The 2023 NFL season is over with the Kansas City Chiefs once again winning the Super Bowl. Do the Seattle Seahawks seem that far away from the teams that made deep postseason runs? Sure, Seattle has to fix its run defense at least, but that might mostly be resolved through improved schematic changes.
New head coach Mike Macdonald might not be expected to win the Super Bowl in his first season (I hope people do not expect that to happen at least), but he should make the defense better. With a slightly improved defense, the team might get into the playoffs. Anything can happen there. But to help the defense get better, Seattle needs to add young talent in the 2024 NFL draft.
For this mock draft, I used Pro Football Focus' (subscription required) mock simulator and did not offer or accept any trades. I was tempted to take quarterback Bo Nix at pick 16, but I passed. Seattle has greater defensive needs so I started there.
Seattle Seahawks first round, pick 16 - Edge rusher Bralen Trice, Washington
Trice already has good size for an edge rusher as he is 6'4" and 275 pounds and is plenty strong to compete right away. Plus, he should get even stronger once in an NFL weight training program. What he doesn't have is elite quickness, but because of his size and strength, he can be a versatile player. If he adds 10 pounds of muscle, he could even play along the defensive line at times.
Washington EDGE Bralen Trice (#8) had an outstanding motor… always running hot. Able to make the effort play working from the backside. pic.twitter.com/iNhHen9nbp
— Ryan Roberts (@RiseNDraft) February 6, 2024
Trice is also very good against the run as he can set a hard edge. He likely won't be easily moved even by NFL tackles so Trice's presence should immediately make Seattle's run defense better even if he is not immediately producing much in terms of sacks. He will get there, though, because he has good technique and knows how to use his hands to get an offensive lineman off-balance.
Trice will probably be better in year two than in year one and better in year three than in year two. That is a good thing as he will learn to develop better pass-rush moves but likely always be stout against the run. Seattle needs a player with his versatility.
Third and fourth rounds
Third round, pick 78 - Safety Javon Bullard, Georgia
Seattle will probably have to replace either Jamal Adams or Quandre Diggs (possibly both) due to salary cap cuts. Plus, neither was particularly good in 2023 and Adams was often injured (again). Julian Love will be back and made the Pro Bowl this season. Seattle should already be thinking of signing him to an extension before he hits free agency after next season.
Bullard has an extremely high football IQ and could probably become a regular starter quicker than most because of that. He isn't the fastest safety, but he does make up for that by knowing where he should be on the field. He can also be a good tackler, though can be a bit inconsistent in that respect.
Third round, pick 81 - Guard Christian Mahogany, Boston College
Seattle's interior of the offensive line was a weakness this past season. Left guard Damien Lewis was the best of the group but he is also a free agent and he might want $8-10 million a season in his next deal. I am not sure Seattle can or even wants to afford that. Center might belong to Olu Oluwatmi but he did not prove he could be a long-term starter this year. Right guard is up for grabs.
Mahogany played both left and right guard at Boston College so he can help the Seahawks at either spot. He also plays with a mean streak and is strong enough to play right away. He is also big enough to start in his first season as he is 6'3" and 325 pounds.
Fourth round, pick 119 - Defensive lineman Tyler Davis, Clemson
Davis is listed at 6'2" and 299 pounds. He isn't overly gifted as a pass rusher but he is excellent at stopping the run. If Seattle were to draft him, he might not play right away because he probably needs to add 15-20 pounds. But he is very strong and difficult to move from his base. The best outcome is that he joins Seattle and becomes an early down defensive tackle who can help fix the team's run defense.
Fifth through seventh rounds
Fifth round, pick 151 - Linebacker Michael Barrett, Michigan
Seattle will need a couple of inside linebackers this year. All the team's veteran linebackers - Bobby Wagner, Jordyn Brooks, and Devin Bush - are free agents. Brooks might be the priority to try to re-sign because he is only 26 years old. The Seahawks will need to sign a low-priced free agent or, better yet, take an off-ball linebacker in the draft.
Plus, Mike Macdonald has strong ties to Michigan and coached Barrett when Macdonald was the defensive coordinator for the Wolverines in 2021. Barrett has good size at 6' and 240 pounds and is solid in coverage. He needs to become better against the run but Macdonald will know how to get him there.
Sixth round, pick 194 - Tight end Jaheim Bell, Florida State
Bell is 6'3" and 240 pounds but is more a pure receiver than a blocker currently. He would not yet, or maybe ever, be counted on to be a lot like Will Dissly, but that is OK. What the Seahawks must have is a tight end who can catch and run and Bell excels at both of those. He has the speed to beat linebackers and safeties in the NFL. He falls to the sixth round because he is a tweener: A tight end who can catch but cannot block.
Seventh round, pick 233 - Quarterback Carter Bradley
Bradley has the size to play in the NFL at 6'3" and 220 pounds and he also has very good arm strength. What he lacks is athleticism. 20 years ago that might not have been a problem but in today's NFL, a quarterback needs to be able to move around well. Bradley does not do that. Still, a seventh-round choice for a potentially solid backup would not be a wasted pick.