2014 NFL Draft: Who the Seahawks will take with their first pick

Feb 20, 2014; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider speaks during a press conference during the 2014 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

With the NFL season in the books and the foreseeable future containing nothing but basketball and eventually baseball, Seahawks fans across the country have turned their attention to the first step back to September: the Draft. The combine ended Tuesday, and we look forward to May 8, where John Schneider and comapny will again attempt to work their magic and hopefully discover their next Russell Wilson.

While it is near impossible to predict any teams picks, I’ve assembled a list from sites like NFL.com, Bleacher Report, Rant Sports and SI. I’ve copied and pasted their pick along with their specific analysis of why they think the Hawks will go with this particular player.

Sports Illustrated-Don Banks

32. Seattle — Davante Adams, WR, Fresno State

The Seahawks are deep enough that they won’t be desperate for any particular position in the first round, but guard, defensive line and tight end are some of the more likely areas to target. But you can’t rule out receiver either. Golden Tate is a free agent, Sidney Rice looks likely to be cut, and it would be nice to get another passing game weapon for quarterback Russell Wilson. Adams has NFL size and is adept at catching the ball in a crowd, with very dependable hands and a strong track record of collegiate production.

Sports Illustrated-Chris Burke

32. Seattle Seahawks (13-3): Jace Amaro, TE, Texas Tech.

The rich get much richer. Amaro is a lethal weapon in the passing attack, plus he showed unexpected strength in the combine bench press. That’s important because it may mean Amaro is better equipped than expected to handle a blocking role in front of Marshawn Lynch and Russell Wilson. And he already proved time and again at Texas Tech that he can shift out away from the line to smoke linebackers and safeties in the passing game.

Sports Illustrated-Doug Farrar 

32. Seattle Seahawks (13-3): David Yankey, OG, Stanford.

Seattle’s guards have been average at best since Steve Hutchinson poison-pilled his way out of the Emerald City after the Seahawks’ Super Bowl appearance in February 2006, and the fact that the franchise nabbed its first Lombardi Trophy last Sunday doesn’t erase that issue. Pete Carroll and John Schneider have had great success with low-drafted (Richard Sherman) and undrafted (Doug Baldwin) players from Stanford, and Yankey could fill a major hole at a patchwork position. He’s a tremendously strong blocker with impressive athleticism, and an implicit understanding of NFL-level concepts.

NFL.com-Matt Smith

Pick No. 32: Kony Ealy, Missouri, DE

They will lose some of that defensive talent to free agency, so it’s time to lock in the next round of replacements, Pete Carroll loves to get after the quarterback without blitzing, and Ealy is quite talented at that particular skill.

Rant Sports-Gil Alcaraz IV

Round 1: Troy Niklas, TE, Notre Dame.

If you’ve been sleeping on Niklas, it’s time to wake up. Although Eric Ebron and Jace Amaro have received most of the attention at the top of this tight end class, Niklas is a sleeper who could be the best overall player at his position. On top of being an outstanding blocker, he has underrated receiving abilities and will be a red-zone threat. The Seahawks draft based on potential, and Niklas has the potential to be the most versatile tight end to come out of the 2014 class.

Bleacher Report-Matt Miller

The Pick: OT Cyrus Kouandjio, Alabama

The front office in Seattle has done a great job building a talented, young and cheap team. Now, the Seahawks have a roster with the ability to win another Super Bowl, but they have to remain ahead of their competitors. That means finding better ways to protect Russell Wilson.

Right tackle Breno Giacomini has a Super Bowl ring, but his spot could still be upgraded in 2014. With a chronic knee injury keeping Cyrus Kouandjio off some teams’ boards, as reported Chase Goodbread of NFL Network, he could slip way down the board. Of course, it only takes one team to love him, and the play he showed on the field for Alabama merits a first-round pick, but that knee injury definitely raises red flags. If Pete Carroll and John Schneider are comfortable with Kouandjio’s knee, he’s the type of power right tackle the team would love to have in the NFC West.