seahawks have stored the door open for a reunion with Jamal Adams with the thought that he’d play that place versus security.
Seattle misplaced Jordyn Brooks in free company and let Bobby Wagner stroll — the staff’s prime two tacklers in 2023 — earlier than changing them with Jerome Baker ($7 million base worth) and Tyrel Dodson ($4.26 million), every on one-year offers. The backups consisted of younger gamers who’ve primarily performed particular groups, that means there was a necessity for each depth and one other long-term beginning possibility.
Knight, who’s just below 6-foot-1 and weighs 233 kilos, ran a 4.63-second 40-yard sprint on the mix, a stable however unspectacular time that ranked eighth-fastest amongst linebackers. Macdonald’s scheme asks loads of its Mike (center) and Will (weakside) ‘backers, and he believes Knight has the pinnacle to deal with these tasks even when he does not have off-the-charts measurables.
“I do assume he can enhance his hand utilization, however I simply assume he sees the sport and it is sluggish for him,” Macdonald stated. “We will ask our guys to man the center of the protection, and I believe he can do this ultimately.”
After transferring from Independence Neighborhood Faculty, Knight racked up 386 tackles throughout his 4 years as a starter at UTEP. That was fourth most in FBS in that span. Final season, his 24 run stops (a sort out at or behind the road of scrimmage on a designed rush) have been tied for fourth most in FBS. He recorded 2 interceptions, 17 passes defensed and eight.5 sacks (together with 4.5 final 12 months) in 45 video games for the Miners.
“Linebackers are paid to make tackles,” Macdonald stated. “He makes loads of tackles, in order that’s a superb factor.”
The Seahawks’ plan all offseason has been to make use of Dodson at Mike and Baker at Will, although each can play both place and Macdonald’s scheme offers them the flexibleness to change spots relying on the defensive name. Macdonald stated Knight will possible be taught Will first.
Seahawks sources have emphasised that if the staff brings Adams again, it will likely be to play weakside linebacker in a part-time position. Given their tight monetary state of affairs (OverTheCap.com lists them with round $1.5 million in cap area after restructuring cornerback Mike Jackson’s contract) and the truth that Adams is coming off three straight injury-plagued seasons and has zero sacks since 2020, it might possible be for one thing near the league minimal.
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The Seahawks advised Adams once they launched him in March that the transfer was purely cap-related and that they’d be open to bringing him again later within the offseason if he was keen to play linebacker. He may also should be keen to play particular groups.
A reunion is not thought-about possible, nevertheless it’s a risk the Seahawks deliberate on discussing internally after the draft.
For now, although, Knight is the latest member of that new-look group.
“He hasn’t performed all of the issues that we’ll ask him to do schematically, however no one ever does,” Macdonald stated. “So that you’re how he strikes and the way he thinks and attempt to mission it one of the best you may.”
