Pre-Combine 2022 Seahawks Seven-Round Mock Draft

Players will soon be running 40s, repping out 225 pounds on the bench press, and partaking in critical interviews with teams in Indianapolis. On the eve of the combine, reporter Corbin Smith address several significant needs for Seattle in his latest mock draft offering.

With the offseason officially in full swing, the Seahawks and all 31 other teams will have coaches, scouts, and executives descending upon Indianapolis from March 1 through March 7 for the annual NFL Scouting Combine. While it remains to be seen how many players will attend, 324 draft hopefuls received invitations to participate in testing and interviews.

Heading towards April's draft, Seattle once again does not have a first-round pick thanks to the blockbuster trade to acquire safety Jamal Adams from the New York Jets two years ago. However, general manager John Schneider does have six total picks at his disposal, including three in the first four rounds, after making only three selections in last year's draft. This should provide additional flexibility for the master tradesman to move down and recoup picks if he desires.

Keeping that in mind, with two months until the festivities kick off in Las Vegas and the league's biggest prospect showcase coming up next week in Indy, I took on Schneider's role as general manager for my second mock draft of the offseason with adding picks as a top priority. While I made only one trade, it turned out to be a game changer, as I slid down one spot and dealt away a fifth-round pick to Washington in exchange for a second, fourth, sixth, and seventh round pick.

Desperate for a quarterback, the Commanders used pick No. 41 overall to select Cincinnati signal caller Desmond Ridder. Meanwhile, the Seahawks added a pair of picks while only moving down one spot to increase their haul to eight new players.

Who did I wind up selecting? Here's my latest crack at a Seattle-centric 2022 mock draft courtesy of the Draft Network mock simulator:

Round 2, Pick No. 42 - Logan Hall, DE, Houston*

*Acquired from Washington

A bit of a late bloomer, Hall didn't register a single sack in his first two seasons on campus at Houston and a COVID-impacted schedule in 2020 featured only eight games, preventing him from breaking out as a junior. But out of the shadow of Saints first-round pick Payton Turner, he finally emerged as one of the AAC's best, most versatile defensive linemen as a senior, setting career-highs with 47 tackles, 6.0 sacks, and 13 tackles for loss while earning First-Team All-AAC recognition. Further bolstering his stock, he turned in a stellar week in Mobile at the Senior Bowl, vaulting himself into day two consideration.

While Hall's lack of overall college production may cause some teams to pause before drafting him that early, his rare mix of size and athleticism will lure them back in. At 6-foot-6, 275 pounds, he stands out like a sore thumb among his peers when he takes the field and reportedly can bench 375 pounds and clean 365 pounds. This power can be seen when he knocks blockers back on their feet with violent bull rushes. He also has an explosive first step and possesses elite lateral quickness coupled with refined hand technique best-used on filthy swim moves that leaves blockers lunging for air. Considering his frame and athletic profile, he projects as an ideal base defensive end in Seattle's scheme who could fill the playmaking role Michael Bennett once wreaked havoc in moving up and down the line.

Round 3, Pick No. 72 - Rasheed Walker, T, Penn State

With Duane Brown heading towards free agency and not getting any younger on the left side and Brandon Shell also set to hit the market on the right side, the Seahawks have short and long-term questions to address at both tackle positions. A three-year starter in Happy Valley playing for one of college football's blue bloods, Walker stands out as a late day two, early day three candidate with plus-athleticism and quality size (6-foot-6, 312 pounds) who could potentially fill either role as early as next season.

Displaying light feet in pass protection, Walker mirrors rushers well and changes direction exceptionally for a player of his size, allowing him to hold up well against speed rushes as well as twists and stunts. While he can get himself into trouble lunging while trying to land his punch into opposing defenders and leaves himself susceptible to inside counters at times, he generally exhibits good hand technique and sets a firm anchor against bull rushes. In the run game, he doesn't consistently knock defenders off the football, but he excels at redirecting and sealing defenders through body position and understands how to finish blocks, which should bode well for him in a zone-heavy scheme. He'd likely start his career battling Jake Curhan for the starting right tackle job with the potential to be Brown's eventual successor protecting Russell Wilson's blind side.

Round 4, Pick No. 107 - Quay Walker, LB, Georgia

The Seahawks have a rising star in Jordyn Brooks who should lead the middle of their defense for years to come and future Hall of Famer Bobby Wagner remains on the roster. But eventually, the franchise will have to find a successor for No. 54 and it's better to address future needs one year early than wait a year too long. Enter in Walker, an instinctive, reliable linebacker who finally earned a chance to play significant snaps as a senior for a loaded Georgia program and contributed 65 tackles and 1.5 sacks for the eventual National Champions.

Previously a four-star recruit, Walker had to wait his turn to become a starter behind several future NFL defenders and his lack of playing time impacted his development from a processing standpoint. But at 6-foot-4, 240 pounds, he's a gifted athlete with preferred size and length to play as on off-ball linebacker in the league who knows how to sniff out run plays and rarely misses tackles. His size and athletic specs could also make him a candidate to play an outside linebacker role in Seattle, at least early in his career while Wagner still patrols the middle alongside Brooks. Eventually, granted more time to harness his craft in coverage, he could take over as the new WILL with Brooks sliding to MIKE.

