Seahawks Draft Prospect Profile, RB Devontae Booker
By Dan Viens
With the NFL scouting combine underway in Indianapolis, we take a look at some possible Seattle Seahawks draft targets.
The NFL Draft is fast approaching and teams all around the NFL are working furiously to put together their draft boards. For the Seattle Seahawks, this is a crucial year for GM John Schneider and head coach Pete Carroll. The last couple of drafts have produced more depth than superstars, but with their high-priced young core now causing annual salary cap constraints, they find themselves needing to hit on a couple starter-quality players this time around.
Let’s take a look at some players who may appear to be a fit in Seattle, regardless of round.
DEVONTAE BOOKER, RB, Utah
Booker began his college career as a Washington State University signee (although he never played there, transferring to junior college before landing with the Utes). Could he also begin his pro career in the state of Washington?
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SPECS:
- Height – 5’11”
- Weight – 219 lbs
- Arms – 31 5/8″
- 40 yard dash – N/A
STRENGTHS: Booker won’t run a timed 40 yard dash until March or April. He had surgery on his knee in November, and although he came back to finish the season he wants to make sure he’s 100% healthy before running in front of scouts. No matter, because breakaway speed isn’t what makes Booker a good back. It’s his all-around game that highlights his appeal. Big and physical enough to grind out tough yards, but shifty and instinctive enough to get to the second level, Booker also is comfortable in the passing game. He caught 80 passes in two years as a Ute to go along with 2,773 rushing yards. The fact that he only missed a couple games after knee surgery also speaks to his toughness.
WEAKNESSES: Isn’t a home run threat and had fumble issues as a junior, although he showed improvement in 2015.
HOW HE WOULD FIT FOR THE SEAHAWKS: Booker may be the perfect compliment to Thomas Rawls. He’s willing and able to grind out tough yards and is one of the better receiving running back’s in this years draft class.
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Whether he fits in with the Hawks overall draft plans is another story. He would likely need to slide to the third round (where Seattle has 2 picks) for it to make sense. He’s currently projected as a 2nd rounder by NFL Draft Scout. But a deep RB class could help push him down the board a bit, depending on how the knee checks out.