The Seahawks playoff aspirations more or less ended after the disappointing loss to the Rams on Tuesday night football.
The team has some glaring weaknesses and a lot of talent scheduled to hit free agency. The team has some incredibly tough choices upcoming. This off-season is scheduled to be one for the books.
There is going to be a lot of movement. No one is safe as it is. Coaches, players, and back office are all under fire. It is not yet clear as to what level of a rebuild we are in store for. In this mock draft, I am purely going to go off what is known today.
What a Seahawks draft could look like based on the needs that are known today.
The team is losing both of its starting tackles. Their running back group has been unspectacular. The defensive line has failed to create pressure consistently. Most of their secondary is going to be hitting free agency, including Pro Bowler Quandre Diggs.
The team is going to be without their first-round pick, thanks to the Jamal Adams blunder. They will have top 10 cap space once free agency opens. If Seattle were to cut two players (Bobby Wagner and Jason Myers) who are having down years, they could have the second-most cap space.
All I am getting at is there is money to help cure some of the ailments. What isn’t able to be fixed through free agency, will be solved via the draft.
This draft doesn’t hold as many sure-fire talents at the top as there have been in previous drafts. However, some real solid prospects could help Seattle win immediately. Follow me onto the next few slides to see who the Seahawks should target.
Seahawks first draft selection: Bernhard Raimann, LT
If you read my offensive tackles to target in the draft, you know how high I am on this player. He is very raw. However, with just two years of offensive line play under his belt and his growth being so evident, his ceiling is sky-high.
Raimann started his collegiate career as a tight end. It was not until the 2020 season that he moved to left tackle. The athleticism that the tight end requires is evident during Raimann’s pass-blocking sets. He possesses footwork, balance, and explosiveness off the line.
His lateral mobility is excellent and he plays with phenomenal hip flexibility. This allows him to bend with the edge rushers. Watching Raimann, the saying ‘bend, don’t break’ fits too perfectly. When he is beat, he has the athleticism to keep the pocket clean.
With additional functional strength and experience, Raimann has All-Pro potential. In the right system, and with the right coach, he has the chance to be the best tackle in the draft. Taking Raimann in the second round is a gamble as he is raw. However, the upside is something this team desperately needs.
Seahawks second draft selection: Logan Hall, DT
The two issues that the Seahawks have faced the last several seasons have been protecting the quarterback and rushing the quarterback. The team has failed to properly address the issues with poor schematic fits or simply bargain shopping.
Drafting Logan Hall with their second selection (third round) would be a huge move to help remedy the defensive line. Hall is quickly ascending the draft boards. He is an athletic phenom with 3-tech/ 5-tech flexibility.
He would perfectly fit the Michael Bennet role for the Seahawks. He plays with exceptional explosiveness. His motor is always red hot and rarely gives up on a play. He is slippery and has a very solid toolbox of pass-rushing moves.
Hall is no slouch in the run game either. He shoots the gap with the best of them and has the closing speed to finish the play behind the line of scrimmage. The growth from 2020 through 2021 has been astounding.
Depending on how the combine goes, Hall has the chance to continue to ascend into the second-round conversation. However, for now, the Seahawks get a steal thanks to his small school label (Houston).
Seahawks third draft selection: Jake Furguson, TE
The Seahawks have failed to get the tight ends involved over the majority of the Pete Carroll era. Perhaps it’s time to stop trying to put the square peg in the circle hole.
Jake Furguson is one of, if not the top blocking tight end in this draft. His hand placement, footwork, functional strength, and IQ in the blocking game have been superb throughout his entire career for the Wisconsin Badgers.
While I am talking up Furguson’s blocking abilities, I am in no way saying he is poor in the passing game. The Badgers are simply a run-first team and did not utilize him in a way to show off his talents. It’s alright, that’s good news for the Seahawks.
It means that other teams will sleep on a player like Furguson as they look for the next mismatch tight end. Players like George Kittle, Mark Andrews, and Rob Gronkowski were all placed into the same stereotype.
Furguson has the hand strength, concentration, and catch radius to be a consistent factor in the passing game. If Seattle needs a player who can block down the field and catch passes in tight coverage in the red zone, Furguson is a seamless fit. Think Will Dissly before his injuries.
Seahawks fourth draft selection: Bailey Zappe, QB
The Seahawks backup quarterback situation since Russell Wilson took over has always been an issue. It’s simply been an issue that no one really paid attention to thanks to Wilson’s durability.
