Seahawks Mock Draft: Say No to QBs After Bears, Panthers Trade?
The Seattle Seahawks stood and watched as the Carolina Panthers leapt over them in the 2023 NFL Draft order after making a blockbuster deal with the Chicago Bears to acquire the No. 1 overall pick.
The Bears, who had already stated that Justin Fields is their future at quarterback, made the trade with a Carolina team that will now almost certainly select a franchise-altering signal-caller.
Seattle, which is picking at No. 5, could've had it's draft plans altered as a result, particularity if quarterback was the direction general manager John Schneider and the front office wanted to go.
But in a recent mock draft with the updated selection order from USA Today, the Seahawks steer clear of quarterbacks and seem to win big on defense as a result.
No. 5 - Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia
Carter is one of the best players in this class, but it's anyone's guess if he's still on Seattle's draft board.
Unfortunately, the attention surrounding Carter during the combine wasn't due to his world-class defensive ability.
On Wednesday, Carter turned himself in to Athens, GA police on charges of reckless driving and racing that stemmed from the Jan. 15 deaths of University of Georgia football player Devin Willock and team staff member Chandler LeCroy.
The news broke right before Carter was set to speak to the media at the combine. He released a statement on Twitter:
“It is my intention to return to Athens to answer the misdemeanor charges against me and to make certain that the complete and accurate truth is presented," he wrote. "There is no question in my mind that when all of the facts are known that I will be fully exonerated of any criminal wrongdoing."
There remains countless questions surrounding Carter's off-field issues, but there's no questions regarding his football talent.
At a monstrous 6-3, 300 pounds, Carter was a force to be reckoned with in the SEC. Though the stats don't jump off the board for a guy projected to be a top-five pick, he had an impressive, championship-winning career at Georgia.
Carter finished his collegiate career with 83 total tackles, six sacks, four passes defended, two forced fumble and one touchdown.
No. 20 - Nolan Smith, EDGE, Georgia
The Seahawks go with another Georgia guy at No. 20, and it's hard to argue with the pick.
Seen as a potential early second-round pick with first-round ability before the combine, Smith makes an incredible leap into the top 10 here based on talent and athleticism alone.
Smith wowed at the combine with elite speed and can't-miss size, traits that could make him a productive NFL pass-rusher that could continue to drawn comparisons to Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons.
Though he was limited by injury this past season, Smith has displayed effortless ability to bend his way around blocks to force pressure on the quarterback while also dropping back into coverage.
While the stats may not show it since he finished his collegiate career with just three passes defended and one interception, these numbers are hardly what scouts are paying attention to when Smith's hard-to-ignore fluidity is jumping off the screen. He could be the franchise-defining pass-rusher that the Seahawks are looking for.
You can follow Zach Dimmitt on Twitter at @ZachDimmitt7
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