Woolen started with the first-team defense during Saturday's team scrimmage, Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times reports.

EDGE Analysis

Sidney Jones sat out with a concussion, so Woolen received an opportunity with the starting defense. The honor is especially notable because fellow rookie Coby Bryant -- who has been drawing headlines in training camp -- worked with the second-team defense. The Seahawks initially expected Woolen to be a project. He possesses outstanding tools, as he features a 6-foot-4, 210-pound frame and a 4.26 40-yard dash. However, he converted to cornerback at University of Texas-San Antonio and played just two years at the position. The rookie has shown in training camp that he could be up for the task, though he still may end up as a backup once the secondary gets healthy.

The Seahawks selected Woolen in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, 153rd overall.

EDGE Analysis

Woolen was a three-star recruit as a wide receiver out of high school, and he even had an offer to play for Matt Rhule at Baylor. However, he chose the University of Texas-San Antonio. He never got his footing as a receiver and made the switch to cornerback late in the 2019 season. Woolen ended up playing 20 games (16 starts) at corner over his final two seasons at UTSA. While he's still raw at a technical level, he has tools you can't teach, as he ran a 4.26 40-yard dash and added a 42-inch vertical while measuring in at 6-foot-4, 205 pounds. Woolen should have a locked-in spot on special teams as Pete Carroll's staff tries to develop him into an NFL cornerback.