Seahawks NFL Draft Primer: Defensive Ends/EDGE

With the 2020 NFL Draft less than one week away, the Seahawks hold seven selections - for now - and will be on the clock for the first time at pick No. 27 in the first round.

At the start of the offseason, Seattle's top priority was improving its pass rush. Fast forwarding to mid-April, that glaring need still remains unaddressed with Jadeveon Clowney still unsigned and only veterans Bruce Irvin and Benson Mayowa added as rotational rushers.

Which defensive ends and EDGE defenders could the Seahawks have their sights on heading into next week's draft? Here's a look at possible targets on all three days, including stats, physical and athletic specs compared to Seattle's thresholds, and a scouting report.

First Round Possibilities

A.J. Epenesa, Iowa

2019 Stats: 49 tackles, 11.5 sacks, 14 tackles for loss

Does he meet Seahawks physical thresholds? A little underweight for a 5-tech defensive end at 275 pounds, but meets height (6-foot-5) and arm length (34 1/2-inch) requirements.

Does he meet Seahawks athletic thresholds? 10-yard split on 40-yard dash was undesirable, but did post 32.5-inch vertical jump and 4.46 second short shuttle time.

Reported interest from Seahawks? No

Scouting Report: One of college football's most productive defensive ends over the past two years, Epenesa didn't impress at the scouting combine in February, which has lowered his stock in some scouting circles. But despite his subpar testing numbers, Seattle should have strong interest because he offsets his perceived athletic limitations with a diversified pass rushing toolbox and excellent hand usage while also offering the size and power to set anchor off the edge defending the run. In terms of being pro ready, Epenesa is as good as any end in his class.

Yetur Gross-Matos, Penn State

2019 Stats: 40 tackles, 9.0 sacks, 14.5 tackles for loss

Does he meet Seahawks physical thresholds? No concerns here, as he's 6-foot-5, weighed in at 266 pounds, and has 34 7/8-inch arms.

Does he meet Seahawks athletic thresholds? He didn't do all of the drills at the combine, but did post 120-inch broad jump and 34-inch vertical jump, which both meet Seattle's requirements.

Reported interest from Seahawks? Yes, formal meeting at combine.

Scouting Report: Built like a prototypical NFL defensive end, Gross-Matos made tremendous strides as a pass rusher and run defender during his final two seasons with the Nittany Lions. He also has overcome unthinkable adversity to reach this point, losing both his father and brother in tragic accidents. He needs to add more muscle to his frame and remains unrefined technique-wise, especially when it comes to developing pass rushing counter moves, but with proper coaching, he could become a Pro Bowl-caliber player in Seattle.

K'Lavon Chaisson, LSU

2019 Stats: 60 tackles, 6.5 sacks, 13.5 tackles for loss

Does he meet Seahawks physical thresholds? At 6-foot-3, 254 pounds, he checks off height/weight requirements to play LEO defensive end, but doesn't meet 33-inch threshold for arm length.

Does he meet Seahawks athletic thresholds? Unknown - he didn't participate in the combine or conduct a pro day workout.

Reported interest from Seahawks? No

Scouting Report: A bendy edge rusher with an explosive first step, Chaisson makes up ground quickly and boasts the athletic traits on film Seattle looks for at the LEO spot. He's also a high-effort, high-character player who improved against the run in 2019 and holds his own at the point of attack despite being under 260 pounds. His skill set hasn't translated to elite pass rushing production and he suffered a torn ACL in 2018, so there are plenty of red flags. With that said, he offers one of the higher ceilings for any edge defender in this class and looks like a strong scheme fit for Seattle.

Second/Third Round Possibilities

Zack Baun, Wisconsin

2019 Stats: 75 tackles, 12.5 sacks, 19.5 tackles for loss

Does he meet Seahawks physical thresholds? As a linebacker, he offers an ideal frame at 6-foot-2, 238 pounds. But in both metrics, he's smaller than any LEO defensive end Seattle has ever drafted.

Does he meet Seahawks athletic thresholds? Surprisingly, his 4.65 40-yard dash time exceeds the team's threshold, but he did check off the boxes on his 10-yard split, short shuttle, and 3-cone drill.

Reported interest from Seahawks? Yes, formal meeting at combine.

Scouting Report: Though undersized at 238 pounds and lacking ideal length, Baun broke out as one of the nation's best pass rushers during his senior season working against top-tier tackles in the Big Ten and offers outstanding burst off the edge. In addition, he has the versatility to play all three linebacker spots at the next level and proved himself to be stellar in coverage, earning a 91.1 coverage grade from Pro Football Focus over the last two seasons. In Seattle, he would likely play a role similar to Bruce Irvin, playing SAM linebacker on early downs and rushing off the edge on passing downs.

