Seahawks eyeing impact with 26th pick

ELI APPLE, CB, Ohio State

Apple started all three years for the Buckeyes before declaring early for the draft, and at 6’1″ and 200 lbs with long arms, he appears to fit the Seahawks CB mold to a tee. Here’s a snapshot of his scouting profile, where DraftScout has him currently ranked as the 28th overall prospect:

STRENGTHS: “Disruptive and uses his length to keep receivers uncomfortable. Highly aggressive at the catch point with a “my ball” mentality. Competitive and not shy to take on blocks or throw his body around as a run defender. Physical once engaged to shed blockers on the perimeter.”

Does that not sound like a Seattle corner back? DeShawn Shead and most likely Jeremy Lane will be back in 2016, and 2015 draft pick Tye Smith will likely get a longer look as well, but we saw this year you can never have too many CB’s, and Apple would add an extremely talented young player to the mix with a chance to compete for immediate playing time.

KENNY CLARK, DT, UCLA

Ranked #30 overall by DraftScout, Clark is built a lot like Brandon Mebane (one inch taller and the same weight) and could just be the perfect young player to learn from, and then replace ‘Bane (if the free agent Mebane chooses to re-sign that is). Clark is a stout run defender known for his quick burst off the ball. He hasn’t yet flashed much as an interior pass rusher, but it wouldn’t be asked much him from that spot.

DERRICK HENRY, RB, Alabama

This may seem like an odd choice for the Hawks in round one, but don’t put it past them. Remember how high they drafted Christine Michael well before Marshawn Lynch was anywhere near done as a player? It was simply because they viewed him as the best RB in the draft and saw him as a value in the 2nd round. Henry is big (6’2″, 242), strong, capable of catching the ball out of the backfield, and could be the perfect compliment to Thomas Rawls in a Lynch-less backfield. For a team that still believes very strongly in establishing a physical running game, Henry would make sense for Seattle, even if there are more pressing needs. And if you don’t think the 2015 Heisman Trophy winner would last this long think again, RB’s have been under-drafted for years now, and Henry is currently ranked #38 overall by DraftScout.

KEVIN DODD, DE, Clemson

Dodd possesses the size 6’5″ 280 lbs and long arms teams covet, and he was as productive as any edge player in the country in 2015, racking up 12 sacks and 23.5 tackles for loss. The Seahawks are always looking for productive edge players, and with last year’s 2nd round pick Frank Clark looking more suited to being an inside player, there could be a role for someone like Dodd.

But there are questions….. Dodd is one of those one year breakout players that shoot up draft boards every year. But was his productivity directly attributed to his talent, or was he able to thrive while teams spent most of their time game-planning for All-American Shaq Lawson, playing DE on the other side?

Next: John Clayton: Lynch done in Seattle

DARRON LEE, OLB, Ohio State

Slightly undersized at 6’1″, 235 lbs, Lee is ranked #18 overall by DraftScout due to his versatility and outstanding athletic ability. We know the Hawks love these SPARQ-Y type athletes, and Lee’s ability to blitz and also play in pass coverage could make him an intriguing candidate for the first pick if Bruce Irvin decides to move on.

This is the first of many looks at the 2016 draft, and it’s certainly early. Rankings and opinions will change as we go through the NFL Scouting Combine and individual workouts. But I think you can see that there could be some intriguing, and potentially impactful, players available when the Seahawks select at #26.