Analysis: 5 Predictions for Seahawks in 2020 NFL Draft

Armed with seven picks, including six in the first four rounds, how will the 2020 NFL Draft play out over the next three days for general manager John Schneider and the Seahawks?

Following months of anticipation – in fact, honestly, it’s felt like years given the circumstances due to stay-at-home orders executed in response to COVID-19 – the 2020 NFL Draft is finally here.

The festivities will kick off on Thursday night with commissioner Roger Goodell announcing the Bengals are on the clock with the first overall pick from the confines of his basement. All 32 teams will conduct their drafts virtually, with coaches, executives, and scouts working remotely from their own homes.

After the first round concludes, rounds two and three will take place on Friday and the final four rounds will commence on Saturday, ushering in a new crop of talent to the league in unprecedented ways.

After another successful season with 11 regular season wins and a wild card victory over the Eagles, the Seahawks hold the No. 27 overall selection towards the end of the first round. General manager John Schneider and coach Pete Carroll will have seven total picks at their disposal, and if past history is an indicator, they will be looking to add draft capital.

In an attempt to forecast what will happen over the next three days – which will be even more challenging than normal given the virtual format – here’s how I predict Schneider, Carroll, and the Seahawks will approach this year’s unique draft.

Prediction 1: Seattle will trade down not just once, but twice, before making its first selection.

There’s nothing bold about this prediction necessarily, as everyone knowns Schneider has an addiction to trading down and stockpiling picks. Only three years ago, the Seahawks traded down three times before finally selecting defensive tackle Malik McDowell out of Michigan State. Since McDowell never played a snap for the team, fans won’t be thrilled to see such a strategy executed again. But considering how rich this draft class is at the offensive tackle, defensive tackle, and receiver positions, along with the lack of depth for edge rushers, moving back multiple times to acquire additional assets and load up on day two selections makes too much sense. There’s a reason Schenider has reportedly been working the phones looking for trade partners over the past few weeks.

Prediction 2: Seattle will trade back into the third round for an extra day two selection.

As I just referenced, this year’s class has impressive depth at numerous positions and the teams who fare the best will be the ones who capitalize on day two by landing quality talent in the second and third round. As it stands currently, the Seahawks already have two second-round picks and a compensatory third-round selection. Assuming Schneider trades down as expected, there’s a great chance Seattle will enter Friday with four day two selections. But why not add an additional one? Schneider has earned his reputation as a master trade negotiator and while most of his trades in the past have involved moving down, he’s never been afraid to move up on day two. Last year, he acquired pick No. 64 from New England to snag DK Metcalf. Back in 2015, he traded up to pick Tyler Lockett. Lightning could strike a third time, especially if a receiver Seattle likes remains available late into the third round.

Prediction 3: Seattle won’t waste time adding a running back and will pick one in the first three rounds.

Using a first round pick on a running back these days is a frowned upon practice and just two years after picking Rashaad Penny, I don’t see Schneider using Seattle’s first pick at the position again. However, with Penny rehabbing from a torn ACL and Chris Carson set to hit free agency next year, the Seahawks have a greater need for backfield reinforcements than most fans may realize and I expect there will be a run on quality ball carriers on day two. Jonathan Taylor of Wisconsin, D’Andre Swift of Georgia, J.K. Dobbins of Ohio State, and Clyde Edwards-Hellaire of LSU could be gone early in the second round, while Cam Akers of Florida State, Zack Moss of Utah, and AJ Dillon of Boston College all have a shot to be off the board by the end of the third round. Seattle has expressed interest in several of those players, and if Schneider wants to draft one, he will likely need to do so with one of the team’s first four picks.

Prediction 4: Seattle will select both a tight end and a safety on day three.

In terms of immediate need, the Seahawks should be set at tight end and safety for the 2020 season. The addition of Greg Olsen along with the return of Will Dissly, Luke Willson, and Jacob Hollister should give Seattle a formidable tight end quartet. In the secondary, Quandre Diggs and Bradley McDougald remain entrenched as starters with Marquise Blair and Lano Hill behind them. But the draft isn’t just about the present – teams have to have sights set on future seasons as well – which means Seattle will still consider drafting a player at both of those positions on Saturday. This isn’t a great tight end class, but Devin Asiasi out of UCLA, Josiah Deguara out of Cincinnati, and Dalton Keene out of Virginia Tech would all be intriguing day three selections to develop behind Olsen and Dissly. As for the safety group, there’s plenty of day three value there as well, including Maryland’s Antoine Brooks, Clemson’s Tanner Muse, and California’s Jaylinn Hawkins among others.

Prediction 5: Seattle will pick at least two interior defensive linemen over the course of three days.

Without Jadeveon Clowney re-signed, the Seahawks pass rush remains the team’s most glaring weakness and finding edge rushing help should be a top priority early. But as stated earlier, this class is top-heavy and lacks depth in regard to EDGE defenders. What does this mean for Schneider and Carroll? Well, if they’re wanting to get the most bang for their buck with their draft picks, they may be better off looking for capable interior rushers who can also defend the run. Whether that means taking a look at TCU’s Ross Blacklock or Texas A&M’s Justin Madubuike with their first selection or taking a day two flier on Baylor’s James Lynch or Alabama’s Raekwon Davis, this draft class offers plenty of quality alternatives. This class also has several notable nose tackle prospects, including Utah’s Leki Fotu and underrated Ole Miss space eater Benito Jones. Don’t be surprised to see the Seahawks draft a 3-tech and a nose tackle to bolster depth behind Jarran Reed and Poona Ford.