Josh Uche, Michigan

2019 Stats: 33 tackles, 7.5 sacks, 10.5 tackles for loss

Does he meet Seahawks physical thresholds? Though he doesn't meet height threshold for LEO defensive end (6-foot-1), he weighed in at 245 pounds and has excellent length for his size with 33 5/8-inch arms.

Does he meet Seahawks athletic thresholds? Unknown - he didn't participate in the combine or conduct a pro day workout.

Have Seahawks shown interest? No

Scouting Report: Primarily used as a rotational player at Michigan, Uche's lack of experience and a lengthy injury history makes him a difficult assessment entering the draft. He's shown flashes of being a dynamic pass rusher with quality speed off the edge and the ability to bend the corner against tackles to hunt down quarterbacks. He's also exhibited comfort playing in space and dropping into coverage with his limited opportunities, though his inexperience has been evident in that area of his game. If the Seahawks are willing to go through growing pains with him, he's another high-upside hybrid who could turn into a very solid NFL rusher in time.

Julian Okwara, Notre Dame

2019 Stats: 19 tackles, 5.0 sacks, 7 tackles for loss

Does he meet Seahawks physical thresholds? At 6-foot-4, 252 pounds with long 34 3/8-inch arms, he checks off every size requirement at the LEO position.

Does he meet Seahawks athletic thresholds? Unknown - he didn't participate in the combine or conduct a pro day workout.

Have Seahawks shown interest? Yes, formal meeting at combine.

Scouting Report: Okwara tantalized scouts during his four seasons with the Irish, but he never seemed to put everything together. From a raw physical skills perspective, he matches up well with the top edge rushers in this class, but he's still a raw, undeveloped football player coming off a broken leg that ended his senior season. He hasn't developed a reliable counter to deploy off his speed rush and has been a liability as a run defender. If the Seahawks believe they can harness his physical gifts and shore up the fundamental deficiencies of his game, he has a chance to be an excellent LEO defensive end in their 4-3 scheme.

Terrell Lewis, Alabama

2019 Stats: 31 tackles, 6.0 sacks, 11.5 tackles for loss

Does he meet Seahawks physical thresholds? He has near-perfect size for Seattle's LEO defensive end spot at 6-foot-5, 262 pounds with 33 7/8-inch arms.

Does he meet Seahawks athletic thresholds? He didn't run at the combine, but did post stellar results in the broad jump (124 inches) and vertical jump (37 inches).

Have Seahawks shown interest? Yes, virtual visit.

Scouting Report: Like Okwara, Lewis has the ideal size and length to transition from linebacker to LEO defensive end in Seattle. But he's also an unpolished talent who has battled constant injuries and missed two full seasons for the Crimson Tide with a broken arm and torn ACL. He doesn't have a lot of snaps under his belt rushing off the edge, which means he will likely be a project for whoever drafts him. But the athletic tools are there for him to emerge as a productive pass rusher if he can stay healthy and responds favorably to NFL coaching.

Jonathan Greenard, Florida

2019 Stats: 53 tackles, 10.0 sacks, 16 tackles for loss

Does he meet Seahawks physical thresholds? At 6-foot-3, 263 pounds, he meets height/weight requirements and also has 34 7/8-inch arms.

Does he meet Seahawks athletic thresholds? No, he didn't meet a single one of Seattle's athletic specs at the LEO defensive end spot.

Have Seahawks shown interest? No

Scouting Report: Greenard may be the ultimate case study trying to assess a pass rushing prospect comparing testing numbers to game film. He ran a slow 4.85-second 40-yard dash in Indianapolis and lacked explosion in the vertical and broad jump. But on the field, he plays much faster and exhibits an explosive first step off the snap to blow by tackles, which allowed him to amass double-digit sacks as a senior. He's crafty and though his run defense leaves something to be desired, he should be able to make an immediate impact at the next level and projects well as a LEO for the Seahawks.

Jabari Zuniga, Florida

2019 Stats: 12 tackles, 3.0 sacks, 5.5 tackles for loss

Does he meet Seahawks physical thresholds? He's a bit undersized to play base defensive end at 264 pounds and falls just short in terms of arm length (32 7/8-inch), but his size profile fits better at LEO.

Does he meet Seahawks athletic thresholds? He impressed at the combine with a 4.64 40-yard dash and 127-inch broad jump, though he didn't do agility testing drills.

