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Former A&M OL not being nice on the field, but fitting in nicely with Seahawks
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Germain Ifedi put in the work in college at Texas A&M and it paid off, being selected No. 31 overall in the 2016 NFL Draft. Ifedi was picked by the Seattle Seahawks, who have struggled with offensive line play the past couple seasons.
It looks as though at least one of the team’s holes on the offensive line, though, could be fixed.
“He’s just a tough football player,” said Seahawks coach Pete Carroll, via seahawks.com. “I love the way he’s approaching the game. Gauging what he needs to do and what he can and can’t do, that’s all we’re figuring out right now. I don’t want him to change anything. I want him to keep battling and keep pushing, and I want him to match the passion that he sees out here from the guys across from him. I think he’s the real thing in terms of being tough and physical and caring and all of that. It’s going to be a bit before he can put his football together, but it’s going to happen, and I want him to be just the guy that he is—he’s hard, tough, cares a bunch.”
Ifedi talked about what it takes to make it at the next level, saying, “You can’t be a nice guy on the field or you won’t be on the field very long.”
He also talked about his relationship with Michael Bennett, a veteran in the NFL and former Aggie himself, both on and off the field.
“Mike’s a great guy,” said Ifedi, via seahawks.com. “He’s out there helping us compete, helping me learn to be the player I want to be. To have a guy like that out here, it’s invaluable… He knows I won’t back down, the team knows I won’t back down, that’s why they drafted me. We’re just out there competing, were trying to make each other better, and he’s trying to make me the best player I can be. Off the field he’s been a great mentor to me, we have a great relationship. But on the field he knows he’s going to give it his all to make me the best player I can be.
“Off the field he’ll put his arm around you, help you with whatever you need. He’s that kind of guy, that kind of leader, that kind of veteran.”
So far during Seahawks scrimmages and practices, Ifedi has been getting work in as the first team right and left guard. Just yesterday, the former Aggie was playing left guard, despite the team signing a former All-Pro guard in Jahri Evans on Saturday.
Carroll told seahawks.com that Evans brings leadership and experience to the team, and he says they are very fortunate in adding a guy like that. If Ifedi keeps making positive impressions, he may be starting alongside or in front of the 33-year-old All-Pro.
Twitter: @KidCuni
