Getty The Seattle Seahawks could be looking at Kelee Ringo with their first-round draft pick.
The Seattle Seahawks could be looking at the NFL’s next great defensive playmaker.
As proposed by Michael Renner of Pro Football Focus, University of Georgia cornerback Kelee Ringo is the perfect prospect fit for the Seahawks. As noted by Renner, drafting Ringo would give Seattle one of the best young starting cornerback duos in the league with fellow youngster Tariq Woolen.
“Pete Carroll loves nothing more than size and length in his cornerbacks, and that wholesale describes the 6-foot-2, 210-pound Ringo,” says Renner. “The Georgia corner also possesses low 4.3-second speed at that size. He’d give Seattle one freakish duo on the outside with the 6-foot-4, 205-pound Tariq Woolen already making a name for himself as a rookie.”
Seahawks Lacking on Pass Defense Outside of Woolen
The Seahawks are currently going with a young starting cornerback duo in rookie cornerback Woolen and the 25-year-old Mike Jackson. Prior to this season, Jackson had only played in three career NFL games.
While Woolen has surprisingly emerged as one of the top corners in the league — his five interceptions rank second and his nine pass deflections rank sixth in the league — Seattle’s pass defense ranks just 21st in the league in passing yards allowed and touchdowns. Furthermore, the defensive unit itself ranks 22nd.
According to PFF, Woolen’s 70.1 defensive grade ranks him a respectable 32nd out of 115 qualifying corners. However, Jackson’s defensive grade of 63.7 ranks him just 52nd of 115 qualifying cornerbacks.
Drafting Ringo could give the Seahawks a potentially dominant defensive backfield. As noted by Renner, Ringo is considered one of the top prospects entering the draft. With Seattle potentially slotted as a playoff team, they’re not likely to draft high with their own original pick. However, they do hold the Denver Broncos‘ first-round draft pick via the Russell Wilson trade.
Considering that pick could very well likely land within the top 10 of draft selections, the Seahawks would be in prime position to draft Ringo.
“Currently slated to make the playoffs, the Seahawks may not be in a position to draft the highly-touted Ringo with their first overall selection,” says Renner. “The good news is that the first-round pick they received from the Denver Broncos almost certainly will be. Ringo checked in at 15th on the latest PFF draft board, and the pick from Denver is currently No. 7.”
Ringo Considered an ‘Imposing’ Cornerback
As Oliver Hodgkinson of Pro Football Network details in his scouting report of Ringo, he’s an “imposing” cornerback.
“At 6’2″ and a listed 205 pounds, the Georgia CB certainly meets the size requisite for the position,” says Hodgkinson. “Interestingly, it’s reported that Ringo played as heavy as 220 pounds during the 2021 season. He’s certainly an imposing figure. Additionally, he appears to possess excellent functional length.”
The 20-year-old Ringo has been a starter since last season, helping lead the Bulldogs to a National Championship in the process. The redshirt sophomore is considered a “disruptive press-man corner,” patrolling the field as a boundary and nickel cornerback, as Damian Parson of Draft Network notes.
With the Seahawks pretty settled on the offensive side of the ball, defense is the area to target in next year’s draft. Drafting Ringo could give Seattle a balanced attack and could help lift them as a legit Super Bowl contender.
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