Seattle Seahawks NFL Draft.
Now through the NFL draft on April 28, Pacific Northwest Sports will compile data from mock drafts across the internet. Our readers won’t have to search all over the web to find out who the Seattle Seahawks will select.
These compilation mocks run semi-monthly to take advantage of trends, prospect news, and team needs. Our sources may change from edition to edition, but they are reliable. We used 44 different mock drafts that went as far as the second round for this issue. Sources include ESPN, Pro Football Focus, CBS Sports, NFLcom, Walter Football, The Athletic, and more.
As a result of trading quarterback Russell Wilson to Denver, the Seattle Seahawks pick early in Round 1 with pick number nine. Seattle is back on the clock for Day 2 when they make the 40th and 41st overall selection in the second round and 72nd in Round 3.
Last year they took receiver Dee Eskridge 56th overall in the second round. When he wasn’t out with an injury, Eskridge showed flashes of a bright future.
In 2020, General Manager John Schneider traded away the team’s first round pick to the New York Jets as part of the package to acquire safety Jamal Adams. When healthy, Adams was well worth it.
Another part of that trade brings Seattle an extra fourth round pick this year (107th overall). The Seahawks also sent their sixth round pick to Jacksonville for cornerback Sidney Jones.
In all, Seattle has eight picks this year. For the Seahawks to climb back in the NFC West Division title picture, it starts with this draft. Schneider and Head Coach Pete Carroll need to choose wisely.
There are several areas where the Seattle Seahawks need help. Among the most critical positions that need reinforcing are:
The O-line continued to be an issue in 2021. Now both starting tackles, Duane Brown and Brandon Shell are free agents. Additionally, center Ethan Pocic signed with Cleveland.
Seattle went from Shaquill Griffin and Quinton Dunbar in 2020 to DJ Reed and a revolving door opposite him. Now Reed is a free agent. 2020 fourth-round pick Tre’ Brown played well enough to make Brandon Flowers expendable.
That was until Brown suffered a season-ending injury in Game 10. Sidney Jones took over for him and played well. Still, the position is thin, and no starting spots are guaranteed.
The Seahawks chapter of Russell Wilson’s story is over. For now, Drew Lock is the number one quarterback. Hopefully, that prospect scares Pete Carroll and John Schneider as much as it does the 12s. Unfortunately, this is not a great draft for QB.
It’s hard to believe Bobby Wagner is gone. Even worse, he signed with NFC rival Los Angeles. Jordyn Brooks is now the Seattle Seahawks’ top linebacker. But just as Wagner had KJ Wright, Brooks could use a wingman of his own.
It wasn’t until late in the season that Seattle showed anything close to a consistent pass rush. It wouldn’t be a surprise if they drafted an edge rusher. There could also be a spot open for an interior lineman.
These needs may change after free agency. Fortunately, the draft is deep at several positions Seattle is looking to fill.
Chris Carson signed a big contract last offseason, but he only made it to Week 4 before a neck injury put him on the sidelines for the remainder of 2021. Rashaad Penny came off IR for Game 10 and ended the season with 671 rushing yards in the final five games. Although the Seahawks re-signed, him, Penny’s injury history is concerning.
In between Carson’s opening and Penny’s close, Alex Collins (now a UFA) did a solid job as the Seattle Seahawks’ lead back. Behind the duo are DJ Dallas and Travis Homer.
Let’s see who the mock drafts think the Seahawks will pick this year.
The Seattle Seahawks haven’t picked this early in quite some time.
Out of 44 mock drafts we looked at, 19 believe the Seahawks take an offensive tackle, and 10 went for a quarterback. The rest are on the other side of the ball.
Leading the way among individual players is Mississippi State tackle Charles Cross. He’s the Seattle Seahawks’ choice of 14 mock drafters. It wasn’t much of a competition. Far behind him are quarterback Malik Willis of Liberty and cornerback Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner with 6 selections.
Cross has all the tools to dominate at left tackle. He’s got great size at 6’5”, 307-pounds, 34 1/2” arms, and almost 11” hands. An efficient blocker, Cross uses his core, legs, and upper body 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. 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.
Cross excels in the most important area for a left tackle, pass protection. He has top-notch balance, strength, and enough athleticism to handle anything a pass rusher can throw at him. – Natalie Miller, USA Today Draftwire.
Willis can make almost every throw. Although he’s not a burner on his feet, Willis is a dual-threat, as evidenced by him leading FBS quarterbacks in rushing for 2020. An electrifying player, if the Seahawks select him, Willis could push for the starting job by midseason, if not sooner.
Willis also possesses the most impressive arm in this draft class. Where most people have an arm, the Liberty quarterback has a laser-guided missile launcher, a cannon, insert your own metaphor here. He’s capable of launching the ball downfield with relative ease, routinely making throws that leave you flabbergasted. – Oliver Hodgkinson, Pro Football Network.
