Tye Smith: How he fits with the Seattle Seahawks
By Keith Myers
With the 170th pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks selected Tye Smith out of Towson. The Seahawks have an incredible track record with developing late-round defensive backs, so Smith is coming into a great situation.
People didn’t begin to take notice of Smith until the East-West Shrine game. There is absolutely stood out as one of the best players on the field. That particular all-star game doesn’t always have the highest level of competition, but he was a man among boys most of the week.
What They’re Saying
Unlike some of Seattle’s other picks, this pick didn’t make much of an impact on social media. That is partly because few people had heard of him before. It was also partly because Seattle taking a cornerback in the fifth round is simply not surprising in any way.
Smith’s athleticism stands out. He’s clearly a guy who can stay with receivers in the middle of the field.
His game tape a bit sloppy, but that can be cleaned up. His highlights are downright fun to watch.
It's highlights, so take with a grain of salt, but all I can think of when watching Tye Smith is Jeremy Lane. https://t.co/qzc0oxFaBH
— Stephen Cohen (@scohenATH) May 2, 2015
Smith had to cover first-round pick Kevin White when Towson played WVU. He did very well, and matched up physically against a bigger player.
Watch that Tye Smith tape...note the plays off-ball, when he and White are just brawling. One of my favorite aspects of his game.
— Jared Stanger (@JaredStanger) May 2, 2015
His Role on the Field
The Seahawks are set in terms of their starters at cornerback. Richard Sherman is arguably the best in the game, and they just paid big money to bring in Cary Williams. Behind them though, there is plenty of opportunity for Smith to compete for playing time.
Jeremy Lane would be the team’s nickel corner, but he tore his ACL in the Super Bowl and will likely start the season on the PUP list. Smith will compete with Marcus Burley for a chance to play that significant role for the Seahawks.
On the outside, there is much more competition. After Sherman and Williams, the teams currently has Will Blackmon and Tharold Simon on the roster that will be competing for playing time. Blackmon is over 30 and on a one-year deal, so clearly the Seahawks would prefer one of the younger players set up and win that spot.
Final Thoughts
This is such a typical Seahawk pick that it is almost uninteresting. He matches every possible item on the check list, including the need for development time. Smith has a lot of work to do before he gets on the field for the Seahawks defense in an actual game, but there is no reason right now to believe that he cannot learn and fix his issues fairly quickly.
Overall, this is a solid pick by a team with a long history of solid picks at the position.
Next: How Terry Poole Fits with the Seahawks
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