Seahawks go with quality over quantity in 2021 NFL Draft
Round 2, Pick 56: D’Wayne Eskridge, WR, Western Michigan University
P.J. Fleck was still the head coach at Western Michigan University when they recruited Eskridge to campus. Fleck is known as a wide receiver guru, and even though he never got to coach Eskridge, it still says a lot about the former running back-convert.
In high school, Eskridge was a better track athlete than a football player. He won two state championships in the 200-meter and one championship in the 100-meter. As a football prospect, that speed has translated to the field. He is a 4.3 40-yard dash receiver with a vertical presence on every snap. With the Seahawks, Eskridge should contribute from day one as a slot receiver that can really push the field and win on slot fades in the red zone.
Pairing Eskridge with guys like D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett will only add to the stress of the opposing defense. By keeping Eskridge in the slot, you give the field stretch free releases as his small frame fails to hold up in press coverage. Unfortunately, there are some major issues with Eskridge’s ball-tracking skills beyond 30-yards, and it causes concern due to it being an uncoachable trait.
Overall, the Seahawks are giving Wilson another deep option. Eskridge should provide a ton of stress in between the hash marks and could keep opposing defenses from bracketing either one of their top receivers. Nonetheless, the Seahawks will continue to be fun to watch on the offensive side of the football.