Seattle Seahawks invest in critical defensive position with Tyrice Knight

The Seattle Seahawks have been dealing with a big transition at the linebacker position following the addition of new head coach Mike Macdonald. Coming off a Pro Bowl season, the Seahawks decided to move on from Bobby Wagner, who went on to sign with the Washington Commanders. Also, in surprising fashion, watching Jordyn Brooks sign with Miami quite early in the free agency process.

As a result, Seattle signed Jerome Baker and Tyrel Dodson to 1-year deals. Both are non-committal contracts but easily have the potential to make Seattle their new home for the near future. Coming over from Baltimore, Macdonald is going to be looking for linebackers who can drop back into coverage and pass off wide receivers/tight ends while also being stable tacklers in the run game.

In the 4th round of the 2024 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks added much-needed depth in the linebacker room with the selection of Tyrice Knight, out of UTEP. Oddly enough, linebackers were dropping in this draft. Cedric Gray, Payton Wilson, and Jeremiah Trotter Jr. just to name a few. In fact, Seattle passed up on Trotter Jr. with the selection of Tyrice Knight.

Grading Seattle Seahawks 4th-round pick LB Tyrice Knight

Ultimately, they ended up getting the linebacker of their choice as he was the only one to be a top-30 visit. On the surface, this pick makes a ton of sense. Knight was known for his tackling ability throughout his college career. Being a three-year starter, he's seen a lot of snaps and has developed a niche for navigating his way through blockers and securing tackles. His FBS lead of 84 solo tackles speaks for itself this past season.

I do believe Knight has the potential to become a key component of this defense. As mentioned earlier, Macdonald likes linebackers who can cover and tackle. While Knight needs some work on the coverage skills as his athletic testing will tell you he's average, his tackling ability will be enough for him to at least be given a chance to prove his worth. Overall, I like the potential upside of this pick, given the fact that Seattle was still able to get him after trading down and the day in which it took place.

Grade: B

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