However, things like durability always have a shelf life. Wilson had the first major injury of his career. He ended up on the IR, breaking his streak of starts. When Wilson returned, he has looked like a shadow of himself.
It’s time to finally try and add some quality depth behind him. What if he were to get reinjured or even force his way out after the next year? Having potential/ an insurance plan behind Wilson is a smart play.
Bailey Zappe is a name that has been getting a lot of buzz this year. As a graduate transfer (similar to Wilson) he has been playing like his hair is on fire. He has broken numerous FBS records including the passing yards (5,967) and touchdown records (62).
Zappe plays with good footwork and moves well inside the pocket. He throws the ball with proficient velocity and has a quick release. He has phenomenal anticipation on his intermate and deep throws.
The reason he isn’t talked about higher is a three-part answer. His past has produced questionable results. To me, this simply shows growth. Others see this as a risk. His level of competition throughout his collegiate career has been subpar. This is his first year against FBS-level players at Western Kentucky.
Finally, there is some concern over his arm strength. Some are worried he doesn’t have the strength to stretch the field at the professional level. Waiting until the third round will result in some level of concern. However, the potential to me outweighs the concern.
Seahawks fifth draft selection: Dameon Pierce, RB
The Seahawks have struggled in the running game since Marshawn Lynch left. Chris Carson is a great player but has been about as durable as a glass of wine during a work Christmas party.
Rashaad Penny has failed to break the bust label. Relying on Chris Carson coming off next surgery, an aging Alex Collins and backup in DeeJay Dallas would be a pivotal mistake going into next year. The team needs a fresh body to help push the unit into the next stage.
Drafting Dameon Pierce this late in the draft could do just that. He is a living embodiment of what the Seahawks want to do with the football. Elusiveness to a point but doesn’t shy away from contact. True smash-mouth football to move the chains.
Pierce is a tone-setter whose abilities have been criminally underutilized in Florida. He has a low center of gravity with excellent contact balance. His one-cut mentality allows him to destroy teams both between the tackles and outside.
Oftentimes, talented running backs fail to create playing time because they struggle in pass blocking. Pierce is one of the top pass-blocking running backs in the draft class. He has sure-fire RB2 written on him with the untapped potential to be a true bell-cow.
This late in the draft, he has everything you can ask for in a running back. A true gem.
Seahawks sixth draft selection: Sam Williams, DE
The Seahawks have failed yet again to create consistent pressure on the quarterback. Sam Williams looked like a sure-fire day two pick before the season. Everything this year on the field has further cemented this belief. However, because of some off-field issues, Williams has found himself sliding way down the board.
Standing at 6’4″, 265 pounds he looks the bill. There have been some reports that Williams can run a 4.5-second 40-yard dash and a 40-inch vertical. Athletic traits like these are rare. If this ends up being true, he could find some of his stock re-established.
He is a downhill tackler that plays with intense physicality. He has good initial quickness and solid awareness. He understands how to outmaneuver his opponents.
Two of his biggest weaknesses are his susceptibility to being fooled by misdirection plays and lack of range in lateral agility. Ordinarily the second wouldn’t be an issue. However, in the bear front defensive scheme the Seahawks deploy, defensive ends are also asked to play in coverage.
If not for the off-field issue, this season would have been his breakout year. He has posted a career-high 56 tackles, 13 sacks, and 4 forced fumbles.
Seahawks final draft selection: Brendan Radley-Hiles, CB
The Seattle Seahawks have recently bucked the trend with cornerbacks and finally opened their doors to smaller players. Both DJ Reed and Tre Brown have helped open the door for these players with the largest of the two at just 5’9″.
Brendan Radley-Hiles stands at just 5’9.” However, he doesn’t let that stand in his way. He is a very instinctive player who utilizes both his agility and speed to stick to the receivers hips. He has exceptional closing speed and phenomenal hands.
Radley-Hiles can play in both man and zone coverage. However, his real strength lies in zone coverage. His closing speed and anticipation make for a big play waiting to happen.
His biggest weakness belongs to his tackling form. He plays every bit of his 5’9″ and 180lb frame. Because of his smaller size, he can be bullied by bigger receivers and tight ends. However, he plays the cornerback position closer to the mentality of a receiver than a defensive back.
He runs the routes and plays the ball more than he plays the person, unlike safety Jamal Adams. Because of this he keeps windows very small and gets quite a few pass breakups and interceptions.