The Seahawks are in a position to have their best draft ever in 2023. Even with two picks in the first round, it's those late-round sleepers that will go a long way to defining Seattle's success.
Calm down, 12s. I'm not suggesting for a moment that it doesn't matter if the Seahawks get it right on their first-round picks. Of course they have to get the right players. They can ill afford another L.J. Collier or Germain Ifedi misfire. Those were hardly at the level of the Malik McDowell fiasco, but neither lived up to expectations.
They certainly fell short when you compare their careers to the contributions of some of the sleepers the Seahawks have landed in the past. No, I'm not about to say DK Metcalf was a sleeper; he just fell a bit further than expected. But the Hawks landed Phil Haynes almost 100 picks after Collier. I think it's pretty clear who's had the better career so far. I don't even have to mention a certain seventh-round running back, or a fifth-round corner, now do I? One of the great things about Seattle's history is they can boast a pair of fifth-round All-World cornerbacks.
Seahawks are in great position to land great sleepers
Can the Hawks do it again this year? Considering that they have 10 picks in all, Yes, they certainly have the draft capital to make it happen. As John Schneider said regarding the draft process, “In general, we just do a much better job when we just pick the best player.” You can listen to his entire discussion on The John Schneider Show on Seattle Sports. The fact that Seattle has needs at virtually every position makes it easier to subscribe to that philosophy as well. As I already wrote, they don't need to draft a tackle and move him to guard, not with their first pick. Once we get to those later rounds, anything can happen. And that's where we'll find the sleepers
Let me preface my list with a couple of clarifications. If a huge talent slides down to day two, that's not a sleeper. If anything, that's a waker, as in that player got a wake-up call, and needs to prove they belong. The reasons they dropped may have been out of their control - hi, DK - but they still had what was regarded as first-round talent. Furthermore, for me, a sleeper is a day three pick. Have there been thrid-round picks who overachieved? Oh, I think Russell Wilson, Tyler Lockett, and Abe Lucas are all amazing players. But they didn't fly under the radar, either. No, a sleeper is a player like another Hawks fifth-round legend, Kam Chancellor. That's the type of player we hope Pete Carroll and John Schneider identify on day three of the draft.
Seahawks can land a defensive backfield star on day three
As noted above, the Hawks have established a pretty amazing knack for this sort of thing. There's been quite a bit of buzz about Seattle taking a corner in the first round, something Pete and John have never come close to before. Yes 12s, our beloved Seahawks could actually draft a corner in the first round. So no, you won't see Devon Witherspoon, Christian Gonzalez, or Joey Porter Jr. discussed here. You can read an awful lot about them in the link above. What you will find here is a deeper look at some of those late-round sleepers that can become surprise standouts for the Seahawks.
Ronnie Hickman, S, Ohio St. At 6' 1/2" and 203 pounds, Hickman has the size to play safety, and his 4.45 40 time shows he has the speed as well. Although he's primarily known for his ability to stuff the run, he's not exactly a slouch in coverage, either. Hickman has been especially good in coverage on tight ends, an area that the Seahawks desperately need to improve. Simply upgrading coverage on the tight end to mediocre would have bumped last year's record up to 11-6.
So if he's so great, why is he a sleeper, projected as a fourth-round pick? Here's a summary of his weaknesses from one dradt site: "Coverage skills are lacking. Does not look fluid when he needs to turn and run with a receiver. Speed is marginal. Primarily played free safety in college but will need to move to strong safety at the next level due to his size and lack of coverage skills."
Oh, geez, my bad. That was actually written about Kam Chancellor. The same site stated that Chancellor projected as a solid backup and special teamer, but "may never be more than that". Hey, at least they said "may", not "never". Chancellor did move to strong safety, so at least they got that right. A lot of sites are minimizing Hickman.'s prospects, too. Now I'm not saying he's the next Bam Bam; no one is. But he has the tools to be a force for the Hawks. That's all can we ask.
Eli Ricks, CB, Alabama. At 6'2 and with a wingspan just under 79 inches, Ricks fits that prototype of the rangy coverage guy the Seahawks love. He began his collegiate career at LSU, tallying five pass breakups and four picks as a true freshman. Ricks only played in six games in 2021 before he was lost for the season with a torn labrum. He transferred to Alabama last year, finally breaking through to the starting lineup in week eight vs Mississippi State. Gee, I wonder if the 52 points Tennessee hung on them in week seven had anything to do with that change...
Regardless, Ricks showed he should have been in the lineup sooner, as he finished the 2022 season with a passer rating allowed of just 56.0. He excels at press coverage, jamming receivers at the line and disrupting routes before they start. His extreme physicality is hardly his only tool, as he also shows great recognition of routes. He's adept at timing his jump to break up passes and come away with the ball as well.
So why is this Richard Sherman 2.0 projected to be a fifth-round pick? Three numbers say it all: 4.60. As in a ran a 4.60 40. That wasn't a fluke, as his lack of true top-end speed showed up too often in college. Then again, Sherman ran a 4.60 40 and was graded as - oh, sorry, he didn't even receive a prospect grade. Instead, the note on one of the greatest corners the league has ever seen read: "Likely needs time in developmental league." So please, bring on Eli Ricks.
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.
Seahawks find another anchor for the offensive line
Olusegun Oluwatimi, C, Michigan. It's certainly no secret that the Seahawks need a center after the retirement of Austin Blythe. Yes, I know they signed Evan Brown, and I like the signing. So did Pro Football Focus, at least I think they would. Although Brown played at right guard last season for Detroit, he filled in at center in 2021 and was one of the best in the league in pass protection. He allowed just one sack and eight QB hits, placing him sixth among all centers.
