By Jared Stanger
So this is what it’s like to need a QB. Haven’t done this in a minute. I don’t know what to do with my hands. Let’s see if we can figure something out.
After recent developments; we added Denver’s 1st, 2nd, and 5th this year, plus a couple picks next year. We gave up one of this year’s 4th’s, of which we had two. By best estimation, after comp picks are awarded, the Seahawks current draft allotment should look like this:
1.9, 2.40, 2.41, 3.72, 4.107, 5.151, 5.152, 7.227
Eight picks right now, so before any other developments arise and we trade away most of these picks; I’m doing this mock and in it I’m going to try to get to 11 picks and lay a solid foundation for a run at the playoffs in 2023. The first thing I will do is move down the #9 using Philadelphia, who owns picks #15, #16, #19. In order to make it work, we need to give #9 + #40 and we get #16 + #19. Then I will move #19 to Cincinnati for #31 and #63. I move #72 to Indianapolis for #82 and #120. And, finally, I move #152 to the Rams for #174 and #210. Final haul:
1.16, 1.31, 2.41, 2.63, 3.82, 4.107, 4.120, 5.151, 5.174, 6.210, 7.227
It’s pretty good balance with four picks in the first two rounds, and another four picks rounds 4-5, where the depth of this draft should still be holding up. I’m not really going to go into much justification for drafting anyone…more specifically the position they play, nor where I’m picking them. This is now a full re-build…we need everything. Find good football players. Period.
On to the picks!
#1.16 – DT, Georgia, Jordan Davis
There’s a strong possibility Jordan is gone before this spot. The dude was the #1 overall winner of the combine and is one of the freakiest players the league has ever seen. But his position is undervalued by many, so maybe it works. If he’s not there, you can still likely find one of: Jermaine Johnson, Travon Walker, David Ojabo, George Karlaftis, Devonte Wyatt. And if THAT group misses all, you flip to OL here and flip to Travis Jones later.
#1.31 – OL, Boston College, Zion Johnson
Maybe PCJS try to fill the hole at LT here if a guy with some upside like Bernhard Raimann or Tyler Smith is there. And, in a way, that might be the smarter way to go with a good class of Centers well into day 2. I feel a little safer that the interior player will be on the board at 31. Zion has experience at LT and LG, but I’m going to try to settle him in at Center. Love the player…get him in the building and figure out his position later. Zach Tom would be a guy with some LT/OC versatility to track as a backup plan in a later round if Zion is gone.
#2.41 – LB, Wisconsin, Leo Chenal
I’ve occasionally seen Chenal ranked a little higher than this, but not by much. Maybe up to like #2.34. I generally think he’s been underrated. His recent combine and pro day will change some of that, but on many boards it will change him from late 2nd/3rd to around this region. This is a big, athletic, productive player that should be able to play multiple spots at the second level. I tend to think he could play MIKE, SAM, or WILL. I mean, he’s 6’3″/250lbs and he ran a 4.53s forty. Find a spot for him.
2.63 – DE, Kentucky, Josh Paschal
There’s a reason I went interior DL with the first pick and not edge, and it is because the depth this year at DE is so much better. Paschal tested at the Combine at 268lbs after being listed at Kentucky as 278. I wouldn’t mind to see him settle in right between at around 273. His skillset lends itself to playing outside on early downs where he’s a tremendous run player, and then drop inside for 3rd downs where he has shown surprising power to bullrush IOL.
3.82 – FS, Maryland, Nick Cross
There are probably two players in this mock that I hadn’t watched AT ALL prior to the Combine. Nick was one. He ran a 4.34s forty at 212lbs though, which very much caught my attention. I went back to the tape and liked what I saw. This is a guy that has centerfield range, but that I also saw being a firm tackler, an electric blitzer, and a contributing special teams player. Let’s bring back the single-high safety.
