Seahawks use 6th-round pick on fearless safety Jerrick Reed II

With their second to last pick, the Seattle Seahawks select safety Jerrick Reed II from New Mexico. Entering the draft, many felt the Seahawks needed to grab some sort of insurance for the backend given the injury history of their safeties. Jerrick Reed II will come into Seattle and have to earn his right to playing time.

The competitive environment that Pete Carroll has set up will allow Reed a legitimate shot of making this roster. Even though they signed Julian Love, the departure of Ryan Neal leaves Seattle without a box safety. Jerrick Reed II is known for his run defense. At 5'10", 195 pounds, he has displayed on tape his ability to play all over the field.

His 4.44 40-yard dash is just one part of the athletic ability that brings him within the white lines. His ability to stay sound in coverage will transition nicely into the slot position if Reed were to make this team. He would challenge both Julian Love and Coby Bryant for playing time at that position.

Seahawks add insurance in the backend with the selection of safety Jerrick Reed II

Most impressively, he has a knack for ending up near the football and can be a contributor to a team that struggled in finishing plays last year. In particular, against the run. The missed tackles resulted in a lot of frustrating plays against this Seattle defense and Reed simply doesn't miss many tackles.

Although this safety room is a bit crowded, it never hurts to have too many guys. His ceiling is an insurance policy that can be seen on the field in certain coverages. Plus, Reed would be a force on special teams. Given the round in which they got him, Seattle might have found solid fundamental safety that can make the 53-man roster.