Ethan Hewett | March 10th, 2020
The Seattle Seahawks had a much better season than most expected. Russell Wilson made miracles happen behind a lackluster offensive line, Tyler Lockett, and rookie receiver D.K. Metcalf. Even as the running game lost their top two running backs in Rashaad Penny and Chris Carson by season’s end, this team still put up a fight in the playoffs getting eliminated in the divisional round against the Green Bay Packers. Seattle put up a respectable 11-5 record in a solid season.
The defense needs to be a priority in this draft. With four picks inside the top 100, I would expect the majority of these picks to be devoted to the defensive side and also to the offensive line.
I used the Fanspeak Mock Draft Simulator to assist in this mock draft.
Make sure to check out all of our other NFL team mock drafts here.
Round 1, Pick 27: Zack Baun, EDGE, Wisconsin
Seattle is going to need some help at EDGE this season. Jadeveon Clowney may not be coming back on the franchise tag, and Ezekiel Ansah is also up to be a free agent this offseason. Even if one of these two players come back, Seattle did not get after the quarterback last season. While Yetur Gross-Matos could be an option here, his draft stock has skyrocketed since the combine hinting that he will most likely be gone by this pick.
Baun does fit into a 3-4 scheme better, but his versatility is what will appeal to this Seahawks staff. He is quick and explosive off the line of scrimmage. He has a strong motor and has the speed and athleticism to cover running back’s, and tight end’s as well. Baun is also strong against the run and is most effective in a crash/penetration role on the backside of plays.
Round 2, Pick 59: Damon Arnette, CB, Ohio State
With some help up front, Seattle also needs to address the secondary situation. After Tre Flowers and Shaquill Griffin, there isn’t much there at the corner position. Even then, Griffin tends to be somewhat inconsistent in their secondary. Arnette was overlooked due to fellow corner Jeffrey Okudah at Ohio State. Arnette possesses the size you want for him to be that inside corner and is physical during the catch process. He is also incredibly physical in run support, which is an area that Seattle could also use some help in.
Round 2, Pick 64: Prince Tega Wanogho, OT, Auburn
Seattle needs help in the offensive line department. Wilson was running for his life a majority of the time, and starting left tackle Duane Brown was dealing with injuries most of the season. While there are going to be some options in free agency at tackle, Germain Ifedi should be gone. Grabbing Tega Wanogho here in the second would give Seattle the potential replacement for Brown whenever he decides to call it a career and potential starter at right tackle.
Tega Wanogho is a physical specimen that has all the physical attributes that you want in a starting left tackle. He has excellent length and is quick on his feet in shorter pass sets. Of course, with great powers comes great responsibilities. While Tega Wanogho has these abilities, his technique, specifically in his hands, isn’t quite where it needs to be. But give him a year or two with an NFL staff, and he could be the future left tackle for Seattle.
Round 3, Pick 100: Leki Fotu, DL, Utah
It has been mentioned already. Seattle’s front seven was not the best last season even with more prominent names like Bobby Wagner, and Clowney in the mix. One reason was because of the underperformance of the interior defensive line, specifically Jarran Reed, when he returned from his suspension. Enter Leki Fotu. While he didn’t produce as much as you might like in college, Fotu has the healthy and thick lower body you want to see and has the power to drive into the backfield.
Round 4, Pick 130: Nick Harris, iOL, Washington
Seattle’s offensive line could look very different in 2020. Mike Iupati is set to become and free agent along with both D.J. Fluker and Justin Britt potentially being released to save some cap room. So they need interior depth. Harris saw some drop at the combine due to a 5.1 40-yard dash, but he is a high IQ football player who has experience at both the center and guard position. He is strong in the run game, and his awareness in pass protection served him well in college. If Harris were to fall to the Seahawks here, this one is a no brainer.
Round 4, Pick 143: Josiah Deguara, TE, Cincinnati
Seattle seems to be becoming the land of tight ends in the twilight of their career. Greg Olsen recently signed a one-year contract with the Seahawks saying he wanted to go after a Superbowl. However, this is not the solution that Seattle needs. Will Dissly can’t seem to stay healthy, and Jacob Hollister served as an alright replacement. Deguara is a tough son of a gun who played with incredible intensity for the Bearcats. His physical gifts aren’t insane, but he would make a valuable number three to Olsen and Dissly.
Round 5, Pick 154: Lamical Perine, RB, Florida
Running back should be a modest priority for the Seahawks. Carson and Penny are a really good duo, but both struggle somewhat in the pass-catching department. Perine who saw a heavy pass-catching load in 2019, could bring that aspect of the game to the Seahawks, serving as a good third-down back to create a balanced and talented backfield. Not to mention that he also is a decent runner who has good vision but lacks somewhat in being elusive.
Round 6, Pick 214: Trevon Hill, EDGE, Miami
Of the positions that Seattle should double-dip on, one of them should be the EDGE spot. Hill put up respectable numbers in college, putting up 29.5 tackles for loss along with 16 sacks serving as a rotational player for the Hurricanes. Hill has yet to live up to the hype that he garnered when he went to Miami as a graduate student, and his build is not quite where it needs to be. However, Seattle could attempt to use him in the same way that he was used in college in rotations. At the worst, he finds himself on their practice squad as a developmental player.
Round 7, Pick 250: Yasir Durant, OT, Missouri
As mentioned, Seattle’s offensive line could look very different next season. With that said, they are going to want to invest heavily through the draft. Durant stands at 6’6” and 331 pounds. Talk about a mountain of a human being, and he carries that weight well and is surprisingly nimble on his feet. This is a depth pick here as Durant has some technical issues that can be developed. Durant also brings the potential of sliding into the guard position giving this offensive line a little more versatility.
Questions and comments?
thescorecrowsports@gmail.com
Follow Us on Twitter @thescorecrow
Follow Us on Reddit at u/TheScorecrow
Follow Us on Facebook at The Scorecrow
Follow Us on Instagram at The Scorecrow
Facebook Group where you can read and post articles at The Scorecrow
Reddit Group where everyone can post without fear of being banned at The Scorecrow
Follow Ethan Hewett on Twitter @hewett_ethan
Main Image Credit: [getty src=”1187344534″ width=”594″ height=”396″ tld=”com”]