Round 4, Pick No. 111 - Dohnovan West, C, Arizona State*

*Acquired from Washington

Last spring, the Seahawks missed out on a chance to secure their center of the future by passing on Oklahoma standout Creed Humphrey, instead selecting receiver Dee Eskridge and opting to stay with status quo with Ethan Pocic and Kyle Fuller battling for the starting job. Remaining in pursuit of a long-term starter at the position, West could intrigue as an early day-three option best projected to succeed in a zone-centric offensive scheme at the next level.

Injuries and COVID postponements limited West to just four games each of his final two seasons with the Sun Devils, but when he has been on the field, he's looked the part of a potential starter in the league. Though he won't bully defenders at the line of scrimmage with his 300-pound frame and doesn't play with as violent of hands as other center prospects in this class, he plays with excellent leverage, has desired lateral quickness and mobility skills for inside/outside zone runs, and exhibits quality body control at the line of scrimmage and second level. At worst, he would provide a step up in competition for Pocic or another veteran right away and has the skill set to vie for snaps as a rookie.

Round 4, Pick No. 114 - Jake Ferguson, TE, Wisconsin

The Seahawks may look into re-signing Gerald Everett and Will Dissly, who will each become unrestricted free agents next month. But in the event they lose one or both players to another team and decide to turn to the draft for a replacement, Ferguson presents a well-rounded day three option who starred as a First-Team All-Big Ten selection in Wisconsin's pro-style offense and also produced three receptions for 62 yards and a touchdown in the Senior Bowl.

Despite playing in an offense built around the run game, Ferguson caught at least 30 passes in each of his four seasons in Madison. Built with a prototypical 6-foot-5, 250-pound frame, he's a surprisingly adept route runner capable of winning both in the intermediate and vertical passing game. He has as good of hands as any tight end in this draft class and his ability to pluck the ball out of the air was evidenced multiple times in Mobile. He also brings his hard hat as a run blocker and helped the likes of current Colts star Jonathan Taylor and freshman phenom Braelon Allen rattle off multiple 1,000-yard rushing seasons. In coordinator Shane Waldron's offense, he could be a fun addition teaming up with Everett/Dissly and Colby Parkinson in 12 personnel packages.

Round 6, Pick No. 187 - Isaac Taylor-Stuart, CB, USC*

*Acquired from Washington

Along with re-signing safety Quandre Diggs, the Seahawks hope to retain the rest of their secondary by bringing back cornerbacks D.J. Reed and Sidney Jones. But even if that happens, that won't prevent Schneider from dipping into a deep cornerback class looking for young talent to groom. In the latter stages of day three, a raw talent such as Taylor-Stuart checks off a number of boxes that make him well-worth a sixth-round investment.

Production-wise, Taylor-Stuart's numbers for the Trojans were underwhelming, as he registered 80 tackles, two interceptions, and seven passes defensed in three seasons with the program. Injuries were an issue for him, including undergoing knee surgery in 2019. In terms of tools, however, the 6-foot-2, 200-pound defender has the fluid athleticism and length Seattle has typically desired on the outside while also offering upside as a man cover corner. He will need time to be coached up on technique before he's ready to make an impact on Sundays, but he oozes with traits and he's a willing tackler, so he would be worth a flier at this stage in the draft with the potential to develop into a starter in time.

Round 7, Pick No. 226 - Tyler Allgeier, RB, BYU

Seattle hopes to find a way to re-sign Rashaad Penny and remains optimistic Chris Carson will bounce back from neck surgery. But both players have extensive injury histories and even if they each return, finding a future workhorse would be a wise move at a position with high attrition rates and short shelf lives. Bringing a punishing runner in Allgeier on board would give the team another bell cow on the depth chart who would provide immediate insurance and could start down the line.

After playing sparingly in his first two seasons, Allgeier eclipsed 1,100 rushing yards each of his final two years with the Cougars, including posting 1,601 yards and tied for the FCS lead by scoring a whopping 23 touchdowns on the ground in 2021. Built with a stocky 5-foot-11, 220-pound frame, he dishes the punishment to would-be tacklers and runs the football with the mindset of a linebacker. While he's not the shiftiest of backs in space, he possesses underrated burst once he gets into space and he's made moderate improvements in pass protection and as a receiver. Depending on whether or not Penny returns and Carson comes back 100 percent, he could have a significant role in Seattle's run game from day one.

Round 7, Pick No. 227 - LaBryan Ray, DT/DE, Alabama*

*Acquired from Washington

Even if Al Woods comes back as a free agent, the Seahawks could use additional reinforcements at the defensive tackle position and players who can also play defensive end in a pinch remain invaluable. Heralding from one of the nation's elite programs, the versatile Ray may have been selected earlier if not for numerous injuries derailing his college career with the Crimson Tide and offers decent late-round upside.

Athleticism-wise, Ray doesn't have a quick first step and he can be vulnerable to reach blocks with somewhat limited lateral mobility. But at 292 pounds, he compensates for those deficiencies by playing with heavy hands at the point of attack, displaying proficiency in stacking and shedding blocks to make stops in the run game. While calling him a technician may not be appropriate, he's sound with his hand technique and can sprinkle in effective counters to disengage from blocks. Durability concerns aside, he could find a spot in Seattle's defensive line rotation right away on early downs due to his ability to line up at multiple positions and stuff the run.