Maybe it shouldn't come as a complete surprise that Will Dissly leads the Seahawks in receiving yards after two games. After all, it was Dissly's hands that helped convince University of Washington coach Chris Petersen to move the former defensive lineman to tight end.
"I was messing around in a bowl practice, and Coach Petersen was like, 'Hey, do you want to have a package for this bowl game?' And I said, 'Yeah, I'm just trying to play and help the Dawgs win.'" Dissly said after the Seahawks selected him in the fourth-round of the 2018 draft. "I did well in the bowl game, then we had a conversation about making it full time in spring ball.
"The D-line was running to the east field, and they were doing 7-on-7, and I said, 'Hey, let me get a rep here. Coach Petersen said, 'All right, jump in.' I ran a little stop route, made kind of a tough catch and I think opened some eyes there. It was just all in fun. At the moment I didn't think anything of it, but I guess I caught some attention."
Good hands or not, however, it's hard to imagine that anyone, even Dissly himself, saw this coming. After making the switch to tight end, Dissly had 25 catches for 336 yards and three touchdowns over the final two seasons of his college career. He had a career-high 79 receiving yards against Montana last season, a total he eclipsed by 26 yards in his first NFL game.
The Seahawks drafted Dissly because, as head coach Pete Carroll explained, "we thought he was the best blocker in the draft." General manager John Schneider said Dissly was "probably the closest thing to Zach Miller that we've seen." And Dissly has indeed been the tough, physical blocking tight end the Seahawks were hoping to get when they drafted him, but he has also shown through two games to be a real weapon in the passing game.
In Seattle's opener at Denver, Dissly's first career catch was also the Seahawks' first touchdown of the season, and he later added a 66-yard catch and rumble, allowing him to finish the game with three catches for 105 yards. Against Chicago, Dissly added three more catches, including a 34-yarder, to finish with 42 yards and a touchdown. Dissly hasn't been perfect, there have been the typical rookie mistakes from time to time, but overall it has been an impressive start to his NFL career.
"He has been great," Carroll said. "He really has been a great first-time starter for us. To come in, because we're relying on him to do a lot of things and he's such a good learner and he's just such a great worker, that he's done a beautiful job so far—and he can get a lot better too. He missed a couple things and missed a couple blocks. Missed a hot (route). There's a lot of stuff and he'll get all of that in time. He'll have everything nailed. He'll totally command the position. He's just got such an approach and a mentality that that's how our expectations are for him."
And being in command of that position is no small feat for a rookie, especially one who started his college career on the defensive line. Between run blocking, pass protection and pass catching, tight ends have a lot of different responsibilities in any given game, and Dissly's ability to handle that well has impressed his coaches as much as anything.
"There is a lot to it because of the pass protections as well as the route running as well as all the blocking schemes," Carroll said. "There is a lot to it. It is a complex position. He's really fit for the spot and he's big enough, strong enough, tough enough, quick enough so he can do the things. He's not out-physical'd at any time in what we're asking him to do, and you can see him. He can get open and he can do stuff with the ball if he catches it. We're just real fortunate that we got him. A very, very good draft pick for us."
Dissly calls it nice and confidence-building to get off to this kind of start, but he also downplayed his own individual success, noting, "We want to win games here. That's why they drafted me, and I think we can all do a better job of getting better, including myself. There's things I still need to improve on. We're still shooting for that first win, and that's what we're looking for this week.
"When you get to this level, the biggest thing is to have confidence in who you are and what kind of player you are. I always knew I can do it, but that's the funny thing about football, you have to be in the right place at the right time, it has to be the right coverage, and the quarterback has to see you at the right time, so a lot of things have to go right for you to make plays in this league. I've just been fortunate to be in the right spot the first two games."
Dissly's career is just getting started, and there will be some inevitable ups and downs as he goes through his rookie season, but two games into his NFL career, he is off to an impressive start, especially as a pass-catcher who came into the league known for his blocking.
