The Seattle Seahawks were clearly the best team in the National Football League last season. Then again, even the best things can be improved, and the only thing harder than winning a Super Bowl is winning the next one.
Considering that, GM John Schneider needs to make the most of the little draft capital he has. This team has plenty of money to spend in free agency, but the best way to keep a team competitive for the long run is to do it in a cost-controlled manner.
That's why Schneider won't like to hear what Zion Young had to say about his meeting with the Chicago Bears. The star pass rusher, who's in play at No. 32, played at Missouri with Bears star Luther Burden III.
Zion Young flirts with the Chicago Bears at the NFL Scouting Combine
"I was pretty impressed. Like I said, different personalities, pretty cool people, I liked it," Young said. "Luther was actually my lockermate, that's my boy. I know he likes to play video games... He's more of a game-time player."
Of course, this is basically a league-wide job interview, so it only makes sense that he speaks fondly of every team he meets with. That said, the devil is in the details, and if Schneider likes him, this cannot go overlooked.
Mock Draft Database has him as the No. 37 player in this class. The Bears have picks Nos. 25 and 57 in the first two rounds, with the Seahawks picking at Nos. 32 and 64. Of course, expecting him to be there late in the second round isn't realistic, so chances are both teams will have to make a decision and potentially reach to solve a major positional need.
Young is listed at 6-foot-5 and 262 pounds. He earned first-team All-SEC honors last season after posting 42 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, two pass deflections, and a couple of forced fumbles. He didn't test or run the 40-yard dash, but his tape from the on-field workouts was remarkable.
He's an athletic freak with the potential to make an impact right off the jump. He's got a rare combination of raw power and technique, not to mention a never-stopping motor. He still needs to work on his instincts, but the physical tools are there.
The Seahawks still have DeMarcus Lawrence on the team, and it's hard to think of a better mentor for a budding edge rusher like Young. They can afford to be patient with him and polish him as a rotational piece before embracing a primary role in 2027. That's, of course, if the Bears don't get to him first.