5 players Seattle Seahawks can draft to make Mike Macdonald's life easier

Defensive back Cooper DeJean, Iowa

John Schneider has liked players who can produce a lot in a few different positions. Mike Macdonald clearly valued players who were interchangeable while he was with the Baltimore Ravens. They should both have good reasons for that. Having several players on the field capable of versatility helps keep an offense honest because they cannot be too sure when a certain player is going to be in a certain spot.

DeJean is a master of many spots. He can play any cornerback spot - outside or in the slot - and safety. He doesn't have to play any one of those as the Seahawks could conceivably move him around on different plays depending on what the call is on any given play. The Iowa product could be in the slot one play and deep safety the next and do each one extremely well.

In the last two seasons, DeJean allowed just 2 touchdown passes (none in 2023) but intercepted 7 passes. He has no obvious weaknesses in coverage as his footwork is elite, his instincts are nearly without peer from other defensive backs entering the draft, and he obviously knows how to force turnovers. He chose not to participate in many of the NFL Combine drills and instead will showcase his athleticism at his pro day.

He has good size to play any defensive back position as he is nearly 6'1" and 205 pounds. He is a solid tackler who doesn't mind creating contact so he can be a force when playing the run as well. He is a Week 1 starter in 2024, and the Seahawks just need to find what spot he will play on the first down of the season. If one of the worst things NFL.com can say in his draft profile is "Played a series of bad offenses and wasn’t challenged much in 2023," then you know he is a potentially great player.

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