Seahawks first round pick: Best possible LOB options

The Seahawks will be making some big changes to their roster this offseason. But for Seattle to continue to be a playoff team, this year’s draft may be the most important of the John Schneider-Pete Carroll era. Here is a look at Seattle best options for the secondary with their first pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.

The Seahawks have quite a bit of uncertainty going into this offseason. As far as the secondary goes, Kam Chancellor might retire. Earl Thomas might want to play in Dallas with the Cowboys. Richard Sherman was the subject of trade rumors last offseason, so anything is possible.

Byron Maxwell and Justin Coleman played pretty well in 2017 and might return, though. But probably not Jeremy Lane.

At least 12s know that Shaquill Griffin will be around for several years to come. But Seattle is still good enough to not be able to get the best players at a specific position. For instance, Alabama’s Minkah Fitzpatrick will not be on my list of potential new Seahawks. He is simply too good to be available for Seattle unless they make some kind of trade to move way up in the draft.

But really, Seattle will be looking for replacements for Chancellor and Thomas and Sherman in April’s draft. Here are four cornerbacks and four safeties who could be available for Seattle at pick number 18.

(As I have said in all these draft preview articles, there is little chance the Seahawks keep that pick at 18. Most likely Seattle will trade it for more picks.)

(Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images)

Cornerbacks

Josh Jackson, Iowa

Jackson might have the perfect size to play the Seahawks system at 6’1″ and 200 pounds. He also has the other traits Pete Carroll likes in a cornerback: He’s physical and fast enough. And he shows up in big games. Against Ohio State in 2017, Jackson had three interceptions. For the entire season, Jackson’s passer-rating allowed when targeted was just 35.0.

Jackson also doesn’t mind tackling people which is a must in Seattle’s system. One of the most underappreciated parts of Sherman’s game is that he likes to hit people. Jackson is the same kind of player.

If Seattle sticks at 18 and Jackson is still available, he is the player the Seahawks should select.

Isaiah Oliver, Colorado

Oliver, like Jackson, has the length that Carroll wants at 6’1″. I have Oliver number two on this list for his physical traits only. His career at Colorado could have been better. As a junior this year he had just two interceptions and 25 tackles.

But I feel like Carroll’s teaching will make Oliver a potential All-Pro player because Oliver has the size and speed to be one.

Carlton Davis, Auburn

Davis likes to be physical, which is perfect for Seattle. He also was well-coached at Auburn so his technique is very sound. The drawback to Davis is that he can get beat by speedier wideout deep. And that is something Carroll doesn’t allow for players who want to get a bunch of snaps.

But Carroll also might be able to use Davis’s physicality and teach him the Seahawks way and mold him into a very good corner.

Denzel Ward, Ohio State

Ward’s only slight is that he doesn’t fit the normal mold of a Seattle corner. He is just 5’10”. But that is the only reason Seattle might not take Ward if he is still available at 18.

Ward has fantastic speed and can get physical despite his smaller size. Carroll might see him as worth the risk.

Safeties

Derwin James, Florida State

James is the safety that Mel Kiper Jr. thought the Seahawks should take in his first mock draft of 2018. James resembles Kam Chancellor. If Chancellor were to retire, James seems like the younger version.

Walter Football says, “James fits as a strong safety who is a tough eighth defender in the box.” Which sounds exactly like Chancellor, right?

One problem is that Seattle took Delano Hill last year to be Chancellor’s replacement. Have the Seahawks given up on Hill so quickly? The other issue may be that if Seattle keeps the number 18 pick, James will probably be taken before he can get to Seattle’ slot.

Ronnie Harrison, Alabama

Harrison is another Chancellor-type player. I think if Seattle does take a safety with their first pick, that player will be more Kam-like than the Earl Thomas-type. And Harrison is a physical strong safety who can punish running backs.

At 6’3″ and 220 pounds, he, like James, looks like Chancellor. His issue, though, is that he does not have strong coverage skills man-to-man.

Terrell Edmunds, Virginia Tech

Another strong safety, Edmunds replacing Chancellor would be a bit poetic. Both were Hokies. Plus, watching Edmunds on Saturdays is a bit like watching Chancellor on Sundays. Edmunds hits hard and Seattle still wants a strong safety who can put fear in opponents.

Justin Reid, Stanford

The only drawback to Reid is that he doesn’t fit the Chancellor mold or the Thomas one. He is inbetween both. But he doesn’t have Chancellor’s size or Thomas’s speed. What he does do well, however, is everything. He can cover and tackle.

Related Story: Best running back options for Seahawks first pick in 2018 draft

Reid is the younger brother of San Francisco 49ers safety Eric Reid. Eric is a free agent. Might the Seahawks sign Eric and draft Justin? Anything is a possibility.