Now that the combine has wrapped up, the NFL world will turn to free agency, where the Seahawks could be busy. But with more testing numbers to pair with tape, it’s a good time to re-evaluate some draft options.
Before we begin, it is important to remember that we are working with incomplete information. Nobody pegged Bruce Irvin as a first-round pick when the Seahawks selected him 15th overall in 2012. As it turns out, at least two teams wanted to take him in round 1.
No matter how much we think we know, it only takes one team to completely embarrass your evaluation. There is a good chance that somebody we see as a 5th round pick will go in the second. It just happens.
One other thing to consider is the team’s needs. While the Seahawks won’t draft exclusively for need, it will, nonetheless, be a factor in their decision-making process. The Seahawks most glaring needs are edge rushers, safety, corner, wide receiver, and offensive line.
The other thing that needs to be addressed is that the Seahawks have only 4 draft picks, numbers 21, 84, 124,159. GM John Schneider has already stated he would like to get to 8 picks, so expect Seattle to make a few trades. In this version, we have 2 trades, but I would bet the over in April. With all that in mind, let’s get started.
Trades
Trade #1: Seahawks trade #21 pick (800) to LA Chargers for picks 28(660) and 91 (136).
Now the Seahawks have added a 3rd round pick, giving them 5 picks total, without seeing a significant drop in potential adds. Typically, teams who trade at the end of round 1 are doing so for a quarterback. Perhaps the Chargers are looking for Philip Rivers heir apparent. But the Seahawks aren’t done yet.
Trade #2: Seahawks trade picks 28 (660) to the NYG for picks 37(530), 108(78), 132 (40).
Now the Seahawks have 7 picks. They fall out of the first round, but unless there are some surprising veteran trades, it seems highly likely that this will be the only way to recoup picks. Thankfully, there isn’t a huge difference of talent after the Top 20 picks, so Seattle can still get players they need.
Now it is entirely possible the Seahawks make more deals, but for our purposes let’s just use these picks as our parameters.
Pick 37: Taylor Rapp, Safety, University of Washington
Seahawks fans may be familiar with Taylor Rapp, who spent the past 3 seasons propelling the University of Washington Huskies into the national spotlight. Rapp finished his college career with 168 tackles, 7 interceptions, 3 fumble recoveries, and 2 forced fumbles.
The 2018 All-American is a solid, all-around safety, but is a bit difficult to peg whether he fits better at strong or free. He has a strong presence in the run game and can deliver major hits. He also shows good range over the middle of the field and has the ball skills to generate turnovers.
While not possessing overwhelming tools, Rapp has a high football IQ and understands complex schemes. He seems to know his limits and understands how to work around them, making him an intriguing option for any team in the early second round.
Some scouts wish Rapp would be more aggressive on playing the ball in the air, believing he may have left some interceptions on the table. If the Seahawks can flip that switch, Rapp could be a game changer.
With Bradley McDougald‘s versatility to handle strong or free, there is little pressure on Rapp to develop one way or the other. Rapp is an all-around good player in both the run and pass and is likely an instant upgrade over Tedric Thompson.
The Seattle Times has reported that the Seahawks did have an interview with the former Husky, suggesting their interest is real. Rapp makes a lot of sense for a team looking to improve its defense with the permanent departure of Earl Thomas.
Pick 84: Joejuan Williams CB, Vanderbilt
Didn’t we mention the Seahawks need secondary help? With 3 of the next 24 picks, this is where the meat of the teams draft will be built. In 2018, the Seahawks CB tandem of Tre Flowers and Shaquill Griffin was…solid.
Many of us were pleasantly surprised by how well Flowers acclimated to the new position and appears to be a solid #2 corner. As for Griffin, the returns were less than enthusiastic. Shaq was only okay and after his solid rookie season, many were hoping we could see the talent corner take the next step. He didn’t.
