Seahawks Rookie Battles: DE Mike Morris Praises OL Anthony Bradford

The Seattle Seahawks have earned high marks for their 2023 NFL Draft class, but how successful it truly is could be determined by the development of the team's six Day 3 picks.

And through just a few practices at minicamp, two of them have already seen quite a bit of one another - fourth-round offensive lineman Anthony Bradford and fifth-round defensive end Mike Morris.

Bradford, who played in 29 games across four years at LSU and will "compete to start" on the interior offensive lineman in Seattle, has had several one-on-ones with Morris, the reigning Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year.

The result? Morris walked away impressed with his new teammate's 6-4, 345-pound frame and skill set.

“I’ve been going against him all camp and he’s a big body, he’s just a big body," Morris said. "I’m accepting it wholeheartedly. I want him to push me as much as possible because this is a new position for me, but it’s not unfamiliar territory. I just want to get as much work as possible and be the best that I can be.

"I feel like he is going to push me to be the best that I can be.”

Morris is far from small, standing 6-6, 292 pounds and will see time working on the inside of Seattle's defensive line - that's where he's seen his matchups with Bradford and fifth-round center Olu Oluwatimi, his former teammate at Michigan.

The 22-year-old Morris said it "feels good to go against" the likes of Bradford and Oluwatimi and believes it'll only make him better in the long run, especially as he continues to expand his versatility up front.

"I’m really excited, I’m really excited for the growth that I am about to endure," Morris said. "I’m really excited.”

As Morris undergoes that growth, he'll be reliant on his practice battles, many of which could come against Bradford and Oluwatimi, creating beneficial reps for three members of Seattle's ever-important Day 3 draftees.

And that, if nothing else, should have the Pacific Northwest "really excited" for what's to come from this class of rookies.

You can follow Daniel Flick on Twitter @DFlickDraft