Checking in on Seahawks' Division Rivals Following Day 1 of 2021 NFL Draft
The Seahawks and their fans found some common ground Thursday night, having to sit and watch in unison as the first 32 picks of the 2021 NFL Draft were called. They, of course, traded their first-round picks in this year's event and next, as well as a third-rounder this year, to the Jets for All-Pro safety Jamal Adams—an elite talent they're viewing as their 'No. 1 pick.'
Their wait will have to go on a little further, with 24 selections still to come before their first scheduled pick at No. 56. At that point, anything can happen. Depending on who's available, they could stay put and take a player they're enthralled by. But they also have the worst pick value in the entire draft, with just three selections in total, and will likely look to trade down in some capacity in hopes of beefing up their arsenal of picks.
Wherever they end up picking, they're going to have a tough act to follow in the NFC West. While the Rams - who traded their 2021 first-round pick to the Jaguars as part of their acquisition of cornerback Jalen Ramsey in 2019 - found themselves in the same spot as Seattle, the 49ers and Cardinals both made a pick each in the first half of the draft's opening night. The former brought a potentially franchise-altering piece aboard, while the latter landed a talented defender who fills a recently opened hole.
49ers select North Dakota State QB Trey Lance with No. 3 pick
Once Trevor Lawrence went to the Jaguars and the Jets took Zach Wilson as expected, the 'real draft' began with the 49ers. Doling out a massive haul of picks to the Dolphins for the No. 3 selection earlier this offseason, it was clear they were doing so for one of the top three remaining quarterbacks—but which one? In the buildup to the draft, there was a ton of speculation linking them to Alabama's Mac Jones. However, in the final hour, they opted to take North Dakota State gunslinger Trey Lance.
Although he's still fairly raw as a prospect and only appeared in one game in 2020 - a glorified showcase for scouts against Central Arkansas - there's no denying the incredible arm talent and understanding of the game he possesses. Lance now joins Russell Wilson, Matthew Stafford, and Kyler Murray in what is quite possibly the most talented division of quarterbacks in the NFL. All that remains to be seen is when Lance will officially helm Kyle Shanahan's offense in San Francisco. Jimmy Garoppolo is still under contract, though he would save the 49ers $23.6 million in salary cap space if he's cut or traded today. They've previously said they're not opposed to retaining Garoppolo and letting whichever quarterback they select develop behind him, so the Lance era may not begin right away this fall.
Cardinals select Tulsa SLB Zaven Collins with No. 16 pick
Though they lost longtime cornerback Patrick Peterson to the Vikings this offseason, the Cardinals' defense appears to be on the rise. With star pass-rusher Chandler Jones set to return from a torn bicep suffered in Week 5 last year, and the arrival of J.J. Watt following his release from the Texans, they were already in a great position to get to the quarterback frequently heading into the draft. But the bad news doesn't stop there for Russell Wilson and the Seahawks, because Arizona added more stellar pass-rushing talent to its roster Thursday night.
When Haason Reddick departed for Carolina in free agency, the Cardinals had a newfound opening at strongside linebacker. They filled it with the No. 16 pick, hauling in the uber-talented Zaven Collins from Tulsa. Collins boasts excellent pass-rushing ability off the edge and stands out in pass coverage, making him a threat to be a thorn in the sides of Wilson and the Seahawks' tight ends, namely free agent addition Gerald Everett. Both Collins and 2020 first-round pick Isaiah Simmons give the Cardinals an incredibly fast and dynamic linebacking unit, continuing to set their defense up to take the next step in 2021.