Add onto that the potential departure of nickel back Justin Coleman and the Seahawks will need to address the position. Enter Joejuan Williams. At 6’4″, 211 lbs, Williams has the size and length (32 1/2 inch arms) the Seahawks typically covet. However, Williams clocked in a pedestrian (by NFL standards) 4.64 forty time, which could make some teams weary.
As his size may suggest, Williams is a physical, man coverage corner. And as the forty time suggests, he can struggle to stay over the top of faster WR if he doesn’t reroute them early. At Vanderbilt, Williams relied on his strength more than his technique.
This will need to change in the NFL, but he has the physical tools to be a nasty, physical corner who wins every 50/50 ball thanks to his size and strength. The Seahawks will take corners with physical tools with the belief they can fix their technique, which they have already done to great success several times.
Adding Williams into the mix pushes both Flowers and Griffin to improve their game and may also allow Griffin to try his luck inside. Either way, Williams is a good fit in Seattle and has even drawn some comparisons to Brandon Browner and Trumaine Johnson.
Pick 91: D’Andre Walker Edge, Georgia
Finally, the Seahawks address their edge need with a high-upside play from Georgia. Despite not starting for the Bulldogs in his first 3 seasons in Athens, Walker has always flashed NFL tools. In 2018, Walker finally got his chance and managed to corral 11 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, and 4 forced fumbles.
Walker may fall in the draft because he is a bit of a tweener. At 6’2″, 250 lbs, he is a bit smaller than a lot of edges in a 4-3 scheme, and a bit too big for an outside backer in a 3-4. But Walker has impressive length, 34 1/2 inch arms, and a quick first step. He also shows a high motor on tape.
Walker is still raw in terms of pass rush moves, having very few counter-punches once he is stonewalled, other than pure motor. He is able to lean around slower tackles and his is natural burst to put pressure on the QB but will need to establish an array of moves to become a starter at the next level.
For now, he is a situational rusher and a project, similar to Jacob Martin from last season. But Martin did flash late in 2018 and gave the Seahawks 3 sacks, 8 QB hits, and 2 forced fumbles down the stretch.
Walker will need to get stronger and refine his technique but has the raw skills the Seahawks love to take a chance on. It is possible the Seahawks could add veteran pass rushers to the mix, which would allow Walker, Martin, and Rasheem Green to develop without added pressure for a playoff caliber team.
108: Drew Sample TE, Washington
On the surface, tight end may not seem like a big need. But Ed Dickson is a potential cap casualty. Will Dissly has a long road ahead in his recovery from his torn patella tendon. And Nick Vannett hasn’t developed into much more than a 3rd TE. Enter Drew Sample.
Like Dissly, Sample was an underutilized receiver who was valuable in the run game. Also, like Dissly, Sample had more to offer the Huskies than just setting the edge. At 6’5″, 255 lbs, Sample has prototypical size for an NFL tight end.
He ran well at the combine, posting a 4.71 forty, and finished in the 62 percentile in the 20-yard shuttle and the 68th percentile in the 60-yard shuttle. Sample is a good but not great athlete. But with mockdraftable comps to Todd Heaps and Travis Kelce, he is more than athletic enough to be a threat in the passing game. He also has strong hands.
Sample’s skill set is still valued more as a blocker, where PFF had him as the best blocking TE in college football. Sample has a lot of work to do to create separation against man coverage, but still has a solid upside of a #2 TE, similar to Ed Dickson, just at a drastically decreased price.
The Seahawks are going to run the ball, whether we like it or not. If they are serious about committing to the run, their off-season moves should focus on that. Seahawks fans scoff at adding another “run-blocking” TE but should remember how valuable Dissly was in the passing game before his injury.
Russell Wilson loves to utilize his TE’s from Zach Miller to Jimmy Graham to the group of the TE’s in 2018 who still produced 600 yards and 8 TDs. Drew Sample is a good player and adding one is never a bad thing.
