Seahawks 2021 draft: Top prospect at every position

This off-season is going to be full of exceptionally difficult decisions. The Seahawks have very little cap space. They have a lot of players hitting free agents. This includes quite a few starters.

Ordinarily, this would mean that the team would look to the draft to help fill the roster with inexpensive talent. However, they have virtually no draft picks. Just three picks to be precise.

Something is going to have to give. I’ll likely have an article going out in the next little bit detailing players that Seattle could end up trading away and their market value in this uncomfortable off-season. However, for now, the team only has 3 picks.

Seahawks needs

The point of this article is to show you all that this draft is turning out to be exceptional. There is a lot of talent to be had. What makes this even better, a lot of the talent is at positions of need. This includes the offensive line, wide receiver, running back, and secondary.

Other positions like defensive line and cornerback have some sneaky talent. However, it’s not a stacked position class that will have talent throughout the draft. This is where Seattle would ordinarily look to free agency to fill the need. However, again, they have almost no money.

No matter what happens, it will be imperative for the team to be smart with their resources. The article is going to outline one player at every position that the Seahawks could target at pick 56 in round two (outside of QB). This article will only have attainable players. I am not going to include anyone I think will be around one pick.

Running back: Javonte Williams, UNC

Javonte Williams is an absolute baller. I mean my god, he does it all. His contact balance is Marshawn Lynch-esque. His field vision is excellent. His lateral agility is exceptional. He can block with the best of them.

More than anything, when you watch his game you can’t help but think, now that is a Seahawks running back. It’s natural. Bruiser through and through who has the agility and quickness to make the outside cuts.

He can block for Russell Wilson and do so consistently. He hasn’t been utilized to the fullest in pass-catching due to another great running back at UNC taking those snaps. However, he has soft hands and plays the catch well.

Seriously, watch the YouTube video above. If my description of the player didn’t excite you, the video will drop your jaw. If Seattle gets lucky and Williams drops to the end of round two, there should be very little debate on who they take. Javonte Williams is a game-changer, through and through.

Wide Receiver: D’Wayne Eskeridge, Western Michigan

I was warned about a month ago about Eskeridge. I was told ‘watch out for Eskeridge, he is going to blow scouts away at the Senior Bowl.’ I hadn’t watched any tape up until that point.

I decided to watch some clips on him. My god, the kid is like electric. It’s crazy how a player like Eskeridge falls so un-noticed that he ends up at a DII school. He is the type of talent you would expect to be at Alabama, Clemson, or Ohio State.

Seriously, he torched every single cornerback that is participating at the Senior Bowl numerous times. One after another and without mercy. Eskeridge plays with phenomenal quickness. His straight-line speed has to be in the low 4.3s. The best part about his game is his footwork. Sudden and explosive would be the easiest way to describe it.

He simply left every defensive back on skates. It’s crazy, I’ve never seen a player come from nowhere and dominate in this fashion before.

The way I have heard him described comp wise is Tyreek Hill’s straight-line speed and quickness with Devante Adams footwork. Every team is taking notice too. He has been thought of as a late-round pick all throughout. I am hearing some rumors that he could be a first-round pick now.
More than likely, I think it’ll end up settling to somewhere around the end of round two to early-round three.

Tight End: Kenny Yeboah, Ole Miss

I have heard time after time that Yeboah was a limited prospect. Sure, he isn’t the most athletically gifted player. However, he is a baller. He plays with tenacity. He puts his hand in the dirt and gets the job done.

Analysts have been nervous about his blocking abilities due to his time at Ole Miss being used more as a receiver than a blocker. Shoot, they clearly weren’t watching enough film. The guy gets down when given the opportunity. In the Senior Bowl he played with great strength, technique and timing.

He has great hands. He runs his routes with solid acceleration and change of direction abilities. To me, he is a Will Dissly type player. I think in the right system, he will blossom. A player that is incorrectly labeled as just one type of tight end by internet analysts. However, he can truly do it all.

Give Yeboah an opportunity and I think he will be a great prospect. I will admit, I don’t think Yeboah will be a second-round target. However, if Seattle trades back to accumulate more draft capital, Yeboah should definitely be in play for round three.

