An interview with Senior Bowl standout Jackson Slater, who’s met with the Seahawks twice

Could Slater be the next top NFL offensive lineman to come out of a small school? The Seahawks paid close attention at the Senior Bowl.

One of the standouts of the Senior Bowl, Sacramento State offensive line Jackson Slater, agreed to an interview with Field Gulls earlier this week. Slater plays football at an FCS school but he’s already raised eyebrows and impressed teams with his performances. In college, he was a three-time All-Big Sky First-Team selection and an AP First-Team All-American among FCS players. He also has local ties, having graduated from Newport HIgh School in Bellevue.

The Seattle Seahawks showed a lot of interest in him, even asking for a second interview, as mentioned in last week’s Winners and Losers column.

Here’s a short snippet from Bleacher Report’s scouting report:

Overall, Slater is a stoutly built, loose, fluid mover who plays with good leverage, delivers pop on contact and can line up targets on the move on pulls, climbs and screens. With a move to center full-time Slater could carve out a backup role with spot starter potential inside a zone-based run scheme.

Here’s a look at some of his Senior Bowl reps:

What does Slater feel about which position best suits him? Let’s get to the interview!

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1) We saw reports that the Seahawks asked for a second interview with you. Is that information true?

Slater: Yes, they were the only team to request a second interview.

2) What did you think of the experience of participating in the Senior Bowl?

Slater: Overall, it was a great opportunity and experience. I think I accomplished everything I wanted this week and that is especially important for players from small schools like myself.

3) Being a non-FBS player, there are always questions about the level of competition. The Senior Bowl helps answer some of those questions. Do you believe you achieved positive results in the Senior Bowl week?

Slater: Yeah, I think I’ve proven not only to teams and evaluators around the league, but also to myself, that I belong and have a future in the NFL.

4) You have a lot of experience as an OG and have had a few games as an OT. At the Senior Bowl we saw some snaps as a center. Where do you project yourself to play in the NFL and where do you feel most comfortable?

Slater: I think center will be my best position going forward, a mix of desirable measurements and football IQ, I think it’s a place I’ll thrive.

5) If you had to write a scouting report for yourself, what would you list as your biggest strengths and what are you working to improve?

Slater: I think consistency, communication skills, athleticism, second-level blocking are all positive attributes based on my film. I think I can work on my hand placement and angles when I’m in space, I think those are traits I didn’t necessarily need to refine at the FCS level, but I’ll need to work on those for the NFL.

6) What are your expectations for the next steps leading up to the Draft?

Slater: The NFL Combine is next for me, and I hope to test well there. I’ve always been a very solid tester, and I think it will be another opportunity to build my stock.

7) Are there any players in NFL that you look up to?

Slater: Yeah, I tend to lean toward guys from smaller schools, so Quinn Meinerz, Mason McCormick, Colby Sorsdal are guys that came from smaller schools and had success early in their careers. I look up to them.

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Thanks to Slater for this interview, and we’ll keep an eye on whether the Seahawks’ interest in him extends beyond just Senior Bowl meetings!