Seattle Seahawks: Rounds 2 and 3 Draft Preview
Andrew Elderbaum
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Day 2 of the NFL Draft is Friday night. Look for the Seattle Seahawks to pick up a few players to work in the trenches.
Day 1 of the NFL draft is in the books, and many 12’s are not sure how to feel about the Seattle Seahawks choices of cornerback Devon Witherspoon (5th overall) and wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njiba (20th). It’s my job not to look back in anger but to look forward to tonight’s picks and try and guess where Seattle will go next.
The Seattle Seahawks have three picks on Friday. In Round 2, it’s 37 (thanks Denver) and 53. They pick again in Round 3 at 83.
Defensive Line
Most of the wailing and gnashing of teeth from Seattle Seahawks fans is due to passing on the defensive line or edge prospects. So we’ll start there. There are plenty of quality prospects available, but how many fit in Seattle’s scheme?
Keeanu Benton from Wisconsin might be available at 37. He’s a similar player to Jarran Reed. Huge frame and clogs the middle to shut down the run. He also has some burst and can collapse the pocket. At 6′ 4″ and over three hundred pounds, Benton would be a monster in the middle.
There’s also Keion White (Georgia Tech). White is a defensive end who fits Seattle’s scheme. He can slide inside and generate pressure or stay outside and set the edge against the run, a la Michael Bennett. White is not as slippery as you’d like an edge rusher to be but can overpower linemen and get to the quarterback.
The other edge option (and my favorite) is LSU’s BJ Ojulari. More in the LEO mold than a lineman, Ojulari could really juice the Seattle Seahawks pass rush.
He’s explosive, fast to the passer, and a more finished product than the previous two options. Ojulari already plays with excellent technique and has demonstrated the ability to stop the run or drop into coverage in addition to rushing the passer. While not as freakishly athletic as Nolan Smith, Ojulari might be the more complete player.