Community Mock Draft, Hawks land Rankins
By Dan Viens
With the 26th pick in the first round, Seattle gets a young defensive tackle in our first community mock draft of the off season.
FanSided, the network that our website belongs to, held a community mock draft this week. Writers from websites covering each NFL team took turns selecting players in the order of the actual draft.
More from Seattle Seahawks Draft
- 4 prospects Seahawks could reach for at No. 20 in 2023 NFL Draft
- Seattle Seahawks Mock Draft: Post-first wave of free agency
- 3 pros and cons of Seattle Seahawks drafting Anthony Richardson
- Why the Seahawks should pass on Jalen Carter at pick number 5
- A detailed plan for the Seahawks offseason post-Geno Smith extension
When the Seahawks were on the clock at the 26th pick, Louisville defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins was still on the board, and for me he was a no brainer.
Here’s what I said about the pick:
“The Seahawks have a tough choice on their hands as Florida DE Jonathan Bullard is a tempting selection, but Rankins just has too much upside to pass up in this spot. Despite the fact he stayed in school through his senior year, Rankins will be just 22 years old on the first day of the draft. At 6’2″ 303 lbs, he shows an explosive burst off the ball and extremely active hands. Despite facing constant double teams, Rankins managed 53 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and 6 sacks as a senior. A polished run defender, he continues to develop an interior pass rusher while showing the versatility to also kick out and play DE in some sets. Rankins solidified his status as a first round lock with a dominant week at the Senior Bowl, routinely beating top ranked OT’s in pass rush drills, and the Seahawks are ecstatic he lasted this long. Will be the ideal replacement for 31 year old Brandon Mebane, an unrestricted free agent.”
I would rather have taken Ohio State CB Eli Apple in this spot, but he went one spot earlier to Pittsburgh. Other players on the board I considered were Bullard (29th to Arizona), and OT Taylor Decker (28th to Kansas City).
You can view the entire first round community mock draft here….
Next: Is RB Joique Bell a fit in Seattle?
Rankins seems to be rising up draft boards and might not be available when the Seahawks pick comes up in April, but if he is, they may just jump at the chance to add an impact DT at an aging position on their roster.