Seattle Seahawks strike gold in UDFA wide receiver Cade Johnson

With only three selections throughout all seven rounds, the Seattle Seahawks unlikely improved their team in a significant way in the 2021 NFL Draft. Their three-man haul of D’Wayne Eskridge, Tre Brown and Stone Forsythe does help fill some holes, but as a whole, this group leaves plenty to be desired. That being said, when we include their additions in undrafted free agency, there is plenty to like about this rookie class as a whole.

Wide receiver Tamorrion Terry is a big and athletic target who has some exciting upside. Cornerback Bryan Mills brings great length on the outside and shows natural ability in man coverage. Offensive lineman Jared Hocker is a massive man who could provide great depth for the Seattle Seahawks on the interior up front. However, it is slot receiver Cade Johnson who stands out as the most interesting undrafted addition to the Seahawks’ roster.

Johnson is an undersized wide receiver prospect (5-foot-10, 180 pounds) who thrived out of the slot at South Dakota State. He burst onto the scene in 2018, piling up 67 receptions for 1,332 yards and 17 touchdowns as a sophomore. Johnson backed that strong season up with 72 receptions for 1,222 yards and eight touchdowns in 2019, before losing his senior season to COVID.

Johnson is a nuanced route runner out of the slot who creates separation against man coverage with ease. He is a quick and shifty player who finds space with his routes on a consistent basis, has soft hands and also shows the ability to create a bit after the catch.

While Johnson lacks ideal size and is not any sort of a deep threat, he is a consistent playmaker in the middle of the field in the short-to-intermediate range. Make no mistake about it, Johnson will thrive if given an opportunity to produce at an NFL slot receiver.

Cade Johnson is an ideal fit for new Seattle Seahawks offensive attack

Under the direction of new offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, the Seattle Seahawks will likely showcase the slot receiver position more than ever before. Waldron began his NFL coaching career as a offensive quality control coach for the New England Patriots in 2008 and their tight ends coach in 2009. Nobody knows how to use slot receivers in the short passing game better than the Patriots.

On top of that, Waldron has been on the Los Angeles Rams’ offensive coaching staff over the last four years, spending the last three as the team’s passing game coordinator. Cooper Kupp has made a living as a consistent playmaker in the short-to-intermediate range out of the slot for the Rams and it is likely that Waldron will be looking for a similar player.

Cade Johnson is not a perfect wide receiver prospect, but his ability to immediately separate in the short passing game is impressive. If he can earn an opportunity to prove himself in Seattle, expect Johnson to come in and become a weapon for the team out of the slot.