Seahawks’ Bobby Wagner showing speed and more
Oct 16, 2012, 6:52 PM | Updated: 7:09 pm
By Brady Henderson
The Seahawks knew they were getting faster when they drafted Bobby Wagner, a middle linebacker they considered an athletic upgrade over David Hawthorne.
Wagner, after all, had run the 40-yard dash in 4.46 seconds at his pro day workout, a time that would have made him the fastest linebacker at the scouting combine had he been able to attend.
But the speed that Seattle’s second-round pick has shown through six games still surprises defensive coordinator Gus Bradley.
“I don’t think we understand just how fast he is,” Bradley told “Bob and Groz” on Tuesday. “Some of the plays he makes on tape even jump out at me, and when you see him make the long runs and making plays you’re like, ‘Whoa.'”
One of those plays, Bradley said, came during the Seahawks’ goal-line stand in their win over the Panthers when Wagner raced to his left to force quarterback Cam Newton out of bounds. That was one of Wagner’s team-high six tackles that game.
Through six weeks, he’s third on the Seahawks with 42 tackles, one behind co-leaders Kam Chancellor and K.J. Wright.
As Bob Stelton and Dave Grosby explain in the video below, Wagner has more than great speed to thank for his strong start.
You can listen to Tuesday’s podcast here.
