By Jared Stanger
We are five days out from the 2021 NFL Draft…felt like a good time to knock out another 7-round mock draft. You know the drill: Seahawks gonna trade back and add picks. I ran a few different trade scenarios and posted them on my twitter account. I’ll cut straight to the chase here and trade #2.56 to the Dallas Cowboys for their picks #3.75, #3.99, and #5.179. I will then trade the 4th round pick at #129 to San Francisco for their picks at #5.155 and 6.194. Final draft board: 3.75, 3.99, 5.155, 5.179, 6.194, 7.250. Doubling your picks without sacrificing all upside.
3.75 – OL Quinn Meinerz
There has been a lot of chatter connecting Meinerz to the Seahawks. I think a Center makes a lot of sense at this spot as there are a handful of good ones in this class…Meinerz tested very well athletically but also hit some important benchmarks in terms of his build and length. He’s shorter at 6’3″ (may help Russell’s passing lanes), but has decent length (33 3/8″ arms), and very stout (320lbs). I don’t think it’s improbable the Seahawks could be interested.
Meinerz has mostly played guard in college, so we may see him backup Pocic for the year, then let Pocic walk in 2022. It’s also worth noting that the Seahawks haven’t let either of their most recent centers start at the spot as rookies. Britt started at RT and Pocic started as bench swing OL. Low expectations here for the immediate future.
3.99 – LB Hamilcar Rashed
I find it strange we aren’t talking more about the current hole on the roster where KJ Wright used to be. I realize the primary reason is that KJ is still on the market and fans are optimistic he’ll be back, but I dunno. Besides, I think there’s a nice pocket of players in this class that could be nice plug and play SAM linebackers. In my scenario; Jordyn Brooks remains at WILL, and the SAM will have skillset more akin to when Bruce Irvin was at the position.
Rashed measured 6’2″/251lbs with a very nice 4.62s forty and solid jumps at his pro day. During the 2020 season it seemed teams schemed to stop him as his production completely fell off, but in 2019 he had 14.0 sacks and a nation-leading 22.5 TFL. It’s a profile that the roster doesn’t really have at the moment as most of the edge rushers have suddenly become closer to 270 lbs than the 250 that Rashed is at. But Pete has a long history of incorporating that smaller LEO/Elephant role going back to Clay Matthews at USC.
5.155 – WR Michael Strachan
Okay, it is super unrealistic projecting the Seahawks drafting two players from outside Division 1 within their first three picks, but they also have to hunt value like never before this year.
Strachan is a 6’5″/226lb specimen that posted one of the higher RAS scores from this WR class. 4.50s forty, 35″ vert, and really still learning the position. But we only need someone to take the reps from David Moore. Moore was an underrated deep-threat, jump-ball option for Russell; and those are things Strachan excels at.
5.179 – CB Jason Pinnock
I’m pretty ride or die for Pinnock at this point. Size measurements check out. Athleticism checks out. Coverage analytics check out. And the buzz hasn’t caught on so the value checks out. Seahawks’ corner room is deep enough at this point that they can wait on Pinnock.
6.194 – DT Taquon Graham
Similar to the SAM pick; I feel like we’re overlooking the absence of Jarran Reed too much. Even though this isn’t a highly rated DT class, there are some good athletes, and I believe Pete and John take a shot on a 3tech somewhere.
Graham pro-day’d at 6’3″/292lbs, with a 4.89s forty, and 32.5″ vert. Overall the 3rd-best DT athlete in the class. This is the kind of guy you take a shot on in the 6th round
7.250 – LB Nick Niemann
Much like Graham; this is an athlete upside pick. Niemann is 6’3″/234lbs with a 4.51s forty. Don’t need much from him year one outside of special teams.
Final haul:
3.75 – OL Quinn Meinerz
3.99 – LB Hamilcar Rashed
5.155 – WR Michael Strachan
5.179 – CB Jason Pinnock
6.194 – DL Taquon Graham
7.250 – LB Nick Niemann
Seattle Seamocks 