Riq Woolen Bio
Riq Woolen is an American professional football cornerback for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the UTSA Roadrunners and was selected by the Seahawks in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL draft. Woolen made the Pro Bowl as a rookie in 2022 and tied for the league lead in interceptions that season.
Early Life and Background
Tariq “Riq” Woolen was born on May 2, 1999, in Fort Worth, Texas. He grew up in Fort Worth and attended Arlington Heights High School, where he developed as a multi-sport athlete. Standing 6 feet 4 inches tall, Woolen drew attention for his rare combination of size and speed that would later define his professional profile.
Woolen was rated a three-star recruit coming out of high school. He received college football scholarship offers from North Texas, Houston, and Texas State before committing to play at the University of Texas at San Antonio. His decision to join the UTSA Roadrunners set him on a path toward a college career that would eventually lead to the NFL.
Path to American Football
At UTSA, Woolen redshirted his freshman season and initially played wide receiver. As a redshirt freshman, he caught 15 passes for 158 yards and one touchdown, showing the athletic traits that made him a unique prospect. During his redshirt sophomore season, he started the first three games at receiver before the UTSA coaching staff moved him to the cornerback position.
The position change unlocked Woolen’s potential on the defensive side of the ball. He became a full-time starter during his redshirt junior year, finishing with 35 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, four passes broken up, and one interception. As a redshirt senior, he recorded 25 tackles, five passes broken up, and one interception before being invited to the 2022 Senior Bowl, which served as the springboard to his professional career.
Riq Woolen Career
Early Career (2022)
Woolen entered the 2022 NFL Combine as one of the most intriguing athletic prospects in the draft. He ran a 4.26-second 40-yard dash, tying for the third-best time in Combine history and setting the fastest mark for any player over six feet tall. Despite his elite testing numbers, draft analysts ranked him as the eighth to thirteenth best cornerback available, and he was projected as a second or third round pick.
The Seattle Seahawks selected Woolen in the fifth round, 153rd overall, of the 2022 NFL draft. He was the 21st cornerback taken and the second cornerback drafted by Seattle, following fourth-round pick Coby Bryant. On May 6, 2022, the Seahawks signed him to a four-year, $3.99 million rookie contract that included a signing bonus of $332,216.
NFL Breakthrough (2022)
Woolen won a starting cornerback job out of training camp and was paired with Mike Jackson after Seattle traded Sidney Jones. He made his regular season debut on September 12, 2022, against the Denver Broncos, and quickly established himself as a playmaker. In Week 3 against the Atlanta Falcons, he recorded his first career interception off a pass by Marcus Mariota. One week later, he returned an interception 40 yards for his first career touchdown against the Detroit Lions.
Woolen intercepted a pass in four consecutive games, becoming the only rookie in the previous ten years to accomplish that feat. He was named National Football Conference Defensive Player of the Week for Week 6 after a strong performance against the Arizona Cardinals. Starting all 17 games as a rookie, he finished with 63 combined tackles, 16 pass deflections, and six interceptions, tying for the NFL lead in interceptions. He earned Pro Bowl honors, was named to the Pro Football Writers of America All-Rookie Team, and received an overall grade of 69.1 from Pro Football Focus.
Seattle Seahawks Era (2023-Present)
In 2023, Woolen returned as a starting cornerback under defensive coordinator Clint Hurtt and was paired with rookie first-round pick Devon Witherspoon. He missed one game due to a chest injury and finished the season with 53 combined tackles, two interceptions, 11 passes defended, and two fumble recoveries in 16 starts. Pro Football Focus gave him a coverage grade of 75.0, ranking 27th among qualifying cornerbacks.
Following the departure of head coach Pete Carroll, the Seahawks hired Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald as their new head coach in January 2024. Defensive coordinator Aden Durde retained Woolen and Witherspoon as the starting cornerbacks to begin the Macdonald era. Woolen opened the 2024 season with an interception against the Denver Broncos and later sealed a Week 17 victory at the Chicago Bears with a late interception of Caleb Williams. He finished 2024 with 46 combined tackles, 14 pass deflections, and three interceptions in 14 starts.
Driving Style and Strengths
Woolen’s defining trait is his rare blend of size and straight-line speed for the cornerback position. His 4.26-second 40-yard dash allows him to stay with deep routes and contest catches against larger receivers. Pro Football Focus coverage grades of 74.1 in 2022 and 75.0 in 2023 reflect his effectiveness in man and zone assignments when healthy.
Notable Events and Milestones
Woolen’s rookie season included a Pro Bowl selection, an interception title tie, and a historic four-game interception streak. He returned an interception 40 yards for his first career touchdown against the Lions and recorded a game-sealing pick against the Bears in 2024. He also started in the Seahawks’ 2022 NFC Wild Card loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
Riq Woolen Career Wins
Riq Woolen’s professional win total continues to grow as a starting cornerback for the Seattle Seahawks. His most notable individual achievements came during his 2022 rookie campaign, when he tied for the NFL lead in interceptions and earned a Pro Bowl nod. He has remained a full-time starter through the 2024 season under two different head coaches.
NFL Highlights
Woolen has recorded 11 career interceptions across his first three NFL seasons, including six in 2022, two in 2023, and three in 2024. His first interception came against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 3 of his rookie year, and his most recent pick sealed a Week 17 win at Chicago in 2024. He has been named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team and earned NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors.
Other Wins and Performances
Before the NFL, Woolen was a multi-year starter at UTSA and played in the 2022 Senior Bowl. He posted a 4.26-second 40-yard dash at the 2022 NFL Combine, tying for the third-fastest time in event history. He was the only rookie over the previous ten years to record an interception in four consecutive games.
Riq Woolen Family
Family Background and Football Lineage
Riq Woolen grew up in Fort Worth, Texas, and attended Arlington Heights High School, where he starred as a multi-sport athlete before joining the UTSA Roadrunners. His early athletic foundation in Fort Worth helped shape the size and speed profile that later made him an NFL prospect.
Personal Life
Woolen was born Tariq Woolen on May 2, 1999, in Fort Worth, Texas, and goes by the nickname Riq. He signed a four-year rookie contract with the Seattle Seahawks in May 2022 and has remained with the organization through the 2024 season.
2025 Season Outlook
Woolen enters the 2025 season as one of the Seattle Seahawks’ starting cornerbacks alongside Devon Witherspoon. The continued development of head coach Mike Macdonald’s defense should provide Woolen with opportunities to build on his three-interception 2024 campaign. His combination of size and speed remains a central part of Seattle’s secondary plan.
Healthy and coming off a strong finish to 2024, Woolen is positioned to remain a turnover-producing playmaker for the Seahawks. His coverage grades from Pro Football Focus have stayed consistently above league average throughout his career. If he stays available, he is on track to remain a foundational piece of Seattle’s defensive backfield.