Seahawks 2022 Combine Confidential: Offensive Line

INDIANAPOLIS - Drawing closer to the start of a new league year, the Seahawks once again face significant question marks at multiple positions along their offensive line with several starting spots currently sitting vacant.

As has been the case throughout his tenure as coach, Pete Carroll has continued to preach continuity up front, especially after Seattle ended the year on a strong note with a revived rushing attack helping the team win four out of six down the stretch. But keeping the group together may be tough with Pro Bowl left tackle Duane Brown, center Ethan Pocic, and right tackle Brandon Shell heading towards free agency and the organization having other needs on the roster to address.

"We're trying to get our guys back," Carroll told reporters at the NFL Scouting Combine on Wednesday. "We'll see what happens. We don't know right now. We like our guys, and we think that the opportunity to grow with them and continue will help us. We got to see what happens. This time right now, it's really specifically directed for [general manager] John [Schneider]. He's trying to check out our roster, mark all the agents, make sure that we can know where everybody sits with us, and to try to see where we have to go because of our opportunities."

While re-signing Brown, Shell, and Pocic will be prioritized, it's possible, if not likely, the Seahawks will have at least one new starter along the offensive line in 2022. Even if they do bring back all of those players on one or two-year deals, that shouldn't stop Carroll and Schneider from pursuing long-term solutions in a draft class featuring quality talent and depth at tackle, guard, and center.

Here's a look at seven offensive line prospects participating in the combine who could be on Seattle's radar as potential targets heading into the 2022 NFL Draft:

Tackles

Rasheed Walker

Heralding from Big Ten country, the 6-foot-6, 312-pound Walker earned his stripes not only in game action but on the practice field battling against the likes of future NFL draft picks Micah Parsons, Odafe Oweh, and Yetur Gross-Matos. Forced to sharpen his technique facing such players preparing during the week, he became a starter at left tackle as a sophomore and held the role for each of his final three seasons in Happy Valley, earning All-Big Ten honors twice.

An athletic prospect with quality size for a blind side protector, Walker plays light on his feet, mirrors rushers well, consistently delivers accurate strikes with his hands, and sets a firm anchor blocking against bull rushes. He can also be a finisher in the run game, though he hasn't been as consistent in that capacity. Balance issues and lunging have been noticeable flaws on film, particularly in pass protection, but those issues should be correctable with proper coaching and given his athletic profile and experience playing against top competition, he should be a candidate to vie for snaps at left or right tackle right away.

Abraham Lucas

A mountain of a man at 6-foot-6, 322 pounds, Lucas brings a different level of physicality to the field compared to former Washington State first-round pick Andre Dillard, who the Eagles drafted in 2019. Playing in an Air Raid offense, he logged 2,195 pass protection snaps for the Cougars while starting in 42 consecutive games at right tackle for the program over the past four years.

Though refinement will be required in terms of syncing his footwork with his hand placement in pass protection, Lucas plays with a nasty edge and opponents will struggle to create push against him with bull rushes. He also proved to be more than capable of holding his own against speed rushes and per PFF, he didn't allow a single sack and yielded one lone quarterback hit on 477 pass blocking snaps in 2021. After not playing with his hand in the dirt in Pullman, he may need some time to acclimate to a pro-style offense as a run blocker. But he proved himself to be a quick learner at the Senior Bowl in Mobile and expressed no reservations about his ability to adapt when speaking to reporters at the combine.

Tackle/Guard Hybrids

Darian Kinnard

Another massive human being at 6-foot-5, 345 pounds, Kinnard physically imposed his will on opponents for Kentucky in the SEC, mauling defenders at the point of attack in the run game. In terms of strength and power, he may be one of the top prospects in this draft and excels at knocking people off the line of scrimmage in gap and zone blocking schemes. His intimidating play style led to a First-Team All-SEC selection in 2021.

