Seahawks 1st-Round Mock: How Seattle can win Day 1 of the NFL Draft

The 2023 NFL Draft is officially upon us. With the franchise-altering event just days away, the Seattle Seahawks narrow down their game plan as they hope to build upon their strong draft last year. Serving as the beneficiary from the Russell Wilson trade, Seattle enters this draft with an opportunity to put the finishing touches on building their championship core.

However, how they go about it will ultimately determine the success or downfall of this franchise. With the defensive line needing the most help, it would appear taking Jalen Carter or Will Anderson Jr. early on would be the obvious move. But, the rarity of picking in the top 5 has to at least make the Seattle Seahawks consider a quarterback.

That, of course, leads to which quarterback? Although many believe Bryce Young is the best QB in this class, it is also believed that none of them are projected to be superstars in the NFL. Many feel that the 2024 NFL Draft will have two of those guys in Caleb Williams and Drake Maye. But, how much weight does that hold in the Seattle Seahawks war room?

Seattle Seahawks 2023 NFL Draft: 1st-Round Mock

The way I see it, rankings are just a number. Look no further than the John Schneider and Pete Carroll tenure era in Seattle. Richard Sherman, Doug Baldwin, Russell Wilson, Bobby Wagner, Tariq Woolen are just a few of the names that were low on the rankings board. A few of the guys who weren't deemed to be good enough to start in the NFL. Teams do not draft based on grades, they draft based on philosophy.

In Seattle, raw athleticism has blossomed into superstardom. While they haven't hit on all of their draft picks, their philosophy has remained the same and I think it will once again pay off come Thursday night. The Seattle Seahawks are presented with a chance to walk away as the biggest winners of night one.

With two trades and 3 draft selections in the 1st round, the Seattle Seahawks will be able to address their biggest needs while also acquiring the guys on top of their board. This is how they do it.

Round 1, Seahawks Pick 7 (via LV)

With the 5th pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks make their first chess move. In a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders, they acquire more draft capital, move down 2 spots and still get their first choice in QB Anthony Richardson.

In this scenario, both teams get their franchise QB. Ironically, both Seattle and Vegas signed their respective quarterbacks that allow for an out after year-1. The reason Vegas trades up is because they fear Seattle will select their quarterback of choice. Here is how I envision the quarterbacks being selected in this situation.

Round 1, Pick 1: Carolina Panthers select QB, Bryce Young, Alabama

After going all in and making a blockbuster trade with the Chicago Bears for the number 1 overall pick, the Carolina Panthers end their drought of searching for a new QB since Cam Newton. Despite the concerns about his height and durability, the Panthers get the consensus best QB in this draft, Bryce Young.

Round 1, Pick 4: Indianapolis Colts select QB Will Levis, Kentucky

This may come as a surprise to many, but I think the Colts are in love with Will Levis. His radar has been relatively quiet over the last couple of weeks and I think it is because the Colts are hoping he slides to fourth overall. Although he isn't necessarily considered a Day-1 starter, the Colts will insert him into that role and let him grow with the rest of that young roster.

Round 1, Pick 5 (via SEA): Las Vegas Raiders select QB C.J. Stroud, Ohio State

For the majority of the off-season, many felt that C.J. Stroud would be a top-2 pick. But, over the last week or so, Stroud has been getting hammered in the media. Is it possible a team is leaking this news hoping he slips in the draft? Many are anticipating that Stroud falls out of the top-7, but the Raiders capitalize on this move and trade up with the Seahawks to ensure they get their guy.

For the Seattle Seahawks, Anthony Richardson is the QB who makes the most sense. He seems to be the most athletically gifted and his selection will create a healthy competition between him and Geno Smith. While I would anticipate Geno to be the starter in this upcoming season, his mentorship towards Richardson would help him succeed Geno in the proceeding season.

I think Seattle's interest in Richardson is very real and I see it coming to fruition on Thursday night. Keep in mind that in this trade with the Raiders, the Seahawks are still left with pick 20 in the first round as well as two selections in rounds 2, 3, and 4.

Round 1, Seahawks Pick 20

At pick 20, I have the Seahawks staying put and boosting their defensive line. Lukas Van Ness out of Iowa is a versatile, athletic edge rusher who can make an impact on a defensive line that lacked playmaking ability in 2022. At 6-feet-5-inches tall, 272 pounds, Van Ness presents a similar physique to that of Tyree Wilson.

His ability to both line up inside and out will blend well with Darrell Taylor and Uchenna Nwosu. His greatest strength is his bull-rushing ability, being able to bully offensive linemen with mere force and power. Playing in the Big Ten, Van Ness went up against two projected first-round tackles: T Paris Johnson, Ohio State, and T Peter Skoronski, Northwestern. On tape, he put some good moves on display, overpowering both tackles at times.

The critique of Van Ness is his reliance on the bull rush. But, he fits the mold of a Seahawk, and let's be honest, it is very rare for an edge rusher to enter the NFL fully equipped to be dominant in year one. In this case, what matters is the blend of potential and coaching. After the free agent acquisitions, Seattle is in a position to add depth to a revamped defensive line.

Round 1, Seahawks Pick 28 (via CIN)

In there final move on night one, the Seattle Seahawks trade back into the first round and solidify the rebuild of this defensive line by selecting DT Calijah Kancey out of Pittsburgh. Remember, the first trade with the Raiders helped Seattle acquire more draft capital, which gets used in this deal to help make their third pick on the night and land a Day-1 impact player.

Calijah Kancey is the projected 2nd best DT in this class behind Jalen Carter. While he is a little undersized for his position, he dominated at Pittsburgh. In just 11 starts in his final season in Pitt, Kancey posted 14.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks, earning himself first-team AP All-American and ACC Defensive Player of the Year.

Similar to Van Ness, Kancey is very athletic for his position. That is music to the ears of Pete Carroll. In fact, Kancey was graded as the most athletic DT at the NFL Combine. Also, this selection of Kancey would pair nicely with the newly acquired Dre'Mont Jones. Not to mention, it would essentially eliminate a reunion with Poona Ford.

Capping off night one with a bang, the Seahawks would have acquired Anthony Richardson, Lukas Van Ness, Calijah Kancey and still have a 2nd, 3rd, 3 4th's, 6th and 7th. Leaving them plenty of picks to address other positions of need. Whether it's cornerback, linebacker, wide receiver, offensive line, Seattle will have positioned themselves to have a real opportunity to close out the draft how they started it, strongly.