Going Virtual, Seahawks Add 9 Players in Live Stream Mock Draft
Despite actual sporting events being postponed indefinitely by COVID-19, the NFL will move forward with the 2020 draft as scheduled on April 23-25.
While some things will remain the same, such as teams exchanging trade ideas over the phone, very little will resemble a typical draft. The league will be orchestrating the festivities in a virtual format, with coaches, general managers, and scouts working remotely from their homes.
To simulate how this process may play out later this month, I took to X-Split Broadcaster to conduct a live streamed seven-round Seahawks mock draft. To listen to the draft in its entirety, watch here.
Round 2, Pick No. 39 - Josh Jones, T, Houston
After trading out of the first round with the Dolphins in exchange for a second, third, and fourth round selection, the Seahawks land their future starting left tackle in Jones, who looks to be just scratching the surface of his potential. A former high school basketball player, he plays with light feet in pass protection and continues to develop a mean streak as a run blocker, which could allow him to start his NFL career on the right side before eventually replacing Duane Brown.
Round 2, Pick No. 56 - Ross Blacklock, DT, TCU
Round 2, Pick No. 64 - Bradlee Anae, DE, Utah
Doubling up on the defensive line late in the second round, Blacklock provides another athletic, high-upside pass rusher to pair with Jarran Reed and Poona Ford, transforming the interior defensive line into an area of strength. Though his lack of arm length and pedestrian athletic testing at the combine hurt his stock a bit, the technically-sound Anae put up monster numbers for the Utes and should immediately compete for playing time at either defensive end spot.
Round 3, Pick No. 70 - Tyler Biadasz, C, Wisconsin
Though Justin Britt and Joey Hunt remain on the roster and recently-signed veteran B.J. Finney also has starting experience at center, the Seahawks can't pass up on the opportunity to select a future starter in Biadasz. Along with being a vicious run blocker who helped Jonathan Taylor rush for 6,000 yards over the last three years, the well-rounded lineman only gave up two sacks in nearly 400 pass plays per Pro Football Focus.
Round 4, Pick No. 101 - Jonathan Greenard, EDGE, Florida
While he didn't impress with his testing at the combine in February, don't let Greenard's lackluster 40-yard dash time fool you. He plays far more explosive on the field, exhibiting excellent burst off the line of scrimmage and the ability to bend around the corner against SEC-caliber tackles. He's a work in progress as a run defender, but after producing 10.0 sacks as a senior, he's an intriguing fit at the LEO spot for Seattle.
Round 4, Pick No. 133 - Zack Moss, RB, Utah
Blending physicality with underrated elusiveness, Moss has been one of the nation's most productive runners over the past three seasons, producing over 3,500 rushing yards and 36 touchdowns during that span. Durability concerns and lack of elite speed could cause him to tumble into day three, but he's a natural replacement option for Chris Carson, who could depart as a free agent after the 2020 season.
Round 4, Pick No. 141 - Leki Fotu, DT, Utah
For the third time in three rounds, a former Ute winds up in Seattle, as the team finds a long-term solution at the nose tackle position in the 330-pound Fotu. Though he won't contribute much as a pass rusher, the former rugby star can be difficult to move off the line of scrimmage and offers surprising quickness to split gaps for a player of his size, which allowed him to rack up 14 tackles for loss over his final two seasons.
Round 4, Pick No. 144 - John Hightower, WR, Boise State
After choosing to skip over several talented receivers during the early rounds while addressing other needs, the Seahawks land a potential mid-round sleeper in Hightower. Possessing 4.43 40-yard dash speed and unexpected explosiveness, he could develop into another viable deep threat at Russell Wilson's disposal, has after-the-catch capability, and can return kicks on special teams.
Round 6, Pick No. 214 - Tanner Muse, S, Clemson
At this stage of the draft, the Seahawks are simply looking for players who possess the traits they're looking for and Muse offers the size, physicality, and athleticism to eventually become a starting strong safety in the league. Built like a linebacker at 6-foot-1, 227 pounds, the former Tigers star ran a sub-4.45 40-yard dash at the combine and has surprising ball skills to go with his hard-hitting mentality.