Have Seahawks shown interest? No

Scouting Report: The polar opposite of his teammate Greenard, Zuniga offers the sizzle without the substance. He never surpassed 6.5 sacks in five seasons with the Gators and dealt with a variety of injuries, including a high ankle sprain that limited him to just six games as a senior. As displayed in Indianapolis, he has all the physical and athletic specs teams covet in an NFL edge rusher, but he hasn't been able to fulfill his potential to this point. If there's a true boom-or-bust prospect in this position group, Zuniga takes the cake, but the Seahawks may not be able to pass up on him on day two.

Bradlee Anae, Utah

2019 Stats: 41 tackles, 13.0 sacks, 11 tackles for loss

Does he meet Seahawks physical thresholds? At 6-foot-3, 257 pounds, he would meet height/weight thresholds as a LEO but his sub-optimal 32 1/8-inch arms could be a substantial red flag.

Does he meet Seahawks athletic thresholds? No, with the lone exception being his short shuttle time (4.43 seconds) would meet Seattle's specs for a base defensive end.

Have Seahawks shown interest? Yes, formal meeting at combine and informal meeting at Senior Bowl.

Scouting Report: Lack of arm length and pedestrian athletic testing at the combine could cause Anae to free-fall at next week's draft, especially considering he doesn't have the size of a base defensive end and doesn't possess the athleticism teams often look for from edge rushers. However, this could be another case where potential suitors need to weigh testing numbers against game film carefully. The fundamentally-sound Anae put up monster numbers for the Utes, he's a savvy hand technician at the point of attack, and similar to Greenard, plays much faster on the field He should immediately compete for playing time at either defensive end spot.

Marlon Davidson, Auburn

2019 Stats: 48 tackles, 6.5 sacks, 11.5 tackles for loss

Does he meet Seahawks physical thresholds? Just a hair overweight at 303 pounds for a base defensive end, but checks off boxes at 6-foot-3 with 33-inch arms.

Does he meet Seahawks athletic thresholds? He didn't participate in most of the drills at the combine, but did post a 10-yard split of 1.78 seconds, which meets Seattle's requirements at both 5-tech defensive end and defensive tackle.

Have Seahawks shown interest? No.

Scouting Report: Davidson drew headlines at the combine by saying he loves football because he “can literally go out there and hit a man consistently, and pound him, and the police won’t come." The comments were a bit of an eye-opener for some, but the physical 303-pound defender plays with the mindset Seattle loves along the defensive line and brings a well-rounded game with him to the NFL. Capable of playing three-tech alignment and sliding out to defensive end, he produced 28 tackles for loss and 14.5 sacks in four seasons with the Tigers and could be a viable replacement for Quinton Jefferson.

Curtis Weaver, Boise State

2019 Stats: 52 tackles, 13.5 sacks, 19.5 tackles for loss

Does he meet Seahawks physical thresholds? No, as the 6-foot-2, 265-pound defender is a "tweener" whose height/weight doesn't mesh at either defensive end spot spec-wise.

Does he meet Seahawks athletic thresholds? He didn't run the 40-yard dash at the combine and came up just short of thresholds in vertical and broad jump, but did post strong times in the short shuttle (4.27 seconds) and 3-cone drill (7.0 seconds).

Have Seahawks shown interest? No.

Scouting Report: Weaver knows how to get to the quarterback, using refined hand technique and well-developed pass rushing counters to dominate in Mountain West competition. He produced 34.0 sacks in just three seasons with the Broncos. But his lack of explosiveness could severely hamper his chances of replicating his college production at the NFL level and he's a major project as a run defender. He may be a candidate to play the LEO spot for the Seahawks, but the dearth of ideal athletic traits may take him off their draft board.

Day Three Possibilities

Darrell Taylor, Tennessee; Alton Robinson, Syracuse; Trevis Gibson, Tulsa, Anfernee Jennings, Alabama; D.J. Wonnum, South Carolina; Derrick Tuszka, North Dakota State

Analysis: Taylor has all the physical traits Seattle looks for at the LEO spot, but he didn't have a true position for the Volunteers and may need time to develop. Robinson endured a tough senior season for the Orange, but he's just two years removed from a 10.0 sack campaign. Gipson offers excellent size (6-foot-3, 262 pounds) and versatility, but didn't test at the combine, leaving questions about him as an NFL prospect. Jennings was a former four-star recruit for the Crimson Tide who lacks elite athletic traits, but does play with a motor and was productive in the SEC. Wonnum has the prototypical body type for a LEO defensive end in Seattle and checks off most athletic thresholds, but struggled to develop with the Gamecocks. Tuszka is an intriguing small-school prospect with good size (6-foot-4, 251 pounds) and plus-athletic traits, including running a blazing 6.87-second 3-cone drill.