Pick 124: Terry Godwin, Wide Receiver
Doug Baldwin isn’t going to be around forever. And even if he returns to full health in 2019, finding his heir apparent is a need that isn’t being talked about enough. Terry Godwin could be that guy. At 5’11”, 185 lbs, Godwin has a pretty typical frame as a slot receiver.
He also has the skill set to be a productive receiver out of the slot. He is a fluid, crisp, route-runner with good, soft hands. He ran well at the combine, posting a 4.55 40-yard dash. However, the rest of his testing was sub-par.
Godwin will need to win with precise route-running and has already shown an ability to do this. But Godwin needs to get stronger, and may not be more than a special teams contributor in year one.
Pick 132: Charles Omenihu, Defensive end
If asked to provide one word to decide Charles Omenihu, that word would be “long”. Omenihu has the arms of a daddy long leg spider. At the combine, his arms measured in at 36 inches! His overall wingspan is 85.5 inches, each in the 98th percentile of NFL players.
The rest of Omenihu’s combine is a bit ho-hum, but the numbers seem to indicate an explosive athlete thanks to his vertical jump, broad jump, and 20-yard shuttle. But when you watch the film, you see a clump of clay that never got molded at the University of Texas.
A quick viewing shows a player with a quick first step who uses his length to knock down lineman’s hands. There are some times when he looks disinterested and a having a low motor, but the Seahawks will need to decide if that is true or just poor technique.
Omenihu is way too physically gifted to be shut down as often as he was. When firing on all cylinders, Omenihu has the tools of a top 60 pick. He plays the run well as well as providing good pass rush off the edge. He has the body required to compete in the NFL for years.
After a humble beginning to his career at Texas, Omenihu broke out his senior year. He collected 45 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, and started all 14 games. What Omenihu really seems to lack are the instincts that separate great edge players from rotational depth, and it will be up to the Seahawks to decide if that is something they can teach.
Pick 159: Tyree Jackson, Buffalo
Tyree Jackson is big. Tyree Jackson is fast. Tyree Jackson has a rocket for an arm. In a class that isn’t particularly great at quarterback, Jackson is one of those guys who could rocket up draft boards.
You see, at 6’7″, 250 lbs, Jackson light the combine up, running a 4.59 forty. Remember, Russell Wilson ran the forty in 4.55 second. Jackson also has enormous length and massive hands, something that can come in handy in the rainy winters of the Pacific Northwest.
As we mentioned above, Jackson has an absolute cannon which can actually get him in trouble. You may be familiar with the story that Panthers great Steve Smith had to ask Jackson to stop throwing the ball so hard at the combine because he was making the receivers look bad. Personally, I think anybody auditioning for an NFL job should be able to catch said balls, but I digress.
The lazy comparison for Jackson will be Cam Newton and honestly, I can see why. Both are big and fast. Both have a great arm. And both still have work to do to become great quarterbacks. Like a lot of big arm QB’s, Jackson has trouble finessing the ball into tight windows.
Think of the Russell Wilson deep ball, thrown with lots of arch and pinpoint precision. Jackson’s deep balls are more like frozen ropes. While impressive, the low trajectory of these passes makes it easier to defend and harder to catch.
When you watch Jackson, you see a handful of big-time throws on the run, similar to Wilson. But you also see a bit of a subtle hitch before he releases the ball, which can lead to accuracy problems. In his career at Buffalo, Jackson completed just 55% of his passes, which is a pretty damning number.
The MAC isn’t exactly a power conference and completion percentage doesn’t typically go up in the NFL. Jackson is a project, but the Seahawks only have 1 QB on the roster right now, and no real exit strategy IF (huge if) Wilson decides to move on. Selecting a QB in this draft seems the wise move and taking one who might actually be a starter down the line would be a refreshing change of pace.
Well, there you have it, our post-combine NFL Mock draft. Things will change greatly in the 6 weeks leading up to the draft. Free Agency will change needs, as will trades. But this early in the process, the above draft adds two secondary players, 2 edge projects, a TE to help the run game, a Doug Baldwin replacement, and a potential starting QB three years down the line.