Seattle Seahawks newest star: Devon Witherspoon arrives

DK Metcalf had one of the better games of his career. Kenneth Walker was a mismatch rushing and receiving. Adam Thielen turned the clock back to his fringe Hall of Fame days, and Brian Burns continued to show he's one of the most underrated pass rushers in the game. There were some real dudes out on the field in Seattle's 37-27 victory over Carolina, but no player stood out more than Seahawks defensive back Devon Witherspoon.

The rookie DB put on a show in his home debut, Witherspoon allowed just three catches on 13 pass attempts for 19 total yards, breaking up two passes and leading the team with 11 total tackles. Witherspoon finished with a 46.6 passer rating allowed. It was a special moment and an important moment in the Seahawks season and future.

For anyone who watched the Eagles and Buccaneers Monday Night Football game, Jalen Carter continued his early run as a dominant force on the Eagles defensive line. He had half a sack and forced two fumbles. In a re-draft, it's not out of the question that Jalen Carter goes to the Bears (although they should probably have taken CJ Stroud).

The Jalen Carter debate was the loudest conversation all spring in Seahawks land. We all could see the world-class talent, but it was the character, drive, and maturity concerns that impacted his draft stock. He fell to Philadelphia, which is probably the perfect place for him to thrive and we are seeing that play out.

The Seattle Seahawks made a smart move in choosing Devon Witherspoon

This was always going to put Devon Witherspoon in a tough situation. Witherspoon helped make Illinois relevant to an extent but was more of a dominant player in a small pond in the Big Ten. Carter was the defensive face of two of the best defenses arguably in the history of college football and a back-to-back champion.

The conversation will not go away, and while there's an argument to be made Jalen Carter could have a bigger impact than Witherspoon, Devon showed on Sunday that he's more than just a talented defensive back. Witherspoon showed a toughness and aggression that we haven't seen since the LOB. He showed an attitude and a swagger that has not been in that secondary since number 25 shut down half the field for 6 seasons. 

Witherspoon looked the part of a blue-chip prospect. Something this roster needs terribly. The Seahawks are a good team, but they are flawed and don't have the necessary star talent to overcome their deficiencies. There is a case to be made that they are the 4th best team in the NFC, and getting to the Divisional Round this year would be a major step in the process of this team becoming a Super Bowl contender in the next two years. Witherspoon needed to be a hit, and so far he looks the part.

There's a chance Jalen Carter is the next great defensive tackle, but I came away from Sunday at full peace about the decision by Pete Carroll and John Schneider. Pete is right in his evaluations from after the draft. Yes, Witherspoon is a fantastic DB, but there's some real Troy Palamaulu in his game. A reckless fury to dominate. 

The future of the Seahawks next great defense is out there. Between Riq and Spoon, the LOB may soon be ready to be reborn.

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