Seattle, WA
Brock's Seattle Seahawks Draft Profile: 'Unblockable' Texas DT
Adding a player on the offensive and defensive line is often referred to as “beefing up” said unit, and there’s very few that would beef up the Seattle Seahawks’ defensive line more than Texas defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat.
Salk: The perfect fit for Seattle Seahawks in draft isn’t who you think
The 22-year-old Sweat measures in a 6 foot 4 and 366 pounds and helped anchor a stout Longhorns defensive front alongside fellow standout Byron Murphy. Sweat won the Outland Trophy, which is given to college football’s best interior offensive and defensive lineman, Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and was an Associated Press first-team All-America pick last season. He helped lead Texas to a berth in the College Football Playoff semifinals.
He was also the subject of former NFL quarterback and FOX college football analyst Brock Huard’s Seattle Seahawks Draft Profile on Wednesday. Huard received an up-close look at Sweat when he called two of Texas’ games for FOX.
“In both of those games, both offensive coordinators, Nate Scheelhaase for Iowa State (and) Marcus Tuiasosopo at Rice, said point blank that you have to have a plan (for Sweat),” Huard said. “You can’t just go in and run your stuff. You’ve got to account for this guy in every single one of your run snaps and just saying, ‘well, we’ll double team him.’ That’s not good enough. Sometimes you have to triple team to just move him off of his spot and, boy, he was an immovable force.”
Huard pointed out that Sweat isn’t just a big body that eats up space. He puts up stats. Sweat registered 45 tackles, eight tackles for loss, two sacks and four pass deflections during his award-winning senior campaign. He’s also displayed durability in playing 62 games during his five-season college career.
“He posts,” Huard said. “… He’s not a big man that finds a way to not play. He plays game in and game out. The biggest challenge is playing play in and play out once you get beyond about four (plays). He’ll give you a four really good ones and then at 366 (pounds), he’s got to huff and puff his way off the field, get a little bit oxygen and get back on the field.”
Huard projected Sweat as a third-round pick with the potential to go late in the second round. He said the snap-count limitations are a factor in why Sweat likely won’t go higher. He also noted Sweat being viewed more as specialist against the run, but that he seemed to improve that aspect of his game last season.
“He showed this year that he’s got a little more wiggle, a little more movement, a little more endurance,” Huard said.
Sweat’s draft stock could also be hurt by his April 7 arrest for driving under the influence in Austin, Texas.
“If there is a team that would be the perfect fit to grow a guy that’s got a little immaturity in his decision making and grow the guy in his work ethic and perseverance and endurance,” Huard said, “Leonard Williams and Jarran Reed would be a pretty good group to sandwich that guy with to really grow, develop and get the very, very most out of him. He would be a pretty good fit here.”
Listen to Brock Huard’s full Seattle Seahawks Draft Profile on Texas defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat at this link or watch the video at the top of this story. Tune in to Brock and Salk weekdays from 6-10 a.m. or find the podcast on the Seattle Sports app.
More on the Seattle Seahawks and the NFL Draft
• Brock’s Seahawks Draft Profile: Michigan CB with WR skills
• Brock’s Seahawks Draft Profile: A complete safety
• With Seahawks’ top pick, expect the unexpected
• Final AP Mock NFL Draft: Edge with local tie to Seahawks?
• Turbin on why Seattle Seahawks should draft a QB
PEORIA, Ariz. – Seattle Mariners camp has been a flurry of activity since the return of the last group of players from the World Baseball Classic. There have been innings and at-bats to be found, schedules and lineups scrambled, whatever it takes to get in the work they need for what in just a few short days will be the 26-man roster.
Mariners re-assign Colt Emerson to minor league camp
Somewhere amongst that flurry of activity, a long-awaited conversation was had, according to Randy Arozarena.
About about two hours before the Mariners’ Cactus League game against the Chicago Cubs on Saturday night, Arozarena put out a statement via the team that addressed the WBC incident between him and teammate Cal Raleigh.
