You could see it, you could hear it, and you could smell it. Coming off a four-game losing streak, with some rotten apples and dissension in the locker room, it felt like the Pete Carroll-led Seattle Seahawks era would rapidly be approaching its end. I'll be honest, I was very much in the camp of thinking this franchise needs a new voice, and I still believe that should strongly be considered.
But NBA Hall of Famer Rudy Tomjanovich said it best, “Don’t ever underestimate the heart of a champion.”
But one thing I did forget, was that Pete Carroll has the heart of a champion, and with his back against the wall for the playoffs and potentially his job, his beaten and battered 6-7 Seahawks, with a backup quarterback and missing their best defensive weapon, rose up (in the 4th quarter of course) to upset the suddenly reeling Philadelphia Eagles 20-17.
It was a special night for so many. Drew Lock had his “Charlie Whitehurst” moment for the Seahawks. Julian Love, replacing the noticeably absent Jamal Adams, was unbelievable with two 4th quarter interceptions. DK Metcalf and Jaxon Smith-Njigba, the present and future of the Seahawks' passing attack, helped Lock complete an improbable 92-yard drive in the final minute to steal victory from the jaws of defeat. Even Pete Carroll, for his many mistakes made during the game, has to get credit for figuring out a way to keep Seattle’s season alive.
Seattle Seahawks get their quarterback of the future early in latest mock draft
In what will likely go down as the win of the year, it has given the Seahawks hope. Gone is a gauntlet that nearly derailed the franchise, and now the Seahawks are presented with as easy of a schedule to finish out the season as you could possibly ask for. If the Seahawks manage to go 3-0 the rest of the way (at Tennessee, versus Pittsburgh, and at Arizona) they will be 10-7. This would be a one-game improvement from 2022 and would most likely punch a playoff ticket for the Seattle Seahawks.
While I wouldn't bet on Seattle, this would put them in position to have a rematch with either Philadelphia or Detroit in the Wild Card round. Seahawks fans should not feel scared about those matchups. There's real hope that anything can happen.
In the present, this really looks like an exciting finish for what feels like a disappointing season. In the future, this upset win last night has some long-term effects on the Seahawks and the 2024 NFL Draft. With the win, Seattle is now currently projected to pick at slot #15. If Seattle were to win out and make the playoffs, they'd be looking at a pick very similar to last year, when they took JSN at pick #21.
While this season could finish in a fantastic way, the reality is that this roster is still two drafts and some FA hits away from being a true Super Bowl contender. With one eye on today and one eye on tomorrow, this week’s mock draft has the Seahawks collecting assets, while taking a shot with a local legend as our future quarterback. With that said, here's my second Seahawks mock draft for the 2024 NFL draft.
Round 1 Pick 24: Michael Penix Jr., Quarterback, Washington
With the Seahawks slotted at pick number 15, they are sitting in no man's land. They are too far back to draft Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, or Drake Maye, and the cost to get there would be insane. This range of the draft puts them in the 2nd tier of QBs such as Oregon's Bo Nix, Michigan’s JJ McCarthy, and Washington’s Michael Penix Jr.
With no 2nd-round pick, we decided to trade back with the Cincinnati Bengals (who selected Malik Nabers to replace Tee Higgins) to move back to number 24 and collect a late 2nd-round pick. It was important to me to trade back enough to get a 2nd round pick, but still keep a 1st rounder, as I want to keep that 5th year option available for my first selection.
Sitting at pick number 24, I was stoked to select Michael Penix Jr. Most people reading this don't need a full bio breakdown of Mr. Penix, so here's the Cliff Notes version. At 6-3, 218 lbs, Penix has been arguably the 2nd best quarterback in college football the past two seasons. Finishing 8th in the Heisman in 2022, and the runner-up this year, Penix has awakened the sleeping giant that is Washington Huskies football.
The lefty gunslinger with an unusual throwing motion, there are mixes of Tua Tagovailoa and Philip Rivers to his game. In the past two seasons, Penix has done two things; win and throw absolute darts.
In his two years on Montlake, Penix has led the Huskies to a 24-2 record, an Alamo Bowl victory, a Pac-12 Championship, and the number 2 seed in the CFP. During that time, Penix has completed over 65 percent of his passes for nearly 9,000 yards and a 64/17 TD-to-INT ratio. What's more impressive is the difficulty of the throws he makes and his 9.2 average yards per attempt. His mobility is not what it once was, but he can manipulate the pocket and get first downs, and when given time, he's throwing for first downs and touchdowns.
If not for his injury history and funky motion, Penix could easily be the top pick in next year's draft. His “warts” to some should be used as an opportunity for the Seahawks to win the draft, and find a perfect replacement for when the time is right to move on from Geno Smith.
Round 2 Pick 55: Ja’Tavion Sanders, Tight end, Texas
I have always believed that if you're going to draft a young quarterback, it is essential to give him a security blanket. While the Seahawks already have a trio of good to great receivers, I want to use the pick we acquired in our trade back to select the perfect tight end for Michael Penix, and a guy who he just happens to be facing off against in the upcoming Sugar Bowl, Texas tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders.
The 6-4, 256 lbs junior for the Longhorns can get lost in the shuffle of a loaded offense, but when he does get the ball, explosive plays usually follow. Sanders has just 39 receptions, with 2 scores in 13 games, but his 607 yards produced a wild 15.6 yards average per reception. In the two biggest games for Texas, at Alabama and versus Oklahoma State in the Big-12 championship, Sanders hauled in 13 catches for 219 yards and a score.
