4 bold predictions for what the Seahawks will do in the 2024 NFL draft

The Seattle Seahawks are currently set to choose at pick 16 in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft. Under general manager John Schneider since 2010 (and former head coach Pete Carroll, of course), Seattle has traded back multiple times in the first round. This year could be another chance for Schneider to move back and potentially pick up a second-round choice.

Seattle currently has seven picks. The issue is that five of those are on day three of the draft and that is not how a team wants their draft weighted. Schneider would probably like to add a couple more picks in rounds one through three.

Or Seattle could stick at pick 16 and take a quarterback. Nothing is shocking in a Seattle draft. That can be both maddening and exciting for 12s.

Bold predictions for what the Seahawks will do in the 2024 NFL draft

Seattle will trade out of the first round

The Seahawks probably need to stick at pick 16 overall and take an interior offensive lineman or an interior defensive lineman. But Seattle also needs to add a second-round choice somehow. Maybe the team even needs to add another third-round choice as well. Seattle could make a trade with the Washington Commanders where Washington moves up to pick 16 and Seattle gets both Washington's second-round selections (picks 36 and 40) as well as one of their third-round choices (pick 78).

The trade allows Seattle to actually save a little money this offseason as the second-round picks won't have as high of contracts as the number 16 picks. More importantly, getting to four picks in the first three rounds gives Schneider a bit more flexibility in what he wants to do. Seattle currently just has one pick each in the first round and third round and that means each of those choices need to be home runs for Seattle to have a success draft.

The Seahawks will choose Bo Nix in the second round

There is a chance, of course, that Nix will not be available in the second round, but he appears to be trending that way. According to the NFL Mock Draft Database, Nix is projected to be selected around pick 32 but has been projected as low as 40. John Schneider is probably going to want to take a quarterback in this draft, based on his comments this offseason about not being proud of the fact that Seattle has only drafted two quarterbacks since 2010.

He could make a statement and confirm to everyone that he is clearly the alpha in Seattle now and take a quarterback first. He might take Nix at 36 and then Seattle would have another choice just four picks later in order to add players at greater positions of need. The Seahawks would also have two more picks in the third round in order to potentially get eventual starters along the offensive and defensive lines.

Seattle takes two guards in first four picks

Seattle could also go offense-heavy with its first picks instead of giving new head coach Mike Macdonald defensive help for his defense. The reality is that specifically, the offensive line still needs to be better before the 2024 season, and that need outweighs the defense overall. As the roster currently stands, the Seahawks have players who can start and be productive defensively this coming season.

While Schneider has said this offseason that he thinks guards are overpaid and overdrafted, he also is aware that Seattle needs to get better along the interior of the offensive line. Seattle signed left guard Laken Tomlinson in free agency and has center Olu Oluwatimi and right guard Anthony Bradford still, but Tomlinson is only on a one-year deal. Center and right guard might need to be upgraded. Kansas State's Cooper Beebe and UConn's Christian Haynes could be day two options for Schneider.

Seattle takes T'Vondre Sweat in the fourth round

Sweat was recently arrested for DWI. He also seems to have issues with conditioning at times. These problems are likely to make the massive 6'4" and 366-pound defensive tackle plummet in the draft. Clearly, there is a risk to taking Sweat, but the upside likely outweighs any fears if Sweat is chosen as late as the fourth round. He is strong enough and big enough to hold his own immediately against NFL offensive linemen.

Mike Macdonald will already have a plan about how to improve the run defense, but adding Sweat is going to help as well. He wouldn't need to be a three-down player, especially in the first part of his career, This means he could get reps on early downs and that is going to help the player adjust to the NFL and help the team stop the run.

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