The Seattle Seahawks are 3-8 and the season looks to be reaching a crescendo. The team has been allotted a one percent chance of making the playoffs.
One thing is clear, changes will occur this off-season. Whether that be assistant coaches, coordinators, players, or stars. Some changes are bound to occur, it simply isn’t yet known which of these changes it will be.
This article will start my yearly draft series. This season has a lot of mystery about their needs given the uncertainty of how far into a rebuild the Seahawks are going to dive. To trade Russell Wilson, or not to. To get a new head coach, or not to. To move on from stars like Bobby Wagner, Duane Brown, or Quandre Diggs, or not to.
If the Seahawks are looking for a soft rebuild by replacing an aging player with young blue-chip talent, the offensive tackle could be a great choice.
Seattle Seahawks: 3 offensive tackles they should take in the 2022 NFL draft
The draft is not looking to be as strong as it has in the previous few years. There aren’t many players that scream All-Star. However, there is some solid depth. Many of the players between pick 15 and 50 all have similar draft grades at this point which means Seattle could have a fringe first-round talent drop to them in round two.
With Duane Brown having a down year, another year older, and on an expiring contract, the left tackle is a smart play to target with the first selection. The offensive line has been a sore spot for years.
The team made one semi-splash move last off-season by trading for Gabe Jackson. However, the line is getting older. The average age of the current roster is 30 with only one building block under the age of 25.
It is time to insert some young blue-chip talents into the trenches. Jake Curhan looks like he could be a stud right tackle with Brandon Shell’s contract expiring. The left tackle will still need to be addressed.
There are several players I have my eye on when the Seahawks look to make their first pick at the beginning of the second round.
Seahawks Offensive Tackle Target No. 1: Trevor Penning
The Seahawks are no stranger to targeting players who come from smaller schools. Trevor Penning out of Northern Iowa is not necessarily a household name. Not yet anyway.
I fully expect Penning to make a massive leap up the boards once testing comes about at the combine. He is about as athletic as they come. He is also an incredibly powerful blocker with great upper-body strength. He is explosive at the point of attack and agile enough to direct the defenders to the target zones.
Penning’s hand strength is simply ridiculous. If he has you, you aren’t getting away. It is that simple. The guy is just a freak of nature. if the Seahawks want one of the best run-blocking tackles in the draft, Trevor penning is the guy.
Just to be clear, I am not saying he can’t pass-block. He has the length and athleticism to win pass blocking battles time and time again. He needs technical refinement to be consistent in the pass blocking game. In the run blocking game he is a plug-and-play monster that will pancake his opponent thanks to his sheer will and strength.
Pass Blocking: 7/10
Run Blocking: 8.5/10
Overall: 8/10
Seahawks Offensive Tackle Target No. 2: Bernhard Raimann
Another small school wonder. Bernhard Raimann is from Central Michigan and is quite simply a freak of nature athletically. He is a big boy standing at 6’7″ but light for his size at just a hair over 300.
If there was one player I could see sky-rocking up the boards after the draft combine, it is Raimann. As a former tight end moved to left tackle, he does incredibly well moving in space. Moving in space is no problem for Raimann. He has exceptional grip strength and the footwork to match it.
Raimann isn’t a traditional power scheme blocker. He lines up more with the agile guys. However, he has the flexibility, and core strength to bend with the blockers and keep them moving past the pocket.
The two major question marks are regarding his level of competition and his relative newness to the position (moved to LT in 2020 from TE). However, the sky is the limit here. This pick could be one that sets up the organization at left tackle for the next decade.
Pass Blocking: 8/10
Run Blocking: 7/10
Overall: 7.5/10
Seahawks Offensive Tackle Target No. 3: Sean Rhyan
Shifting from the previous two slides and going with a slightly larger school. Sean Rhyan is the ultimate run-blocking offensive tackle.
Some players simply look the part of an NFL offensive tackle, Sean Rhyan is one of them. He is a burly 6’5″, 320 pound monster of a man. His frame stores massive amounts of power. If you want to watch some fun highlights, look him up. You’ll see an IHOP kind of day. Pancake central.
Rhyan is a former shot putter with phenomenal hand strength. However, don’t let his sheer size fool you. He has the agility to move laterally and operate in space. His flexibility and torso’s strength allow him to bend with the defender around the corner.
His main draws have to do with his hand placement and having shorter arms. Too often people get stuck on the arm length. Is it important? Sure. However, look at the recent success stories with shorter arms: Penei Sewell, and Rashawn Slater. Both of which are having solid first years in the NFL.
The hand placement comes with time. The raw power and athleticism are rare. This could be a slam dunk.
Pass Blocking: 6.5/10
Run Blocking: 8.0/10
Overall: 7.25/10