Seattle Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen celebrates making an interception against the Los Angeles Rams. Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

Seahawks CB among NFL's most physical cover defenders

Originally posted on Seattle Seahawks on SI
By Jon Alfano | Last updated Jun 24, 2025 9:00 AM ET

Most of the Seattle Seahawks' cornerbacks are either average in terms of size or even on the smaller side, but there's one very big exception.

Riq Woolen, a 2022 fifth-round pick who somewhat took the league by storm as a rookie, is a very big corner at 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds. In comparison to fellow starting cornerbacks Devon Witherspoon (6-foot, 185 pounds) and Josh Jobe (5-foot-11, 190 pounds), he has at least four inches and 20 pounds on each of them.

It's one thing to be big, but it's another entirely to put that size to good use, and Woolen understands that.

According to Pro Football Focus, Woolen made contact with opposing receivers on 44.8 percent of his coverage snaps last season, the third-highest rate in the league.

"Woolen ranked 19th in PFF's cornerback rankings ahead of the 2025 season after forcing 10 incompletions and allowing just 0.90 yards per coverage snap when getting physical with opposing receivers," PFF's John Kosko wrote. "His 10 forced incompletions were the second most in the NFL when making contact. He allowed just 0.8% of plays to gain 15 or more yards, the fourth-best mark in the NFL."

It's entirely possible to be physical as a smaller corner, and Witherspoon is a strong example of that. However, there's no denying that Woolen's extra size allows him to get up close and personal with more wideouts than smaller cornerbacks are able to.

The main challenge facing Woolen is his lack of consistency. Since his outstanding rookie season when he had six interceptions, tied for the most in the league, he's been very up-and-down and was even benched at points last season. He's still a good corner, but the Seahawks would love to see him play more like his rookie self again.

This article first appeared on Seattle Seahawks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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