Seahawks NFL Draft Primer: Defensive Tackles

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.

Though Seattle hasn't been able to re-sign Jadeveon Clowney, the front office did quickly strike a two-year agreement with defensive tackle Jarran Reed. But even with Reed's return alongside Poona Ford, the loss of Al Woods and Quinton Jefferson in free agency leaves the team thin at the position depth-wise.

Which defensive tackles 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

Ross Blacklock, TCU

2019 Stats: 40 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 9 tackles for loss

Does he meet Seahawks physical thresholds? He's slightly undersized at 290 pounds, but does meet arm length requirements (32 3/8-inch).

Does he meet Seahawks athletic thresholds? To an extent, as his 1.7-second 10-yard split and 29-inch vertical jump check off Seattle's specs but he didn't perform as well in the short shuttle and broad jump.

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

Scouting Report: Coming from a well-coached program at TCU, Blacklock offers immense versatility along the defensive line. In three seasons at the school, he played substantial snaps as a 3-technique one-gap defensive tackle, in the 0-technique nose tackle role, and at defensive end. A disruptive run defender, Blacklock holds up well against double teams and has the quickness to penetrate gaps and wreak havoc in the backfield. He's also flashed as a pass rusher, though he has room for growth developing counter moves off his bull rush. As long as medicals check out, he's the perfect 3-tech for Seattle's 4-3 front and might be an option as early as pick No. 27.

Justin Madubuike, Texas A&M

2019 Stats: 45 tackles, 5.5 sacks, 11.5 tackles for loss

Does he meet Seahawks physical thresholds? He's on the cusp of Seattle's weight threshold at 293 pounds, but he checks off height (6-foot-3) and arm length parameters (33 1/2-inch).

Does he meet Seahawks athletic thresholds? He didn't do many tests at the combine, but did post a 1.73-second 10-yard split and 31 bench press reps, which both meet Seattle's requirements.

Reported interest from Seahawks? No.

Scouting Report: Though undersized, Madubuike plays stronger than his frame would suggest, has a sudden first step, and excels at getting narrow to split gaps, which allowed him to rack up 11.0 sacks over the past two seasons for the Aggies. He consistently wins the leverage battle and uses a powerful lower body to win as a pass rusher at multiple spots along the defensive line. He has a couple reliable go-to counter moves in his arsenal, including a refined spin move he turns to regularly working off his bull rush. He's probably not suited to play nose tackle in the NFL, but he would be a great fit at the 3-tech spot in Seattle.

Raekwon Davis, Alabama

2019 Stats: 47 tackles, 0.5 sacks, 3 tackles for loss

Does he meet Seahawks physical thresholds? He's a little heavier (311 pounds) than Seattle typically looks for at 3-tech, but fact he's 6-foot-6 with 33 7/8-inch arms may make that irrelevant.

Does he meet Seahawks athletic thresholds? With the exception of running a slower short shuttle outside of Seattle's thresholds, he passed in the 10-yard split, vertical jump, and broad jump.

Reported interest from Seahawks? Yes, virtual visit.

Scouting Report: Boasting elite size and length, Davis looks like a defensive tackle prospect developed in a lab. When he's playing at his best, he's a dominant enforcer in the interior who wins with heavy hands and can be disruptive shedding blocks to make plays in the backfield as a two-gap defender. At one point, he was one of college football's most effective interior pass rushers, often winning with power. However, his production has waned over the last two seasons after posting 8.5 sacks in 2017, creating questions about his stalled development with the Crimson Tide. If the staff can reach him, he has the physical and athletic tools to play on day one in Seattle as a tackle or even 5-tech end.

Second/Third Round Possibilities

Jordan Elliott, Missouri

2019 Stats: 44 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 8.5 tackles for loss

Does he meet Seahawks physical thresholds? He falls perfectly into the size range Seattle looks for at 6-foot-3, 302 pounds with 32 3/8-inch arms.

