Seahawks Post-Senior Bowl Mock Draft: Mike Macdonald Bolsters Trenches
After officially naming Mike Macdonald as the ninth head coach in franchise history, the Seattle Seahawks can now focus the majority of their attention on improving their roster for next season, including ramping up prep for the 2024 NFL Draft.
Kicking off the pre-draft process, more than 100 top prospects were welcomed to Mobile for the annual Reese's Senior Bowl last week with the goal of improving their stock in front of NFL coaches, scouts, and executives. Under the direction of general manager John Schneider, the Seahawks have placed great emphasis on the all-star showcase, including drafting four players from last year's group.
With the Senior Bowl now in the books and the combine coming later this month, which players who starred in Mobile could be on Seattle's radar for this year's upcoming draft? As the pre-draft evaluation process heats up, here's my first stab at a seven-round Seahawks mock draft without any trades and only native picks.
*All stats courtesy of Pro Football Focus unless otherwise stated.
**Senior Bowl participants
Round 1, Pick 16 - Jackson Powers-Johnson, G/C, Oregon*
Breaking out in his junior season with the Ducks, Powers-Johnson served as a catalyst for the No. 2 ranked offense in the country at the pivot position, demonstrating a superb blend of athleticism and explosive power as a run blocker and outstanding hand usage and technique in pass protection. Keeping defenders away from quarterback Bo Nix all season long and holding his own both against speed and power rushers, he yielded only one pressure and no sacks on 471 pass blocking snaps.
Taking advantage of new rules allowing underclassmen to participate in the Senior Bowl, Jackson Powers-Johnson shined both at center and guard in Mobile.
Spearheading a rushing attack that averaged nearly 185 yards per game, Powers-Johnson also earned PFF's highest run blocking grade (85.2) out of 100 qualified centers, demonstrating proficiency creating push at the line of scrimmage as well as reaching the second level for effective blocks on linebackers and safeties. Offering the ability to play guard as well, he should be a plug-and-play starter in the interior with as much upside as any player in this class and would immediately solve one of the Seahawks most pressing concerns at either position.
Round 3, Pick 76 - McKinnley Jackson, DT, Texas A&M
A stalwart in the middle of the Aggies defensive front, the 6-1, 320-pound Jackson played the role of immovable object against the run, handling consistent double teams from the nose tackle spot without issues. A plus-athlete for a defender of his size with elite burst for the position, he has flashed the ability to not only overpower blockers at the point of attack, but also split gaps with a surprisingly quick initial step.
Jackson only had 14 pressures as a senior and struggled with missed tackles at times, but if he can develop as a technician using his hands more effectively to disengage from blocks, he has one of the highest ceilings in this class and could be a rare 0-tech nose who excels at rushing the passer at the next level. Lacking beef in the trenches last year, he would have a chance to immediately play substantial snaps for Mike Macdonald's retooled Seahawks defense.
Round 3, Pick 78 - Ben Sinnott, TE, Kansas State
While Sinnott won't wow with his athletic measurables and isn't necessarily a field-stretching threat in the passing game, few tight ends have been more productive and integral to the success of their team's offense over the past two seasons. A physical, blue collar run blocker who plays bigger than 245 pounds, he offers extensive experience as a traditional inline tight end and helped Deuce Vaughn explode for 1,558 rushing yards during the 2022 season.
In the receiving department, Sinnott finished sixth in the nation averaging 13.9 yards per reception in 2023, doing a large portion of his damage with the ball in his hands while tallying 326 yards after the catch. Hard to bring down in open field, he frequently powers through arm tackles, as evidenced by his 14 missed tackles forced last season. Since the Seahawks could lose Noah Fant and Colby Parkinson in free agency and Will Dissly's future could be in question with a big cap hit in 2024, he would be a natural fit to immediately vie for playing time as a do-it-all tight end.
Round 4, Pick 118 - Tommy Eichenberg, LB, Ohio State
If Eichenberg would have entered the NFL draft last season, he may have been in consideration for an early day two selection. As a junior, he enjoyed a dominant season for the Buckeyes, registering 120 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks and adding an interception and three pass breakups in coverage, earning First-Team All-Big Ten honors. However, his senior season didn't go quite as expected due to injury and far more inconsistent performance, putting his draft stock in question.
A highly instinctive, aggressive run defender, Eichenberg plays with old school flair, as he's only missing the neck roll to look the part of a rugged 1980s linebacker. With that said, his athleticism could be a significant issue at the next level, particularly if he's tasked with trying to defend tight ends or running backs in space. Quarterbacks found some success attacking him in that regard over the past two seasons, posting 100-plus passer ratings when throwing his direction. Due to his pedigree as an early down run stuffer and high football IQ, however, the linebacker-needy Seahawks would find good value selecting him early on day three.
Round 5, Pick 150 - Kenny Logan Jr., S, Kansas
An instrumental part of the Jayhawks gridiron revival, Logan has been a fixture on defense for the past four seasons, finishing his career in Lawrence with the fifth-most tackles in program history and two All-Big 12 selections. A big hitter who loves to throw his 205-pound frame around, he averaged over 100 tackles per season in his final three years at Kansas and forced five fumbles, though he did miss an ugly 71 tackle attempts in five collegiate seasons and his technique can be shaky at times.
While questions about his overall athletic profile will need to be answered at the combine and he struggled giving up big plays early in his college career, Logan made major strides in coverage last season. Along with not surrendering any touchdowns, he returned an interception for a touchdown and broke up six passes while allowing under 10 yards per reception. Bringing the physicality and toughness that Macdonald will be looking to add to the defense, he would be a fun day three understudy for Jamal Adams with starter potential in Seattle.
Round 6, Pick 193 - Drake Nugent, C, Michigan
Taking over for Seahawks draft pick Olu Oluwatimi in the middle after transferring from Stanford, Nugent turned in a strong season anchoring the offensive line for the national champion Wolverines. The 301-pound blocker can be overwhelmed at times by powerful interior defenders and did give up eight combined sacks in his last two seasons for the Cardinal, but he exhibited steady improvement allowing just one sack on 374 pass pro snaps last season.
As expected coming from Michigan, Nugent's best attributes stand out in the run game, as he packs enough punch as a drive blocker and also displayed quality movement skills in the zone blocking game. Logging over 2,400 snaps at the college level, he will be an experienced prospect for teams seeking a day three gem with starting potential and Seattle could bring him on board to battle with Oluwatimi right away for a Michigan-flavored competition at the VMAC.
Round 7, Pick 223 - Jalen Green, EDGE, James Madison
One of the stars for a surprising Dukes squad that didn't lose until November, Green erupted in his final season with the program, stuffing the stat sheet with 15.5 sacks, 21 tackles for loss, and an interception returned for a touchdown in only nine games. Unfortunately, his remarkable season ended with a significant knee injury that required surgery, bringing his NFL draft hype train to abrupt halt.
A bit of a tweener at 6-1, 245 pounds, Green tormented quarterbacks and opposing tackles all season long, winning with a dynamite first step and a bevy of counters, including a slick spin and rip/dip combo move. While bigger blockers can push him around a bit at the point of attack, his quickness and fluid hand usage allow him to slip away as a run defender as well, netting a high number of backfield stops. Coming off injury with questions about positional fit, he likely won't go until late on day three, but he could be a fun developmental piece behind Boye Mafe and Uchenna Nwosu in Seattle.
