Seattle Seahawks 2024 Draft: Will Day 2 Be Sweet Spot to Upgrade Offensive Line?

Lacking much experience in the interior of their offensive line, the Seattle Seahawks should be able to benefit from a deep class at guard if John Schneider decides to actually pull the trigger.

Amid an offseason chocked full of change from the front office to the coaching staff to the roster, the Seattle Seahawks have no shortage of needs heading into next week's 2024 NFL Draft.

Set to pick 16th overall in the first round, Seattle could go a bevy of different directions, including further fortifying their defensive line or secondary after losing linebackers Bobby Wagner and Jordyn Brooks as well as safeties Quandre Diggs and Jamal Adams this spring. But while those two positions have questions beyond 2024, general manager John Schneider did add viable veteran replacements in free agency, but guard still remains a position of significant need both short and long-term.

After losing four-year starter Damien Lewis to the Panthers in March, the Seahawks were left with only one guard on the roster - second-year blocker Anthony Bradford - with more than one NFL regular season start under his belt. While the recent signing of seasoned veteran Laken Tomlinson improved the situation significantly, the former first-round pick endured the worst season of his career last year with the Jets and appears to be in decline.

Given the lack of depth and proven experience in the interior of Seattle's offensive line in general, many fans hope to see Schneider attack the positional group in the first round by drafting a blue-chip prospect such as Washington's Troy Fautanu or Duke's Graham Barton. But past precedent and comments from the executive himself, who recently said guards were "overdrafted and overpaid" on his weekly radio show, suggest such a scenario playing out on Thursday night may be a long shot.

One of the most polished guards in this year's draft class, Christian Haynes would be a plug-and-play option for the Seahawks if available on day two.

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Luckily, if Schneider wants to stick to status quo - he's never picked a guard in the first two rounds of the NFL draft in his previous 14 years at the helm - this could be the ideal class to still land an instant contributor for the Seahawks at either guard spot on day two. Assuming he bypasses on an offensive linemen and trades down, which he has done numerous times during his tenure, Seattle should have at least two picks in the second and third round to address the deficiency in the trenches.

Headlining the group of guards projected to be available after the first 32 picks, UConn's Christian Haynes earned All-American honors in each of his final two collegiate seasons and enjoyed a strong week at the Senior Bowl in January. On nearly 800 pass blocking snaps during that span, per Pro Football Focus, he allowed only 15 pressures and one sack, dominating opponents with his light feet and steady anchor to protect the quarterback.

Haynes also excelled as a run blocker for the Huskies, using his 317-pound frame to consistently displace defenders off the snap with impressive lower body power and sticky hands that allowed for sustained downfield blocks. Likely to go early in the second round, he may not be on the board for Seattle, but other quality options should still be available.

Likely to go in the same range, Arizona's Jordan Morgan may have been a first round selection if not for a lengthy injury history. Rebounding from a torn ACL that ended his 2022 season early, he made it back in time for the start of the 2023 campaign and didn't miss a beat, giving up 14 pressures and two sacks for the Wildcats.

A fluid athlete at 6-5, 311 pounds, Morgan tested quite well at the combine, including running a 5.04 40-yard dash. This athleticism shows up on tape, particularly as a second level blocker in the run game off combo blocks and on pulling assignments. He has sub-33 inch arms, so he may need to move inside, where he didn't play any snaps in college. Still, his track record as a tackle in the Pac-12 coupled with athleticism should make that transition a smooth one, solidifying him as a second rounder.

Away from Haynes and Morgan, Cooper Beebe started 48 games for Kansas State as a left guard, left tackle, and right tackle in five years on campus. Nearly 20 pounds bigger than Haynes, he throws bricks for hands to knock defenders off the line of scrimmage and has above-average foot quickness to mirror defenders and offset lack of length in pass protection, as he allowed just 28 pressures over the past three seasons.

Offering more positional versatility than Haynes and coming from a Wildcats offense that emphasized the ground game, Beebe could be an ideal target to add to Seattle's offensive line late in the second round and immediately would have the opportunity to compete against either Tomlinson or Bradford to start at either guard spot.

As far as potential third-round candidates for Schneider to consider, Boston College's Christian Mahogany has flashed starter-caliber talent against ACC competition, particularly in pass protection where he gave up zero sacks last season coming off a torn ACL. His run blocking has been more inconsistent, but at 322 pounds, he has demonstrated the physicality and toughness to develop into a well-rounded NFL starter who could play either guard position.

Taking a different road to the NFL, Kansas tackle Dominick Puni started his career at Central Missouri before transferring to join the Jayhawks in 2022. In two seasons with the program, per PFF, he didn't allow a single sack and only 16 pressures, holding his own against far superior competition and earning First-Team All-Big 12 honors in 2023.

In the league, Puni projects as a guard due to sub-34 inch arms and average lateral mobility. But with him being at his best as a zone blocker who shines on pulling assignments, he could be an excellent fit for offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb's scheme, and he would come into the league already with a solid background playing inside after logging 848 snaps at left guard for the Jayhawks in 2022.

Once the draft moves into day three and players such as Mahogany and Puni have come off the board, the crop of talent available in the interior will hit a steep drop off with developmental players who likely won't be ready to contribute right away, limiting options for Seattle and other line-needy teams.

Keeping this in mind, even with Schneider not being inclined to pick guards early in his past and hinting that he doesn't value the position as many teams do, this looks to be the year to buck that trend. Whether selecting one in the first round for the first time or taking advantage of quality depth on day two, the Seahawks have no excuse for not acquiring a capable starter with upside in this year's draft and missing out would be a major indictment on the front office's roster building process.