Seahawks Trade With Steelers in Mock Draft Makes Perfect Sense

The Seattle Seahawks are in position to trade down from the No. 32 overall pick, and they could help a team land a potential quarterback of the future.

CBS Sports draft analyst Ryan Wilson conducted a three-round mock draft where the Seahawks traded their first-round pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers, allowing them to select Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson.

"The Steelers have 12 picks, so they package two of them -- Nos. 53 and 76 -- to move up to No. 32 and take Simpson. Yes, next year's QB class is LOADED ... but don't we say that every single year, and every single year it's never quite as loaded as we all predicted? Meanwhile, midway through the season, we talked about Simpson being in the running for QB1 until injuries changed the conversation," Wilson wrote.

Seahawks Could Make Trade With Steelers

Quarterback Ty Simpson throws during Pro Day in the Hank Crisp Indoor Practice Facility. | Gary Cosby Jr. / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In the trade, the Seahawks were able to pick up an additional pick in the second and third round. This is critical for the Seahawks because they only have four picks to work with going into the draft. Being able to trade back and acquire a pair of top 100 selections would be a massive win for the Seahawks moving forward.

With their picks, the Seahawks were able to address four positions of need, which give them depth across the roster. Here's a look at who they ended up selecting in Wilson's mock draft:

Zakee Wheatley, S, Penn State (No. 53 overall)

Penn State defensive back Zakee Wheatley during the NFL Scouting Combine. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Seahawks are able to trade back into the second round by getting Penn State defensive back Zakee Wheatley, who had 223 tackles in five seasons with the Nittany Lions.

Wheatley would serve as a replacement for Coby Bryant, who signed with the Chicago Bears during the offseason. Wheatley would slowly develop into a starter with the Seahawks, and it gives the team another weapon in the secondary for the upcoming season.

Emmett Johnson, RB, Nebraska (No. 64 overall)

Nebraska running back Emmett Johnson during the NFL Scouting Combine. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Seahawks' biggest acquisition over the draft weekend will be the running back, whether it's a first-round pick or not. Johnson is someone viewed as a Day 2 talent who can both run and catch the football. That's exactly what the Seahawks are looking for, and he could be an under-the-radar fit for the team.

Connor Lew, OL, Auburn (No. 76 overall)

Auburn offensive lineman Connor Lew speaks to members of the media. | Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images

Lew would be an interesting add because he would challenge Anthony Bradford for the starting right guard job. Bradford is entering the final year of his rookie deal, and it remains to be seen if the Seahawks are going to want to bring him back or not.

Bringing Lew into the fold will solidify how strong Bradford is to the team moving forward, and it could establish a pecking order on the offensive line.

Kage Casey, OT, Boise State (No. 96 overall)

Boise State offensive lineman Kage Casey during the NFL Scouting Combine. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

This is arguably the most questionable selection out of the bunch because the Seahawks are pretty well situated at the offensive tackle spots. Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas have both signed long-term deals that will keep them in Seattle for the foreseeable future.

It might be in the Seahawks' best interest to grab a pass rusher at this point in the draft because the team did lose Boye Mafe to the Cincinnati Bengals in free agency.

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