“I understand that with Opening Day a few days away, I don’t want it to be a distraction,” Arozarena said. “Cal and I have talked and I apologized for what I said after the game. Nothing in the WBC takes away from the fact that we are brothers and teammates. He’s family, and we are both focused on helping the Mariners win the World Series.”
The statement echoes much of the sentiment of Raleigh’s comments to members of the Seattle media the morning after he refused Arozarena’s handshake in the March 9 WBC game between the United States and Mexico, which prompted postgame comments from Arozarena that spurred unwanted attention on the Mariners.
“I love Randy,” Raleigh said back on March 10. “I have all the respect for him and Team Mexico. I already reached out to him personally to talk with him. And obviously, when we’re back in Seattle, we’re family, we’re brothers, and I’ll do anything for him. I’ll do anything for our team to win.”
Neither player would want anything within their control to put achieving the Mariners’ lofty goals they have set this season in jeopardy. It is likely those words alone from Arozarena would have helped close the door on the incident. The fact he said he apologized to Raleigh for his comments at the WBC in Houston hopefully helps lock that door and put the focus back on what happens on the field, as has been the case with the players in Peoria all along.
An unpleasant sidenote to the WBC should not be a season-changing episode for a team that has put itself in the position the Mariners have.
More on the Seattle Mariners
• Seattle Mariners’ Cole Young blasts 478-foot moonshot home run
• Seattle Mariners release their first commercial for 2026 season
• 3 standouts from Seattle Mariners’ Spring Breakout game
• Gilbert’s final spring start features surprises from Raleigh
• Callis: Seattle Mariners have MLB’s best pitching prospect duo
Looking to extend the country’s longest non-conference home win streak to 66, Auburn (18-16) hosts Seattle U (21-13) Sunday at 5:30 p.m. CT on ESPN2 and the Auburn Sports Network (106.7 FM), where Andy Burcham and Randall Dickey will describe the action for listeners.
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW:
- Auburn’s win over South Alabama extended the Tigers’ nation-best non-conference home winning streak to 65 straight games. It’s a streak that dates back to the 2016-17 season.
- The Tigers made a season high 16 3-pointers against South Alabama and tied a school record with 44 3-point attempts.
- Kevin Overton made seven 3-pointers (all in the second half) against South Alabama and now has 80 triples this season. He is four 3-pointers away from cracking the top 10 for single-season 3-pointers at Auburn.
- With 636 points this season, Keyshawn Hall is ninth on Auburn’s single-season scoring list. Hall notched his 18th game of scoring 20 or more points against South Alabama with 21 points against the Jags.
- Led by Will Heimbrodt’s 86 blocks this season, Seattle U ranks 12th nationally in blocks per game (4.9) and is also top 25 in scoring defense (66.6 – 23rd) and turnovers forced (14.94 – 21st). Heimbrodt is the WCC Defensive Player of the Year.
There’s nothing mid-major about Seattle U’s defense.
Auburn’s second-round NIT opponent, the Redhawks, rank No. 23 in the country in scoring defense, allowing fewer than 67 points per game.
“One of the better defensive teams we’ll have gone against all year,” Auburn coach Steven Pearl said. “Incredibly active, they really fly around and make what you do really difficult.”
After defeating South Alabama 78-67 on Tuesday in the opening round of the NIT, Auburn hosts Seattle U on Sunday. The Redhawks advanced to round two by defeating St. Thomas (MN) 67-52.
“Our guys are going to have to show up and be excited about playing because if we don’t, this is a team that is capable, defensively, of making you look bad,” Pearl said.
Seattle U ranks No. 12 nationally in forcing turnovers, causing nearly 15 per game while blocking almost five shots per game (No. 21) and holding teams to 41.5-percent shooting (No. 42).
“They play hard, and that makes your defense so much better when you give multiple efforts like that at all five positions,” Pearl said.
Against the Jaguars’ zone defense in round one, Auburn hit a season-high 16 3-pointers, with Kevin Overton swishing seven.
“He knows that every time he shoots the ball, we think it’s going in,” Pearl said. “We can’t change what we do a ton because what we do has been effective, offensively, but we also have to understand that this is a really good defensive team, and we have to be disciplined in a lot of things we’re doing.”
