The Seattle Seahawks’ interior defensive front has undergone a seismic shift since the end of the 2017 season. Sheldon Richardson is gone, spending just one year in the Emerald City before departing for Minnesota. The Seahawks signed free agents Tom Johnson and Shamar Stephen, and will rely on Jarran Reed and Nazair Jones to step into bigger roles on the interior.

However, one name that has emerged as a potential sleeper candidate is undrafted rookie Poona Ford. Ford, who hails from the University of Texas, had an excellent performance in Saturday’s scrimmage, which included getting into the backfield a handful of times and making a big stop on running back Mike Davis.

“He’s really active,” coach Pete Carroll said of Ford’s performance on Saturday. “He’s not very tall but he’s got good length and he utilizes his leverage. He’s a very instinctive kid, and he’s got quickness for the nose tackle spot that allows him to penetrate, and we’ve already seen him in the backfield a number of times. He’s done well. He’s done very well.”

Ford still has an uphill battle ahead of him to win a role up front next season, but at the very least he has proved himself worthy of a spot on the practice squad. Should anyone up front get injured, Ford could get the call.