The Seattle Seahawks brought in another amazing rookie class in 2023. Everyone knows about Smith-Njigba and Witherspoon, but I see three unsung late-draft picks breaking into the starting lineup by week six. Is this a great rookie class, or what?
It isn't exactly news to any loyal member of the 12s that the Seahawks crushed the NFL Draft for the second straight year. Devon Witherspoon and Jaxon Smith-Njigba are starting on day one, regardless of where Witherspoon plays. Derick Hall and Zach Charbonnet will have an impact as well, although Hall will have to break through a logjam of pass rushers. Charbonnet has a clearer path to success, despite battling an injury so far in camp.
Those are the guys that are expected to elevate the team as rookies. I see three other players that will make their own contributions to the Seahawks success this year. None of them may start in week one, but I absolutely believe all three will play their way into the starting lineup after Seattle's bye in week five. I can see any of the three making that push in the season debut against the Rams, but I'm confident that all three will be anchors for the Hawks by week six and beyond.
Speaking of anchors, the Seahawks found one in Anthony Bradford
It's really a shame Seattle took Anthony Bradford in the fourth round. Otherwise, I could have written about all the day three draftees that will star for the Hawks for the next decade. That's perfectly okay, though. I'm thrilled that the Seahawks landed Bradford, who as Lee Vowell wrote, is an absolute mauler at guard. The 330-pound Bradford is a road grader in the mold of D.J. Fluker. There's no doubt about the LSU grad's ability to blow open running lanes.
What's been overlooked is his performance protecting the pocket. Yes, Pro Football Focus, the same group that ranked him near the top ten percent in the running game, gave him a terrible grade as a pass blocker. As all good 12s know, PFF isn't exactly infallible. Yes, he gave up four sacks, but he only allowed 12 pressures in all in 423 passing situations. Sorry, PFF is paywalled, but the stats are legit. That 2.8 percent pressures allowed ranked Bradford as the tenth-best in college football last season. Seems to me, he can play. Phil Haynes is the returning starter at right guard, but Bradford will continue to develop, eventually pushing Haynes back into a reserve role
Mike Morris will eventually dominate for the Seahawks
The Hawks have an entirely new three in their 3-4 defense for 2023. Shelby Harris, Al Woods, Poona Ford, Quinton Jefferson; all gone. Yes, even L.J. Collier has moved on, not that you'd notice. That's okay, though, as Seattle made one very big upgrade by bringing in Dre'Mont Jones. As Kevin Patra wrote for nfl.com, "Jones fits what Pete Carroll wants from his defensive linemen, a penetrating force who can discombobulate the backfield and shoot the gap, making a quarterback's life miserable." Jones will be a force and is already proving that in camp.
Seattle also brought back their prodigal son, Jarran Reed. In a move few outside of the coaches' offices expected, Reed has been installed as the Seahawks new nose tackle. As I wrote the other day, this is a brilliant solution for the Hawks. Reed always played the run well and has bulked up to be even more of an immovable object in the middle. Plus, he can still fill the role of the unstoppable force on occasion, and get to the quarterback.
This brings us to the third newcomer, Mario Edwards. I have to say, I don't have nearly the level of confidence in Edwards as I do in Reed, and certainly not Jones. Until last year, Edwards had only started one game since 2017. I know the Hawks believe in comeback players, but there's only one Geno Smith. Edwards is a decent player, but he has zero chance to develop into an outstanding player. As for the other contender to start, Myles Adams has yet to show he's a force in his two seasons in Seattle. Last year he got 190 snaps with two pressures, one QB hit, and one tackle for a loss to show for it. That's not getting it done.
That's where fifth-round pick Mike Morris comes into the picture. He played defensive end at Michigan, but the Hawks saw him moving inside when they drafted him. In fact, they asked him to get up to 295 pounds before they called him on draft day. He did, they did, and he's been lighting up the field at VMAC ever since.
Picture a bigger, slightly faster version of Michael Bennett, and you can see why I have Morris taking over no later than week six. As quoted by Brent Stecker for seattlesports.com, Pete Carroll said of Morris, "He looks different, plays different, his range – he’s 6-6 and 297. You know, he’s gonna be a real factor." Yes, he is Coach; yes he is.
Call him Double O: the Hawks will call Olu Oluwatimi their starting center
The Seahawks haven't had a great center since they made possibly the worst trade in the Carroll-Schneider era, sending Max Unger to the Saints in exchange for Jimmy Graham. It was impossible for Graham to match his former production in Seattle, and the Hawks would never replace Unger's production on the offensive line. Justin Britt and Ethan Pocic weren't bad by any means. They also weren't Pro Bowl-quality players like Unger. Finally, it appears the Hawks have tired of plugging in tweeners who weren't the best fit at tackle or guard and drafted a true center.
Olusegun Oluwatimi is exactly that, a true center. I've already written about his advantage to become Seattle's starting center for the next decade or so; allow me to add a bit more evidence. Oluwatimi played over 3,000 snaps in college, and he was the man making those snaps. He won the Rimington Award as the nation's best center, the Outland Trophy as the nation's best interior lineman, and also anchored the NCAA's best offensive line, sharing the Joe Moore Award with his teammates. When he wasn't pancaking defensive tackles to open gaping holes for Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards, he kept QB J.J. McCarthy on his feet, allowing zero sacks. Olu is the total package.
Yes dear 12s, I do like Evan Brown, the center Seattle signed to replace Austin Blythe. He played the position quite well for the Lions in 2021 when he stepped in to replace injured Pro Bowler Frank Ragnow. When Ragnow returned to the lineup in 2022, he was back at center and Brown was back at guard. Ragnow made it to the Pro Bowl again, but Brown didn't.
Again, I like Evan Brown, and I'm very happy the Seahawks added him. But no one believes that Oluwatimi won't eventually supersede him. It's only a matter of when he will. Of the three players I've discussed, Olu has the best chance to start in week one. Whether it's in week one or week six, once he's in the lineup, he won't be coming out. Get your number 55 jerseys today, 12s.