KIRKLAND – The whirlwind began at 10 minutes after 10 a.m., and picked up speed with each passing second.
It was the first day of the NFL draft, and the Minnesota Vikings had failed to submit the name of their first-round pick within their 15-minute time limit. The Jacksonville Jaguars cut ahead of them, making it to the podium in time to select quarterback Byron Leftwich.
The Carolina Panthers were seconds behind, making a pick before the Vikings finally got their selection in. The Baltimore Ravens and Seattle Seahawks, each foreseeing an opportunity, rushed to make selections as well.
Before anyone knew what had happened, a total of five draft picks had gone down in a matter of three minutes.
Seahawks fans who debated all week as to which defensive lineman would end up in Seattle had to rub their eyes when the name Marcus Trufant popped up on the screen. The cornerback from Washington State University had plenty of talent, but just didn’t seem like the right fit for the Seahawks’ needs.
Nearly eight months later, the Seahawks shudder to think what life would have been like without Trufant.
“It would have been difficult,” coach Mike Holmgren said. “He’s been a very valuable part. I’ve said that I think he should be, if not rookie of the year, very close. I can’t imagine any rookie playing any better. I really can’t.”
Seattle’s first-round draft pick has started all 12 games this season and may well be the team’s most valuable defensive player. His presence has eased the pain of injuries to veterans Shawn Springs and Ken Lucas, neither of whom has been as consistent as Trufant even when healthy.
Trufant’s role will take on even greater importance over the next four weeks, when the Seahawks (8-4) will face five of the best wide receivers in the entire league.
Minnesota’s Randy Moss is on tap for this week, followed by the St. Louis Rams’ Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce, Arizona’s Anquan Boldin and San Francisco’s Terrell Owens. All five rank among the NFC’s top eight in receptions this season.
“You’re going against people who are supposed to be the guys in the NFL, the big-time names and big-time players,” Trufant said. “It’s a dream, but at the same time it’s going to be hard work. I’m just looking forward to the challenge.”
Every player in the Seahawks’ locker room believes that Trufant is up for the challenge. The rookie has been tested early and often this season, and has a team-high 17 pass breakups and only a handful of mistakes to show for it.
“He’s just got to stay focused and keep playing the way he’s been playing all year,” veteran cornerback Willie Williams said. “He’s been the most consistent player on our defense, and he just needs to stay focused. If he can go out there and play like he’s been playing every week, he’ll do a good job.”
By no means will Trufant be asked to shut down any one of the receivers all on his own. Trufant, Lucas and Springs will all see action against Moss on Sunday, as well as the other star wideouts in coming weeks.
It’s a different game plan than what the Seahawks have used in the past, when Springs followed opposing receivers like Moss and Owens all over the field and was asked to lock them down on his own. Springs has struggled at times this year, so the Seahawks are looking for a more balanced defensive attack.
“In the past, (the coaches) felt like there were only certain guys who could match up with their best guys. And that was like a slap in the face to us,” Lucas said. “But this year, the coaches have confidence in us that everybody can get the job done.”
The cornerback that has garnered the most faith this year has been Trufant, who hasn’t looked like a rookie during his first NFL season.
“You can tell that Trufant had some great (college) coaches,” Williams said. “He’s very confident, his technique is outstanding. I’ve been around 11 years, and he’s far ahead of some of the rookies that have come out since I’ve been in the league. He’s the best rookie corner I’ve seen in a while.”
As far as natural ability, Trufant has benefited from blazing speed and an uncanny hip motion that allows him to stay with receivers out of the break. He also has the kind of never-get-down confidence that young cornerbacks need to survive in the NFL.
“He never stays too high or gets too low,” defensive backs coach Teryl Austin said. “He’s been able to stay even keel throughout this whole thing. When everybody was telling him how good he was, to him it was just like: hey, I’m just still playing ball and have to work to get better. That’s really why I think he’s been consistent all year.”
Said Trufant: “That’s just me, the kind of personality I have. I’ve always been taught that if things go wrong, you just have to throw it out the back window, keep playing and try to make a play next time.”
With a murderer’s row of opposing receivers on tap in the coming weeks, Trufant’s confidence could get quite a test. And so could his reputation.
“I think he’s already started to prove what kind of player he can become,” Austin said. “I don’t know if you can judge him just on those four games.
“I expect him to play well, but no matter how those four games shake out for him, he’s a good player. And he’ll continue to be a good player.”
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
