Seahawks select one-handed UCF star LB Shaquem Griffin in 5th round

The Seattle Seahawks have selected linebacker Shaquem Griffin out of UCF with the 141st overall pick in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL Draft.

Griffin, a congenital amputee, was the feel-good story of the draft before it even began. He was named American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 2016, and racked up 74 tackles with seven sacks during another productive campaign in 2017.

Griffin tested extremely well athletically during the NFL Scouting Combine, but positional questions deterred some teams from ringing his phone before the fifth round. He was a special teams phenom in college, and should be one in the NFL as well.

The Seahawks drafted Griffin's twin brother, cornerback Shaquill, in the third round last year.

Shaquem Griffin Bio

Position: LB
School: UCF
College Experience: Senior
Height: 6-0
Weight: 227 lbs

Strengths

• Blazing speed that makes him a dangerous defender in the open field.
• Speed and instincts allow him to diagnose and destroy opposing option plays.
• Inside and outside spin move, which beat a number of quality offensive tackles in college.
• Very smart and instinctive; a step ahead when diagnosing a play.
• Very fluid mover with excellent change-of-direction skills.
• Can be a versatile chess piece for a defense properly utilizing his attributes.

Weaknesses

• Physical disability (missing left hand) could hinder certain parts of his game at the pro level.
• Has the body of a safety.
• Was more of an edge-rusher in college, but does not possess the attributes to play there full-time in the NFL.
• Has trouble disengaging blocks in run defense.
• Has the tendency to tackle in an upright position, leading to some misses.

Athletic testing