Draft season is upon us! This is a draft that sees good depth at WR and OL, and the Seahawks should be looking to tap into the pool of offensive talent. Below are a selection of players that could be on their radar, grouped by position. I try to avoid projecting players by round, as I feel that pigeonholes prospects into certain sets of expectations. Rather, a prospect should be looked at for what they have shown they are capable of. Quick-fire notes have been included for players that I wanted to highlight, and the team's status for the position groups is also touched on. Happy reading, and let's hope Pete Carroll and John Schneider strike gold again. Go Hawks!
Offense
WR - This is touted as a very deep WR class, with some top-flight talent and not much of a drop-off through the first 3 rounds. Viable options should be littered throughout, and the Seahawks could stand to add a rookie to step in as a WR3 despite acquiring Phillip Dorsett in free agency. Note: They generally only go early on WRs who run a 4.50 40 time or better.
- Jalen Reagor - Crazy explosive athlete with experience as a returner, and is also a nuanced receiver. He could step in and contribute day 1 on special teams while providing a vertical threat as a third option behind Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf.
- Denzel Mims - He has all the physical measurables one wants in a receiver, and possesses a rare mix of speed, size, and length. While he could certainly use more polish as a receiver, Mims already exhibits good tendencies (ball tracking, late route adjustments, physical run blocking), and has a lot of room to get even better.
- Justin Jefferson - A big part of LSU's offense this past college football season, Jefferson has a very good athletic profile, and is one of the most polished receivers in the class in terms of all-around game.
- Brandon Aiyuk - Deep threat and RAC monster with eye-popping acceleration. Led all college WRs in yards after contact per Pro Football Focus. He runs with physicality once he's secured the catch, and had an on-target catch rate of over 93% this past season. Also shows good ball-tracking ability, and has a second gear late in routes to get underneath deep passes.
- KJ Hamler - Probably the most sudden receiver in the class. He can start and stop at the drop of a hat, and the way he eats up CB cushion is spectacular. Smaller frame could be a concern when it comes to durability, but he can create extra yards after the catch and force whiffs in space to avoid getting beat up by defenses.
- Devin Duvernay
- Bryan Edwards
- Chase Claypool
- Van Jefferson
- Quez Watkins
- Antonio Gibson
- Joe Reed
- James Proche
- Donovan Peoples-Jones
TE - With the resignings of Luke Willson and Jacob Hollister, as well as the addition of Greg Olsen, it is unlikely that an early pick will be used on a TE. With that said, there are some intriguing players in that may be in play.
- Hunter Bryant - Played locally at UW, and could be a seam stretcher at the next level despite an average 40 time. Bryant was often used as a vertical receiver by the Huskies (16.4 yards per reception for career), and possesses good burst for someone his size to go with solid ball skills.
- Adam Trautman - The athletic profile is hard to ignore, making for some good upside should he continue to add refinement to his skill set as a TE.
- Devin Asiasi
HB - Chris Carson is in a contract year, and Rashaad Penny is coming off a serious knee injury. With some serious talent at the top of the position group, the Seahawks may look to get a hedge for depth, and add a playmaker to their committee.
- Clyde Edwards-Helaire - Excellent lateral agility and short-area burst. Other than lacking elite long speed, CEH is an extremely polished RB with a diverse skill-set, and should be an early contributor for any offense. His physical measurements don't align with what the Seahawks have normally gone after, but such criteria can be set aside when someone is just a darn good football player.
- Jonathan Taylor - Prototypical size to go with great speed and explosiveness. Taylor is a physical and skilled runner who has verbally expressed enthusiasm with regard to the Seahawks as a potential destination team. One of the most decorated college RBs ever (Nobody lucks their way into 6,000 career rushing yards in 3 seasons), he will need to be selected early on if the Seahawks want any chance at him.
- Cam Akers - Falls within the size that the Seahawks seem to look for in a RB, Akers has good burst and solid vision, and should be an option available towards the start of round 3 if the Seahawks don't want to address the position too early.
- Eno Benjamin - Somewhat undersized but displays impressive elusiveness to shake off and avoid tackles. Benjamin shows suddenness (choppy feet with good start-stop ability) and physical edge as a runner, and also appears to be a capable receiver out of the backfield. Benjamin should be available in the later rounds as an option.
- Zack Moss - If Chris Carson leaves as a free agent, Moss could be a solid stand-in. He's a violent, physical runner who relishes contact, and is a load to bring down. He is also measured in his approach to the LOS, and shows good vision and solid burst to attack recognized running lanes. However, his relatively modest athletic profile limits his upside, and makes him more of a higher floor, lower ceiling prospect. A safe pick at RB.
- JK Dobbins
- AJ Dillon
- Joshua Kelley
- Ke'Shawn Vaughn
OL - Given the swath of OL added in free agency, it is unlikely that a high pick will be used to further supplement the position, but it is reasonable to expect some depth to be picked up. However, the upper-shelf talent of this group may drive the Seahawks to take a player early.
- Isaiah Wilson - His combine perfomance was somewhat modest, but his physical traits are hard to ignore. Wilson wears his 350 lbs extremely well, and was only a starter for 2 seasons. He possesses the ability to be a mauler in the run game, and his length is put to good use in pass sets. Still somewhat rough around the edges in regards to technique, Wilson has great upside as a prospect at offensive tackle
- Ezra Cleveland
- Cesar Ruiz
- Robert Hunt
- Damien Lewis
- Nick Harris
- Logan Stenberg
- Austin Jackson
- Matt Peart
- Josh Jones
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