The Seattle Seahawks and the Minnesota Vikings are playing a late preseason game tonight on the west coast, with kickoff at 7:00 p.m. Seattle time and 10:00 p.m. eastern.
Even though we probably won’t see much of the starters for either team, there are still some interesting matchups to follow. The one we’re hoping to see most features two rookies from a storied rivalry from the soon-to-be defunct Pac-12 conference: former UCLA wide receiver Jake Bobo for Seattle vs. former USC cornerback Mekhi Blackmon for Minnesota.
Seahawks: Rookie WR Jake Bobo
Bobo (6-foot-2, 215 pounds) is one of several highly-regarded undrafted free agent wide receivers on Seattle’s roster right now. While he is hilariously unathletic compared to the likes of DK Metcalf and Dareke Young, Bobo nevertheless excels in the fine art of getting open and head coach Pete Carroll has been raving about him nearly every time he speaks with the media during training camp. In college Bobo put in four years at Duke and then transfered to UCLA for his last year. In 13 games with the Bruins he totaled 57 catches, 817 yards and seven touchdowns in 2022.
Vikings: Rookie CB Mekhi Blackmon
Blackmon (6-foot-0, 175 pounds) tested far better athletically than Bobo, but he went through a similar journey as an amateur. He spent the first four years of his college career at Colorado, then he transfered to USC for the 2022 season. In 14 games with the Trojans he posted three interceptions and 12 pass breakups. Blackmon eventually was picked by Minnesota in the third round of the draft at No. 102 overall.
What to watch for: On paper Blackmon has the advantage here in everything but size. However, there’s far more to the game than measurables and pro day scores. It will be interesting to see if Bobo can shake loose and build on the work he did in last Friday night’s mock game (seven catches, 76 yards, one touchdown).
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