"He was one of the stars of camp earlier on, and I think that his intelligence, his toughness—you see him catch the football, how he transitions to the ball," quarterback Russell Wilson said. "He just has a great understanding, a great knack for the game. He's a baller. He can really make a lot of plays. He kind of reminds me of a young (Jason) Witten a little bit, just how he sees the game and how he runs routes and he just catches the ball every time you throw it and that's how you tell if the receiver is pretty good. You throw it to him, he catches it. He does his job and he does it really, really well and so he's been exciting, really exciting and he's tough as nails and he's probably one the most athletic guys just all-around on our football team. Just, you see him hit a baseball, he's just got a great understanding of just sport and just stuff in general. (Coming) from Montana, he can play some ball."
The Seahawks and Cowboys face off on Thursday Night Football, Nov. 30, 2023. Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m. PT. Take a look back through history at the Seahawks' matchups against the Cowboys.
Seattle Seahawks receiver Joey Galloway (84) pulls in a 44-yard touchdown pass as Dallas Cowboys' Kevin Smith (26) defends on the play during the second quarter in Irving, Texas, Sunday, Nov. 22, 1998. (AP Photo/Bill Janscha)
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman (8) runs for a first down against Seattle Seahawks defenders Chad Brown (94) and Michael Sinclair (70) during the third quarter in Irving, Texas, Sunday, Nov. 22, 1998. The Cowboys won 30-22. (AP Photo/L M Otero)
Seattle Seahawks' Darrell Jackson (82) grabs a long fourth-quarter pass as Dallas Cowboys' Darren Woodson defends, Sunday, Dec. 16, 2001, in Seattle. The Seahawks scored on the next play and won, 29-3. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Dallas Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith (22) goes down after crashing through the Seattle Seahawks line for an 11-yard run during the fourth quarter. Sunday, Oct. 27, 2002, in Irving, Texas. In the background is Seahawks corner back Ken Lucas (21). (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Seattle Seahawks' Rashad Moore (95) tries to knock down a pass by Dallas Cowboys quarterback Vinny Testaverde in the second quarter Monday, Dec. 6, 2004, in Seattle. The pass was incomplete. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Darrell Jackson (82) eludes a tackle from Dallas Cowboys strong safety Lynn Scott and runs for a 35-yard pass reception that set up a two-yard touchdown reception by Jackson on the next play in the first quarter Monday, Dec. 6, 2004, at Qwest Field in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Seattle Seahawks' Ryan Hannam (83) comes up with the ball after catching a 1-yard touchdown pass to tie the score in the fourth quarter as Dallas Cowboys' Scott Shanle lays on the ground during the fourth quarter in Seattle, Sunday, Oct. 23, 2005. The Seahawks won 13-10 with a field goal in the last seconds of the game. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck (8) scrambles away from Dallas Cowboys' Jason Hatcher in the second quarter in an NFC wild-card playoff football game Saturday, Jan. 6, 2007, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Dallas Cowboys' Tony Romo, right, botches the hold on a 19-yard field goal-attempt by Martin Gramatica as the Seattle Seahawks defend with 1:19 left in an NFC wild-card playoff football game Saturday, Jan. 6, 2007, in Seattle. Romo was forced to grab the ball and run, but was stopped at the 2. The Seahawks won, 21-20. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo rolls over after fumbling on a hit by Seattle Seahawks' Ken Hamlin, right, with Grant Wistrom (98) picking up the ball behind during a botched field goal-attempt with 1:19 left in the game in an NFC wild-card playoff football in Seattle, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2007. The Seahawks went on to win, 21-20. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)
Seattle Seahawks' Ken Hamlin celebrates after a botched Dallas Cowboys field goal-attempt by the Cowboys with 1:19 left in the game in an NFC wild card playoff football in Seattle, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2007. Behind is kicker Martin Gramatica (7). (AP Photo/John Froschauer)
