Boye

Mafe

Williams popped up on the practice report with a new foot injury, listed as a non-participant for Wednesday. He has 2.5 sacks starting eight games on the Seahawks’ defensive line this season. LB Boye Mafe (knee) was limited in practice as the Seahawks get out of the bye trying to get their defense healthy.

Seahawks S Julian Love (thigh) is also questionable, though multiple defenders appear ready to return. LB Jerome Baker (hamstring), LB Uchenna Nwosu (knee), EDGE Leonard Williams (ribs) and LB Derick Hall (hip) enter the game without injury designations.

The linebacker and defensive line injuries are mounting for the Seahawks, not exactly what you want to see with a game against the elite offensive line of the Lions on tap. The absences mark five typical starters in the front seven now out for Week 4.

Williams is one of five Seahawks front-seven defenders who have been unable to practice on both Thursday and Friday this week. The Seahawks play on Monday night. Rookie DT Byron Murphy II (hamstring) is expected to miss multiple weeks and LB Uchenna Nwosu (knee) has yet to take a regular season snap, although he was spotted wearing pads on Wednesday, before the official practice week began. LB Jerome Baker (hamstring) and LB Boye Mafe (knee) also remain sidelined.

Mafe leads Seahawks defenders in both pressures (15) and NFL sacks (2.0) so availability would go a long way toward pressuring the Dolphins Week 3 starting QB Skylar Thompson. Mafe’s Friday practice status has yet to be released but even limited participation would bode positively for his availability. Seahawks No. 3 S K’Von Wallace (shoulder) is also questionable for Week 3.

Mafe led a lengthy injury report for the Seahawks front seven. He was a new addition with a knee injury and would be a crucial missing part after starting the season with two sacks in two games. LB Uchenna Nwosu (knee) remains out with an MCL sprain while LB Jerome Baker (hamstring) and DE Leonard Williams (knee) also did not participate in practice. The good news is that LB Derick Hall (hip) was limited and LB Tyrel Dodson (shoulder) and DT Jarran Reed (knee) were full participants. It is still early in the week, but Mike Macdonald’s defense hopes to get back key contributors before Week 3 against the Dolphins.

Mafe (6’4/261) arrived on campus as a raw prospect and emerges as a highly-rated edge defender. He spent his first three years developing his craft before taking over as Minnesota’s top pass rusher in 2020, posting 27 tackles, 5.5 TFLs, 4.5 sacks, two PBUs, and two forced fumbles in just six games, earning Honorable Mention All-Big Ten recognition. Mafe continued to impress last year, leading the Gophers again with 10 TFLs and seven sacks with a strong 83.1 pass-rush grade from PFF. He wasn’t asked to be an every-down defender, predominantly used on pass downs to terrorize quarterbacks. His pre-draft rise has been meteoric thanks to a strong Senior Bowl week where he recorded two sacks and a forced fumble in the game itself and an astounding performance at the Combine where he ran a 4.53 40 in addition to a 38-inch vertical and 10-foot-5 broad jump. There isn’t a lot of subtlety to Mafe’s game. He deploys a powerful bull rush that he works off of with a violent outside hand chop. His stout, compact frame helps Mafe control blockers when he gets his hands inside blockers so he can break out a nice push/pull maneuver. His 32.6-inch arms are a little stubby for the position and can lead to him getting stuck on blocks in run support, and he is old for a prospect at almost 23 and a half. However, Mafe has a frame reminiscent of Kwity Paye and has the potential to develop into a valuable passing down disruptor.

After his performance at the NFL Scouting Combine, nobody was doubting Mafe’s elite athleticism. at 6-foot-4, 261-pounds, Mafe ran a 4.53 40-time and was second at the combine amongst EDGEs with a 30-inch vertical. His 41.5-inch leap at Minnesota’s pro day would have been the best amongst EDGE rushers at the combine, and only solidifies his place amongst the class’ best athletes.

That’s a very high percentile at both positions, and Mafe’s (6'4"/265) blend of size and speed is very tantalizing. He posted a 38" vertical, 4.57 40 and 10'5" broad jump. Those are impressive numbers in all categories, and he’s continuing his rise up the first round. He currently has a coveted 10 RAS pending agility drills.

Mafe (6'4/265) has been talked about frequently about being a player whose stock will rise and his placement in Trapasso’s mock draft is evidence of that. Mafe has been utilized as a standup rusher and also with his hand in the dirt. His production was one of the best in the class from a pressure standpoint, netting 40 pressures on just 33.5 snaps per game. Going to play for Belichick will help unlock Mafe’s potential by setting him up to thrive from day one.