Does he meet Seahawks athletic thresholds? Like Davis, he met all of Seattle's athletic specs with the exception of the short shuttle.

Reported interest from Seahawks? No.

Scouting Report: From a production standpoint, Elliott never quite evolved into the pass rushing threat the Tigers thought he would and left too many plays on the field in general. But given his athletic traits at 300-plus pounds and excellent hand fighting skills, there's plenty of interior rushing upside to unlock here to go along with his run stuffing prowess. Coupled with above-average lateral quickness, he has the ability to quickly shed and discard blocks, which allowed him to amass 16.5 tackles for loss over the past two seasons. If a team can find a way to get a more consistent effort from him finishing plays and he develops a few counters off his bull rush, he has a chance at becoming a stellar NFL 3-tech defensive tackle.

Neville Gallimore, Oklahoma

2019 Stats: 29 tackles, 4.0 sacks, 6.5 tackles for loss

Does he meet Seahawks physical thresholds? He's on the shorter side at 6-foot-2, but weighs 304 pounds with 32 3/4-inch arms.

Does he meet Seahawks athletic thresholds? Running a blazing 1.69 10-yard split, he met every threshold except for the short shuttle.

Reported interest from Seahawks? No.

Scouting Report: Offering a rare blend of size and athleticism for the position, Gallimore ran his 40-yard dash at the scouting combine in 4.79 seconds at 304 pounds. The Third-Team All-American flashed those traits as a pass rusher for the Sooners, but never quite fully delivered on his potential statistically with just 8.5 sacks in four seasons and struggled at times as a run defender playing in the pass-happy Big 12 conference. Still, he's a ball of clay who oozes untapped potential if Seahawks coach Clint Hurtt works with him on playing with a lower pad level to consistently win the leverage battle in the trenches.

James Lynch, Baylor

2019 Stats: 41 tackles, 13.5 sacks, 19.5 tackles for loss

Does he meet Seahawks physical thresholds? Though he's 6-foot-3, he weighed in at just 289 pounds and his 31 7/8-inch arms come up shorter than Seattle prefers.

Does he meet Seahawks athletic thresholds? He checks off every single box the Seahawks look for at the position, running a 1.73 10-yard split and posting a 4.39 short shuttle time.

Reported interest from Seahawks? No.

Scouting Report: At 290 pounds, Lynch would offer a versatile alternative capable of playing base defensive end as well as reducing inside to 3-technique in the Seahawks' even front. Though he's not the most explosive athlete from a testing standpoint, he plays with a quick first step off the snap and uses his size to discard blockers at the point of attack, which allowed him to rack up 13.5 sacks and 19.5 tackles for loss while earning Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year honors as a junior. While his pass rushing production may not translate to the league, he's a plus run defender who could play extensive snaps right away.

Davon Hamilton, Ohio State

2019 Stats: 28 tackles, 6.0 sacks, 9.5 tackles for loss

Does he meet Seahawks physical thresholds? At 320 pounds, he's 15 pounds heavier than any 3-tech defensive tackle Seattle has ever drafted.

Does he meet Seahawks athletic thresholds? His broad jump came well below Seattle's threshold, but every other athletic test checked out.

Reported interest from Seahawks? No.

Scouting Report: After being a relative non-factor as a pass rusher during his first three seasons with the Buckeyes, Hamilton broke out as a senior, displaying improved hand usage and finding his way to the quarterback frequently. He still has room to grow as a technician, which should be encouraging for teams seeking quality rushers from the interior. He plays to his size and athletic profile as a run defender as well, holding up well setting anchor against double teams and racking up 20 tackles for loss. Consistency has been a major issue for Hamilton, particularly when it comes to maintaining gap responsibilities, but he's a late day two talent with some positional flexibility and the potential to develop into a starter.

McTelvin Agim, Arkansas

2019 Stats: 38 tackles, 5.0 sacks, 8.5 tackles for loss

Does he meet Seahawks physical thresholds? Short and squatty, he weighs a few more pounds than Seattle looks for at position and measured in at only 6-foot-2, but he does have long 33 1/2-inch arms.

