Three critical observations from Seattle Seahawks mock game

Three Seahawks really stood out in the mock game

Boye Mafe already looks leagues better than he did when he was a rookie in 2022. Mafe wasn't a bad player last year, but he still struggled with acclimating to the speed and power of the NFL. But this training camp, Mafe has been one of Seattle's better players. He showed that again on Friday when he accidentally tipped quarterback Drew Lock's arm which caused a fumble.

Mafe got the start on the first-team defense opposite fellow edge rusher Uchenna Nwosu. Darrell Taylor missed the mock game - yet another injury for Seattle as Taylor is out with a shoulder issue - and Mafe further cemented that potential that he is actually the Week 1 starter instead of Taylor. Mafe plays the run better than Taylor already, and on Friday in continued to prove he can be a force in the pass rush.

Another player who looked excellent was undrafted free-agent receiver, Jake Bobo. With Dareke Young and Dee Eskridge out of practice, Bobo took even more reps than normal and finished with 7 catches and 76 yards and this led all receivers. Bobo is a big receiver at 6'4" and 210 pounds, and while he doesn't have blazing speed, if he can learn to be aggressively physical he will make the team and could even end up being WR4 himself.

Lastly, the entire first-team defense looked potentially much better than the 2022 version. The defensive front of Dre'Mont Jones and Jarran Reed - Reed is still starting at nose guard and that seems to be his spot for this year - each was credited with a sack, even though they couldn't take down the quarterback. Seattle simply did not have the kind of interior defensive line pressure last year that they do this season. Sure, the first-team defense was going up against the second-team offense, but the defense still didn't give up a touchdown in five drives.

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