10 sleepers to cap the Seattle Seahawks 2023 draft

Manning the Seahawks front seven

YayYa, Diaby, EDGE, Louisville. At 6'3", 263 pounds, Diaby turned a 4.51 40 and a 37" vertical leap at the combine. That's pretty much the definition of a physical freak. After two years at a junior college, Diaby blossomed at Louisville. He had 14 tackles for a loss and nine sacks in his final season for the Cardinals. I know I know; how can this guy be a sleeper? I mean, he sounds almost as good as Will Anderson Jr. And no, Anderson is not a sleeper, but I know how the Hawks can land him.

Diaby has raw power and raw speed. And therein lies the problem; he's raw. In college, elite athletic skills like his are enough to win the battle at the line of scrimmage. In the NFL, he'll more often than not be facing players that can match his power. He hasn't shown the necessary tools to overcome this, at least not often enough. He doesn't appear to have the lateral movement necessary to play as an OLB, either, so he'll need to develop his pass-rushing skills to gain more playing time. Still, his initial burst is impressive. As a late-round pick, Diaby will have time to develop those skills. Not too much time, but enough.

Moro Ojomo, DL, Texas. A veteran of 49 games at Texas, Ojomo improved every year. Yeah, you tend to expect that, but you don't always get it. At 6'3" and 292 pounds with a wingspan over 83 inches, he can envelop ballcarriers with ease, and does so frequently. He's exceptional against the run, but that doesn't mean he's a slouch when it comes to the pass rush. In his final three seasons as a Longhorn, Ojomo totaled 47 quarterback hurries, five hits, and seven sacks.

Now, would you like more production from his pass rush? Yes, yes you would. While he's able to shed would-be blockers with relative ease, he doesn't quite have that quick first step he'll need to be a major factor in getting after the quarterback. Still, with better technique, he can get there. By which I mean he can get to that level and to the QB. The Seahawks could slide him inside or out as needed, making him a valuable pick on day three.

Dorian Williams, LB, Tulane. It may be a stretch to call the 2022 Cotton Bowl MVP a sleeper, but one game doesn't make a career - not even if you did have 17 tackles in that game. There's a lot more to recommend about Williams than that, though. At 6'1" and 228 pounds, his 4.49 40 time was a thing of beauty. So was his senior year, as he racked up 132 tackles (8.5 for a loss), five sacks, seven pass defenses, two interceptions, and two forced fumbles.

So where are the flaws in his game? He could be better in coverage. As a junior, his passer rating allowed was a dismal 122.8. He went a long way to clean that up last year, though, with a rate when targeted of just 84.6. While he's an excellent tackler, he doesn't always get there as he can have difficulty shedding blockers at the second level. Could he improve his technique? Uh, yeah; that's why teams have coaches. Some mock drafts have Williams going as high as a late round-two pick. I think it's safe to say he'll go early on day three, and prove that team made the right decision.