Getty Seattle versus Minnesota from September 26, 2021.
The Seattle Seahawks haven’t produced a double-digit sack master from the line of scrimmage since the 2018 season, when defensive end Frank Clark and defensive tackle Jarran Reed produced 13.0 and 10.5 sacks, respectively.
With the No. 9 overall pick in the April 28 NFL draft, chatter among fans online and pundits has tabbed the Seahawks trying to decide between a replacement for former franchise quarterback Russell Wilson or taking edge rush help (Oregon’s Kayvon Thibodeaux has been projected by some mocks to fall to the ninth spot).
The Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta is already a believer that the pass rush needs to improve.
However, in an exclusive interview with Heavy, one decorated defender — Western Michigan’s Ali Fayad — says he would “kick some a**” if taken by Seattle, regardless of round.
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Fayad Is a Productive MAC Standout
The 2021 Mid-American Conference (MAC) Defensive Player of the Year told Heavy that the Seahawks have talked to him recently.
He leaves Kalamazoo, Michigan leading the MAC with 13.0 sacks. Two guys he snatched? Carson Strong of Nevada and Kenny Pickett of Pittsburgh — the latter signal-caller projected to be the first quarterback taken on April 28.
TURNOVER ON DOWNS, WMU!
The Broncos DL gets penetration on the broken play and Ali Fayad sacks Kenny Pickett to give WMU the ball deep in Panther territory! 41-34 Broncos in the 4Q.
But the 6-foot-2, 250-pounder says “it would be phenomenal” to come in and line up for Seattle following his conversation with Seahawks officials.
“They need edge rush help over there,” Fayad told Heavy. “They make the call on April 28, 29, 30th, whatever, I’ll be ready to strap up and be ready in training camp to kick some a** for sure.”
Opposing Teams Gave Him ‘Wood to My Pit’
Fayad may not be as highly touted of an edge rusher compared to Thibodeaux or potential first overall pick Aidan Hutchinson.
Kyle Crabbs of The Draft Network lists Fayad as having sixth-round value. Bleacher Report doesn’t have Fayad ranked at all in B/R’s listings of 2022 edge rusher prospects.
Fayad is heading to the draft as an underdog with the odds stacked against him. But he’s used to being that label, tracing back to his recruitment period.
“A lot of teams said I wasn’t big enough, I wasn’t fast enough, and I didn’t have the measurables that the other guys did,” Fayad recalled.
There were two MAC schools that really caught his attention — ultimately helping grow his inner fire for the rest of his career.
“I remember, vividly, getting the Bowling Green text that my high school d-line coach sent me saying that my get-off wasn’t good enough. Plus Central Michigan talking about how I was too small,” Fayad told Heavy. “Things like that became wood to my pit. I was just burning fire all within me.”
He added that he had to earn his Eastern Michigan offer by going against every offensive lineman who attended the camp he went to…without taking any breaks.
“I earned everything. Thankful for my peoples for giving me the platform and foundation to jump off. I still got that fire in me just thinking about all of that.”
One rival MAC school, he says, was “clowning” him.
“Central actually had me on a visit and I felt like they were clowning me — telling me, ‘We have wide receivers who are 15 pounds heavier,’ stuff like that,” Fayad told Heavy. “It felt great to come out and win defensive player of the year. It felt great overall to reign the conference as king.”
#NFLDraft prospect Ali Fayad (@AFAYAD3) uses the long arm to get to the QB for the strip sack. Hand placement & leverage is vital to the success of this move. A dangerous pass rusher! #passrush @WMUCoachEspo @LanceZierlein @MikeTriplett @RobRang
Current Seahawk Gave Fayad Draft Advice
Here’s what else can potentially bolster his chances of joining the Seahawks: His familiarity with one member of the Seattle receiving unit: Past WMU Broncos standout D’Wayne Eskridge.
The No. 56 overall pick of the 2021 draft even shared a draft tidbit that eventually resonated with Fayad regarding mock drafts.
“I remember talking to Dwayne Eskridge his senior year and before he went into the draft. I saw something on social media and he told me ‘You don’t even want to know. I don’t get into the mock draft type of thing.’ And once I heard him say that, he was very much a leader to me and showed where his mental was on: He wasn’t focused on the outside noise and whatever people projected,” Fayad said.
Ali Fayad is the @MACSports best returning pass rusher, and we expect him to take yet another jump this year.
He had a sack in all four games @WMU_Football played in 2020, and will look to build on his career 38.5 TFLs. Undersized but high motor + great feel for the QB
#LetsRide
However, he is aware that he’s entering this draft without the hype that other edge defenders have received and as someone from a non-Power Five conference. But he’s confident in knowing he’s a major sleeper in this class.
“I know that for a fact. It’s nothing to me. All I’ve got to do is get on that field and all the chips will fall as they may, I promise you that. Every time I’ve been in a situation where they didn’t know about me just like in high school and now college, people didn’t believe me at the time but now, I’m the defensive player of the year from my conference. It’s part of being the underdog … and I’ve embraced it. I’m just ready to dominate.”