Seahawks Combine Confidential: Receiver

Boasting as much talent as any position in this year's draft class, Schneider and the Seahawks may feel inclined to use one of their early selections to take advantage of a deep receiving group loaded with explosive play makers.

INDIANAPOLIS - Heading into this week's annual NFL Scouting Combine, the Seahawks have a number of pressing needs to address in coming weeks, including bolstering one of the league's worst pass rushes and shoring up their offensive line.

But while Seattle appears to be in pretty good shape at receiver with Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf each under contract through at least 2021, this year's crop of receivers could be too good to pass up on the opportunity to add another weapon for Russell Wilson early in the 2020 NFL Draft.

"Every year, it seems like these guys just keep getting bigger and faster and it's amazing," general manager John Schneider told reporters on Tuesday. "Going through our draft process watching one guy after another is just - it's going to be a very impressive class."

To understand just how historically good this group could be, NFL Media's Daniel Jeremiah gave 27 different receivers a first, second, or third round grade. Taking part in extensive interview sessions at the Indiana Convention Center on Tuesday morning, the impressive depth of this year's class could be seen on display with star receiver after star receiver taking the podium for questions.

As Schneider pointed out, it's far easier to find quality receivers these days than offensive tackles and other premium positions. He and his staff have consistently had lengthy lists of receivers on their big boards in the past several seasons, which could mean they'll wait until later in the draft to add a complementary target for Lockett and Metcalf.

"It's a great group, but it seems like the last several years it's been like that," Schneider commented. "Every year, it seems like, I say that left-hand column is where we have our receivers, it seems like there's always receivers throughout the draft."

Still, even if receiver isn't close to the top of Seattle's biggest priorities and many of the top names such as Henry Ruggs out of Alabama won't be available at pick No. 27, Schneider may have a tough time resisting the urge to use one of the team's three selections in the first two rounds on a dynamic play maker.

Here are three potential early-round picks who spoke at the combine who could be targeted by Schneider and the Seahawks.

Jalen Reagor

While many prospects refused to delve into specifics about which teams had met with them thus far, TCU standout Jalen Reagor indicated he's already had 15 formal interviews, including with the Seahawks.

Reagor, the son of former NFL defensive tackle Monte Reagor, expects to run the 40-yard dash in the high 4.2 to low 4.3 range later this week. One of the most explosive athletes in a stacked group of receivers, he has speed to burn and compared his game to a blend of Chiefs star Tyreek Hill and 49ers receiver Deebo Samuel.

"Just my versatility," Reagor said when comparing himself to Samuel. "I've been doing this since high school, since I even started playing football, being able to play whatever. I know the whole offense 

Capable of playing out of the slot as well as running routes from the X and Y-positions and playing running back in a pinch, Reagor also excels on special teams. He returned two punts for touchdowns for the Horned Frogs last season, yet another reason he could be appealing to Seattle.

Denzel Mims

Looking at other receivers who would be good scheme fits for Seattle, Mims offers legitimate track speed and brings rare toughness to the field. During four years at Baylor, he surpassed the 1,000-yard mark twice and reeled in 186 receptions.

At 6-foot-3, Mims presents a big target with an outstanding catch radius and developed into one of the Big 12's best red zone weapons as a result. He scored 28 touchdowns over his final three years with the Bears, including finding the end zone 12 times as a senior and earning First-Team All-Big 12 honors.

When asked what stands out about his talent compared to other receivers in his class, Mims said, "My consistent catching and my blocking. I'd say my blocking stands out on film. I think I take pride in it. I love to block and I'm not a selfish guy."

As exhibited at the Senior Bowl, Mims isn't just a quality receiver who holds his own against cornerbacks, safeties, and even linebackers as a blocker. He's also worked diligently at improving his versatility on special teams and turned heads in the third phase of the game at Mobile, further adding to his draft value.

Brandon Aiyuk

Another versatile, explosive athlete, Aiyuk could also be an intriguing option for the Seahawks. Though he measured in shorter than expected at under 6-foot tall, he ranked among the nation's leaders in yards after the catch and also shined as a return specialist in a breakout senior season.

Making tremendous strides in Tempe, Aiyuk credited his improved production with an emphasis on learning how to read coverage. Originally playing at JUCO level Sierra College, he simply had to win one-on-one battles, but that wasn't good enough making the giant leap to Pac-12 competition.

"You just have to beat the guy in front of you," Aiyuk stated. "So when I got to Arizona State, that was a little different for me, having to identify stuff at the snap. I think that was one of the huge parts that I wanted to attack this offseason before my senior season and that was probably my biggest area of improvement."

Enhancing his ability from a football IQ standpoint, Aiyuk broke out as the Sun Devils' new No. 1 receiver replacing N'Keal Harry, catching 65 passes for 1,198 yards and eight touchdowns. Due to his gaudy production, he earned First-Team All-Pac 12 recognition.