After a stunning, but exciting Day 1 of the NFL draft that saw Seattle take the number 1 cornerback and the number 1 wide receiver in the draft, the Seahawks turned their attention at pick 37 back to the trenches, selecting edge rusher Derick Hall from Auburn. Hall might be a little lesser known than Devon Witherspoon and Jaxon Smith-Njigba are, but he'll be known soon enough by 12s. Hall earned his bones playing in the NFL minor league known as the SEC.
The 6'3" 254-pound edge rusher/linebacker is a two-year starter. He got to the quarterback 15.5 times over the past two seasons to go with 112 total tackles. He can disrupt an opposing team's pass rush.
At the NFL Combine, Hall dominated his position group, ranking in the top 5 of almost every drill. With a 4.55 40-yard dash and a 10-second split at 1.59 seconds, Hall is a true speed threat to get after the quarterback. Using the Relative Athletic Score measurements, Hall ranks 99 out of 1,634 DEs since 1987. He is a true athlete that was extremely productive in the best conference in college football.
Seattle Seahawks take edge rusher Derick Hall at pick 37
Beyond his incredible physical gifts, Hall is considered a leader and high-character guy that was the lone bright spot on an otherwise frustrating two years at Auburn. It wouldn't be surprising after just a couple of seasons for him to be one of the key voices in the Seattle locker room. It also wouldn't be surprising to see him displace Darrell Taylor in the pass rush rotation this season.
The Seahawks appear to be continuing their excellent draft with the selection of Hall. The team still needs a center and help along the interior of the defensive line, but the pass rush needed help too. Hall should be a force by 2024.