Huard: How Seahawks LB Shaquem Griffin’s game will shine initially

Shaquem Griffin, one of the Seahawks’ fifth-round draft picks, isn’t the biggest linebacker you’ll find on the field, but he may be one of the fastest.

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With that in mind, 710 ESPN Seattle’s Brock Huard broke down how that will help Griffin along in his rookie season.

“I think where his game will transition the easiest will be in that zone coverage,” Huard said Friday in the Blue 42 segment of Brock and Salk.

That’s not to say that Griffin won’t find success in other areas, especially in preseason play.

“He’ll get to pick on some sloppies in the preseason as a pass-rusher, and it won’t surprise me if he gets a sack or two or three,” Huard said. “Depending on how much they blitz him or how much they utilize him against the elite tackles in this game, it’s gonna be harder (in the regular season).”

Should Griffin struggle rushing the passer, Huard is confident his speed will keep him on the field.

“(Griffin’s college coach) Scott Frost talked to us about that, he even saw him as a safety coming into the box and playing some of the curl/flat/hook zone, some of the different spots and have an ease in doing so,” Huard said. “Just looking at his collegiate numbers … his ability to cover people outside of the box (made him) one of the top 10 linebackers in college football. So I think when you jump nearly 25 feet, when you run 4.4 (seconds in the 40-yard dash), when you have his body type, I don’t think he’ll have any problems playing in space.

“It will be a little bit more in that box with all that congestion where there’s gonna be room for his game to grow.”

You can hear the full Blue 42 segment at this link.

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