Abraham Lucas could help re-imagine the Seahawks offense

The Seattle Seahawks have a lot of work to do in rebuilding their offensive line this offseason. Both Duane Brown and Brandon Shell are set to enter unrestricted free agency, and neither one seems like a candidate for a long-term extension. Furthermore, Seattle will have to replace them without their first-round pick, which they famously sent to the New York Jets in the deal that brought Jamal Adams to the Pacific Northwest.

With that in mind, WSU’s Abraham Lucas is a bit of a wild card for the Seahawks. Most draft scouts have a second- or third-round grade on him at the moment, but it is widely believed that Lucas could move up draft boards rather quickly should he impress at the Senior Bowl or NFL combine.

At 6’7″ and around 320 lbs, Lucas is much larger than most tackles Pete Carroll has brought in over the years. He is also widely considered one of the most pro-ready tackle prospects in the draft, in contrast to Seattle’s longstanding preference for less-polished prospects with more perceived upside. Additionally, he isn’t the freak athlete that Duane Brown is, not even close.

Why the Seahawks should take Abraham Lucas in 2022 NFL Draft

The biggest knock on Lucas, however, is his anchor. Lucas has a history of being susceptible to bull-rushes and speed-to-power moves, which is generally an indicator that he doesn’t play with enough power in his lower body.

Fortunately, Lucas has more than enough upside to justify all of that, because it isn’t as though Lucas is simply weak for his size. Rather, Lucas is near-impossible to separate from once he latches on. Furthermore, what he gives up in terms of pure agility, he more than makes up for in his combination of length, footwork, and intelligence — stunts don’t fool him, nor does he give anything up against speed rushes.

Lucas has proven this against top competition, as well. Last season, in Washington State’s trip to Oregon, he found himself matched up frequently against Kayvon Thibodeaux, a consensus top-two defensive end in this year’s draft class, and even Thibodeaux found that there was no way around Lucas — the only way Lucas could be beaten was with power.

Lucas is also nastier as a run blocker. He finishes his blocks with authority and walls off potential tacklers at the second level regularly. His hand placement is top-notch, and he rarely gives up block sheds. He has spent his collegiate career playing right tackle, where run blocking acumen is a must-have, and his skills translate just as easily to the left side.

Additionally, Lucas spent the last year-plus blocking for Jayden de Laura, an undersized gunslinger of a QB who likes to make plays with his legs. Comparing any sophomore QB to Russell Wilson is a fool’s errand, but in terms of how a QB moves and processes the play, de Laura is similar enough to Wilson that Lucas may be uniquely qualified to block for Wilson.

Lastly, and maybe most importantly, Lucas resembles the kind of tackle that flourishes in Shanahan-style outside zone schemes — he’s big, technically proficient, and as smart as they come. If the Seahawks are truly committed to revitalizing their offense with the kinds of concepts Shane Waldron brought over from the Rams, then Abraham Lucas is exactly who they need to shore up the offensive trenches.