Seahawks general manager John Schneider wasn’t confident LSU tight end Stephen Sullivan would end up in Seattle as an undrafted free agent, so he gave up a sixth round pick in the 2021 NFL draft to make sure he got his guy.
It’s not hard to see the appeal, as Sullivan stands six-foot-five and weighs about 250 pounds, with a 4.66 time in the 40-yard dash and above average length. It’s clear Seattle envisions him as a red zone threat, and his ability to line up out wide could be a huge factor for this offense.
In fact, Sullivan was initially listed as a wide receiver by the Seahawks, but coach Pete Carroll indicated he will compete at tight end – a spot that is heavily occupied by Will Dissly, Greg Olsen, Luke Willson, Jacob Hollister and fellow draft pick Colby Parkinson.
“I’m all good for it,” Sullivan said on 710 ESPN’s Danny and Gallant Show. “I have no problem playing tight end. I have no problem playing any position that helps the team at all. I’m ready to learn under (quarterback Russell Wilson), I’m ready to learn under all those guys on offense. I’m ready to pick their brains. I’m excited about it and I have no problem putting my hand in the ground and getting dirty, so I’m ready for those mismatches and I’m just ready to get after it.”
As a big tight end with plus speed and a large catch radius, Sullivan has drawn some extremely favorable comparisons, even though he joined the team as such a late pick. In fact, Jim Nagy, a former Seahawks scout who now runs the Senior Bowl, went on 710 ESPN and compared Sullivan to Raiders tight end Darren Waller.
“They got a chance of really hitting on Stephen Sullivan,” Nagy told 710’s Tom, Jake and Stacy recently. “Going back to player comps, the first time I watched him he reminded me of (Raiders tight end) Darren Waller … For 6-5, he’s a really fluid, easy moving guy. Huge catch radius, long arms, can go up and get it.”
Waller hauled in 90 receptions for 1,145 yards and three touchdowns last season, and while Sullivan won’t reach those totals in year one, there’s plenty of reason for Seattle to be optimistic about the big-bodied tight end from LSU – even if the position group looks a bit overcrowded at the moment.