Does he meet Seahawks athletic thresholds? He didn't do most of the testing at the combine, but did post a quality 1.76-second 10-yard split in the 40.

Reported interest from Seahawks? No.

Scouting Report: As a former defensive end with just one year as a defensive tackle under his belt, there's no question Agim will be a bit of a project for whoever drafts him. He will need to hit the weight room to be able to withstand battles in the trenches and hand technique work will be a must as he learns to stack and shed blocks. But he proved himself capable of creating havoc in opposing backfields with the Razorbacks, knows how to get lean shooting gaps, and created six forced fumbles the last three years, which could allow him to be able to carve out an immediate role as a situational interior rusher.

Leki Fotu, Utah

2019 Stats: 25 tackles, 0.5 sacks, 6.5 tackles for loss

Does he meet Seahawks physical thresholds? At 6-foot-4, 330 pounds with 34 1/4-inch arms, he checks every size metric for a 1-tech nose tackle in Seattle.

Does he meet Seahawks athletic thresholds? He didn't quite make it to Seattle's 24 bench press rep threshold, but did post a 1.80 10-yard split at 330 pounds.

Reported interest from Seahawks? Yes, virtual visit.

Scouting Report: Though he won't contribute much as a pass rusher and only produced 4.0 sacks in four collegiate seasons, Fotu can be difficult to move off the line of scrimmage, plays with a bit of a mean streak, and offers surprising quickness to split gaps for a player of his size, which allowed him to rack up 13.5 tackles for loss over his final two seasons with the Utes. After typically relying on seasoned veterans like Al Woods to play the nose tackle role, he would provide the Seahawks with a young talent to develop under club control through 2023.

Jason Strowbridge, North Carolina

2019 Stats: 44 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 6 tackles for loss

Does he meet Seahawks physical thresholds? He came in way underweight at 275 pounds at combine, but does have 6-foot-4 frame with 32 3/8-inch arms.

Does he meet Seahawks athletic thresholds? He checks off every single box the Seahawks look for at the position, running a 1.72 10-yard split and posting a 4.37 short shuttle time.

Reported interest from Seahawks? No.

Scouting Report: Weighing below 280 pounds, Strowbridge is a prototypical "tweener" coming into the league without a true position. He flashed as an interior rusher for the Tar Heels, using a filthy arm-over move and a quick first step to slip past guards into the backfield. He also uses his length well enough to offset strength mismatches in one-on-one battles as a run defender. However, he's not a player who is going to run down ball carriers sideline-to-sideline and lacks the girth to hold off double teams. This is a good football player who needs to find the right team fit and he might be better off as a base defensive end in Seattle's scheme.

Day Three Possibilities

Rashard Lawrence, LSU; Larrell Murchison, North Carolina State; Malcolm Roach, Texas; Benito Jones, Ole Miss; Raequan Williams, Michigan State; Josiah Coatney, Ole Miss

Analysis: Exemplifying toughness and character as a leader for the Tigers national championship team, Lawrence offers value as a rotational defensive tackle on early downs despite underwhelming athletic traits. Murchison produced 7.0 sacks as a senior for the Wolfpack and could carve out a role as a reserve 3-tech or base defensive end. Roach lacks the height and arm length Seattle wants, but he posted decent pass rushing numbers in four seasons with the Longhorns and could be a reserve 3-tech option. A former five-star recruit, Jones has the girth at 316 pounds to play nose tackle and also produced 5.5 sacks as a senior for the Rebels. Coatney, who played alongside Jones at Ole Miss, offers three years of starting experience in the SEC and can play both 3-tech and nose tackle positions in a pinch. Williams didn't impress at the combine and whiffs on several of Seattle's testing thresholds, but he can win as a pass rusher with power from the interior and has enough penetrating ability to be a reliable 3-tech defender.