Player comps can be useful when describing players coming out of college that the average NFL fan hasn’t seen before. It’s an imperfect method of evaluating a prospect, though – as every athlete is unique. Some are more unique than others.
The Seattle Seahawks have found one of the most unique young playmakers the league has ever seen as a rookie in cornerback Devon Witherspoon. In just five games played Witherspoon has burst onto the scene as one of the most disruptive defenders in the game and arguably already the best cornerback. In some ways Witherspoon’s sensational rise literally defies comparison.
Speaking with the media after yesterday’s practice, linebacker Bobby Wagner admitted he doesn’t know who to compare Witherspoon to.
Bobby Wagner says #Seahawks’ Devon Witherspoon “cares a lot, wants to do the right things, asks questions” more than most rookies do. “He likes to hit.”
Says he hasn’t seek a rookie DB like him.
“I really don’t know who to compare him to.” @thenewstribune pic.twitter.com/GBfrhX75Ub
— Gregg Bell (@gbellseattle) October 25, 2023
The best we can do to describe what we have seen from Witherspoon so far is a cross-match of great DBs: Deion Sanders with a bit of Troy Polamalu. It doesn’t feel exactly right, though – and neither do any of the other bizarre cross-comps we have seen on social media like Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas.
Perhaps the comps all fail because what we’re seeing from Witherspoon hasn’t been done before. There are no comps because we are witnessing something new.
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