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Seahawks 2022 draft: Early preview of what Seattle might do

By Andy Excell

Apr 26, 2018; Arlington, TX, USA; A general view of the stadium floor during the selection of the Seattle Seahawks in the 2018 NFL Draft at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 26, 2018; Arlington, TX, USA; A general view of the stadium floor during the selection of the Seattle Seahawks in the 2018 NFL Draft at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 17, 2021; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; LSU Tigers cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. (24) intercepts a pass intended for LSU Tigers wide receiver Kayshon Boutte (1) during the second half of the annual Purple and White spring game at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports /

Seahawks secondary and special teams needs

Cornerback

  • Akhello Witherspoon – 26 -2022
  • Tre Flowers – 27 -2022
  • Tre Brown – 22 – 2025
  • Pierre Desir – 30 – 2022
  • Bryan Mills – 22 – 2024
  • DJ Reed – 24 -2022
  • Gavin Heslop – 23 – 2022 (ERFA)
  • Ryan Neal – 25 – 2022
  • Jordan Miller – 24 – 2022 (RFA)
  • Saivion Smith – 23 – 2022 (ERFA)

No issue with depth numerically, but this year’s rookies Brown and Mills along with Witherspoon, Flowers and DJ Reed is where the Seahawks will be hoping to man their starting corner needs from beyond 2021.

With Witherspoon, Flowers and Reed all out of contract at the end of next season, it is a prove-it season for all three of them. If these five do not show the required level of performance in 2021, this will be a definite need in next year’s draft.

My current top 10 corners for the 2022 draft are.

  1. Derek Stingley Jr (LSU)
  2. Kaiir Elam (Florida)
  3. Sevyn Banks (Ohio State)
  4. Josh Jobe (Alabama)
  5. Ahmad Gardner (Cincinnati)
  6. Andrew Booth (Clemson)
  7. Trent McDuffie (Washington)
  8. Sheridan Jones (Clemson)
  9. Mykael Wright (Oregon)
  10. Roger McCreary (Auburn)

Corner may be the strongest and deepest position in the 2022 draft, so if there was ever a time to look for a corner it could well be in the 2022 draft.

Safety

  • Jamal Adams – 25 – 2022
  • Quandre Diggs – 28 – 2022
  • Marquise Blair – 23 – 2023
  • Demarious Randall – 28 – 2022
  • Ugo Amadi – 23 – 2023

Talent-wise the Seahawks have more than sufficient talent at the safety positions, but none of them are contracted beyond 2023.

So during the next 9 months, the ‘Hawks will need to re-sign or extend Adams, Diggs and/or Randall. If they decide not to, then the draft is a route to seek a replacement. my current top prospects t safety in the 2022 draft are.

  1. Kyle Hamilton (Notre Dame)
  2. Bubba Bolden (Miami)
  3. Jordan Battle (Alabama)
  4. Kolby Harvell-Peel (Oklahoma State)
  5. Reed Blankenship (Middle Tennessee)

The top three are clearly the best of the 2002 class as it stands. Hamilton like Stingley at corner could be truly great in the NFL.

Special teams

  • Josh Myers – K – 29 – 2023
  • Michael Dickson – P – 25 – 2022
  • Nick Bellore – FB – 31 – 2022
  • Tyler Ott – LS – 29 -2023

Special teams looks like a real strength for the Seahawks currently, add the above to the likes of D’Wayne Eskridge, Cade Johnson and Connor Wedington as potentially elite kick returners there is no need to look to add via the draft in 2022 here.

Michael Dickson will need a new contract at the end of the season though, so extending now would be a good idea.

Having gone through all the detail I can now list what are likely to be the areas the Seahawks will need to look at drafting players in the 2022 draft.

In order they are

  1. Offensive tackle
  2. Center
  3. Running back
  4. Wide receiver
  5. Cornerback
  6. Defensive end
  7. Guard
  8. Tight End (better looking to free agency)
  9. Safety
  10. Linebacker
  11. Quarterback
  12. Special teams

Next. Three remaining free agents Seahawks should look at signing. dark

All of this is clearly dependant on the current rostered player’s performance in 2021. But with 25 unrestricted free agents at the end of the 2021 season, the 2022 draft will be an even more vital one than usual for the Seahawks.

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