But Seattle doesn't even have Kyle Fuller on the squad anymore, so they'll need to add another. Hmmm...do you think the guy that won the awards for the best center - the Rimington - and for best lineman - the Outland - might be a good choice? Standing 6' 2 1/2" and 309 pounds, Oluwatimi has good technique and a solid football IQ. He's shown that he can recognize and react to stunts and twists and is an effective drive blocker in the running game as well.
I know, 12s, I know. Then why is he projected to last until the fifth round? He doesn't have the best lateral movement; which can cause him to reach on his blocks, and we've had enough holding penalties as it is in Seattle, thank you very much Mr. Referee. He can get a bit off-balance in those situations as well. Hey, I'm not knocking the guy; I'm just giving you the tendencies that caused scouts to move him down the draft boards. I'd love to see the Hawks take him on day three.
Chandler Zavala, G, North Carolina St. The 6'3" 322 pound guard signed with Fairmont State, a Division II school out of high school. He redshirted after a knee injury, then started 21 games over the next two seasons at left guard. COVID wiped out the season for the school, so he transferred to NC State in 2021. He lost the rest of that year after just five games with a back injury. 2022 was Zavala's year, though, as he made the All-ACC squad. That tends to happen when you allow just four pressures and zero sacks in 13 games.
While he's graded as better at pass protection than the running game, it's worth noting that the Wolfpack averaged 172 yards rushing per game with Zavala in the lineup, then plummetted to just 93 yards per game without him. He's noted for his lateral movement, explosion off the line, and ability to ride speed rushers a mile past the pocket. So why is he a sleeper? Well, he only played one year of football at high school, and he's already 24 years old. The way I look at it, he got his experience at a high level. Let's go get him, Hawks!
Skill players balling for the Seahawks
Eric Gray, HB, Oklahoma. Let me flip the script here and tell you right now why Mr. Gray is a sleeper. He ran a 4.62 40 and only did 12 reps on the bench press. At 5'9 1/2" and 207 pounds, no one should expect elite speed. However, that is the summation of his football sins. Well, I believe the fact that he transferred to Oklahoma after two years at Tennessee is unconscionable. I recognize for most 12s, that isn't even worthy of consideration. I suppose it did get him closer to Seattle, so I guess in the end it's okay.
Now let's look at what Eric Gray can do. As a sophomore, he led the Volunteers in rushing and tied for the team lead in total touchdowns. Apparently, that wasn't enough (sniffs your correspondent), so he skedaddled off to the Sooners. He played well as a junior but really showed his talent his senior year with 1372 yards on 212 carries, finding the end zone 11 times. He also pulled down 34 catches for 238 yards. He's adept on screens and more than willing to do the dirty work of staying in and blocking. I'm pretty sure both of those talents would find much favor with Geno Smith.
Roschon Johnson, HB, Texas. You might look at Johnson as Gray's mirror image. Well, sorta. At 6'0" and 219 pounds, Johnson is just a little bigger. He's also slightly faster, at least when you look at top end speed. Johnson came in at 4.58 for the combine. But Gray hit that top speed quickly, much more quickly than Johnson. The Longhorn product is much more in the cut of the prototypical power back.
Johnson saw action in 47 games for Texas, totaling 2,190 yards on 392 carries. He found the end zone 23 times and only fumbled once. Yeah, I like that ratio, too. He also caught 56 passes for 420 yards, so he's not a player you'd have to take out on third down. In fact, considering his predilection for laying out blitzing linebackers, I'd say it would be wise to keep him in the game on third down. You know, for those rare times KW needs a rest. Several scouts have called him a bulldozer, or a guy who'll get the tough yards. Yes, please. Now that would be an amazing value pick.
Charlie Jones, WR, Purdue. Jones is one of the few sleeper prospects I've listed that has met with the Seahawks. With his 4.43 speed, I think it's understandable that Carroll and Schneider were interested in him. While Jones is only 5'11" and 175 pounds, he was a major producer in his senior year. He never got on track at Iowa, but after transferring to Purdue, everything clicked. Jones caught 110 balls for 1,361 yards and a dozen scores. His QB rating when targeted was 118.1. While that's not exactly elite, like Jalin Hyatt's 149.0, it's not chopped liver, either.
Jones has soft hands and is exceptional at using his body to create space on contested catches. Gee, 12s, who does that sound like; anyone you know? Is there anyone on the Hawks roster right now that's 5'10", goes a buck 80, and can catch anything within two zip codes of his location? No, I'm not saying Jones is the next Tyler Lockett. As I wrote about Ronnie Hickman, all these guys have to do is be the best versions of themselves.
Now about that comparison between Jones and Lockett: these weaknesses are from the NFL's draft profile page. But who are they about; the Hawks future Hall of Fame player or the possible rookie? Very slightly built. Struggles with physical cornerbacks and can be redirected in his routes
Press coverage could be an issue for him on the next level.
High percentage of tries are contested. Lacking suddenness to shake press.
Has trouble blowing by tight man coverage downfield.
The first three were written about our man Lockett, and the second group was about Jones. Seems like number 16 turned out a little better than the draft experts predicted. That's the great thing about sleepers. Will they all come through? No, of course not. For every Chris Carson, the Seahawks have drafted there have been, oh, how many seventh-round picks that didn't even make the practice squad? Feel free to look it up; you'll receive a fabulous no-prize. The successes are what make the sleepers so fun for us 12s, and so valuable for our Seahawks.