He's the most physically impressive player almost every time he steps on the field, but just needs to find that consistency to his game. With his addition to Seattle mixed with Penix's ability to trust and make big-time throws, the 2024 Seattle Seahawks may be one of the most explosive in the league.
With the addition of Sanders to the Seahawks, Pete Carroll and John Schneider can open up some important cap space by moving on from current tight ends in Will Dissly, Noah Fant, or Colby Parkinson.
Round 3 Pick 77: Ruke Orhorhoro, Defensive tackle, Clemson
While the additions of Penix and Sanders can be viewed as splashy moves, the rest of the draft will be focused on areas where the Seahawks need depth or major improvements. With the first of Seattle's two selections in the 3rd round, the Hawks either add depth or a potential Leonard Williams replacement.
Even with the expectation of Williams returning to Seattle (please re-sign him), Ruke Orhorhoro is the type of player who could push Jarran Reed in a contract year while taking over a DT spot by 2025.
Orhorhoro is a 6-4, 295 lbs 5th-year senior who has been the anchor of a top-25 defense for the Clemson Tigers. Usually, a body eater that has allowed other Clemson stars to shine, Orhorhoro has still managed to produce 8 tackles for loss and 5 sacks. A potential trio of Williams, Reed, and Orhorhoro could be massive for the interior defensive line in 2024.
Round 3 Pick 80: Cole Bishop, Safety, Utah
As many of you noticed, the Seahawks were without Jamal Adams on the field, and on the sidelines. The trainwreck of a trade has continued to rot as Adams has become a liability on and off the field. While Quandre Diggs looked better on Monday night, much of that had to do with Julian Love's play. I expect Schneider and Pete to cut Adams and Diggs this spring, and select a safety in the first two days of the draft.
In my last mock draft, I wrote about how I wasn't very high on this year's safety group. While I still believe the overall depth is weak, there are a few that stand out, including Cole Bishop out of Utah.
The junior captain for the Utes, Bishop was a semifinalist for the Thorpe Award this season. In 11 games, Bishop amassed 60 total tackles (6.5 for loss) with 3 sacks and 1 interception. When watching film on Bishop, I see a guided missile consistently finding himself at the football at the right time, every time. Any teams that chose to run to the outside were quickly met by Bishop, and he shut down the intermediate and middle of the field. While he needs work on better reading deep throws to the outside, there's a reason why some are comparing him to another special Utah safety.
Bishop and Love as your starting secondary next year, alongside Devon Witherspoon, is a potentially elite secondary.
Round 4 Pick 112: Junior Colson, linebacker, Michigan
Did I say that I like this Michigan defense? I really like this defense, and Junior Colson is the quarterback of this high level unit.
An incredible story of heartbreak and perseverance, Colson was once an orphan due to the destruction of the Haiti earthquake in 2010, before being adopted and growing up in the United States. Now, Colson is one of the most talented linebackers in college.
The 6-2 225 lbs junior could potentially return to Michigan next year, but with a successful playoff run, I expect him to declare. Colson is a hard-hitting tackler who needs to improve on actually finishing the tackles, but the potential is all there. A ceiling pro comparison I have for Colson is New Orleans LB Demario Davis.
Round 5 Pick 143: Joshua Gray, Guard, Oregon State
Another local addition to the Seahawks, Joshua Gray is one of the most slept-on offensive line prospects in this draft. The Oregon State Beaver is a rare four-year starting left tackle for an offense that was consistently wearing down defenses with one of the best rushing attacks in the country. Before missing the upcoming Sun Bowl with a foot injury, Gray had played in 44 straight contests.
While Gray could step in and play a tackle spot in the NFL, he projects as an immediate starter as a guard. In a draft class that has a few solid options at guard, Gray could easily be skipped over due to his lack of experience at the position. This is another area where the Seahawks can take advantage and get a plug-and-play guard to help complete this young, but talented offensive line.
Round 6 Pick 174: Dallin Holker, TE, Colorado State
Continuing the reimagining of the TE position, Seattle adds a sneaky talent TE who could be a new and improved version of Jacob Hollister. For the Rams at Colorado State, Holker caught 64 receptions for 767 yards and seven touchdowns on a bad Rams team.
He's not a big-time blocker, but at 6-5 225 lbs, he's the type of TE that could stretch the middle of the field and be a valuable role player. If you pair him with Ja’Tavion Sanders, you'll need a traditional blocking 3rd TE added in free agency, but this will be a dynamic receiving duo.
Round 7 Pick 205: Sione Vaki, Safety/Running Back, Utah
To complete our draft, we're going back to Utah and Cole Bishop's partner in crime, the Swiss army knife Sione Vaki. The dynamic two-way player showed up on both sides of the ball. As a safety, Vaki had 90 tackles, with two sacks and a pick. As an offensive weapon, Vaki ran for 317 yards on 42 carries with three rushing touchdowns, while hauling in 11 receptions for 203 yards and 3 more scores.
Vaki looks like the classic tweener, in between positions player who was a surprise entry into the draft as a redshirt sophomore. I believe Vaki’s value may be most felt as a special teams star, while being a rotational defender.
Personally, I'd love to see Vaki either take Deejay Dallas’s role on the Seahawks and would like to see him added to the offense as a potential fullback weapon, who could be dangerous in the flats or on wheel routes. This guy feels like a Seahawk and could be a sneaky addition to an offense that looks for 2024 and beyond.