Seahawks’ mock drafts proves no one can guess Seattle’s pick
By Lee Vowell
The Seahawks always make things interesting during the draft. This year Seattle has more positions of need than normal. Early mock drafts show that no one really is sure who John Schneider and Pete Carroll might chose with their first pick.
First of all, we all know the Seahawks are not going to stick at their current number 18 pick in the first round of the NFL draft. Seattle always makes moves to go down in the first round or simply out of it. Plus, Seattle does not currently have a second or third round draft choice. This will change.
But since it is early February and there is a bit of a lull in exciting NFL news, sites are doing early mock drafts. None of them are probably correct due to Seattle’s recent drafting history. And many of them have the Seahawks picking a member of the secondary in the first round.
Shaquill Griffin in last year’s draft was the highest Schneider and Carroll had selected a corner while with Seattle. And Griffin was pick 90 and in the third round. Needless to say, Seattle choosing a corner or safety in the first round in 2018 is a stretch, especially if Richard Sherman returns as expected.
A few of the mocks so far
Todd McShay of ESPN in his mock draft 2.0 has Seattle picking Mike Hughes, cornerback out of Central Florida. I said in my preview of the best corners Seattle could take that Josh Jackson from Iowa would be a perfect Seattle corner.
McShay has Jackson going later in the first round. He feels Hughes is simply a better athlete. And he may be. Mr. McShay knows a lot more about football than I do. But Seattle first of all taking a corner early is a reach. And secondly, the Seahawks picking the 5’11” Hughes over the 6’2″ Jackson is even more of one. Carroll likes his corners big.
In Mel Kiper of ESPN’s first stab at a mock this year, he had Seattle taking a safety. Derwin James of Florida State might be a smarter choice than Hughes or Jackson, but Seattle won’t take a safety either. Remember, Kam Chancellor was taken in the fifth round.
Jon Dove of FanSided’s With the First Pick site has a very logical choice at number 18 for Seattle. Dove thinks Seattle will choose edge rusher Marcus Davenport out of UTSA. Seattle needs young pass rushers. And if the Seahawks do stick at 18, Carroll will likely prioritize a pass rusher over a corner.
Scott Polacek of Bleacher Report also has a logical pick. Polacek thinks Seattle takes Quenton Nelson, offensive guard from Notre Dame. Nelson would be a great pick, but I don’t think he is around to select as late as Polacek thinks.
Finally, Seahawks Draft Blog might have the most correct of the early mock drafts as far as the Seahawks go. Rob Staton has Seattle trading twice and completely out of the first round. Staton has Seattle picking up a second, third and fourth round choices in those two trades.
Related Story: Richard Sherman expects to be back by training camp
That is extremely possible and more likely than Seattle choosing a player at number 18.