The first two days of the 2020 NFL draft are in the books, and the Seattle Seahawks have added three new players to the roster: linebacker Jordyn Brooks, defensive end Darrell Taylor and right guard Damien Lewis.
With four picks remaining on day three, John Schneider and his staff have plenty of opportunities to bolster multiple key positions of need, either by using all the picks, or trading down to acquire even more late round selections.
As they do every year, a handful of players expected to go in the first or second round have fallen, with a few of them still available heading into day three.
Here is a look at four players who could be of interest to the Seahawks, if they make it do any of their remaining selections, which are as follows:
Round 4 (133)
Round 4 (144)
Round 5 (148)
Round 6 (214)
Curtis Weaver, EDGE, Boise State
One of the more surprising fallers on the first few days of the NFL draft was Boise State’s Curtis Weaver.
Often mocked as a late-first or early-second round pick, Weaver did not get taken in the first three rounds, a particular surprise considering the lack of talented pass rushers available in this draft.
While Weaver is certainly a candidate to go early in the fourth round, possibly before Seattle picks at No. 133 overall, he would be an outstanding grab if he is still available for the Seahawks.
Weaver stands six-foot-three and weighs 265 pounds, making him the prototypical build for a five-tech in Carroll’s defense. He has plus technique and has shown great flashes of defending the run, but he does have some rawness to his game that may prohibit him from being a big time contributor right away.
That may be what has hampered his draft stock, but could make him an appealing target for a Seattle squad that has done a lot of drafting for the future so far this year.
Leki Fotu, DT, Utah
One of the few players known to have video-conferenced with the Seahawks during the pre-draft period, Fotu is a two-gap nose tackle who should succeed in Carroll’s 4-3 defensive front.
He possesses exceptional athleticism for an interior defensive tackle, and fills a need for this Seattle defense.
Jarran Reed and Poona Ford are both expected to start up front for the Seahawks, but the depth behind them is rather shaky. Demarcus Christmas, Nazair Jones and Bryan Mone contributed virtually nothing last year, and while the team could go out and find a veteran defensive tackle to replace Al Woods, they could also look to develop someone like Fotu for the future.
He’s more of an early down run-stuffer than an every down player, at least at this point in his career, but Seattle loves their defensive studs from the University of Utah, and reuniting Fotu with Marquise Blair and Cody Barton could help create some cohesion to Seattle’s overall defense.
Harrison Hand, CB, Temple
A player commonly mocked to the Seahawks as an early day-3 candidate, the dream is still alive for Harrison Hand to end up in Pete Carroll’s cover-3 defense.
Hand is a lengthy, physical defensive back with a 76 3/8 inch wingspan and 31 6/8 inch arms. He is a punisher, particularly in the run-game, and excelled in cover-3 defensive schemes, making Seattle an ideal landing spot for his size, physicality, and overall fit.
Hand is raw, and probably won’t be ready to play real snaps on the defense right away. That’s okay though, because Seattle has Shaquill Griffin, Quinton Dunbar and Tre Flowers in the mix at corner – allowing Hand to settle into a role on the special teams while he develops and hones his craft learning from three legitimate NFL starters.
After a year or two, he could be the next great Carroll defensive back project come to life, helping jumpstart a new era of Seahawks football in the secondary.
Donovan Peoples-Jones, WR, Michigan
There’s always a player or two who sees their stock fall in part because of the talented class surrounding them, and that seems to be the case with Michigan wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones.
Considered a day two by most mock draft experts, DPJ slipped through the cracks and could be available for the Seahawks with one of their two fourth round picks. If so, the six-foot-two receiver with 33 1/2 inch arms and blazing speed would be an excellent target for Russell Wilson.
His route-running limitations have been well-documented (sound familiar?) which has many believing he is all set to be a big slot receiver at the next level.
Coach Pete Carroll loves big slot receivers, and without one currently on the roster, he could be an excellent fit with one of the team’s early fourth round picks – if he’s still on the board.
