A Seahawks Fan's Guide to First Round of 2021 NFL Draft
The first round of the NFL Draft begins tonight at 5:00 p.m. PDT. But the Seahawks will not be making a first-round selection for the first time since 2017 after dealing their pick, slotted at No. 23 overall, as part of a package to acquire All-Pro safety Jamal Adams from the Jets. Their first scheduled pick comes in much later at No. 56, deep in the second round. Some serious moves would have to be made, including perhaps trading a star player, for Seattle to move into the first round.
That's just not going to happen.
But even though the Seahawks won't pick tonight, that doesn't mean you need to put away the guacamole and your beverage of choice and ignore the festivities. There are plenty of reasons to tune in despite Seattle's lack of picks. Here's why...
The 49ers' situation at No. 3
Seattle fans are always interested in the happenings of their division rivals. The biggest storyline in the division leading up to draft day is what San Francisco's intentions are with pick No. 3. They acquired said pick last month in a blockbuster trade with the Dolphins.
This is relevant for two reasons. Firstly, a player they select at this spot could end up playing a huge role in how the NFC West shakes out next season and for the foreseeable future. Secondly, the 49ers mortgaged a lot of their future, specifically a first and third-round pick from 2022 and their first-round pick in 2023, as well as No. 12 this year.
In other words, there is a lot hinging on the future of the 49ers' franchise with this selection. The next question is: who will it be? It's assumed the first two picks are set in stone, with Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence headed to Jacksonville and BYU's Zach Wilson getting a chance to revive the Jets.
Will the 49ers take the next best quarterback available? If so, who is that exactly? Options range from Ohio State's Justin Fields, to North Dakota State gunslinger Trey Lance, to Alabama's Mac Jones. Right now, reports indicate they're leaning towards Jones.
Will they remain committed to Jimmy Garoppolo, at least for 2021, even if they take a quarterback? He has a cap hit north of $26 million in each of the next two years and has played a full season just once in four years with the team, with some inconsistent play mixed in.
The 49ers very likely could snag a quarterback at No. 3 that has a higher ceiling than Garoppolo.
If they don't select a quarterback, they have their pick of the litter among the best players available in the draft, such as Florida tight end Kyle Pitts, Alabama receiver DeVonta Smith, LSU wideout Ja'Marr Chase, and Oregon's Penei Sewell. Any one of those could pose problems for the Seahawks down the road.
Cardinals becoming a legitimate threat
The Cardinals were a trendy pick to make some noise in the NFC in 2020, following their massive trade for All-Pro receiver DeAndre Hopkins. They fizzled out down the stretch, however, going 2-5 after November 15 on their way to a pedestrian 8-8 record. To be fair, that was their best record since 2017.
This time around, they look even more dangerous. As if the division wasn't hard enough on the Seahawks' offensive line, Arizona signed longtime Texans mainstay J.J. Watt—a five-time All-Pro at defensive end.
They own the No. 16 selection in Thursday's opening round. This team is already good enough to make a playoff push and will have a chance to select another franchise-defining player fairly early on.
Will they go after a replacement for their departed eight-time Pro Bowl cornerback Patrick Peterson? Will they give quarterback Kyler Murray yet another weapon, making them one of the most dangerous offenses in the league? Or will they be determined to make Russell Wilson's life miserable with yet another pass rusher?
Centers on the board
It's no secret the Seahawks need to address the center position. Ethan Pocic's meager contract suggests he is a stop-gap at the position at best, not the long term solution. The Seahawks will have several opportunities to take a possible starting center in this draft. If Wisconsin-Whitewater's Quinn Meinerz doesn't go tonight, it's unlikely any center winds up coming off the board in the first round. For the Seahawks' sake, they better hope not, thus making the center pool that much more shallow heading into day two.
Will any top tier receivers fall?
Along with center, receiver is a position the Seahawks would do well to add to. Atop the depth chart, there is, of course, Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf. After them, there is very little depth, with second-year man Freddie Swain serving as the lone pass-catcher with any semblance of decent NFL experience under his belt. Wilson wants weapons and the Seahawks need to address that in the draft.
Certainly, obtaining the likes of Smith, Chase, or Jaylen Waddle is nothing short of a pipe dream. However, if those wideouts were to fall for whatever reason to later in the first round, that would push this deep receiving class farther down the boards, thus possibly giving the Seahawks an opportunity to get a steal at the position late in the second round.
If the top players get taken later than expected, uber-talented prospects such as Minnesota's Rashod Bateman, USC's Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Purdue's Rondale Moore will leak into Seattle's draft territory.
Any receivers that fall in the draft will benefit Seattle's hopes of getting a talented pass-catcher on day two.
Bottom of the first round
Much like the philosophy of the receivers falling in the draft, Seahawks fans should pay close attention to what happens in the last 10 picks of the first round. Year after year, there are always a few players who drop a lot farther than the experts thought. There is plenty of talent that they cannot possibly all cram into the first 32 picks of the draft.
There may be a can't-miss player for the Seahawks that sinks into the second round. Does John Schneider and his extremely low supply of draft capital dare trade up this year, or more likely stick-and-pick at No. 56?