Some recent mock drafts would be disasters for Seahawks

Now that the most significant portion of free agency is over, 12s can turn most of their focus to who the Seattle Seahawks might take in the 2023 NFL draft. That also means it’s mock draft season, so everyone with a website that talks football will likely produce a mock. Heck, even this site puts out many mock drafts. They are fun.

But some mock drafts already published have the Seahawks choosing players in the first round they simply shouldn’t, at least not at the spots Seattle would choose the player. I assume, and maybe I am wrong, that most 12s think Seattle should take an interior defensive player or an edge rusher if the team sticks a pick number 5 and then maybe grab another of those types of players at pick 20. Seattle already has a pretty talented roster and just needs to fix some holes with top-end talent in the draft.

So why take players that don’t fill immediate needs? General manager John Schneider and head coach Pete Carroll did the right thing last year. That is, they didn’t overthink the picks and chose what they needed. But some mocks have Schneider and Carroll overthinking this draft.

Some mock drafts have the Seahawks choosing players they shouldn’t

Several mocks have the Seahawks taking Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter at number 5. Carter appears to have a bunch of talent, but his motivation might be in question. At his recent pro day, Carter showed up out of shape and couldn’t finish the day. Carter might be a good player one day, or a complete bust. He is too much of a risk at number 5.

Touchdown Wire, though, goes one step beyond. Not only do they have Seattle taking Carter at number 5, but they have the Seahawks choosing quarterback Hendon Hooker at number 20. Seattle might need a quarterback in a couple of years but if they are going to choose one in the 2023 NFL draft, it should be higher. Plus, Hooker is a reach at number 20 as he might be around in the second round. He won’t be ready at the start of 2023 after injuring his knee at Tennessee and one could ask whether his productivity was because of his talent or Josh Huepel’s offensive system for the Vols.

NFL.com’s Chad Reuter knows a lot about football and is a good writer but he simply gets Seattle’s first-round wrong in his recent mock draft. He has Seattle taking Oregon cornerback Christian Gonzalez at pick 5 and then North Dakota State guard Cody Mauch at pick 27 (after Seattle trades back with the Bills). Gonzelez might be very good but Seattle doesn’t need a cornerback more than an edge rusher or DT. Mauch would be an overreach to take in the first round.

Finally, CBS Sports’ Tom Fornelli has Seattle going with an edge rusher at pick number 5, but simply the wrong edge rusher. Fornelli has Seattle taking Clemson’s Myles Murphy instead of Texas Tech edge rusher Tyree Wilson. Wilson should be the pick as his athleticism is just ridiculous. At number 20, Seattle would choose Penn State cornerback Joey Porter, Jr. Actually, I like this pick.