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Have you ever been promoted or taken on a responsibility you weren’t quite ready for? It has likely happened to all of you, but I bet it wasn’t critiqued nonstop by national media, nor did millions of people notice it all at the same time. This can be a reality for young NFL players of any position, but I believe some of the greatest leaps come from second and third-year pass rushers. They go from being able to win 1-1 matchups with players not always of the same caliber to going 1-1 against the NFL's best! So, when you see someone who has a disappointing rookie year, you must be able to contextualize why it happened. Derick Hall is an interesting player to watch because you’ve likely never heard of him unless you’re in deep leagues or are a fan of the Seahawks. This year, I believe he is blossoming into a player you need to know, and here’s why!

Who is Derick Hall?

Derick Hall was the sixth pick in Round 2 of the 2023 NFL draft. This was one of many picks in the last three drafts that the Seahawks have used to invest in the new iteration of the Legion of Boom. Hall was consistent, but he was a boring player that didn’t impact fantasy matchups. His best game last season was Week 17, where he had six total tackles. Outside of this, he never had more than four tackles in a game, but he did log stats in all but two games as a rookie. He played the fourth-highest snaps at his position, which leads me to believe that he exceeded the team’s expectations, considering he contributed to the box score in the opportunities he was given. I also believe that he laid the foundation to play more snaps and had some other things fall in his favor that will impact his 2024 season.  

New Year, New Me

Despite being listed as the second weak-side linebacker on the depth chart, I believe we will see Hall pass Uchenna Nwosu by the end of the season. Hall will also get a head start now, seeing as Nwosu will likely start the season on the IR-designated return. This gives Hall four weeks of starter snaps, and I believe the more snaps he plays, the more he will impact the game. Once he makes his mark at the position, with Nwosu having back-to-back seasons with injuries, the coaches will have a high-caliber problem. Start the fresh face, who is always available, or roll the dice again with Nwosu. I know who I would pick, especially when we see the stats that will back up this feeling. The biggest difference between good and great IDP players comes down to how often they are in the game. On defense, you have a myriad of players that go in and out of the game. In comparison to offensive subs for skill players, the difference can be astronomical depending on the teams and schemes. Due to this lack of depth the Seahawks have, as well as some even fresher faces, we should see Hall early and often on this defensive line.