The Seattle Seahawks made defensive end L.J. Collier their first pick of the 2019 NFL Draft. It appears his humble upbringing helped him catch the attention of head coach Pete Carroll and John Schneider.
Collier comes from a town that has a population of no more than 1,300 people. According to Stephen Cohen of The Athletic, Collier made quite the impression at the Senior Bowl.
While in Mobile, he caught the eyes of Seahawks general manager John Schneider and coach Pete Carroll, who loved the “small-town chip on his shoulder.”
It is no secret that the Seahawks are in the midst of some significant changes on defense. They have mentioned on more than one occasion that initiating a winning culture is a top priority for them. Small-town players like Collier are an integral part of building that team-first mentality.
Seattle already had a dire need for more depth on the edge coming into the offseason. Their void got much bigger after trading defensive end Frank Clark to the Kansas City Chiefs. As a result, Collier will have a chance to come in and make an immediate impact in the Seahawks' defense.
Their decision to take Collier with the 29th overall pick has come with its fair share of mixed reviews. Regardless, there is no question that he is coming off an impressive senior year at TCU after registering six sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss. His versatile skill set as both a pass rusher and run defender should make him a seamless fit on defense moving forward.
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