While Devon Witherspoon has only been in the league for two seasons, the former fifth overall pick has established himself as one of the league’s best young talents and has already left an indelible mark in Seahawks history. The Seahawks traded franchise quarterback Russell Wilson in March of 2022, receiving a haul of draft picks and players in return. One of the assets the Seahawks received in the trade was Denver’s 2023 first-round pick which would eventually become the fifth overall pick in that year’s draft.
Seattle would go on to select cornerback Devon Witherspoon out of the University of Illinois, making him the second highest defensive back the Seahawks have selected in franchise history. While his athletic ability and play on the field put teams on notice, it was his mental makeup that set him apart from the rest of the players in the draft.
“Devon Witherspoon, he is a rare player and since the years we’ve been here, we haven’t seen a guy like this,” said former head coach Pete Carroll after the team selected Witherspoon in the draft. “We have not drafted corners high just because we haven’t come across a guy with his makeup. It’s really his athletic ability, it’s his speed, it’s his playmaking, and it’s his mentality. I haven’t come across a guy like this in a long time. The last time I recognized this kind of makeup was back USC when we had a guy that you may know, Troy Polamalu. He was a guy that had an extraordinary way about the way he played the game. I saw this connection between Devon and what Devon does, how he looks at the game, and how he approaches it. It just knocked me out, so I am just really excited about this.”
Witherspoon has immediately made an impact in the NFL as he has been named a Pro Bowler in each of his first two seasons, becoming only the fifth player in franchise history to achieve that feat. He ended his rookie season finishing fourth in the Defensive Rookie of the Year voting after registering 79 tackles, eight tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks, 16 passes defensed and one interception that was returned 97 yards on Monday Night Football against the New York Giants. His rookie season also included Defensive Player of the Week and Defensive Player of the Month honors.
He followed up his impressive rookie season with another stellar year even if his numbers didn’t stand out. Despite not recording an interception in 2024, Witherspoon earned his second consecutive Pro-Bowl nomination as his play on the field remained at a high level. He finished the season with 98 tackles, six tackles for loss, one sack and nine passes defensed. Most importantly, Witherspoon’s infectious energy and non-stop effort opens up the rest of the defense to make plays. "He plays with his hair on fire," head coach Mike Macdonald said. "You talk about shocking effort, and if you want to shock people, watch 21 play. We talk about ball finding energy, and it kind of all comes together with Spoon. People want production and they want to be certain type of players, but if you don't do it every day, I don't see how you could have a reasonable expectation to be a great player. This guy brings it every single day, and does it every rep, and that's why he's a great player."