The rest of the players mock drafters think Seattle will pick (with the number of choices) are: Devin Lloyd, linebacker, Utah (4); Matt Corral, quarterback, Mississippi (4); Ike Ekwonu, OT, North Carolina State (3); Kayvon Thibodeaux, Edge, Oregon (3); Trevor Penning, OT, Northern Iowa (2); Darryl Stingley Jr., cornerback, LSU; George Karlaftis, edge, Purdue.
We audited 20 mock drafts that went into the second round. Since the Seattle Seahawks go back-to-back here, 40 different suggestions were made.
So much can happen between pick 9 and 40, making it hard to be accurate. Different mock drafters may have great sources, but every team evaluates talent differently.
There is a myriad of variables in play that make graft predictions very difficult. Consequently, it’s no surprise that 22 different players were selected.
Thirteen more mock drafters picked a quarterback in round two. Not only that but two of them led the selections. Cincinnati Bearcats quarterback Desmond Ridder had the most with seven. Corral came up five more times.
Cincinnati was the surprise team of the college football season, and Ridder was their unquestioned leader. 2021 was the culmination of a fantastic run for the two-time All-American Conference Offensive Player of the Year.
In four seasons with him running the offense, Cincinnati went 44-7. He threw for 87 touchdowns and ran for 29 more. What’s concerning is that he completed only 62 percent of his passes. With no offense to the AAC, it’s not a Power-5 Conference.
Out of the three quarterbacks mentioned so far, Corral looks like the best fit for what the Seattle Seahawks want to do on offense. The former Ole Miss signal-caller completed 67.3 percent of his passes for 8,287 yards with 57 touchdowns and only 23 interceptions. He also ran for 1,338 yards and 18 more TDs.
Watching film on him, Corral does some of his best work scrambling out of the pocket and improvising. That sort of sounds familiar to Seahawks fans.
As a passer, Corral is an aggressive trigger man who can rip a defense apart. He has a strong arm and is capable of going vertical to challenge defenses downfield. Corral is able to spin the ball to fire fastballs into tight windows in the short to intermediate part of the field. – Charlie Campbell, Walter Football.
Following the passer duo was Arnold Ebiketie, edge, Penn State, and Kenyon Green, guard, Texas A&M. Dallas is eyeing Green with pick 24, so he may not make it to the Seahawks in Round 2.
Others receiving support in the mocks are Cameron Thomas, Edge, San Diego State (2); Kyler Gordon, CB, Washington (2); Quay Walker, linebacker, Georgia; Tyler Smith, OT, Tulsa (2); Bernhard Raimann – OT Central Michigan; Charles Muma, linebacker, Wyoming; Daniel Faalele, OT, Minnesota; David Ojobo, edge, Michigan, DeMarvin Leal, DT Texas A&M; Ed Ingram, guard, LSU, Kaiir Elam, CB, Florida; Leo Chenal, linebacker, Wisconsin; Lewis Cine, safety, Georgia; Logan Hall, DT, Houston; Martin Emerson, cornerback, Mississippi State; Nakobe Dean, linebacker, Georgia; Sam Howell, quarterback; North Carolina; and Skyy Moore, wide receiver, Western Michigan.
It was difficult to find mock drafts that went through two rounds. At this stage in the process, finding mocks that go further is a chore. Fortunately, our research department found 12 mock drafts that go through at least the third round.
Seattle didn’t have a third last year, but it looks like they found a keeper in Round 4 with Tre’ Brown. This year the Seahawks have another second-day pick at 72. They can add someone who will help the team this year and develop into a starter not too far down the road.
Believe it or not, one player showed up on 25 percent of the third round mock drafts, Houston defensive tackle Logan Hall. Two other players, cornerback Martin Emerson from Mississippi State and South Carolina edge rusher Kingsley Engabare received two votes each.
Hall is a positional “tweener” in the NFL. Where he plays depends on the alignment he’s in. A classic 3-4 defensive end, Hall does his best work lined up between the guard and tackle.
If his new team uses a 4-3, he must move inside, which doesn’t play to his strengths. The Seahawks play a hybrid of the two, so seeing how Seattle uses him would be interesting.
A local player popped up in this round, offensive tackle Abe Lucas from Washington State. Lucas did a great job at WSU protecting the passer, especially without a tight end to help. After his positive performance at the combine, it’s unlikely the 6’7”, 315-pound Lucas is still available.
Other players the mock drafts had Seattle selecting in Round 3: Phidarian Mathis DL, Alabama; Amare Barno, edge, Virginia Tech; Calvin Austin III, wide receiver, Memphis; James Cook, running back, Georgia.
What do you think? Let us know in the comments section below or on social media.