The Seattle Seahawks selected former Ohio State tight end Nick Vannett in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft and hoped to have found their future at the position. So when former tight end Jimmy Graham left town in free agency this offseason, it seemed like Vannett’s time to shine.

But through two games, it’s been rookie Will Dissly working as Russell Wilson’s go-to target at the position. While Vannett has four catches for 34 yards, Dissly has totaled six grabs for an impressive 147 yards and two touchdowns.

Ahead of the team’s Week 3 game with the Dallas Cowboys, Wilson spoke with the media and addressed Dissly’s play. Not only did he call him “a baller,” but tossed him a comparison to Cowboys legend Jason Witten, as Jon Machota of The Dallas Morning News revealed.

Russell Wilson on Seattle rookie TE Will Dissly (6 catches, 147 yards, 2 TDs): "He's a baller. He kind of reminds me of a young Jason Witten a little bit, just how he sees the game and how he runs routes. He just catches the ball every time you throw it." — Jon Machota (@jonmachota) September 20, 2018

Dissly’s Impressive Start

The play of Dissly itself has been impressive, but how he’s been able to take over after the Week 1 playing time split is even more eye-opening. In that first game, Dissly played fewer snaps than Vannett (35 to 33), per Football Outsiders, but was far better from a receiving standpoint.

He caught three passes for 105 yards and one touchdown while Vannett’s one grab went for 11 yards. Obviously, Dissly was simply able to do more with his targets than his counterpart, but the hot run carried into Week 2.

This time, head coach Pete Carroll gave Dissly the nod in terms of playing time, as his 47 offensive snaps trumped the 26 Vannett played. It seems the Seahawks have shifted over to Dissly being their starter, which makes sense considering he’s leading the team in receiving entering Week 3.

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