In 13 days the 2023 NFL draft will begin in Kansas City. As far as the Seattle Seahawks are concerned the great debate is over what they will do with the No. 5 overall pick they scored in the Russell Wilson trade. The vast majority of analysts believe Seattle will either select one of the top two defensive line prospects or a quarterback with that pick.
With Alabama quarterback Bryce Young and Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud all but officially spoken for, that narrows the elite prospect field down to just three players: Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson, Alabama edge Will Anderson Jr. and the No. 1 ranked overall prospect in the draft, Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter.
According to the latest draft buzz at ESPN, fans should expect a DL over a QB at that spot:
“The Seahawks might be checking in on the quarterbacks, but a source in Seattle said to expect defensive line help over quarterback at No. 5 overall. That would seem to point to a belief that either Will Anderson Jr. (Alabama) or Jalen Carter (Georgia) will be available, a situation that’s highly likely at this point.”
There is another outside possiblity. If both are gone, ESPN notes that they love Illinois cornerback Devon Witherspoon.
“But here’s one more Seattle nugget that throws a wrench in that: I was told it loves cornerback Devon Witherspoon (Illinois) if the top pass-rushers are gone.”
Carter, Anderson and Witherspoon are all worthy prospects in their own ways and each would help Seattle’s beleaguered defense.
That said, if this isn’t another Desmond Ridderish smokescreen it’s the wrong way to go. No matter how great a DL or corner might be the odds they’ll give you more long-term value than a high-end quarterback prospect are extremely slim. They should have their fingers crossed for Anthony Richardson.
