No.12 Pick Brings a lot of Opportunities
By Matt Church
As time is running out, many fans are wondering what GM John Schneider and Pete Carroll are planning for the 2012 NFL draft on April 26.
The Seahawks are currently sitting with the No. 12 overall pick, and there will definitely be a lot of key players left that will help a team that has struggled for many seasons now.
The Seahawks made a huge upgrade on defense last year, ranking ninth in yards allowed per game. Promising young corners Brandon Browner and Richard Sherman produced outstanding results throughout the season, along with safeties Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas.
Although Seattle’s defense is on its way to becoming one of the best in the NFL, the unit still lacks a sufficient pass rusher that can consistently put pressure on opposing quarterbacks. With only 33 sacks last season, Seattle finished near the bottom of the league. Things should look good for Carroll and Co. as there are many intriguing players in the draft that can fill the need.
Quinton Coples (North Carolina), Courtney Upshaw (Alabama) and Melvin Ingram (South Carolina) are impressive prospects, to name a few.
Also, look for Seattle to gain back strength in the linebacker position, since David Hawthorne is headed to the Saints.
On the other side of the ball, Seattle’s offense was mediocre last year. Tarvaris Jackson was inconsistent and Sidney Rice was unproductive for an offense that heavily relied on running back Marshawn Lynch.
The Seahawks managed to sign Matt Flynn in free agency, so he will be competing with Jackson next season. But is it too early to rule out the possibility of another quarterback coming to Seattle?
Quarterbacks Ryan Tannehill (Texas A&M) and Brock Osweiler (Arizona St.) have seen their draft stocks soar over the past few months.
Keep in mind that a successful team has depth in core positions, so how about a talented backup for Lynch?
With the draft still a few weeks away, we cannot know for sure what is going to happen. If Seattle can pick up a key player to fill a need at No. 12, then the playoffs won’t seem so far away.