Seahawks DB Tyvis Powell still smiling after 'dream come true' debut

Seahawks defensive back Tyvis Powell made a big impact in his preseason debut on Saturday. Seahawks defensive back Tyvis Powell made a big impact in his preseason debut on Saturday. Photo: Elaine Thompson/AP Photo: Elaine Thompson/AP Image 1 of / 53 Caption Close Seahawks DB Tyvis Powell still smiling after 'dream come true' debut 1 / 53 Back to Gallery

RENTON -- Two days removed from his first taste of NFL action, it seemed like Seahawks rookie defensive back Tyvis Powell still hadn't wiped the grin off his face.

And why should he? The 22-year-old Powell made a couple of standout plays in special teams and snagged his first interception in Seattle's 17-16 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in both teams' preseason debut on Saturday.

Following Monday's practice at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center, Powell told reporters he was still relishing his standout performance.

"It was dream come true," Powell said. "It was like the best feeling ever. I played with a lot of passion. I went through a tough road to get to that situation, and I just tried to go out there and make the best of it."

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The former Ohio State standout wasn't the only one basking in the glow of Powell's performance, which head coach Pete Carroll placed among the most impressive he'd ever seen for a first impression.

"It's a great day," Carroll said. "I was really fired up for him. He's looked really good at practice, and he made a big statement. I don't remember a first-year guy having a first game that was that obvious like that, so it's very impressive."

Powell made his mark early while playing in Seattle's punt-return unit, laying out Kansas City linebacker Shakiel Randolph during a 17-yard return by Tyler Lockett. The block, while certainly memorable, was actually the result of a blown assignment, Powell revealed on Monday. Though the play got off to a shaky start, the 6-foot-3, 211-pounder was able to rectify it through sheer hustle.

"What all the older people say is, 'You're going to mess up, so when you mess up do it full speed,'" Powell said. "So once I messed up, I just tried to come back with effort to just try and make a block for Tyler."

At the end of the third quarter, Powell almost made a standout play on punt coverage when he flew into the end zone to prevent a touch back, flipping the ball out to teammate Steve Longa, who downed it at the 4-yard line. Replays showed Powell's foot was on the goal line when he dived for the ball, but his athleticism and effort were noted by Carroll, who called it an "extraordinary play."

Five minutes into the fourth, Powell made his final splash of the game by intercepting Chiefs quarterback Kevin Hogan on an overthrown ball for wide receiver Da'Ron Brown.

Powell, who is listed as a strong safety on the Seahawks roster, continued to move around the Seahawks defense on Monday, seeing snaps at both safety and cornerback. Afterward, Carroll said that he believed Powell could make a full-time living outside, but that the team would continue to play him at different spots throughout the secondary, following the blueprint they used with another former undrafted player in DeShawn Shead.

Shead is now a de facto starter in Seattle's secondary after first making an impression on special teams, then using his versatility to become the team's top reserve at several positions in the secondary.

"(Powell is) going to be going back and forth," Carroll said. "We're going to try to do the same format we did with DeShawn and see what happens. that makes him more valuable to us, makes a spot on the roster more available and with what he did on special teams, that's the right idea. I think we stay with that."

Powell said he didn't care where the team played him and didn't know where they wanted to play him day to day.

"They say, 'Tyvis, go take a rep at corner.' I go to corner. 'Tyvis, go to safety.' I go to safety. Whatever they need me to do, I'll do it," Powell said. "Whatever it's going to take me to make this 53-man roster. I don't care if they tell me, 'Tyvis, we need you to get the water for everybody.' I'm going to be the best water boy in America."

After going unselected in the draft, which Powell called a "huge wake-up call," he signed with the Seahawks in order to play under Carroll, in part because of his history of developing undrafted -- or underdrafted -- players in Seattle. That's particularly in the star-studded secondary, where Richard Sherman and Kam Chancellor outplayed their draft status to become key contributors early.

"I went and thought about some of my people that I looked up to like Sherm and Kam, they weren't even drafted that high, but they worked for what they got -- to become the best safety and best corner in the league," Powell said. "So I felt like now I have motivation right there in front of me."

Visit seattlepi.com for more Seattle Seahawks news. Contact sports reporter Stephen Cohen at stephencohen@seattlepi.com or @scohenPI.



