Seattle Seahawks landed a secret weapon after the 2024 NFL Draft and no one seemed to notice

The Seattle Seahawks signed a player after the completion of the 2024 NFL Draft that can be a major X-factor/secret weapon and it seems like no one noticed.

Shortly after the draft wrapped up last Saturday, the Seahawks signed Tennessee Vols returner/defensive back Dee Williams to an undrafted free agent deal.

Williams is a former three-star recruit who played sparingly for the Vols on offense and defense during his two seasons at Tennessee.

The Georgia native totaled just seven career tackles while playing on defense for the Vols and he caught two passes for 10 yards in two seasons.

Not exactly mind-blowing numbers.

Williams likely won't ever play important snaps for the Seahawks on the offensive or defensive sides of the ball. But he still has a chance to be an electric player in Seattle.

That's because Williams is an elite punt/kick returner. And thanks to the NFL's new kickoff rules that go into effect in 2024, returners are much more valuable to franchises than they have been in recent years.

Here's how the new kickoffs will look.

Williams was a major weapon for the Vols over the last two seasons. His ability to flip field position would sometimes completely change an opposing team's approach on punts, often giving Tennessee good field position simply because they didn't want to punt the ball to Williams.

When Williams did get a chance for a return, it was usually electric.

Williams' punt return for a touchdown against Texas A&M last season gave the Vols the lead in the second half (in a game that Tennessee would eventually win). Tennessee's normally explosive offense was shut down by the Aggies, but Williams' return provided the spark the Vols needed to get the win.

Williams had no business scoring on that return, but that's just how good he is. His patience, vision, and ability to hit the right gears when needed make him one of the most dangerous returners in the nation.

Williams didn't have as much success returning kicks for the Vols in 2022/2023, but that's mostly because no one has much success returning kicks at the collegiate level due to the amount of touchbacks/fair catches.

The new kickoff rules in the NFL, however, should allow Williams to be one of the most dangerous return men in the league.

Williams may not provide much outside of his return skills, but his ability to put six points on the board without the offense touching the ball is a weapon that should serve the Seahawks well in the coming years.

Related: Seattle Seahawks first-round pick Byron Murphy II is being disrespected before he's even played a snap