4.107 – OL, Wake Forest, Zach Tom
Tom was a guy I had just started digging into a week or two before the Combine. He had put together some good tape at the Shrine Game, he was an extremely smart player, but I had some concerns about his size. At the Shrine he was listed 6’4″/297lbs with 33 2/8″ arms. “So, okay, he’s played Center before in college…that might be where he ends up.” But then at the Combine he came in at 304lbs, and then had great testing with a 4.94s forty, 33″ vert, and 9’10” broad. Maybe he IS a tackle. Maybe he’s Isaiah Wynn-esque. Wynn was only 6’3″ with 33 3/8″ arms and Belichick has started him at LT in multiple seasons when he’s been healthy. Or, if it doesn’t work at LT, maybe he ends up at RT, or maybe he does end up at Center. I just like the player. I’m open to competition at all OL spots except for wherever Damien Lewis ends up.
4.120 – CB, Sam Houston State, Zyon McCollum
Zyon was a guy I watched while preparing for the Senior Bowl week, and who I really liked. There were traits in him I thought could be shaped, molded, and enhanced to be a pretty interesting corner. Then he blew out the Combine and ruined the chance I thought there might be to snag him in the 5th round. I’m not entirely sure he’ll be there in the 4th round either, but with the small school and the short-ish arms (30 3/4″), there’s a chance.
5.151 – TE, Wisconsin, Jake Ferguson
After the 5th round, I don’t think you’re finding guys with solid tape that also tested really well athletically. Ferguson has very solid tape, but he ran a 4.81s forty at 250lbs with a 31.5″ vert. But with Noah Fant already acquired we can look for a solid depth guy.
5.174 – RB, Michigan, Hassan Haskins
With Chris Carson coming off a weird surgery, and Rashaad Penny technically not on the roster as of now; Seattle HAS to find another RB in this draft. I could see them draft one anywhere from the 3rd to, maybe, the 6th with the thought that he could end up a starter eventually. I’ve had Baylor’s Abram Smith in multiple mocks, and I still like him, but in this one; I decided to use some different inputs to look for value. I came up with Haskins.
Before the Combine, as I was noticing how many players seemed to be cutting weight in order to run a faster 40; I joked that my guy was gonna be whoever weighed in at 225lbs and ran a 4.55s. Hassan measured in at 6’2″/228lbs. While he didn’t actually run the 40, the only other guys that sort of matched the criteria (Brian Robinson, Ty Davis Price, Tyler Allgeier) were either too expensive, or simply not that appealing on tape. I like that Haskins doesn’t have much buzz, he is a very willing blocker and special teamer, and he was top 10 in the country in carries. Some people don’t like the mileage, but that was also the knock on Le’veon Bell and he turned out okay.
6.210 – DB, UCLA, Quentin Lake
Lake is sort of a pet project of mine. He has some very solid tape at safety and I think there’s a decent backup plan for him there. But I became even more interested in him when I saw him in multiple press-man 1-on-1 reps at the Shrine game and it was an enlightening moment. Quentin comes from great NFL bloodlines…his dad is Carnell Lake…and Carnell was drafted as a safety but later in his career had his best seasons after being moved to corner. With Quentin; I’d kinda like to make that change immediately and see what we have. There’s also some similarity between him and 2012 6th rounder Justin Bethel. Bethel was a 4.58s runner and Lake came in at 4.59s. Bethel became a pro bowl special teamer.
7.227 – RT, North Dakota State, Cordell Volson
Cordell had a pretty bad combine. His agility scores were pretty brutal. But I liked him on tape before the combine. I love him as a leader. And this is the 7th round. I’m going to give him a shot at right tackle, and understand that he might end up at guard. And understand that he might not be an NFL player. But I think he is one.
Final:
1.16 DT Jordan Davis
1.31 OC Zion Johnson
2.41 MLB Leo Chenal
2.63 DE Josh Paschal
3.82 FS Nick Cross
4.107 LT Zach Tom
4.120 CB Zyon McCollum
5.151 TE Jake Ferguson
5.174 RB Hassan Haskins
6.210 CB Quentin Lake
7.227 RT Cordell Volson
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