Getty INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MARCH 5: Coby Bryant #DB06 of the Cincinnati Bearcats speaks to reporters during the NFL Draft Combine at the Indiana Convention Center on March 5, 2022 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
Finding value in the NFL Draft is crucial to building out a roster, and the Seattle Seahawks found some terrific value on Day 3 of draft weekend with their fourth-round pick.
Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay gave his thoughts on each NFL team’s biggest steal in the draft in the wake of the three-day event. For the Seahawks, Kay chose former Cincinnati Bearcats cornerback Coby Bryant, who was taken 109th overall. Bleacher Report’s final big board had Bryant as the 63rd-best prospect.
“The 23-year-old has the skills to start immediately, excelling both off the line of scrimmage and in press coverage,” Kay said. “Bryant will be in the mix for an outside corner role right out of the gate and adds a quality depth option at worst if he doesn’t win the job as a rookie.”
Bryant wasn’t as big of a name as fellow Cincinnati cornerback Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner, but Seahawks fans are hoping that he become a key contributor in Seattle’s secondary.
Coby Bryant Fits the Mold for Seahawks Cornerbacks
Bryant was a four-year starter for Cincinnati, committing to the program out of high school as a 3-star in-state recruit. He played in 49 college games, giving him plenty of experience compared to most defensive back prospects in the 2022 draft class.
He capped off his college career by winning the Jim Thorpe Award for the nation’s top defensive back as a senior, racking up 11 pass breakups and three interceptions. He finished his career with 10 interceptions and 45 pass breakups while making the All-ACC First-Team in both 2020 and 2021.
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At 6’1″ and 193 pounds, Bryant has excellent size for the cornerback position. His size and ball skills will remind Seahawks fans of previous defensive backs on the roster that head coach Pete Carroll has enjoyed coaching.
Bryant doesn’t have elite speed and may struggle against some of the faster receivers around the NFL, but considering the Seahawks were able to snag him in the fourth round, fans should be thrilled with the value as well as his potential.
Richard Sherman Praises Coby Bryant Selection
As the star of the “Legion of Boom”, former Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman knows a thing or two about good defensive back play. When asked about some of the best fits at cornerback from the draft, Sherman was quick to praise his old team taking Bryant.
“I think the Seahawks got a steal,” Sherman said on the Richard Sherman Podcast. “I think he’ll be a long-time starter for them. He’ll take over their corner spot that’s pretty much vacant. They didn’t re-sign D.J. Reed, Tre Brown is injured, Sydney Jones left. So they have a huge hole their, and you were wondering how they would fill it…I really like that pick.”
Sherman shared plenty of thoughts about the Seahawks draft class on his podcast, along with his feelings on who should be the next starting quarterback for Seattle. He may be a little biased as a former Seahawks star, but both Sherman and Bleacher Report think that Seattle came away with a big steal by taking Bryant in the fourth round.