By Jared Stanger

Damn, it’s been a while since I’ve posted. Working full-time plus school is kicking my ass. So this may be nothing more than the bones of a mock-draft, but it’s good for this point in the season.

After today’s win over Cleveland; Seattle would sit at about pick #28 (behind the Niners, Saints, and the two best AFC teams). Chiefs have dropped out of the AFCCG tier, which moves the Frank Clark pick up. I’ve added in the comp pick allotment, but some of the later-round picks may be off by +/- a couple picks.

Generally, I like to use a standardized big board for reference point across all of my mock drafts throughout the year. This year I will use the Draftnetwork board.

Huge win today over the Browns…Russell continued playing at an MVP level…some war horse work from Carson…defense forced some turnovers…but there was one glaring omission…

Sacks.

Not a single sack of Baker Mayfield. So the team sack lead continues to be shared by Quinton Jefferson, Rasheem Green, and Mychal Kendricks with 2.0 apiece. Not great. So, as much as it pains me not to take our next starting right tackle in the 1st round; the three elite OT are almost assuredly gonna be gone before #20; therefore, I’m gonna try to find us an edge rusher. It also could be a pretty high team “need” with the future of 2020 free agents Ziggy Ansah and Jadeveon Clowney uncertain. Hopefully, one plays well enough to warrant an extension, and the other can walk and net a decent 2021 comp pick.

#1.28 – DE, Florida, Jabari Zuniga

Currently listed at 6’4″/246lbs and coming off a three-week absence due to injury; Zuniga has 3.0 sacks and 5.5 TFL in the four games he has played this year. I might try to get him to play more at the 257lbs he was at in 2018, when Florida also used him quite a bit as an interior rusher. Jabari shows me the best combination of get-off, hand technique, speed outside, and inside counters of the edge available at this point. Draftnetwork has him at #43 overall.

The other thing to consider about drafting an OT in the 1st or not is the depth. And primarily the depth of the second tier of OT.

#2.58 – OT, Alabama, Jedrick Wills

Again, Ifedi will be a free agent, so this is a pretty big need. And you might get a 5th round comp pick if you let Germain go.

For whatever reason, Draftnetwork has Texas rSoph Sam Cosmi ranked #305 overall. If he declares this year, I don’t see him falling out of the 1st. I would probably reconfigure this mock and take Cosmi over Zuniga at #28. I would DEFINITELY take Cosmi at #58. But that won’t happen.

My more realistic projection is Seattle getting Alabama right tackle Jedrick Wills here. Draftnetwork has him at #64. Listed at 6’5″/320lbs, I figure Wills is closer to a Mike Solari OT than some of the more athletic, but barely 300lb prospects out there. I also like that RT is Wills’ current position and we don’t need to make much projection or guesswork.

Oh, and he’s nasty.

#2.61 – OT, Houston, Josh Jones

Admittedly, I think this isn’t a plausible thing that Seattle would do (stacking two OT picks back-to-back), but I like this class and I’d like to get two pulls from it. There’s also the fact that, in addition to Ifedi, George Fant will be a free agent in 2020, and the clock is ticking on Duane Brown.

Jones is listed 6’7″/310lbs and looks more the part of the prototypical LT. I watched some of his 2018 tape over the summer and was only lukewarm on it, but I think he’s looked much better already in 2019. Maybe the coaching change to Dana Holgorsen and his staff has helped Jones. Holgersen and WVU has had a decent track record of producing NFL linemen: Quinton Spain, Mark Glowinski, Yodny Cajuste.

I like the counterpoint of Jones to Wills. Jones being a nice pass-blocker with solid run-blocking…Wills being a nasty run-blocker with solid pass-pro.

Draftnetwork has Jones ranked #354 overall. Undrafted. Yeah, umm, I don’t know what that is about. He’s at minimum a 3rd rounder, but I’m not waiting until Seattle’s next pick in the 3rd round comp section.

I had some thought about taking a pass catcher (either WR or TE) with a 2nd or 3rd round pick, but my personal philosophy just doesn’t value them as much as other people do. Not when you have a legit QB. Plus, you JUST drafted three WR; two of which you haven’t used. And you have decent track record of finding WR in late to undrafted regions, and this is a deep WR class.

