Seahawks Draft Elite Pass Rusher, Future Franchise QB: NFL Mock
With a pair of first-round picks thanks to the trade of Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos, the Seattle Seahawks are set to add two more players to an already talented young core.
How they use those two first-round picks, though, is of course still to be seen. While there are plenty of directions they could go, a common theme for the Seahawks has been defensive line or edge with their first pick and then adding to the offense with their second pick.
In the latest mock draft from NFL.com, the Seahawks once again go the route of adding an EDGE defender.
Rd. 1 No. 5 - Tyree Wilson - EDGE (Texas Tech)
"The Seahawks find themselves in a great spot in this simulation, with two of the three best defensive players still available. I'm giving them Wilson here simply because he provides explosiveness off the edge, something Seattle has needed for years. That said, they could definitely go with the interior pass-rush option in Jalen Carter."
The Seahawks have been linked to Wilson at No. 5 in multiple mock drafts, with another option here also being Georgia's Jalen Carter. However, in this mock they opt for the Texas Tech prospect to fortify their defensive front.
It isn't hard to see why this pick is used to fortify the defense. Last season the Seahawks defense allowed 23.6 points per game, good for 25th in the NFL, on 361.7 yards of total offense.
While adding Wilson is not an immediate fix, slotting him into an improved defensive front could help both him and the Seahawks. In his final season at Texas Tech he recorded 61 total tackles, including 14 tackles for loss and seven sacks, showing that he can get after the quarterback and ball carrier - something Seattle sorely needs.
As for their second first-round pick, which clocks in at No. 20 overall, a popular pick has often been a receiver to add to the duo of DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. That isn't the case in this mock, though, as they add a quarterback to sit behind Geno Smith.
Rd. 1 No. 20 - Hendon Hooker - QB (Tennessee)
"If not for the November ACL tear against South Carolina, Hooker's talent, decision-making ability and production would've seen him more prominently featured in the top-QB conversation in this class. Even with the injury, Hooker remains a not-so-distant future starter in this league -- and the presence of Geno Smith to hold down the QB1 spot in Seattle for at least another year makes this an easy projection."
Smith is undoubtedly the Seahawks quarterback this season, but that doesn't mean they can't plan for the future as well and draft someone to learn from him.
Enter Tennessee's Hendon Hooker, who burst onto the scene in a big way in his final season at Tennessee. Yes, he did suffer a torn ACL, but his stats are impressive no matter how you look at it - 3,135 yards with 27 touchdowns and just two interceptions while completing 69.6 percent of his passes.
It is possible that the Seahawks find themselves in a position to take a quarterback in the 2024 draft, but with two first-round picks this year they should pull the trigger if there's someone they like.
Seattle finds itself in an enviable position as a playoff team with two first-round picks. While the result of those two picks will be seen on draft night, they have to feel confident in their ability to nail the draft once again.
You can find Connor Zimmerlee on Twitter @Connorjz98
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