It’s safe to say that fifth-round rookie Shaquem Griffin has a big fan in Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll.
Following the team’s offseason workouts, Carroll opened up about what excites him about this particular rookie, whose story is obviously unique given the fact that he has just one hand.
“What was really positive was how he finished the offseason,” Carroll said, per the team’s website. “Moving back to an inside (linebacker) spot for him was new and he had a lot to learn and a lot to pick up. Just in the process of it, as a guy who wants to do right and do things just as they coaches are coaching him up, we didn’t see him really cut loose until the last, really in this camp, he really felt comfortable and started flying around and you could see how fast he is and the acceleration that he has. It’s really unique, it just jumped off the film.”
Griffin has elite speed and acceleration, both of which showed up big during the combine.
He flies around the field, and during his tenure at UCF he typically seemed to speed up late in games while everyone else slowed down. He’s got a non-stop motor, which, combined with his raw athletic traits makes him a very dangerous defender.
It’s interesting that the Seahawks are trying him out inside. He made his mark as an edge defender at the collegiate level, but his lack of size likely will keep him inside as a professional.
We will certainly be keeping our eyes peeled to see what this young man does in the future, which looks bright.