Second-year WR Kenny Lawler was a star of the Seahawks' rookie mini-camp, which concluded Sunday.
It was a relative veteran — second-year receiver Kenny Lawler — who stole the show as the Seahawks concluded their three-day rookie minicamp Sunday.
Lawler was eligible for the camp since he didn’t see any time on the active roster last season after being taken in the seventh round in 2016.
His experience seemed evident during a brief 11-on-11 period that concluded the camp as he caught two passes from Jake Heaps that led to the only touchdown in six possessions. He first caught a pass in traffic of about 20 yards or so to get his side close, then caught a fade route from Heaps in the corner of the end zone.
“Kenny had a really good camp,” coach Pete Carroll said of the former Cal star. “Kenny came back maybe 15 or 17 pounds heavier than he was when he came here last time around (the team lists him at 6-2, 203). He just has worked out really hard, he’s more powerful coming off the football and running. He has always had great catching range and skill catching the football. This camp was really good for Kenny because he really shined throughout the whole thing. We can see him differently than we saw him last year at this same time, so that’s really good for him.”
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The Seahawks were on the field for a little more than an hour.
But Carroll said the Seahawks got what they wanted out of the three days.
“We had a terrific weekend,” he said. “This was really fun. So many good things showed from the kids coming in and some of the free-agent kids as well. Attitude was great. Their buy-in to make this a really successful camp worked out just the way we hoped. So we saw a lot of good things. I’m not coming out seeing a lot of negatives, which I don’t anyways, but throw out the names you want to talk about or whatever. But I was really fired up and I think the draft class just showed the kind of stuff that we would like to see in this camp in general – really serious intent about learning and understanding what we want and trying to take that to the practice field from the meetings. We gained a lot out of this and really good first step with the young class.”
Here are a few other quick notes and thoughts:
— Second-round pick Malik McDowell had one “sack” during the 11-on-11 period (QBs are down when touched as there are no pads). He then left late after having his foot stepped on. But Carroll said it was nothing serious and that McDowell had had a good weekend overall. “He looks really natural in his movement and kind of his coordination,” Carroll said. “So we saw nothing but great stuff. It was a highly successful weekend and him showing us what we’re getting so it was fun to see that.”
— DT Jeremy Liggins, an undrafted free agent out of Ole Miss, also had a sack as did UDFA LB Nick Usher.
— QB Michael Birdsong of Tennessee Tech had a few nice throws, including about a 30-yard gain on a seam route to fellow tryout player tight end Nick Donatell. Carroll said later Birdsong graded out the best of the three QBs who played this weekend and hinted that Seattle could look to sign Birdsong, which wold likely mean waiving Skyler Howard.
— Two other tryout players who appeared maybe in position to get signed are cornerback Kailo Moore of Ole Miss and defensive end Christian French of Oregon. Moore consistently worked with the No. 1 defense in the nickel, joining the team’s four drafted rookies in the secondary. French, who was with Seattle last year for a brief time as an undrafted free agent signee before suffering an injury in the rookie mini-camp that ultimately resulted in him being waived, worked consistently as a rush end with the No. 1 defense, joining McDowell and draft pick Nazair Jones to form a pretty tall front — all are listed at 6-5 or 6-6.