Doug Baldwin: Richard Sherman was ‘awful’ when he first switched to cornerback

One of the reasons Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman feels the need to talk so much trash is that he has always been doubted. In the span of about five years, Sherman has gone from promising young wide receiver, to “awful” cornerback, to fifth-round draft back, to NFL dominance. Wait, who said he was an awful cornerback? His own teammate.

Seahawks wide receiver Doug Baldwin played with Sherman at Stanford. After showcasing his talent as a wide receiver during his freshman and sophomore seasons, Sherman injured his knee in 2008 as a junior. The following spring, he transitioned to the cornerback position.

“To be honest, when he first switched over he was awful, he was terrible,” Baldwin said Sunday, via Pro Football Talk. “He couldn’t backpedal, he couldn’t track the ball, and he didn’t really try to quick jam, because he would get lost at the line of scrimmage.”

Baldwin said Sherman received a tremendous amount of help from the Stanford coaches and was able to hone in on his skills. Not surprisingly, Sherman was never discouraged.

“He never in his mind had doubt that he would be one of the greatest, he’s always said that he was going to be one of the greatest whether he was going to be a receiver or a defensive back,” Baldwin said. “I had no doubt in him as well because I know how hard he works.”

Even those who do not appreciate Sherman’s arrogant postgame interviews can understand why he has such a large chip on his shoulder. He became the best cornerback in the NFL by being a film nut and a student of the game. He’s a prime example of hard work paying off in a huge way.