There’s a good chance Super Bowl LX will make household names of players on both sides for the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots.
One of those players could likely be Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon, a 2023 first-round pick who is quickly becoming one of the NFL’s elite defensive players.
“Devon Witherspoon is a menace,” NFL insider Jordan Schultz wrote on X during the first quarter of the Super Bowl. “The way he navigated the traffic to get the sack is outstanding.”
Here’s what you need to know about the 25-year-old NFL superstar.
From Football Hotbed in Florida Panhandle
Witherspoon is a Penscola, Florida, native — significant in large part because the town in the Florida Panhandle has produced a constant stream of NFL players for the last 40 years.
Witherspoon, 6-foot and 185 pounds, was the Pensacola News Journal Defensive Player of the Year at Pine Forest High School in 2018 with 74 tackles and 7 interceptions, including 2 interceptions returned for touchdowns.
“When 2018 PNJ Defensive Player of the Year Devon Witherspoon was on the field, it was must-see football,” PNJ’s Brian Achatz wrote in 2018. “His playmaking ability, charisma and leadership captivated fans and helped propel Pine Forest to a new level … he has 14 offers from NCAA Division I programs, including Massachusetts, which offered him Dec. 8. It’s not hard to believe that a Power 5 offer might be right around the corner for the 6-foot, 170-pound defensive back.”
Big Ten Star Turn Cemented Draft Stock
The Power 5 offer did eventually come for Witherspoon and he jumped at it.
Witherspoon was the only true freshman defensive starter for the University of Illinois in 2019 and never backed off that spot. As a senior in 2022, he was a consensus All-American and the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year.
“Witherspoon plays with anticipation, route feel and a consistent sense of urgency to prevent catches, as displayed by his high number of pass breakups,” NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein wrote in 2023. “He plays with ballhawking eyes and good balance from zone coverage and is very aggressive tackling both after the catch and in run support … The playmaking mentality and traits give him a solid chance to become a CB2 in the league.”
Seahawks Spent Top 5 Pick on Witherspoon
The Seahawks took Witherspoon at No. 5 overall in the 2023 NFL draft — the highest any Illinois player has been drafted since Illinois teammates Kevin Hardy and Simeon Rice were selected No. 2 and No. 3 overall in the 1996 NFL draft.
Witherspoon was one of the picks acquired as part of the blockbuster trade that sent Super Bowl-winning quarterback Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos and signed a 4-year, $31.86 million rookie contract.
Witherspoon was a Day 1 starter and has been a Pro Bowler each of his first 3 seasons, earning NFL All-Pro honors for the first time in 2025.
Massive Payday Likely Coming Soon
The one certainty about Witherpoon’s NFL future we can point to is the absolute certainty he’s about to strike it rich with his next contract.
Eligible for an extension for the first time after this season, Spotrac projects Witherspoon is in line for a deal that should land around 3 years for $70 million, although that number could be low — think something more along the lines of a 4-year, $100 million contract.
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