Seahawks host a slew of talented guards as potential Day Three draftees

In 2022, the Seahawks added a pair of tackles that should take them into the next decade. They could do the same in the 2023 draft, and these future NFL guards fit the bill. All of these stud linemen have already visited the Hawks at VMAC for an in-depth look.

In case you slept through 2022, the aforementioned tackles are Charles Cross and Abe Lucas. While the Hawks aren't expected to take another O-lineman on day one as they did last year with Cross, they will almost certainly find a guard - or maybe even two - on day three. For the second year in a row, Seattle enjoys the rarified air of three picks on the second day of the NFL draft - thanks again, Denver! Now, I doubt that they'll spend two picks on the offensive line that early, considering their other needs. However, that doesn't mean they can't find starting-level talent for the offensive line on day three. There's no shortage of candidates, as you'll see.

Before we dive into the talent pool - ah, so refreshing on day three - let me address what some might see as an impending bit of hypocrisy on my part. A couple of these players are tackles, left tackles at that, and the Hawks would be moving them to guard. Just the other day, I took a few jibes at a mock draft that showed Seattle doing the very same thing. Yeah, the difference is I'm not projecting the Seahawks to waste their number five pick on a conversion project.

Seahawks can add a true roadgrader on day three

Anthony Bradford, LSU. He may not be the Anthony that's getting the most buzz in the draft. He might not even be the only Anthony the Hawks select. However, he could have an immediate impact in Seattle, unlike any quarterback taken this year. At 6'4" and 332 pounds, the massive former Tiger opened running lanes with ease in the SEC. His pass protection might need some work, but he does add some flexibility to a potential spot with Seattle as he played the majority of his snap in 2021 at left tackle. Although one site projects him to go in the third round, the average from nflmockdraftdatabase.com (my source for all the consensus picks) shows him as a fifth-round selection.

Jordan McFadden, Clemson. McFadden was a three-year starter at tackle for Clemson, although he'll almost certainly move to guard in the NFL. At 6'2 and 303 pounds, the former team captain is a bit undersized, but has made up for his relative lack of size - I mean, 303 is big - with solid footwork and balance. Two sites have him going in the first round, which is definitely a stretch. The consensus from over a dozen sites is that he'll get his phone call in the fourth round.

Braeden Daniels, Utah. A redshirt freshman, Daniels started 43 of the Utes games 47 over the next four seasons. The 6'4" 298-pounder played at left guard, then right tackle, and earned All-Pac-12 Conference honors at left tackle in his senior season. He allowed just one sack in 2021 and a big fat nada in 2022. That's over the course of 986 pass plays, so not too shabby. If you want to get mathy about it, it's a reeally small number. As with Bradford, he could slide between tackle and guard as needed, and we know how much Pete loves versatility. His highest current draft slot is 59, but the consensus shows Daniels going in the fifth round.

Dawand Jones, Ohio State. We'll close out with an outlier here. Believe me, this guy is an outlier in several respects. At 6'8" and 374 pounds, he'd easily be the biggest player on the Seahawks roster. The impressive measurements don't stop there, either. With incredible 36 3/8" arms and hands that span 11 5/8", Jones swallows up opposing linemen with ease. He gave up zero sacks and just five pressures last year. The most important outlier for Jones is that he's a right tackle by profession, and the Hawks need guards, not tackles. Seattle currently has four tackles on the roster and just two guards. Add the fact that the consensus for Jones is that he'll be talking with his new employers on day two of the draft, not day three, and it seems like a very unlikely pick for the Seahawks

So why would the Seahawks draft him, when they already have an obvious stud at right tackle in Abe Lucas? Well, for one thing, injuries do occur in the NFL. It's also possible that Lucas could slide inside to guard to install Jones at tackle. There was already some conjecture that Lucas would slide inside when at last year's combine, so it's hardly out of the question. I mean, J. R. Sweezy was a defensive tackle in college, and he's still playing well at guard eight years later. Or Jones could move inside, for that matter. I mean, he'd be the biggest guard in the league, but the Ravens' Ben Cleveland weighs in at 370 pounds, so it's not exactly out of the realm of possibility.

Will the Hawks call Jones in the second round? I seriously doubt it, as they need much more help on the defensive side of the ball. And as you can see, there is ample talent at guard that can be found on day three. But with 31 other teams drafting, even the best-laid plans of the Hawks can change in an instant. All shall be revealed in two weeks, 12s!