2015 NFL DRAFT

Great Scott: Seahawks’ new OT is remarkably athletic

May 10, 2014, 2:12 PM | Updated: Apr 8, 2016, 10:51 am

By Danny O’Neil

RENTON – The vertical leap was listed as 33 inches at Marshall’s pro day.

“Thirty-three and a half,” left tackle Garrett Scott said.

And he ran 40 yards in 5.04 seconds?

“In wet conditions,” Scott said.

Did we mention the man weighs 310 pounds? That’s a very big guy, whose athleticism is very intriguing for a team that uses the zone-blocking scheme.

“He was kind of an under-the-radar guy,” Seahawks general manager John Schneider said.

The rationale: Left tackle Russell Okung is coming off of foot surgery that may keep him out through the team’s offseason workouts, which leaves Alvin Bailey – an undrafted rookie last year – at that spot. Not only that, but Okung has missed 19 games over his four NFL seasons and has two years left on his contract.

While second-round pick Justin Britt was drafted to compete for playing time at right tackle, Scott will be more of a developmental player the Seahawks project on the left side.

“He looks very comfortable there,” coach Pete Carroll said. “(He’s) really got the kind of quickness and light-on-his-feet ability that gives us the thought that he could do that. But we always need our guys to be flexible and he does help us there.”

The risk: The reason left tackles are so very valuable in the NFL – and why Okung was the No. 6 overall pick in 2010 – is it’s incredibly rare to find a player with that combination of size and athleticism to neutralize a top pass rusher coming off the edge.

Scott’s incredible athleticism points to the possibility he can do it. However, there’s hardly a guarantee he will. He’s someone best described as an intriguing prospect as opposed to someone you start projecting for playing time.

2015 NFL Draft

...

Brady Henderson

Report: Tye Smith signs rookie deal with Seahawks

Not long after offensive lineman Kristjan Sokoli's agent Tweeted that his client was the Seahawks' first draft pick to sign his rookie deal, a report stated that cornerback Tye Smith has become the second.

9 years ago

Brady Henderson

Agent: Kristjan Sokoli signs rookie deal with Seahawks

Offensive lineman Kristjan Sokoli has become the first of the Seahawks' eight draft picks to sign his rookie deal, his agent Tweeting Thursday that the sixth-round pick is now under contract.

9 years ago

Seahawks draft pick Frank Clark was arrested and jailed in November on a domestic-violence charge t...

Brady Henderson

Report: Seahawks didn’t interview witnesses to alleged Clark incident

Two women who were in an adjacent hotel room during the alleged domestic-violence incident involving Seahawks draft pick Frank Clark have shared additional details with The Seattle Times and told the paper that the team never spoke with them as part of its investigation.

9 years ago

A relief trip to Darfur convinced Seahawks signing Nate Boyer to pursue his dream of playing footba...

Brent Stecker

34-year-old rookie and ex-Green Beret Nate Boyer details his journey from military to the Seahawks

There's only one 34-year-old former Green Beret rookie trying to catch on with an NFL team for the 2015 season, and Seahawks hopeful Nate Boyer's story is every bit as inspiring as it sounds.

9 years ago

John Schneider says Seattle wouldn’t have drafted Frank Clark if they believed he struck his ...

Brady Henderson

Schneider: Seahawks ‘absolutely’ believe Clark didn’t hit girlfriend

Seahawks general manager John Schneider joined 710 ESPN Seattle's "Brock and Salk" Monday morning and talked further about the team's controversial decision to draft defensive end Frank Clark despite past allegations of domestic violence.

9 years ago

Connor Halliday will attempt follow in the footsteps of WSU great Mark Rypien as a Washington QB. (...

Brent Stecker

WSU’s Connor Halliday, UW’s Andrew Hudson agree to UDFA deals

After a prolific career at Washington State, Connor Halliday will get a shot to bring the air raid to the NFL, signing a deal as an undrafted free agent with Washington.

9 years ago

Great Scott: Seahawks’ new OT is remarkably athletic