Seahawks draft speculation: Trades, players, and more

The Seattle Seahawks look to be ready for the start of the 2019 NFL Draft after making a trade that leaves them with two first-round draft selections.

There has been a lot of talk about what trades the Seahawks may make in the draft since they originally only owned four total picks (now five). Even so, it’s hard to predict which direction they might go with their draft selections. We can only take a guess by analyzing which areas they are in need.

Trades

A mere few days before the 2019 NFL Draft is set to begin and the Seahawks have traded young pass rusher, Frank Clark, to the Kansas City Chiefs. The Seahawks now own the No. 21, No. 29, No. 92, No. 124, and No. 159 picks in the draft. This leaves them with a range of options in the first round. They could likely choose to select a player at 21 and then use the 29th pick to trade down. Maybe they even decide to trade down from 21 since it’s likely worth a little more capital than number 29. Or, they could finesse everyone and trade up to grab a player with a higher upside.

The addition of Clark will immediately bolster the Chief’s defensive line after they released Justin Houston and traded Dee Ford to the 49ers.

Seattle Seahawks

Defensive Line

It’s usually difficult to predict what the Seahawks will do in the draft because of the number of trades they transact.

You have to think that the Frank Clark trade will mean they will target an edge rusher fairly early on.

At pick 21, the Seahawks have to consider edge players like Montez Sweat, Brian Burns, Rashan Gary, Clelin Ferrell and interior defenders such as Jeffery Simmons and Christian Wilkins. Sweat, Burns, and Gary are more likely to be taken before the Seahawks are on the clock unless teams are truly concerned with Sweat’s heart condition or Gary’s torn labrum. Simmons is also a cause for concern after he tore his ACL in pre-draft workouts in February.

Whether the Seahawks are looking for a number one guy or a rotational player on their defensive line, there are plenty of worthy selections in this draft including players in mid-to-late rounds like Ben Banogu, Jaylen Ferguson, Zach Allen, and Trysten Hill.

Wide Receiver

Doug Baldwin recently underwent sports hernia surgery which is the third off-season surgery of his career. It isn’t this alone that leaves fans in doubt about his future in football. The Seahawks have had pre-draft visits with two of the draft’s top receivers, N’Keal Harry and Parris Campbell, which could mean they plan to target the position likely in the second round if they are able to trade down from the 29th pick.

Harry would be a valuable addition to the wide receiver room because of his ability as a route runner while Campbell’s elusiveness would make him the primary runner/target on jet sweeps and short routes.

Receivers like Hakeem Butler, Miles Boykin, and Jalen Hurd are other good options for the Seahawks to consider depending on how they feel about Baldwin’s return.

Other Position Targets

The Seahawks have had visits with safety prospects Juan Thornhill, Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, Darnell Savage, and Corrion Ballard. This makes sense considering the position has been left in doubt since Earl Thomas‘ departure. Seattle still does have Bradley McDougald, Tedric Thompson, and Delano Hill. McDougald did a tremendous job taking over the position for Thomas in 2018. He finished the season with 78 combined tackles and three interceptions.

Like the position of wide receiver, depending who they draft and where all depends on how comfortable they are with the players they already have at those positions.

For the first time in a while, the offensive line doesn’t feel like the primary target for the Seahawks. 2018 showed a huge improvement in blocking for Russell Wilson, which has become even more valuable after he signed his mega-deal to stay with the team for five more seasons. The only known pre-draft visit with an offensive lineman is with tackle Kaleb McGary out of Washington.

While Seattle may have filled the holes they needed to keep the offensive line together in free agency, it wouldn’t hurt to target a guard or tackle later in the draft in the case of any injuries.