Offensive Tackle: James Hudson, Cincinnati

Seattle recently hired their new offensive coordinator in Shane Waldron. He stems from the Rams wide zone run scheme. In order to use this scheme effectively, the team needs a mobile offensive lineman that wins with agility. They need to be able to move laterally and do so quickly.

This is vastly different than Seattle’s current power run scheme who likes massive offensive linemen who are simply big-bodied and hard to move. I imagine there will be a marriage between schemes.

Hudson is an excellent player when it comes to abilities to redirect speed and power rushers. His footwork is precise. His handwork is excellent. More than anything, he can beat just about any defensive end around the corner. Like I said, focus on agility, not brute strength.

Hudson is a developmental prospect. Give him a year under Duane Brown and Brandon Shell. He is versatile enough that he can play either tackle spot. If Seattle moves on from one of the players, he can slide in there no problem.

Seattle needs to focus on getting the most out of their star quarterback. It starts with investing in the line. You can do a hell of a lot worse than investing in an athletic big man like Hudson. I think Hudson should be available anywhere between round two and round three. He could be a trade down target.

Offensive Guard: Dillon Radunz, North Dakota State

Let’s keep this versatility train going. Radunz is a similar type of player to Hudson. An agile player who can beat his man anywhere he tries to go. He has a really solid anchor and good hand placement.

Coming into Senior Bowl week there were questions about whether he was a guard or a tackle. Fortunately, he has answered that question. He is both. He can honestly play either and do so successfully. He lines up on the left side of the line.

The best course of action with a player like Radunz is to slide him in at left guard for a year and when/if Duane Brown decides to retire in the near future push him outside. This would fill the need for today while taking care of a growing need of the future.

Radunz has been a major winner this week in Mobile. An incredibly athletic big man with good body control. His run blocking and people moving skills are excellent. He lives to maul his opposing defender. He has the speed to get to the second level with relative ease.

The only draw is that he doesn’t have the killer instinct to drive the player into the dirt. This isn’t necessarily an issue as long as he drives the player out of the play. But, you do like to see the controlled aggressiveness like that from your linemen.

The most important thing for Radunz at this point is to add weight. His frame should let him gain another 15 or so pounds without having much effect on his overall athletic traits. This will help continue to improve his anchor.

Center: Quinn Meinerz, Wisconsin-Whitewater

I don’t even know where to start. Meinerz is a DIII player who no one was talking about. Literally, no one knew who he was. I mean, holy cow, this kid is a gem.

When you think of an offensive lineman, you want someone who is a dog. You want someone who will put his hand in the dirt and play with a mixture of violence and control. You want someone who is strong and has great leverage. If this sounds right, you want Quinn Meinerz.

Meinerz was likely an undrafted free agent before this week in Mobile for the Senior Bowl. He played college ball against subpar DIII competition. It would be understandable for a player like that to be nervous and show a little bit of a learning curve playing with many first and second-round type players.

Not a chance, Meinerz showed up with swagger. He has his belly hanging out while plowing some of the best defensive linemen in the country into the dirt. I haven’t seen a single rep where Meinerz has gotten beat. He isn’t the biggest body, but the kid just gets the job done.

He has phenomenal power at the point of attack with strong hands. Once he’s got you, he’s got you. It’s that simple. It’s this type of dog/swagger that Seattle needs in front of Russell Wilson. Plus, it won’t hurt that he is a little shorter so Wilson can see the middle of the field….

Side note: I would have slotted Creed Humphrey or Landon Dickerson here. However, i think they will both go much earlier than anyone is mocking currently. Meinerz is likely a trade back target. A third round prospect.

Defensive Tackle: Osa Odighizuwa, UCLA

We all love Poona Ford. Ford fell in the draft due to his shorter stature despite the fact he has vines for arms. Odighizuwa is cut from the exact same cloth. A player with that God-given length and leverage.

He is an athletic marvel who can beat you inside and out. He has great extension, burst, and strength. He has a very impressive pass-rushing toolbox to select from as well.

