Charles Cross, Seattle Seahawks.
After all the hope, hype, and speculation, the 2022 NFL Draft is in the books. The Seattle Seahawks selected nine players over seven rounds; some of the picks were hits; others were misses. We look at their newest players and grade the performance of General Manager John Schneider.
There were three tackles in this draft class who were a cut above the rest. Depending on who was evaluating them, Ikem Ekwonu, Evan Neal, and Charles Cross could have gone in any order. The Seattle Seahawks got Cross.
Cross is a great pass blocker with long arms and solid technique. He has some work to do as a run blocker, but with his talent and coachability, it shouldn’t be a problem.
His selection is the first step in revitalizing Seattle’s offensive line. Look for Cross to anchor the offensive line and be the next quarterback’s blindside protector for the next decade.
It would have been better if the Seattle Seahawks drafted:
Nobody, great pick.
Things went so well for the Seattle Seahawks on Day 1, and then they pulled this set of clunkers. Let me be clear; I really like Boye Mafe as a football player. Just not for the Seahawks and especially not with this valuable pick.
It’s not fair to say Mafe is raw because he isn’t. A better description would be that he lacks the finishing touches the players selected above him have. He’s an athletic freak, which shows up on film. His size, speed, athletic ability, and explosiveness are right there with the top of this draft class.
Unless the Seahawks coaches and scouts know something no one else knows about Mafe’s ability to play three downs, he’s a situational pass rusher that plays the same position as Darrell Taylor. Despite their issues getting to the quarterback, there were bigger holes to fill. If the Seahawks were going to draft a linebacker, better choices were available.
It doesn’t matter if there are questions about Chris Carson‘s fitness to continue as an NFL player. In this day and age, it’s a mistake to draft a running back this high in the draft. It’s a lesson Schneider and Head Coach Pete Carroll should know after taking Rashaad Penny in the first round a few years ago.
Also, while Kenneth Walker might be the top pure running back in this draft, he isn’t what they need. His all-around skill set and production won’t be much better than Dameon Pierce, Isaiah Spiller, or Zamir White, who were all drafted in the fourth round.
It would have been better if the Seattle Seahawks drafted:
How the Seattle Seahawks on cornerback Andrew Booth Jr. (twice) when they are so desperate for cornerback talent is unfathomable. If a pass rusher is what they wanted, then David Ojabo was their man. Once he fully heals from his Achillies injury, Ojabo will be a Pro Bowler.
I went back and forth between Abraham Lucas and Bernhard Raimann in the month leading up to the draft. Either one was a good choice.
Lucas has a steady all-around game. He did a great job at WSU protecting the passer, especially in offensive systems that didn’t use a tight end to help double edge rushers. He’s strong and aggressive enough to make defensive linemen cautious but knows himself well enough to play within his own abilities. Now that Lucas is on Carroll’s team, he’ll have to brush up on his run blocking.
It would have been better if the Seattle Seahawks drafted:
Nobody. Great pick.
Cincinnati’s other cornerback, Coby Bryant, is headed to the Emerald City. With the exception of one corner, I thought Bryant was on par with the best of the rest when it comes to the physical aspects of the position. What elevates Bryant is his outstanding football IQ and leadership.
Bryant’s ceiling is an average NFL starter. His floor is special teams captain. He might not be “Sauce” (not many are), but Bryant will eventually be a serviceable cornerback.
It would have been better if the Seattle Seahawks drafted:
Considering I thought they should have drafted Booth in the second round, this pick didn’t make me happy. But Seattle needed a corner. Still, I really liked LSU linebacker, Damone Clark. Additionally, this would have been a good time to take a flier on quarterback Sam Howell.
Seattle sent pick 145 to Kansas City for picks 158 and 233. Nice job.
It was a huge surprise that Tariq Woolen lasted this long. Tariq Woolen is the cornerback I had ahead of Bryant. Blessed with great size, 6-4. 205-pounds, 33.75” arms, and blazing 4.26 speed, He’s just now excelling at the position.
Woolen has the building blocks of a shutdown corner. What’s holding him back is his lack of experience. Until two years ago, Woolen was a wide receiver. His instincts are good, which should help with his transition at the next level.
Are you kidding me? We already covered this. Besides, if the Seattle Seahawks already drafted an edge player, why would they do it again in the same draft? No offense to Tyreke Smith, but this was a wasted draft pick. At the least, trade down again.
It would have been better if the Seattle Seahawks drafted:
I thought they should have drafted Woolen in the fourth round. So picking up the UTSA speedster in the fifth is a bit of redemption.
For the other pick, almost any other position would have worked better. Clark was still available at 158 (he went 176th), but an interior defensive lineman such as Matthew Butler or Otito Ogbonnia would have been a better choice. Cade Mays played every position on the o-line at Tennessee. He’s the type of player the Seahawks need for depth.
I admit that I’m a closet Rutgers fan, and I’ve seen Bo Melton play several times over the last three seasons. The receiver played for three head coaches and played with five different starting quarterbacks during his time with the Scarlet Knights. He’ll be a bigger asset on special teams and returning kicks.
Why make this pick? Dareke Young projects as an average possession receiver who can block.
It would have been better if the Seattle Seahawks drafted:
I’ve got no problem with Melton. There were several players on my board that would have helped the Seahawks both now and in the future. At the top were, guard Marquis Hayes, quarterback Carson Strong, and center Dhonovan West.
It was a pretty good draft for the Seattle Seahawks. They filled their biggest need on offense, picking up a pair of bookend tackles. Seattle also addressed their big defensive hole, which is cornerback, but waited 60 picks too long, which will cost them in the long run.
Along with the good, Schneider made some horrible picks. He picked players at positions where the Seahawks had some talent and were set. By doing so, he wasted several opportunities to improve the team.
And for those 12s wondering about Baker Mayfield, he’s still in play.
How would you grade the Seattle Seahawks 2022 draft class? Let us know in the comments section below.