Baraka Atkins
proCanes

Baraka Atkins: A Seahawk and a soccer fan

Dec/30/08 10:10 PM
BarakaAtkins
That's Atkins in action, photo courtesy of the Seahawks. I got a few minutes with him toward the end of the season and he told me about his affinity for soccer.

Atkins, a second-year pro from Sarasota, Fla., said that soccer was the first organized sport he ever played, even before football.

"I had the biggest foot on the team, so my nickname was 'Little Foot,'" Atkins said. "I just grew a love for that game, too, early on, and I played all the way up to high school."

Even in high school, Atkins attended games and worked the game clock at times. He was a certified youth soccer official, too.

"It's an incredible game. It's amazing how they play and they're very athletic as well," Atkins said of soccer players. He was among a group of Seahawks who attended the Brazil-Canada friendly earlier this year at Qwest Field and also watched Brazil practice.

Atkins played all over the field as a soccer player. Because he was big and could run well and had a nice leg, he played halfback and ran everywhere.

If he wasn't lined up in the box to head in corner kicks, Atkins was the one doing the corner kick.

"I had a nice little curve from out of the corner," he said.

Atkins was always the biggest kid on his youth teams and eventually outgrew the sport. He's now listed at 6-foot-4, 271 pounds. And it's a fairly lean 271.

Soccer helped Atkins with his agility for other sports. He said he plans to attend Sounders FC games when the season begins.

(seattletimes.com)

Baraka Plays Extensievely Against Patriots

Dec/08/08 11:14 PM
BarakaAtkins
Baraka Atkins was already heating up: Atkins pulled his best impression of a shorter, rounder Patrick Kerney by getting to Matt Cassel twice yesterday. He recorded two penetrations in the first and looked consistently disruptive. I hope Lawrence Jackson understands when he doesn't start next week.


(seahawkaddicts.com)

Baraka Atkins To Enter DLine Rotation

Oct/30/08 12:58 AM
BarakaAtkins
It looks like Pat Kerney will miss Sunday's game. He is officially being labeled as doubtful by coach Holmgren. His shoulder, which was surgically repaired in the offseason, is very sore after re-injuring it in the San Francisco game. Holmgren said in his press conference that Baraka Atkins would move into the rotation to replace Kerney.

The Seahawks are obviously going to miss the effort that Kerney brings to the field every week. However, defensive end is a position the team is somewhat deep at. Kerney's talent is replaceable, but his effort is rarely matched. Jackson and Tapp will be the main players at defensive end in the upcoming game. Both have a lot to prove, as does Atkins, who will be active for just the second time this season.

(seahawksaddicts.com)

Baraka Looking Good

Aug/10/08 10:56 AM
BarakaAtkins
Baraka Atkins is showing that he’s comfortable at defensive end, looking strong at the point of attack.



(thenewstribune.com)


Atkins injured

Aug/06/08 10:04 PM
BarakaAtkins
Danny O'Neil, of The Seattle Times, reports Seattle Seahawks DL Baraka Atkins (undisclosed) appeared to be injured in goal-line drills. Atkins was slow to get up and was being looked at by team trainers.



(kffl.com)

Baraka Switches Numbers

Jul/23/08 06:32 PM
BarakaAtkins
When the Seahawks take to the practice field Friday morning, Pro Bowl linebacker Julian Peterson will be wearing No. 98 – the same number he wore for the first six seasons of his NFL career while playing with the San Francisco 49ers.

Peterson has worn No. 59 the past two seasons with the Seahawks because former defensive end Grant Wistrom had the preferred 98 when Peterson was signed as a free agent in 2006. Wistrom is gone, so No. 98 is back where Peterson feels it belongs.

And what of Baraka Atkins, the defensive end who wore No. 98 last year during his rookie season? He's now No. 59. No word yet on whether Peterson provided any, well, incentive for the digital do-over.

(seattlepi.com)

Baraka Atkins Having a Good Mini Camp

Jun/10/08 02:13 PM
BarakaAtkins
PLAYER OF THE DAY: Baraka Atkins

On back-to-back plays, the second-year defensive end stood up tackle Sean Locklear and beat tackle Will Robinson to stuff one running play and blow up another.

Atkins' efforts were timely, seeing as how the line for the rotation at D-end now includes first-round draft choice Lawrence Jackson as well as incumbent starters Patrick Kerney and Darryl Tapp.

The plays also were significant because after selecting Jackson, defensive coordinator John Marshall admitted that Atkins might be more of a project than anticipated when he was selected in the fourth round of the 2007 draft.