Seahawks Draft 04
There are just a few weeks left until the NFL draft. What would a good draft for the Seattle Seahawks look like? A great one? Maybe it all turns sour, and they miss out on their targets. What does that look like, as well?
Sometimes everything goes your way.
I hate the idea of banking on players to fall, but if it all breaks the Seattle Seahawks way, that happens.
Alabama’s Evan Neal is the best tackle in the draft. In my opinion, he has all the tools to wear a gold jacket once his career ends 15 years from now. Others don’t see it the same way. They like Ikem Ekwonu (North Carolina State) and Charles Cross (Mississippi State) better. Great, the Seahawks will be happy to scoop up Neal.
A cornerstone tackle is what they need and likely pick. But Schneider and Carroll might like the tackles they could get on Day 2, so CB Ahmad Gardner (Cincinnati) and DE Kayvon Thibodeaux (Oregon) work nicely as well.
Ideally, the Seahawks trade back two or three spaces, add a second or third round pick, and still get Cross.
With two picks, relatively early in the second, this is when the Seattle Seahawks can take advantage of fallers. Obviously, they would love it if one of the top corners, such as Kaair Elam, Andrew Booth, or Trent McDuffie, fell to number 40. But even in the best of circumstances, that’s unlikely.
We’ll get back to a corner momentarily. The player Carroll and Schneider would do somersaults over, if he’s available, is Utah linebacker Devin Lloyd. Looking at what Lloyd did in college, he seems like the kind of player who could step right in for Bobby Wagner.
Another highly regarded player who could drop to the Seahawks is guard Kenyon Green. He also has All-Pro potential. If Seattle selected Green, they’d have to move Damien Lewis to center.
At pick 72, it’s back to cornerback. There is a decent chance Seattle can land a local product, Kyler Gordon, from Everett and the Washington Huskies. It might take a year for him to adjust to NFL receivers, but by his sophomore season, Gordon could turn into the shutdown corner they so desperately need.
While on the subject of players from Everett, they’d also love it if Washington State Cougars left tackle Abraham Lucas was available this far down in the draft. Like Gordon, he’s a year away from being a franchise building block.
This is a very deep draft class. So deep that a higher than the usual number of undrafted free agents will make NFL rosters this year. That’s why the Seahawks will find players who can help the team on Day 3. As a matter of fact, if the draft goes well for them in the first three rounds, they could take a flyer on a wide receiver in the fourth round.
Either that, or if the Seahawks’ first few picks are Neal/Ekwonu, Elam, Green, and Gordon, Seattle could shore up the other side of the offensive line with huge offensive tackle Daniel Faalele. The Australian is still learning the game. But that can be learned. Coaches can’t teach someone to be 6’8” 390-pounds and have his kind of agility.
Again, lots of talent in this draft for developing future starters. In the later rounds, the Seahawks might again consider taking a skill position player, especially one who can help on special teams. It would be nice if the offense didn’t have to start drives in the shadow of their own endzone so often.
Guard Marquis Hayes from Oklahoma would be a good third-day pickup. He would be someone to groom as Gabe Jackson‘s eventual replacement. Zach Tom from Wake Forest has experience at both center and tackle. The Seahawks need linemen who can fill in at different positions.
We examined what the Seahawks draft looks like in the best of scenarios. But what if the opposite happens?
There is one huge nightmare scenario that could play out. The Seattle Seahawks pick ninth, the first eight players selected are some combination of Aidan Hutchinson, Evan Neal, Kayvon Thibodeaux, Kyle Hamilton, Ikem Ekwonu, Ahmad Gardner, Charles Cross, and Travon Walker. They can still get a high-quality talent, just not one that fills an immediate need or has a value in the top 10.
At that point, the best players on the board are Malik Willis and Jermaine Johnson. Teams will be calling to trade with the Seahawks for Willis. Unfortunately, the most likely candidates are New Orleans at 16 and Pittsburgh at 20. Schneider won’t trade down that far unless he gets multiple number ones, which is unlikely.
For those 12s thinking, wow, we got Willis, they should pump the breaks. First, don’t rule out a Baker Mayfield trade because the Seahawks should be able to get a good deal the closer the draft gets. Also, how much value does Seattle put on Willis? Aside from their due diligence, Seattle hasn’t shown a high level of interest.
That leaves Northern Idaho tackle as the next best option to fill the holes. He’s a first-round quality pick but a step down from Neal, Ekwonu, and Cross. Maybe they take defensive tackle Jordan Davis, but the Seahawks have a nice rotation already on the D-line.
In an “it all goes wrong” scenario, the top cornerbacks are all off the board. So are the next level of offensive tackles, Bernhard Raimann, Trey Smith, and Abe Lucas. For good measure, the best players available are running backs, receivers, and a tight end. Three positions the Seattle Seahawks don’t need.
Do they reach for positions of need such as cornerback Martin Emmerson, edge rushers Drake Jackson or Sam Williams, or tackle Daniel Faalele? Again, they could trade down, but two trade downs might cause Seahawks fans to storm the team’s offices with torches and pitchforks.
