Devon Witherspoon is climbing fast in league circles, and ESPN’s latest cornerback rankings show just how much respect the Seattle Seahawks defender has earned heading into the 2026 season.
Witherspoon moved up to No. 4 in ESPN’s 2026 NFL cornerback rankings, a big jump from No. 10 a year ago. The bump came after a wave of top-three votes from league executives, coaches and scouts helped him separate from a crowded pack of contenders.
What makes Witherspoon such a tough evaluation is also what makes him so valuable. Seattle doesn’t box him into one spot.
He can work in the slot, line up on the boundary and even take snaps at safety, giving the Seahawks a defender who can change jobs without changing impact. That kind of flexibility has become a major part of his appeal.
One NFL coordinator pointed directly to the stuff that doesn’t always show up in the box score. "Outstanding in the slot, can play on the perimeter, violent, physical and impacts games that don't show up in the stat sheet," the coach said. He also called Witherspoon an explosive athlete with rare movement skills.
That versatility showed up in a big way during the Super Bowl. Witherspoon produced a career-high four pressures on six pass rushes, added a sack and helped force the play that led to Uchenna Nwosu's pick-six. In coverage, he gave up just two catches for 16 yards over 47 defensive snaps.
Seattle leaned on him all season, too. Nearly 60 percent of his coverage snaps came in zone, where his tackling helped cut down yards after the catch. Even with all that movement around the formation, Witherspoon still played 399 of his 691 defensive snaps as an outside corner and also saw time at safety.
Another NFL personnel evaluator put it in plain terms: "He's just a really good football player," the evaluator said, adding that Witherspoon's versatility matters more than fitting the mold of a traditional outside corner.
In Other News...
Seahawks Rookie Is Suddenly Threatening A Problem Spot Fans Know Too Well
The Seahawks spent the spring trying to firm up an offensive line that has too often been the source of stress rather than stability, and right guard remains one of the spots drawing the most scrutiny as the title-defense season approaches. Anthony Bradford is entering his fourth year with a chance to settle the position, but the conversation around him has not exactly quieted, which is why the attention on the rookie class has started to feel more pointed than usual.
Beau Stephens has become part of that discussion after arriving from Iowa with the kind of size and versatility teams like to stash along the interior. The Seahawks do not need another open-ended competition on an already watched line, but if Bradford does not take a clear step forward, the door is at least open for a young lineman to force the issue and make the staff think twice about keeping the job unchanged. [Read more 🡒]
Storm May Have Found The Rebuild Star Nobody Saw Coming
Flaujae Johnson has given Seattle one of the few bright spots in a difficult season, and the rookies rise has been hard to miss. She has started every game for the Storm, settled into a major role right away and has put together a steady all-around line that has helped validate the teams decision to make her part of the rebuild.
The recognition has followed, too, with Johnson landing on ESPNs Top 50 WNBA Players list while continuing to draw praise inside the locker room for how quickly she has adjusted. Her growth has become one of the more encouraging storylines around the Storm, especially with teammates and coaches pointing to the way she has handled both the responsibility and the pressure that comes with playing such a big role so early. [Read more 🡒]
Three Seahawks Camp Decisions Could Reshape This Title Defense
As training camp approaches, the Seahawks are carrying a few roster questions that could shape the early months of their title defense, and they all sit in spots that matter. Devon Witherspoon remains a candidate for a contract extension, while the team is also sorting out a running back picture that has Jadarian Price and George Holani in the mix for the starting job, giving the offense at least one more camp battle worth watching closely.
The quarterback room adds another layer, with Sam Darnold positioned as the likely starter and Drew Lock and Jalen Milroe competing behind him. For Seattle, the intrigue is not just about who opens the season in what role, but how quickly those decisions settle once the pads come on and the real evaluation begins. [Read more 🡒]