3 current Seattle Seahawks that were losers from the 2023 NFL draft

Seahawks loser No. 3: Edge rusher Darrell Taylor

Darrell Taylor seems capable of doing only one thing really well and that is rushing the quarterback. But he is massively inconsistent when doing so. Taylor might go through five-game stretches where he collects 4 or 5 sacks and then goes four or five-game stretches where he disappears. If an NFL player wants to get lots of reps, he needs to make sure that the one or two things he does do well he does at a consistently high level.

In the 2022 draft, Seattle chose Boye Mafe and Mafe could play a bigger role on the defense this season. Mafe seems capable of playing both the run and the pass and players who can do two things decently well versus a player who can do one thing inconsistently well should get more playing time. But Mafe still has to prove himself a bit more.

Taylor missed his rookie season with an injury he suffered in college. This means next offseason he will be a restricted free agent so Seattle can match any offer he might receive elsewhere. Surely, Taylor will get offers elsewhere because even though he can just rush the passer, those guys still get paid a premium.

But in the 2023 NFL draft, Seattle chose Derick Hall in the second round. Hall is strong and has good athleticism. He also appears to be a player who can defend the run and the pass. If he can prove he can do this quickly in the NFL, he will push Taylor further down the pass rush rotation.