Maybe they take a shot on a linebacker to replace Bobby Wagner. That leaves them choosing between Chad Muma and Bradon Smith. Two players with good upsides but also big question marks.
When pick 72 comes around, the Seattle Seahawks will have to get a corner or OT if they don’t have one by now. If they have both, Schneider can look elsewhere. The top options will be receivers and tight ends again. The risk of boosting their strong positions is that it leaves big holes in other areas. Schneider might not have a choice.
If the Seattle Seahawks can’t fill their positions of need in the first two days, they’ll have to do on Day 3. The tackles and cornerbacks available will be projects. Look for trades to happen. Schneider could deal for some veteran placeholders. But this is the deepest draft that will happen for a long time. They won’t be better off with future capital.
There is a bigger issue here. Counting on third-day players to help the team immediately is a long shot at best. It will be a very long season if the draft goes this way.
Neither of the above scenarios is likely to take place all the way through the draft. But one or two of the picks from either could happen. So what does a successful draft look like?
The Seattle Seahawks have to get a franchise tackle. If the long-term goal is to build a steady offense for the long term, it has to start on the offensive line. Neal should be long gone by the time Commissioner Roger Goodell announces the newest member of the team. Ekwonu probably won’t be there either.
That leaves Mississippi State’s Charles Cross. He has all the tools to dominate at left tackle. Starting with his great size at 6’5”, 307-pounds, 34 1/2” arms, and almost 11” hands.
Cross uses his core, legs, and upper body as an efficient blocker to control his man in the run and force him outside in the pass. For a guy without much starting experience, Cross’ handwork is exceptional. He’ll grow into a dependable blindside protector for whoever the Seahawks’ next quarterback is.
Whether it’s chopping away a pass rusher’s hands or delivering sharp thrusts to their upper body, he does an exceptional job. Additionally, his flexibility and quick feet allow him to mirror the edge rusher’s moves in space.
The Seattle Seahawks might like to get Kyler Gordon in the third round, but the reality is he won’t make it through Round 2. If they want him, they better snap him up by pick 41, or there won’t be another chance to land the hometown hero.
For their other pick, the Seahawks can land several good candidates who will help them both immediately and in the future. I’d like to see them take another tackle to bookend the future line. Bernhard Raimann looked good late in the year at the Alamo and Senior Bowls. He’ll start on the right side, but if something happens to Cross, he has enough talent to handle the other side.
Edge rusher David Ojabo would have been a first round pick. He, unfortunately, ruptured his Achillies tendon during Michigan’s pro day. There is a very good chance he’s still there at pick 41.
If the Seahawks sit on him for a year, Ojabo and Darrell Taylor could be a dynamic set of pass rushers, one from each side. That’s an exciting proposition.
One last player to mention in the second round is Texas A&M defensive tackle DeMarvin Leal. As mentioned earlier, the Seahawks have a good group among their interior defensive lineman. Leal is a disrupter inside and could be the difference between a good group and a great group.
Now would be a great opportunity for the Seattle Seahawks to pick up a linebacker if they don’t get Lloyd in the second. Quay Walker (Georgia), Chad Muma (Wyoming), Christian Harris (Alabama), and Leo Chenal (Wisconsin) would all make good additions here.
There are several players and several different positions that can develop into starters this year. Here are some players to watch out for.
Cade Mays, OL – Tennessee
He’s the Swiss Army knife of lineman starting at four different positions for the Vols. Cole Mays‘s competency across the O-line makes him valuable in a utility role to begin his career. But that shouldn’t limit his opportunities to earn a starting spot.
Cam Taylor-Britt, CB – Nebraska
An all-or-nothing competitor at cornerback. Taylor-Britt has the physical tools to play in the NFL and can make highlight-reel plays but is often held back by his inconsistency.
JoJo Domann, LB/S – Nebraska
JoJo Domann is a linebacker who is better at defending the pass than playing a traditional role. He will be good at covering tight ends and running backs, but do they want a situational linebacker like him when they have others who can play the “big nickel” position.
Marcus Jones, CB – Houston
Cornerback Marcus Jones is living proof that big things come in small packages. He makes up for his 5’8” height with blazing speed and athleticism. His ball instincts are top tier, and despite his size, Jones isn’t afraid to make contact.
Jones is also the most explosive kick/punt returner in the draft. Think Devin Hester 2.0.
Alec Lindstrom, C – Boston College
There is an outside chance that Alec Lindstrom will last to the fifth round. Even if he is, Seattle might go with the other players listed. Lindstrom would play behind Austin Blythe at center this season before getting his shot in 2023.
Zachary Carter, DL – Florida
Zachary Carter is a versatile defensive lineman who the Seahawks can line up at any spot on the line. He is adept at causing havoc with a strong push from the middle. If Carter is gone, there are several talented running backs in the draft who will be available when the Seahawks pick in the seventh round. In order of preference, they should select Ty Chandler (North Carolina), Max Borghi (Washington State), CJ Verdell (Oregon), and Isaiah Pacheco (Rutgers).
The Seattle Seahawks draft can go in so many different directions. One thing these scenarios don’t take into consideration is trades. They will happen.
What do you think happens at the draft? Let us know in the comments section below.