Think of Odighizuwa as a 3-tech version of Ford. A 280lbs version of Ford, if you will. He can play the run or the pass. He can play the 5-tech or the 3-tech. He is a versatile player who simply knows how to use his athletic gifts to get the job done.

He will likely need a year of seasoning before becoming a full-time starter, however, his upside is immense.

My best guess is that Odighizuwa will be available in round 3. He is likely a trade back target. The dream target is actually Levi Onwuzurike from Washington. However, with his impressive play this week that dream is now likely shot. Onwuzurike is likely to end up as a first-round selection.

Defensive End: Daelin Hayes, Notre Dame

Hayes has been turning heads all week at the Senior Bowl. He is playing with phenomenal bend, power, and speed. His pass-rushing toolbox has been unparalleled compared to the competition. His hand usage has been both precise and violent.

His effort play in and play out has been superb. His field awareness has also been quite good. This is incredibly important as the LEO is a pass rush first mentality. For him to be successful, he would need to be able to identify what’s happening around him and adjust.

He fits the typical size of a Seahawks LEO at 6’3” and 261 pounds. I expect he would pass the agility thresholds without issue. The only thing that could give Seattle pause is he falls below the 33” inch arm threshold.

Every other check box should be met. You never know, DJ Reed blew away Pete Carroll at outside cornerback despite not remotely being big enough for Carroll’s traditional cornerback checkboxes. Maybe Coach Carroll will start easing the hard lines he draws for prospects and making them wish list items instead.

Linebacker: Jabril Cox, LSU

Cox has been consistently labeled as a day three pick. That is before the Senior Bowl. Now, well let’s just say his stock has risen a bit.

He plays with an excellent blend of size and athleticism. He has the size to hit the line of scrimmage and body players. He also has the athleticism to play coverage. In fact, he looked by far and away as the most natural coverage linebacker of the group.

More than anything, he plays with great determination and physicality. He takes good angles. Makes solid tackles. Shows really good footwork and agility. It’s really about all you could ask of an outside linebacker.

If Seattle elects to let KJ Wright leave in free agency. Cox could be an excellent option to play along with side Bobby Wagner and Jordyn Brooks. Cox is likely an early to mid-third round pick at this point. Another trade back candidate.

Cornerback: Ifeatu Melifonwu, Syracuse

What if I were to tell you that a younger, less injury-prone Quinton Dunbar was available in the draft. Melifonwu is the can’t miss target for second-round cornerbacks. He plays with great physicality, quick feet, and is very disruptive at the point of the catch.

Melifonwu looks like Pete Carroll made him in a laboratory. He is tall, long, quick, and has great discipline. Pete Carroll and John Schneider traded for Quinton Dunbar because of his football IQ, length, and ball-hawk mentality.

Quite a few analysts have said that Melifonwu is by far the best cornerback in the Senior Bowl. He has shown off his football IQ and length with a handful of beautifully timed pass breakups. He has also locked down quite a few receivers despite it being a very good receiving class.

Seattle has never selected a cornerback before round 3. This may be the year for needs to change. Melifonwu and Reed could be a dynamic pairing of playmakers for the Seahawks secondary. Creating turnovers would no longer be a problem. Seattle will be fortunate if Melifonwu makes it to them at the end of round two, however.

Safety: Richie Grant, UCF

Grant is truly a fun player to watch. He is about as physical as they come. He lives to put his pads into someone else’s’ chest. He wants to lay the boom and make a statement. However, he also has the football IQ to know when to dial it back.

It’s that type of discipline that makes or breaks a physical defensive back. Grant has it. What he also has is phenomenal pass coverage abilities. He has been about as sticky as they come in coverage over the last week.

He has made a name for himself between the physicality and coverage abilities. Teams have had no choice but to make a note. His best position as a pro would be as a single high free safety.
Let him sit back, see the play develop, and make his move. He has the speed, discipline, agility, and physicality to thrive in the Seahawks scheme.

He would make a great selection to replace Quandre Diggs if the team decides to move on from him due to cap constraints and lack of picks. Grant is a baller that Seattle could use.