Seahawks 7-Round Mock Draft Post-Senior Bowl: Seattle Beefs Up Interior
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While the 2022 season still has one game left to play with the Eagles and Chiefs set to square off in the Super Bowl on Sunday, the Seattle Seahawks and 29 other teams have already turned their attention towards free agency and the 2023 NFL Draft.
Last week, the pre-draft process officially kicked off with the annual Reese's Senior Bowl, as more than 100 prospects descended upon Mobile, Ala. aiming to bolster their stock while being evaluated by NFL coaches, executive, and scouts. With big bucks and draft position on the line, several offensive and defensive players made waves during the all-star showcase.
Thanks to the Russell Wilson blockbuster trade, Seattle holds a top-five pick for the first time since 2009 when the team drafted linebacker Aaron Curry fourth overall. General manager John Schneider will also have an additional second round pick coming from Denver, giving the franchise four picks in the first 52 and 10 selections total, providing a prime opportunity to add premium talent to the roster for 2023 and beyond.
While it remains to be seen how Schneider will use that immense amount of draft capital and whether or not he will swing any deals to add additional picks or move up to land a coveted prospect, for my latest mock draft simulation, I slid down from No. 5 with an offer from the Falcons I could not refuse, acquiring No. 8 overall while adding a 2024 first-round pick and the 44th pick in the second round. To facilitate the deal for a future first, I also included the Seahawks third-round pick, creating a large gap from pick No. 52 all the way to No. 123.
Without further ado, here's my second crack at a seven-round Seahawks mock draft on the heels of an eventful Senior Bowl.
Round 1, Pick No. 8 - Tyree Wilson, EDGE, Texas Tech*
*Acquired via trade with Falcons
Originally a three-star recruit who signed with Texas A&M, Wilson transferred to Texas Tech during the COVID-shortened 2020 season and eventually became an unblockable force for the Red Raiders. Over his final two seasons in Lubbock, he amassed 99 tackles, 14.0 sacks, and 27.5 tackles for loss, earning First-Team All-Big 12 honors as a senior.
Possessing elite size (6-foot-6, 275 pounds) and a relentless motor, he can bully opponents as a bull rusher while exhibiting surprising bend and quickness around the edge for a player of his stature. He will need refinement with hand technique and developing a more advanced pass rushing plan, but his natural tools and effort should make him a problem for opposing tackles to block on day one.
After not allowing a single sack in college, Torrence enjoyed a solid week of practice against the best of the best in Mobile.
Round 1, Pick No. 20 - O'Cyrus Torrence, G, Florida
A hulking guard with better than expected lateral quickness, Torrence weighed in at a lean 337 pounds in Mobile and turned in an impressive week blocking against the best seniors in the country. His success shouldn't have come as a surprise, as he didn't allow a single sack in four collegiate seasons at Louisiana Lafayette and Florida, showing no issues stepping up to SEC competition.
He can be susceptible to lapses in technique, particularly in the run game when he gets caught leaning. But when he fires out of his stance and lands a firm strike with good technique, he takes defenders for a ride off the line of scrimmage and exhibits sufficient movement traits on zone concepts, making him an ideal target for the Seahawks to upgrade their interior offensive line early in the draft.
Round 2, Pick No. 37 - Siaki Ika, DT, Baylor
After contributing for a national champion at LSU as a freshman, Ika transferred to Baylor a year later to reunite with former defensive coordinator Dave Aranda and found immediate success in the wide open Big 12. Despite his massive 6-4, 350-pound frame, the Salt Lake City native produced 23 quarterback pressures and 4.0 sacks in his first season with the Bears, proving himself to be an adept pass-rusher with incredible power and underrated quickness to penetrate gaps.
He wasn't near as effective rushing the passer in 2022 and struggled with missed tackles at times, but he remained an immovable force in the run game and earned First-Team All-Big 12 for a second straight season. With Al Woods turning 36 next month, Seattle needs to find a capable replacement and Ika would fit the bill as a dominant all-around nose tackle.
A weapon at all levels in the passing game, Rice ranked among the nation's best in nearly every notable receiving category in 2022.
Round 2, Pick No. 44 - Rashee Rice, WR, SMU*
*Acquired via trade with Falcons
Built with an impressive 6-foot-3, 206-pound frame, Rice can torch defenses as a vertical threat while also racking up yards after the catch in bulk working from either the outside or the slot. Capable of doing damage in a variety of ways, he caught 96 passes for 1,355 yards and 10 touchdowns in his final season with the Mustangs, finishing third in the nation with 593 yards after the catch. He has been prone to drops, including failing to haul in nine catchable passes as a senior, and fumbled three times, so ball security-related concerns will have to be addressed. But his dynamic play-making ability as an all-around wideout would give Seattle a much-needed upgrade behind DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett to attack defenses with.
