Ranking the Seattle Seahawks potential choices at pick number 9
By Geoff Shull
Seahawks top tier for the draft: “The Unthinkables”
It happens every year, players that the media falls in love with, and teams aren’t quite as sold. It can be any number of things that cause this. Perhaps the player interviews went poorly. Perhaps the team sees flaws that their scheme would exacerbate.
Or, what if the team simply doesn’t view the position as much of a need as the fans/media do. Nevertheless, players fall. These are the players that the Seahawks should hope fall to them at pick 9:
Aiden Hutchinson, Edge
- The player that has been widely considered the top overall prospect since mid-season. Easily one of the safest selections. His floor is Pro-Bowl Level and his ceiling is Pro Bowl-level. Easy to picture Hutchinson having a nice career averaging 9-12 sacks per year. Considered a top 3 overall player.
Evan Neal, OT
- A specimen of an offensive tackle. Standing at 6’6″, 340lbs, he towers over opponents. He uses his elite size and speed to pancake his opponents. If the Seahawks want a run-first team, Evan Neal is one of the nastiest players in the draft. He also has the versatility to play either right or left tackle. Widely considered a top 3 selection.
Ikem Ekwonu, OT
- Ekwonu has been a hot topic recently. Is he a guard or is he a tackle? The answer is, that he is a damn good football player. Try him out at tackle, if it doesn’t work, he has Zach Martin level upside at guard. He is a violent offensive lineman. He was described as “the most feared offensive lineman in the ACC.” He is expected to be off the board by the time the Panthers pick at 6.
Travon Walker, DL
- Walker has been one of the biggest movers of this off-season. He went from a late first to a player potentially going number one overall. Three things changed his trajectory. His character is unmatched. His leadership has been well noted. Finally, his physical gifts are astronomical. He placed in the 99.9th percentile amongst defensive linemen. He could go anywhere from pick 1 to pick 8.
The next group is the prospects that will either ascend to their potential or fall to their lowest of lows. These are the boom or bust prospects.