Seattle Seahawks' Jordan Babineaux celebrates after stopping Dallas Cowboys' Tony Romo following a botched field goal attempt late in an NFC wild-card playoff football game Saturday, Jan. 6, 2007, in Seattle. Babineaux has earned his teammates' nickname "Big Play Babs after a last-second play against Dallas last season, then the tackle of Romo that saved the Seahawks season. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo scrambles away from the Seattle Seahawks defense during an NFL football game, Thursday, Nov. 27, 2008, in Irving, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Seattle Seahawks safety Deon Grant (24) makes a tackle on Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Patrick Crayton (84) following Crayton's reception in the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Donna McWilliam)
Seattle Seahawks' Marshawn Lynch jumps over Dallas Cowboys' Gerald Sensabaugh as the Cowboys' Alan Ball moves in for the tackle during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 6, 2011, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Jim Cowsert)
Seattle Seahawks players break up a pass intended for Dallas Cowboys' Miles Austin, center, in the first half of an NFL football game on Sunday, Sept. 16, 2012, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Kevin P. Casey)
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) runs for a touchdown as Dallas Cowboys strong safety Jeff Heath goes down after missing the tackle in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 12, 2014, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Seattle Seahawks Doug Baldwin, right, blocks a punt by Dallas Cowboys punter Chris Jones that was run in for a touchdown by Seahawks' Mike Morgan in the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 12, 2014, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Scott Eklund)
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) finds running room as Dallas Cowboys defensive end Greg Hardy (76) gives chase during an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 1, 2015, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett (16) gains yardage after a pass as Dallas Cowboys' Brandon Carr (39) gives chase in the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 1, 2015, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth)
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Doug Baldwin (89) catches a touchdown pass in front of Dallas Cowboys' Chidobe Awuzie (33) in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 24, 2017, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Ron Jenkins)
FILE - In this Sunday, Sept. 23, 2018, file photo, Seattle Seahawks running back Chris Carson rushes against the Dallas Cowboys during the first half of an NFL football game in Seattle. Carson rushed for 102 yards in the game. In consecutive weeks, the Seahawks produced 100-yard rushers. The novelty was it being two different backs, neither of which was rookie first-round pick Rashaad Penny. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson, File)
Seattle's Jacob Martin brings down Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott.
Captains for both teams meet at midfield for the opening coin toss.
Seattle's Doug Baldwin manages to keep both feet inbounds on this 22-yard reception in the third quarter to keep a drive alive.
Seattle special teams captain Neiko Thorpe keeps the ball from entering the end zone on a Michael Dickson punt and the Cowboys took over at the two-yard line.
Seattle's Mike Davis spikes the ball after scoring on a successful two-point conversion.
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) walks off the field at CenturyLink Field following an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks, Sunday, Sept. 23, 2018, in Seattle. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)
Seahawks receiver DK Metcalf atoned for an earlier fumble with this 29-yard touchdown reception from Russell Wilson.
Seahawks receiver Tyler Lockett breaks for more yardage after a second quarter catch.
Seahawks safety Ryan Neal, called up from the practice squad on Saturday, intercepts a pass in the end zone to seal Seattle's 38-31 win over the Cowboys.
Seahawks cornerback Shaquill Griffin flies through the air after an interception in the second quarter.
Seattle's Benson Mayowa recovered a Dak Prescott fumble and returned it to the Dallas five-yard line at the beginning of the second half.
Seahawks Jamal Adams and Jordyn Brooks hit Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott just as he releases the ball on a pass in the first quarter.
Seahawks receiver Penny Hart catches a 35-yard touchdown pass from Drew Lock in the first quarter.
Seahawks defender Myles Adams hits Dallas quarterback Cooper Rush as he releases the ball resulting in a QB hurry and incomplete pass.
Seahawks quarterback Drew Lock looks to the end zone.
After the game, Seahawks star receiver DK Metcalf and Cowboys star linebacker Micah Parsons exchanged jerseys.
