The Seattle Seahawks, through the first week of free agency, have made a handful of moves to further solidify areas of need on the 2020 roster.
Those moves have almost certainly altered their draft board, putting heavier emphasis on some positions while making other positions less important.
Here at the Seahawks Wire, we have altered our draft projections as well. Using The Draft Network’s mock draft machine, we ran another potential mock draft based on Seattle’s updated needs, and the loss of a fifth round pick thanks to the Quinton Dunbar trade.
Here is a write-up of each of the seven mocked selections for the Seahawks, and why the picks would make sense for Pete Carroll, John Schneider and company as they look to build a Super Bowl contender in 2020.
Round 1, Pick No. 27: Yetur Gross-Matos, DE, Penn State
Perhaps the most oft mocked player to the Seahawks, Gross-Matos is an obvious pick for the Seahawks if he’s still around at No. 27 – and of course if the team decides to keep the pick.
Gross-Matos recorded 17 sacks and 34.5 tackles for loss in his final two years at Penn State, and with some refinement most scouts believe he will become an above average or elite pass rusher at the next level.
With or without Jadeveon Clowney, the Seahawks need more players capable of getting to the quarterback. Gross-Matos is one of few NFL-ready EDGE prospects in this year’s draft class, and they should be thrilled to get him at No. 27 overall.
Round 2, Pick 59: Michael Pittman, Jr, WR, USC
(Note: This pick was made prior to the Phillip Dorsett signing)
If you read my previous mock draft, or nearly any of my draft analysis, you know I’m a fan of Michael Pittman in the second round for the Seahawks.
What’s not to love? Pittman stands six-foot-four and a hearty 219 pounds with a massive catch radius and elite hands. He has above-average speed as well, making him a true weapon and a potentially elite possession receiver at the next level.
The Seahawks are looking at David Moore and Malik Turner (and now Dorsett) competing for their No. 3 receiver spot, and with a deep draft of receivers and little on the open market, it makes a ton of sense for them to use their cap space elsewhere and draft a player like Pittman in the second round.
Round 2, Pick 64: Justin Madubuike, DT, Texas A&M
Madubuike is an undersized interior defensive tackle who uses explosiveness and leverage to make plays in the run game. Sound familiar?
While the Seahawks won’t be able to snag Madubuike as an undrafted free agent, like they did with Poona Ford, he does fit the bill as an undersized nose tackle who could wreak havoc on the interior.
However, Madubuike also possesses the versatility to line up as a three-tech and possibly even on the outside, making him even more appealing for a Seahawks team that likes to have the flexibility to move pieces around up front.
Seattle may look to add to their mix of offensive linemen early in the draft, but with Al Woods and Quinton Jefferson both gone it may be smart to quickly build up depth on the defensive line in the 2020 draft.
Round 3, Pick 101: Zack Moss, RB, Utah
A third round pick on a running back isn’t exactly what I had in mind, but with Chris Carson and Rashaad Penny’s injury history, and Travis Homer’s inexperience, it makes sense for this team to add depth to their running back corps however they can.
Moss is about as Seahawks-ey as a prospect can get, with a violent, explosive running style that makes him an ideal fit as a third-and-short or goal line back.
He’s a patient runner who is built like a mack truck and absorbs contact with the best of them, and combining him with Carson and Penny would give Seattle a formidable running back trio in 2020 – and gives them excellent injury insurance.
The Seahawks met with Moss at the combine, and while that rarely means too much it could be more important now that other prospect meetings and pro days are cancelled, giving Seattle less exposure to other potential picks.
Round 4, Pick 133: Harrison Hand, CB, Temple
Even after acquiring Quinton Dunbar via trade, the Seahawks could use more depth in the secondary – particularly at defensive back.
With both Akeem King and Neiko Thorpe in free agency, the Seahawks will need one or two more corners to backup Dunbar, Shaquill Griffin, Tre Flowers and Ugo Amadi.
Temple’s Harrison Hand looks like the perfect, Seahawks-ey prospect for this team to target in the middle rounds. A relatively unheralded defensive back with exceptional length, Hand has been labeled as a scheme-specific target for teams looking for a Cover-3 corner – perfect for coach Pete Carroll and company.
It’s hard to predict the next Richard Sherman, but Hand checks a lot of the boxes and could be a sneaky good pickup for the Seahawks if they can snag him at pick No. 133.
Round 4, Pick 144: Anfernee Jennings, EDGE, Alabama
Even if Seattle brings back Jadeveon Clowney by the time the draft rolls around, this team could use a couple rookie defensive ends to help shore up depth.
While Gross-Matos would likely start right away, Jennings would be a young, developmental piece who could eventually fill the LEO role for Seattle.
Primarily a 3-4 OLB while at Alabama, Jennings would have to make some adjustments to fit Seattle’s scheme. However, his length and athleticism should allow him to succeed as a pin your ears back and go after the quarterback type pass rusher, or at least a 4-3 defensive end in pass rushing sets.
Round 6, Pick 214: Calvin Throckmorton, OT, Oregon
Prior to free agency, taking an offensive lineman (or two) early in the draft seemed like the most reasonable course of action for the Seahawks.
However, the team has already added four offensive linemen to their team via free agency: B.J. Finney, Brandon Shell, Cedric Ogbuehi and Chance Warmack.
Even if Germain Ifedi and Mike Iupati both sign elsewhere, this team has a lot of players competing for spots along the offensive line next season.
There’s still a decent chance Seattle goes for more o-line help early in the draft, but if they don’t I could see them using a late round pick on a versatile offensive lineman prospect to groom as a potential replacement in a year or so.
Enter Calvin Throckmorton.
Throckmorton will appeal to the Seahawks thanks to his incredible versatility, having played everywhere on the offensive line except left tackle.
A right tackle by trade, Throckmorton would give the Seahawks instant depth across the line, and a potential long-term developmental piece as well.
The Seahawks always covet versatility, and finding a player like Throckmorton with their final pick would round out a very solid draft by John Schneider and company.
