Illinois football had one of the highest draft picks in team history in 2023.
Devon Witherspoon was one of the great players to ever come out of the Illini program. The lockdown cornerback would blossom from a zero-star recruit into a consensus All-American, one of 21 in the long history of Illinois football.
Witherspoon’s best season with the Orange and Blue came in 2022 when he would amass 41.0 tackles, 14.0 pass deflections, 3.0 interceptions, and 2.5 tackles for loss.
This great production is why the Seattle Seahawks wanted Witherspoon in the 2023 NFL Draft. With pick No. 5 overall, the Seahawks would select Witherspoon.
Devon Witherspoon taking field after signing his contract earlier today. pic.twitter.com/bm3m99P7Mw
— Bob Condotta (@bcondotta) July 28, 2023
Seattle Seahawks depth chart projection – Devon Witherspoon
When you select someone in the top five of the NFL Draft, that player will usually get thrown into the starting job pretty quickly.
As of right now, unsurprisingly, Seattle is projected to start Witherspoon at the left cornerback position. Having Witherspoon on the first string is a good move considering the Seahawks ranked No. 23 in the NFL in pass coverage defense, according to Pro Football Focus.
It sounds like, after signing his rookie contract just days ago, the Seahawks are easing Witherspoon into action. He is currently lining up with the second team and is playing different positions in the secondary.
I honestly don’t believe there will be much competition for Witherspoon. I am guessing he will move into a starting role in the next couple of weeks and will start when the season starts. It looks like the biggest competition for him right now is Tre Brown, who has only played in 11 games in two seasons and has 14 tackles and a pass breakup for his career.