The Seattle Seahawks, like most NFL teams, are rarely players in the seldom-used supplemental draft.
However, with an expected nine picks in the 2020 NFL draft, this could be a good year for them to pony up a future pick if they feel the supplemental draft has someone to offer who could contribute to the team right away.
While that’s not often the case of the players in the supplemental pool, a recent report from NFL Insider Ian Rapoport revealed Washington State safety Jalen Thompson will be available after he was rendered ineligible for his senior season.
Could the Seahawks, who coach Carroll admitted are unsettled at the safety position currently, decide to make a push for Thompson in July?
Thompson started 39 games for the Cougars the last three seasons, racking up 191 solo tackles and six interceptions. He was named All-Pac-12 conference honorable mention last season and was a second-teamer in 2017.
Draft experts projected him anywhere from a third to sixth-rounder in the 2020 draft, and a strong senior season had the potential to vault him upward.
The supplemental draft uses the same order as the NFL draft, placing the Seahawks at No. 21 overall. Teams can submit blind bids stating what round they would take a certain player. If they are the highest bidder, they lose their pick in that round the following season but get the rights to that player.
The Seahawks already selected two PAC-12 safeties in this year’s draft in Marquise Blair and Ugo Amadi. Both will compete with Tedric Thompson and Lano Hill to start alongside veteran Bradley McDougald.
The Seahawks also have Shalom Luani, Justin Currie and Marwin Evans on the roster, so they aren’t hurting for overall depth at the position.
However, preseason injuries to Blair, McDougald and Luani have made it a tough position group to evaluate – and adding a player with Thompson’s pedigree and athleticism would make for a fun training camp battle at a position that is currently up for grabs heading into the 2019 season.
