Even with an offense that is dedicated to running the football, the Seattle Seahawks could absolutely use some help at wide receiver next season.
Doug Baldwin’s future is in jeopardy after three offseason surgeries. Jaron Brown is a cut-candidate, and David Moore had a very up-and-down season in Seattle.
Recently, the team has been connected to two high-profile draft targets, N’Keal Harry and Parris Campbell, lending some credence to the idea that the team could use their first pick on a playmaking receiver.
Seattle has had plenty of luck finding late round gems on the offensive side of the ball however, including Baldwin (UDFA) and Moore (seventh round pick).
It is possible they have their eye on some late-round targets who they believe could step in and contribute on offense in the near future.
If that’s the case, here are three that could be good fits in Seattle.
Antoine Wesley – Texas Tech
As you probably guessed, the receivers on this list are all going to be tall – a trait Pete Carroll looks for in his receivers, and one they are lacking after Brandon Marshall was released.
Wesley has been mocked to Seattle as a fourth rounder a handful of times, and it’s easy to see why. Standing at six-foot-four and showing off a tendency to bring down tough catches against high level competition, Wesley seems like a prime candidate to come in and immediately compete with Moore to be one of Seattle’s top receiving targets next season.
Even if he ends up as a rotational receiver, he would make a great red zone target for Russell Wilson and this Seattle offense as soon as 2019.
Dillon Mitchell – Oregon
Mitchell is a Chip Kelly throwback out of Oregon, with a 4.46 40-yard time that looks really good next to his six-foot-one, 197 pound frame.
He’ll probably have to add some muscle to survive in the NFL, which could slow him down a tick, but his size and playmaking ability could allow him to compete with David Moore to be Seattle’s No. 3 receiver – assuming Baldwin is back.
Seattle would need to use their fifth round pick to nab Mitchell, as he is almost certainly going to get drafted in the later rounds if Seattle lets him sneak by.
Xavier Ubosi – UAB
Ubosi has had a strange path to get to this point in his career. Already 25 years old, Ubosi only had 35 receptions for Alabama-Birmingham last season, but he still accrued 837 yards and eight touchdowns, good for a whopping 23.7 yards per reception.
He is a sturdy six-foot-two and 209 pounds, with good top speed and athleticism – things Pete Carroll always looks for in his receivers.
However, his acceleration is lacking, and he really only ran go-routes in college, which makes it tough to evaluate if he would be able to handle other assignments in the NFL.
Ultimately, Ubosi is a project who would probably take a year or two to find his way in the NFL. At 25 years old, he may not get that time.
Seattle could take a look at him in training camp however, to see if his athletic build could be something down the road.