Redhawks No Stranger to Big Names
Like Auburn, which earned high-profile victories this season over Florida, Arkansas, Kentucky, and St. John’s, Seattle U also has brag-worthy wins at Stanford and at home against Washington, Washington State, and Oregon State.
Representing the West Coast Conference, Seattle U would like nothing better than to end the season for a Southeastern Conference opponent on Auburn’s home court.
“I know this is going to be an important one for them,” Pearl said. “It’s an important one for us as well. Our guys, once we show them the film, they’re going to realize pretty quickly how real and how legit these guys are.”
“This game is an important one for both groups,” Pearl said. “We’re going to have to play well to beat them. It’s another great opportunity to compete against a really good team from a great conference.”
What happens next for the Auburn Tigers? Don’t miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second, sign up for our free newsletter, and get breaking Auburn Tigers news delivered to your inbox daily!
Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on X: @jeff_shearer
The Seattle Mariners re-assigned outfielder Brennan Davis, right-handed pitcher Dane Dunning and left-handed pitcher Jhonathan Díaz to minor league camp on Friday.
Gilbert’s final spring start features surprises from Raleigh
Seattle’s spring training roster is now at 38 players, with 33 from the 40-man roster, four non-roster invitees and one player on the 60-day injured list.
Davis, 26, had been one of the Mariners’ surprise standouts during camp after arriving on a minor league contract. The former top prospect went 12 for 34 over 15 games while producing a .353/.450/.824 slash line with a 1.274 OPS, four homers, four doubles, six RBIs and five walks to 11 strikeouts.
Dunning, 31, was also in camp on a minor league deal. He allowed four runs on five hits and five walks while striking out four over 6 1/3 innings in three appearances. The right-hander also pitched for South Korea during the World Baseball Classic, surrendering two runs over three innings in three apperances.
Díaz, 29, was a non-roster invitee to spring training. He pitched three scoreless innings, struck out two and didn’t allow any hits or walks in two spring outings. The left-hander was on World Baseball Classic champion Venezuela’s roster but did not appear in a game. Díaz made one appearance for the M’s last season, pitching 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
More on the Seattle Mariners
• Three standouts from Seattle Mariners’ Spring Breakout game
• Callis: Seattle Mariners have MLB’s best pitching prospect duo
• Seattle Mariners’ lineup vs Guardians has interesting wrinkle at SS
• Raleigh, Arozarena both help Seattle Mariners in 6-run inning
• Mariners’ Hancock showing new weapon during strong spring
Martial arts star Chuck Norris dies at 86
Halide co-founder is suing former partner Sebastiaan de With for taking source code to Apple
Trump proven right on Iran’s long-range missile capability as regime targets US-UK base, experts say
Trump gives Iran 48-hour ultimatum to reopen Strait of Hormuz or face strikes on power plants
Top 5 states with the highest number of safe hospitals, according to new report
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Indiana Members Credit Union announced as new anchor tenant at Bottleworks District
Trump gives Iran 48-hour ultimatum to reopen Strait of Hormuz or face strikes on power plants
Macron pushes tougher EU digital action ahead of key votes
Airport security lines are long. Here’s what to know if you’re flying
Schumer gambit fails as DHS shutdown hits 36 days and airport lines grow
Iranian ballistic missile explodes near Israeli nuclear plant
-
Detroit, MI3 days agoDrummer Brian Pastoria, longtime Detroit music advocate, dies at 68
-
Oklahoma1 week agoFamily rallies around Oklahoma father after head-on crash
-
Nebraska1 week agoWildfire forces immediate evacuation order for Farnam residents
-
Georgia6 days agoHow ICE plans for a detention warehouse pushed a Georgia town to fight back | CNN Politics
-
Alaska7 days agoPolice looking for man considered ‘armed and dangerous’
-
Science1 week agoFederal EPA moves to roll back recent limits on ethylene oxide, a carcinogen
-
Minnesota1 week agoMany with Minnesota ties make Forbes list of world’s richest people
-
Science1 week agoH5N1 bird flu spreads to sea otters and sea lions along San Mateo coast, wildlife experts say