Seattle Seahawks Mock Draft: Reviewing WalterFootball's Latest Predictions

Following last week's review of B/R Draft guru Matt Miller's latest picks for the Seahawks, I thought it might be fun to analyze the latest from Walterfootball.com given their recent update.

With the Seahawks having signed Marshawn Lynch over the weekend, the dynamic of the team's draft in some ways changes quite dramatically. The idea of having the 'Hawks drafting University of Miami running back Lamar Miller with the team's first-round pick seems less likely in hindsight. 

Still, with the free agency period just around the corner, it never hurts to take a few minutes to see what the experts are thinking at this point in time. 

So once again, let's grab some paper and a pencil (nothing should be written in ink today) and see how the folks at Walterfootball.com have gone about reshaping the Seahawks roster though the draft.

Please Note: Walterfootball.com draft is only five rounds.

Round 1: Luke Kuechly, Inside Linebacker, Boston College

While it was clear that Kuechly was one of the winners at the combine, it seems the thinking amongst 'Hawks fans remains undecided. At the moment, there seems to be three schools of thought on the inside linebacker from Boston College:

1. The 'Hawks would be foolish to let him pass at No. 12.

2. The 'Hawks would be wise to trade down and grab him in the 20s or steal him in Round 2.

3. The 'Hawks would be better off passing on him entirely.

Personally, I'm feeling lukewarm to option No. 2 and instead find myself leaning towards option No. 3. 

As for option No. 1, it would seem like a bit of a knee-jerk reaction following Leroy Hill's arrest for the Seahawks to go for a linebacker so soon, with arguably the best LB at the combine. Chances are good that the 'Hawks are will make a move at linebacker in the draft, yet by the No. 12 pick, there should still be a few players the team would want to consider...which leads to option No. 2.

Moving down is tempting with the chance to still get a quality player and pick up an additional pick. With a pick in the 20s, Kuechly makes more sense, but then, after re-reading Kuechly's combine review a little more closely, I tend to give pause...

"

LB Luke Kuechly, Boston College: When you hear phrases like "leader," "instinctive," and "tackling machine" about a linebacker, speed doesn't really come to mind. But in Kuechly's case, he was able to break the stereotype with some impressive 40 times. The intangibles are real -- and well-discussed before he got to the combine -- but the athleticism was a pleasant surprise. A safe player whose stock will continue to rise.

"

For those of us old enough to remember Mike Mamula, the site of Kuechly as another BC combine wunderkind that has left teams drooling at the chance to draft him leaves me to wonder.

Take it a step further for the 'Hawks and ask, wasn't Aaron Curry a "safe player" at linebacker just a few years ago?

These comparisons might be unfair, but I'm just not entirely sold at the moment, as I think the hype machine has kicked into overdrive the last week or so for the guy. Once the dust settles over the next few weeks, I'll be curious to see whether everyone is still just as excited about Kuechly.     

Round 2: Kirk Cousins, Quarterback, Michigan State

Cousins, another combine winner, has been my tepid choice at quarterback from the very beginning.

Yahoo's Doug Farrar, with his Shutdown Corner blog, posted:

"

QB Kirk Cousins, Michigan State -- Before his combine performance, Cousins was relegated to the third division of this year's quarterback class -- the vat of players below the dynamic duo of Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III, and the second-tier Ryan Tannehill, whose foot injury gave him a pass on throwing. Cousins was often dinged for poor decisions during his collegiate career, but he made a great choice to work with Chris Weinke at IMG pre-draft. Cousins was a standout at the Senior Bowl, and his performance during Sunday's QB/WR drills was extremely impressive. He zipped the ball on every throw to every route, showed a new economy of motion, and will leave Indianapolis with a lot of buzz. If he repeats it at his Pro Day, Cousins could be a solid second-round pick.

"

Nothing against Cousins or any of the other quarterbacks for that matter, but reading comments like this that finish with "he could be a solid second-round pick" just leaves me feeling a bit underwhelmed when paired with Walterfootball.com's rationale in selecting Kirk.

"

The Seahawks need to bring in someone to challenge "Tarvaris" Jackson because they have no hope of advancing deep into the playoffs with him, even if he is a "stronger thrower" than "Mark Sanchez." Seattle has shown serious interest in Kirk Cousins.

"

Is Cousins the answer? 

Hard to say, but 'Hawks GM John Schneider will never, ever panic, and when the time comes, will assure us he got the right guy.

Round 3: Jerel Worthy, Defensive Tackle, Michigan State

Walterfootball.com once more provides us with a sobering truth in prefacing their pick of Jerel Worthy in Round 3:

"The Seahawks finished in the bottom 10 in sacks. A lacking pass rush, both on the exterior and interior, is their greatest issue, outside of the quarterback position."

Who knew that the Seahawks' biggest problems would both be solved with the good help of two Michigan State players?

All joking aside, I actually like this pick. Whether or not Red Bryant is secured for next season, Worthy could live up to his surname and help the 'Hawks defensive line apply some much-needed pressure on opposing passers in support of Chris Clemons. 

Round 4: Shea McClellin, DE/OLB, Boise State

Shea McClellin from Boise State in the fourth round?

When paired with Jerel Worthy in the third round and Luke Kuechly in the first round, I see how this pick makes sense.  

Meanwhile, this pick could be a potential steal, according to Eric Williams at thenewstribune.com:

"

Currently, McClellin is projected as a second round pick. In his final year at Boise State, he finished with 50 tackles, including 12.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks.

McClellin played mostly weak-side defensive end in Boise State’s 4-3 defensive scheme, but he has the ability to stand up and play linebacker in a 3-4 or 4-3. A handful of times, he also kicked down and played defensive tackle in passing situations for the Broncos.

McClellin said the one guy he gets compared to a lot is former New England linebacker Mike Vrabel.

"

If McClellin really can be that versatile at the pro level and have the fitness to create havoc, then I'm on board with this pick. 

Round 5: Tauren Poole, Running Back, Tennessee

Tauren Poole. This is where the Walterfootball.com draft prematurely ends for the Seahawks.

In theory, it's good thinking to draft someone like Poole, as the Seahawks could use some additional depth in the backfield, but this pick belongs to the Buffalo Bills as part of the Marshawn Lynch trade.

Hopefully the 'Hawks figure out a way to get another fifth-round pick, because even with Lynch under contract now, the team will need to find a way to give "Beast" a breather before grinding him into the ground. 

As for Poole, one can only hope the team drafting him can discover the next Arian Foster, another former Tennessee Volunteer who entered the league with very little fanfare, but in short time, became one of the best runners in the game.