Five players the Seahawks should target in 2016 draft
By Dan Viens
NICK VANNETT, TE, Ohio State
Projected round: 3rd
Tight End may not seem like a huge position of need for this team, as John Schneider himself has called the trio of Jimmy Graham, Luke Willson and Cooper Helfet the “best tight end room in the league.” But that was before Graham suffered a ruptured patellar tendon, an injury many believe is more devastating than a torn ACL. Even with a healthy Graham, there may continue to be questions about just how well he fits what the Seahawks like to do on offense. Ideally, they prefer two-way tight ends who are equally adept at being an effective blocker in the running game and a dangerous receiver as well.
Enter Vannett. The first time I saw him play at length I thought to myself “this is a Seahawk tight end.” At 6’6″ 256 lbs he’s a fluid athlete who catches the ball easily away from his body, and is unafraid to go over the middle and haul in a pass in traffic. Likewise, Ohio State would often send him in motion so he was at the point of attack as a lead blocker for star running back Ezekial Elliott. He’s that good.
Vannett would be a bargain in the 3rd round as a guy who could push Willson for playing time (and certainly be the other guy in 2 TE sets) if Graham isn’t ready for the start of the season. Long term, he could be the feature tight end when Graham’s tenure in Seattle is done.
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None of these guys I’ve listed are the elite, “Sparqy” type athletes that will elicit oohs and aahs from analysts at the annual scouting combine next month, but they’re all extremely talented players who fit a position of need for the Seahawks, and each one of them is advanced enough to potentially make an immediate impact as rookies with the potential for long term stardom. Schneider loves his quick-twitch athletes, and no doubt he’ll load up on them throughout the draft and with undrafted signees, but this is a pivotal season for the Seahawks. They need to supplement their talented core with a number of young players who can step right in and play. Any combination of these five guys could do that.