With the first of two picks in the sixth round of the 2015 NFL Draft, the Seahawks selected Oregon State defensive end Obum Gwacham at No. 209 overall.
Gwacham joined the Seattle-area media for a conference call shortly after the pick was made. Here's three things to know about the Seahawks' newest edge rusher:
1. His First Name Is Pronounced 'oh-BOOM'
As in, 'Legion oh-BOOM.'
The 6-foot-5, 245-pounder transitioned from wide receiver to defensive end roughly two years ago. He played his senior season for the Beavers at the spot, recording 4.0 sacks and 27 tackles as a reserve player.
"It hasn't been an easy one," Gwacham said of the position switch. "But thanks to the staff at Oregon State, they've helped make it less stressful on me, as well as simplifying the play book, and doing anything and everything to allow me to play faster."
For Seattle, Gwacham said he'll continue to get after the opposing signal caller. He hasn't yet had any conversations about switching back to wide receiver.
"They've said they want me to play defense and to rush the quarterback, and that's honestly what I want to do," Gwacham said, also noting he hopes to make his mark on special teams. "That's where I feel like I can excel the most at, as well."
Gwacham said it was his speed that led his coaches at Oregon State to flip him from wide receiver to defensive end.
"I'm very relentless," he said. "Throughout this process, a lot of coaches mentioned that I like to chase the ball down. Whether it's 20-30 yards down the field, I will continue to chase it down until I know the runner is stopped. I like to play fast, I like to play very quick. I think a lot of coaches take note of that, and I think that's the reason the Seahawks have chosen to pick up someone like me."
2. He's Chipotle's Number One Customer
That's the word on his Twitter bio, which you can find at @obumg.
Gwacham said the Mexican grill aided his move to defense, as he packed on more than 20 pounds to his body weight.
"I truly believe it did," Gwacham said with a laugh. "I've been eating there two or three times a day. I think it's honestly the best thing for me after a workout. It really seems to hit the spot, along with a nice little gallon of water."
So what does one order when trying to bulk up?
"It's a quesarito," Gwacham said. "With black beans, brown rice, medium salsa, corn, chicken, guacamole and lettuce."
Gwacham said he hopes his agent is working on an endorsement deal.
3. He Was Born In Nigeria & Moved To The U.S. At Age 7
Gwacham's name means "Son of God" in Nigerian. A native of Onitsha, Nigeria, he explained his family's move to the United States that came when he was just seven years old.
"It's very odd and interesting," said Gwacham. "But I guess my family won some sort of visa lottery which allowed for all of us to pack up and move to southern California with our aunt and our cousins at the time.
"It's such a weird story, even when my mom tries to explain it to us, we still don't truly understand all of it."