#3.100 – LB, Michigan, Josh Uche

This is another instance of this year’s draft talent lining up with Seattle’s impending needs. Mychal Kendricks will be another free agent and, believe it or not, he’s been more of a passrusher than probably any other time in his career. I don’t know that Seattle is calling him an OTTO, but he has been closer to the later-year Bruce Irvin role than I think we realize.

I think this is an underrated class for the hybrid LB/DE type of player. And this will be a great spot to pick one. I’ve got three in mind: Uche, Zack Baun from Wisconsin, and Shaka Toney from Penn State. All three are in the 6’2″-6’3″ range, and 235-250lbs. All three have between 4.5-6.0 sacks in 6 games in 2019. I wouldn’t be mad at any of them. I may change my mind on which one I’d take in future mocks, but for now Uche gets the call.

Draftnetwork places him at #130.

#4.131 – TE, Cincinnati, Josiah Deguara

Nick Vannett has been traded. Will Dissly just tore his achilles. Luke Willson will be a UFA. Jacob Hollister will be a RFA. Who knows what happens with Ed Dickson. Chances are Seattle drafts a TE higher than this in 2020. But I’m not sure there’s a huge gap between TE2 and maybe as far down as TE12. And maybe you strike gold like you did with Dissly in a later round guy.

Deguara is listed 6’3″/240lbs and has 19 catches for 269 yards and 4 TD this year. He seems like a good mix of athletic and decent blocker.

Draftnetwork has him at #181.

#4.141 – DS, North Carolina, Myles Wolfolk

In the continuing quest to replace Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor; we’ve got to take another stab at safety. Wolfolk is a guy I spotted a few weeks ago. He’s only a junior and I have no sense he’ll declare as his profile isn’t very high, but this would be a great spot to snag him. I like his tackling, his ball skills, and his FBIQ.

Draftnetwork does not have him ranked.

#5.158 – CB, Pittsburgh, Jason Pinnock

Seattle actually has four CB that are impending UFA’s (King, Thorpe, Taylor, Reed). Multiple of those names are more noted as slot corners, which may make that more of the focus. The practice squad currently holds Perry Nickerson, Linden Stephens, and Ryan Neal…so Schneider is already preparing to lose some of the 53-man guys and bump up the PS guy(s).

Pinnock, like Wolfolk, is a junior and has no buzz other than I spotted them and like them. He’s listed at 6’0″/200lbs. Also like Wolfolk; Pinnock is currently injured.

I really liked his technique even from his 2018 sophomore tape.

Draftnetwork does not have him ranked, but ranks his secondary-mate Dane Jackson at #231.

#5.168 – WR, Florida, Van Jefferson

Outside of Lockett and Metcalf, the rostered and active WR are all some form of free agent in 2020. Brown is UFA, Moore is RFA, and Turner is ERFA. Like the CB situation; Schneider is already stacking WR between the inactive 53 and practice squad to replace some of those guys. He may not invest heavily at WR in the draft. But with a deep WR class; you may still be able to pull a solid guy in the 5th round. Moore was a 7th, Brown and Turner were undrafted.

Van Jefferson originally came out of the same Ole Miss WR room that held Metcalf and AJ Brown. He transferred to Florida where he’s been a bit underused, but still shows great route running, solid hands, good RAC, and even making big plays on special teams. He’d be a great WR4 for a year or two before getting a bigger role/opportunity.

Draftnetwork has him at #234.

#6.211 – DT, Ohio State, Davon Hamilton

Jarran Reed and Al Woods are both, technically, coming up on UFA, but it’d be a shock if they didn’t re-up Reed. Unless Jodie Allen has put her foot down on guys like Reed and Frank Clark. But until we see otherwise, I think Reed will be back, and we’ll try to add another body in the draft.

Hamilton is listed 6’4″/310lbs and hasn’t been a consistent force for the Buckeyes, but he’s shown flashes of being unblockable.

#7.245 – CB, West Virginia, Keith Washington

Another stab at some CB depth; Washington is listed 6’1″/180lbs and has posted 3 INT, 6 PBU this year. I’d keep my options open on him in terms of eventual pro position. I like this centerfield/safety-esque play, here.

Final haul:

1.28 DE Jabari Zuniga
2.58 OT Jedrick Wills
2.61 OT Josh Jones
3.100 LB/DE Josh Uche
4.131 TE Josiah Deguara
4.141 DS Myles Wolfolk
5.158 CB Jason Pinnock
5.168 WR Van Jefferson
6.211 DT Davon Hamilton
7.245 CB Keith Washington