Round 2, Pick No. 52 - Drew Sanders, LB, Arkansas
Stuck in a reserve role at Alabama, Sanders took his talents to Fayetteville to join an Arkansas squad desperate for talent on the defensive side of the ball and thrived in his lone season with the Razorbacks. Unusually built for a middle linebacker at 6-5, 230 pounds, he wreaked havoc as a blitzer, tying for first in the country at his position with 9.5 sacks and finishing third with 39 quarterback pressures. He also didn't allow a touchdown in coverage while intercepting one pass and breaking up two others.
Sanders' lean frame can be problematic working off of blocks in the run game and he missed 22 tackles in 2022 according to PFF, so he will need to add some muscle to his frame to excel at the next level. But his blitzing talents and natural coverage skills would make him a prime candidate to start on day one for the Seahawks.
Round 4, Pick No. 123 - Olusegun Oluwatimi, C, Michigan
An integral part of a top-tier offensive line for the playoff-bound Wolverines, Oluwatimi earned the seventh-best run blocking grade among centers in the country according to PFF. Though he's not a mauler at the pivot position, he's capable of creating displacement at the line of scrimmage with a strong initial punch and his lateral quickness caters well to zone blocking. In pass protection, he's astute at calling out blitzes and setting calls for the rest of the offensive line, as he logged over 3,500 snaps at the college level. Such experience in a pro style offense should allow Oluwatimi to push for a starting job right away in Seattle.
Climbing up draft boards with an excellent Senior Bowl audition, Durham looks the part of a modern move tight end in the NFL.
Round 5, Pick No. 153 - Payne Durham, TE, Purdue
One of the fastest risers at a deep, talented tight end corp in the 2022 draft class, Payne proved to be a pain for opponents to cover in the Big Ten. Breaking out as a senior for the Boilermakers, he hauled in 54 passes for 550 yards and eight touchdowns, tied for the second-most by a tight end in the country.
He continued his ascendance in Mobile, reeling in an impressive back shoulder throw from Malik Cunningham to set up a touchdown while making a few key blocks to spring former conference foe Evan Hull for big runs. An improving blocker at 255 pounds with the athletic upside to be a problem in the passing game at the next level, this would be a great day three value pick for the Seahawks with the future in mind.
Round 5, Pick No. 156 - Roschon Johnson, RB, Texas
Stuck in the shadow of superstar back Bijan Robinson, Johnson never got a chance to be the feature back in Austin, but that didn't stop him from being extremely productive as a complementary weapon. Rushing for 2,190 yards in his four-year career with the Longhorns and averaging 5.6 yards per carry, he finished in the top 10 in yards after contact per attempt (4.28), using his 223-pound frame to consistently break tackles.
He also did damage as a receiver in four collegiate seasons, catching 56 passes for 420 yards and three touchdowns in the Big 12. Under the radar due to Robinson's presence, he would be a quality third-down candidate for the Seahawks to team up with Ken Walker III moving forward.
Round 6, Pick No. 198 - Ja'von Hicks, S, Cincinnati
Playing on a Bearcats defense featuring several future NFL draft picks, including top-five pick Sauce Gardner, Hicks often didn't receive the recognition he deserved. Armed with good size (6-foot-2, 206 pounds) and excellent ball skills, the Cincinnati native tallied 197 tackles, 10 interceptions, and three forced fumbles in five collegiate seasons, earning Second-Team All-AAC honors as a senior. Though he allowed a pair of touchdown receptions last season, he also yielded only a 46 percent completion rate and 128 yards in 12 starts. A versatile defender who logged over 500 snaps in the box along with over 1,300 snaps as a free safety, Seattle could develop him behind Quandre Diggs and Jamal Adams for the future.
Built like a tackle, Curtis wasn't fazed in his experience going against the nation's elite seniors in Mobile and could be a sleeper to watch among guard prospects.
Round 7, Pick No. 239 - McClendon Curtis, G, Chattanooga
The latest Mocs offensive lineman to make a splash at the Senior Bowl, Curtis demonstrated his power and surprisingly good leverage at 6-foot-6 as a blocker in Mobile, dominating opponents in the run game to create creases for Hull and his counterparts to run through. His footwork leaves much to be desired at times in pass protection and he will need refinement in that area to make it at the next level, but he held up well against top-tier competition last week. With the Seahawks potentially losing Phil Haynes in free agency and facing a tough decision on Gabe Jackson's future, adding extra depth to develop at guard would be a wise investment with their final selection.
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