Getty D'Wayne Eskridge
The Seattle Seahawks put the rookies to work over the weekend during the first minicamp of the season. The three picks from the 2021 NFL Draft and a multitude of undrafted free agents hit the field, including second-round pick D’Wayne Eskridge. The former Western Michigan wide receiver donned the No. 1 jersey and put on a show.
The Seahawks released a video on Saturday afternoon showing Eskridge putting in work. He took part in some early stretching and then ran some routes with his fellow rookies. Eskridge was crisp with his breaks and did not let the ball hit the ground. The rookie primarily lined up against fellow draft pick Tre Brown during the brief clip, but he also ran some routes against Bryan Mills.
.@allaroundplays hits the field for the first time at VMAC! 👀
Get your first look at second-round pick D’Wayne Eskridge at Rookie Minicamp!
“I thought D’Wayne looked really good, he looked just like we had hoped,” Carroll said, per the Seahawks. “He looks very quick, very strong. Had a really easy time with the types of routes that we were running. He had no problem at all doing everything, he caught the ball beautifully today, so he’s off to a nice start.
“He’s a good strong kid, he’s built well. He catches the ball with strength and power, you can see him getting out of his transitions well after catching it, turning and running and all that, so it’s a really good first day.”
Eskridge will have to put in some extra effort as a rookie
That’s a wrap on Rookie Minicamp Day 1! ☑️
While the speedy wide receiver from Western Michigan University put on a show, he later acknowledged that the day wasn’t perfect. Eskridge explained to reporters that the new offensive system is “definitely different. It’s more complex than what I had in college.” Despite the learning curve, Eskridge still impressed with his explosiveness while easily running away from defenders.
According to Gregg Bell of the Tacoma News-Tribune, offensive coordinator Shane Waldron is taking steps to make the learning process easier for his rookie class. The OC is putting the formations and plays into “families” that will make them easier to understand.
Carroll also alluded to the difficulty of the system during his own media availability. He explained to reporters that Waldron’s offense is very “intricate and precise.” He said that the players would have to really work hard with their discipline in order to execute it properly.
In order to help him grow as a well-rounded weapon, Eskridge is putting in some extra work to improve one specific aspect of his game. Corbin Smith of Seahawks Maven reported that the receiver is getting extra snaps as a slot receiver during his minicamp. Eskridge had told reporters that playing inside requires more “patience” than lining up on the outside.
The Seahawks operated with limited players in attendance
The Seattle Seahawks had several players in attendance for minicamp, but the session was not completely full. COVID-19 restrictions meant that only a limited number of players could be on hand for the sessions. According to the Seahawks, there were 31 players on the roster for the minicamp.
Carroll met with the media after one of the sessions and explained that the team would generally welcome about 50 players to rookie minicamp. The draft picks, free agents, and tryout players would make up the list. However, the team had to make some adjustments due to the COVID-19 guidelines. The coaches had to adjust the tempo of the sessions, but Carroll said that the players still had the same number of snaps.
Along with Eskridge, the Seahawks had multiple other wide receivers running routes during the minicamp. Former Florida State star Tamorrion Terry, Stanford’s Connor Wedington, and South Dakota State’s Cade Johnson were all on hand while trying to impress the coaching staff. Although a hip pointer limited Terry during Saturday’s session, per Curtis Crabtree. Johnson also missed time with a groin injury.
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