But when it comes to projecting Kinnard's future at the next level, his stockier build and heavy feet may prevent him from sticking at right tackle. Even after allowing only one and four hurries for the Wildcats as a senior, the better fit for him may be sliding inside where his unrefined pass sets and footwork won't be as much of a limitation in pass protection in a more confined area. His brute strength and nastiness would also be welcomed in the interior as a run blocker and his experience against top competition in the SEC would set him up to start early. If there's a destination where tackle could still be in the cards, Seattle would value those traits competing against Jake Curhan.

Sean Rhyan

A former rugby player who relishes competition, the 6-foot-5, 320-pound Rhyan became an immediate starter at left tackle for UCLA as a true freshman in 2019 and never looked back. Displaying exceptional durability, he started every game for the Bruins as the blind side protector for the program over the past three years and earned First-Team All-Pac 12 honors as a junior in 2021.

Lighter on his feet than anticipated thanks to his rugby background and deploying what he called "patient" hands in his pass sets, Rhyan allowed only one sack in pass protection during his final two seasons on campus. He also may have turned in the best game of his career locking down potential No. 1 pick Kayvon Thibodeaux last season. His average lateral mobility may hinder him against speedy edge rushers at the next level and as a zone blocker in the run game and some teams may favor him sliding inside as a result. But based on his body of work and technical savvy, he looks like a capable left tackle at the next level and could be an heir apparent option for Duane Brown.

Centers

Zion Johnson

After being lightly recruited out of high school, Johnson took the long route to become a viable NFL prospect, beginning his college career at Davidson before transferring to Boston College. Quickly finding his way into the starting lineup at left guard, the 6-foot-3, 314-pound blocker earned All-ACC recognition each of the past three seasons, including in 2020 as a starter at left tackle for the Eagles. He accomplished this while playing in two significantly different schemes.

Further displaying his versatility, Johnson performed well at center during the Senior Bowl in Mobile, adding another feather to his cap heading towards the draft. A physical run blocker with sound technique who also excels off the field as a high-character individual and allowed just six pressures in pass protection as a senior, he has a chance to vault his name into first-round discussion if he tests well athletically at the combine. He may be well out of reach for the Seahawks, but if he does slip to No. 41 overall, he would be a home run pick to fill a significant void in the middle of the offensive line.

Luke Fortner

A key cog on a talented Kentucky offensive line for the past three years, Fortner played in 55 games during his time in Lexington, starting a combined 36 games at guard and center. Starring as a senior at the pivot position, he joined Kinnard as a First-Team All-SEC performer and received a stellar 85.1 overall grade from Pro Football Focus.

Though not the most physically-imposing blocker at 307 pounds, Fortner plays larger than his size suggests and can create movement at the line of scrimmage. He's at his best moving laterally and in space, which would make him a perfect fit in a zone blocking scheme. Hand placement issues can be problematic at times for him in both pass protection and the run game. After spending six years at the college level, he may be a high-floor, limited ceiling prospect, but the Seahawks would take in a heartbeat compared to their generally subpar center play in recent seasons. He could arrive as a built-in starter in year one and give the team the long-term starting option they've sought for some time.

Dohnovan West

Injuries and COVID postponements limited West to just eight games total in his final two seasons at Arizona State, but when he has been on the field, he's looked the part of a potential starter in the league. He became a day one starter as a true freshman in 2019 and while his team was limited to only a four-game season in 2020, he earned First-Team All-Pac 12 recognition.

Offering some positional versatility to play guard or center, West plays with excellent leverage, has desired lateral quickness and mobility skills for inside/outside zone runs, and exhibits quality body control at the line of scrimmage and second level. He's not the most physically imposing player and at 300 pounds, he has had issues at times getting pushed around in the trenches and doesn't always deliver enough pop on his strikes. With that said, his athletic tools and solid anchor against power rushes should make him a quality pass protector right away and allow him to succeed in a scheme featuring extensive zone runs.

Add us as a preferred source on Google