Seattle Seahawks: Looking at 1st-Round Draft Pick Projections from the Experts

For the Seattle Seahawks the free-agency period has proven quite successful given the retention of some big names like Marshawn Lynch and Red Bryant along with the signing of Green Bay backup quarterback Matt Flynn.

However, there are still several needs in which the team will be looking to address come the draft, but some more glaring than others. 

With the draft now less than a month away, I wanted to see what the experts are saying and thought it might lend some insights to a potential strategy moving forward.  Given the 'Hawks current roster, it should come as little surprise that there seems to be two schools of thought on what the team will/should do with their first pick. 

In short, just about everyone has the team either choosing a pass-rusher or linebacker. 

Can it really be that simple at this point?

Read on to see what the experts have to say...

Quinton Coples: Defensive End, North Carolina

When it comes to drafting a pass-rusher, it would appear that Quinton Coples is a popular choice for the 'Hawks at No. 12.  Unfortunately, he also comes with serious question marks.   

Sports Illustrated's Don Banks writes in his latest mock:

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Seattle needs to generate more heat on opposing quarterbacks, and Coples has natural ability in the pass rush department. His effort level has been inconsistent, and he could drop into the teens because of it. But his upside makes him a decent gamble at No. 12 for the Seahawks.

"

Walterfootball.com seems to share the same sentiment:

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The Seahawks really struggled to get to the quarterback this past year because Raheem Brock no longer provided any sort of pass rush from the left end position. Brock is no longer with the team anyway, so Seattle will have to find someone to take his spot as a situational pass-rusher. Also keep in mind that Chris Clemons will be a 31-year-old free agent the following offseason.

Quinton Coples can easily fall on Draft Day. He's very talented, but there are questions about his work ethic and motor. When asked to evaluate his own effort as a senior in an interview with Charley Casserly, Coples gave himself a C, admitting that he didn't give 100 percent in 2011. I find that very troubling. What's he going to do once he receives a signing bonus?

"

Finally Rob Rang at CBSSports.com connects the dots to Coples with his most recent mock published on Monday:

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Adding free agent LB Barrett Ruud and OG Deuce Lutui filled two of Seattle's primary areas of concern with starting-caliber veterans. Those additions should allow the team to draft the best available player. The most talented player available is certainly Coples, who dominated the Senior Bowl and could provide the team with the headlining pass rusher it has lacked for years. Coples is widely viewed as a boom or bust pick due to his inconsistency but Pete Carroll is a master motivator.

"

While it's hard to disagree with these assessments of the 'Hawks current status, is Coples the right guy for the job?

The defense the 'Hawks are building looks to be something special and finding the right pass-rusher will help set the tone for years to come.  Bringing in someone with questions about work ethic and motor paired with claims of inconsistency just doesn't seem to fit what head coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider have in place. 

Can Coples get his act together in Seattle?  It's possible that Pete Carroll could light a fire under this guy, but regardless of what the 'Hawks do, Coples looks to be the kind of guy that will either make one GM look foolish or the other 31 instead...

Melvin Ingram: DE/OLB, South Carolina

For the experts that either see UNC pass-rusher Quinton Coples going earlier or later in the draft, the alternative looks to be University of South Carolina's Melvin Ingram.

Drafttek cuts right to the chase in their writeup on the 'Hawks and their pairing with Ingram:

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With Hawthorne gone for good the Seahawks now have multiple holes to fill at LB, to go along with the need to upgrade the pass rush. The versatile Ingram, would be a "kill 2 birds with one stone" type of addition, being able to play both OLB and DE. He would most likely be the SAM (with KJ Wright being moved to MLB) and attack off the edge on passing downs. Upshaw is also a possibility here for the exact same reasons.

"

Peter Schrager at FoxSports.com echoes the same sentiments:

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I loved the quiet re-signing of Red Bryant, one of the most underrated producers in the game, and picking up Jason Jones for one year was a “no-lose” move. Ingram solidified himself as a top-20 pick with a dominant week of Senior Bowl practices in Mobile. Capable of playing either the outside linebacker or defensive end spot, he's a pass-rushing force who can cover tight ends in the passing game, too.

The Matt Flynn signing will steal all the headlines, but I love what Seattle’s doing with its D. Ingram’s a very nice addition.

"

Nice indeed to kill two birds with one stone. 

The versatility in being able to play either at defensive end or outside linebacker makes Ingram perhaps a "safer" choice.  One the 'Hawks can enjoy tinkering with during training camp to find a true fit and address at least one key need.   

Unfortunately, though, both Coples and Ingram are all over the board depending on which expert is picking, so it's hard to feel certain either is worth taking at No. 12.  

Meanwhile, if we're talking about filling a need with a hybrid defensive end/linebacker, wouldn't it make more sense for the 'Hawks to trade down, snag another pick and get someone like Alabama's Courtney Upshaw or Southern California's Nick Perry instead later in Round 1?

Nick Perry: Defensive End, Southern California

Speaking of Nick Perry, CBSSports.com's Dane Brugler appears to like him at the 'Hawks current No. 12 slot:

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The Seahawks ranked in the bottom half of the NFL last season with 33.0 sacks and Seattle's front office has yet to answer their pass rush need during the offseason. Nick Perry, who was recruited to Southern Cal four years ago, brings an intriguing blend of strength and speed off the edge. He isn't the most flexible athlete, but he blew up the Combine in February with a 4.58 40-yard dash, 38.5-inch vertical leap, 10'4" broad jump and 35 reps of 225-pounds on the bench press.

"

Perhaps Perry is an intriguing blend of strength and speed, but I'd be happier moving down to get him.  If John Schneider can swing a deal to make that happen, I think he'll make quite a few more people happy in addition to myself. 

Luke Kuechly: Linebacker, Boston College

While a good number of experts seem split between Quinton Coples and Melvin Ingram, a good many more have all but gift-wrapped Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly for the 'Hawks.

Bleacher Report's draft guru Matt Miller has Kuechly slotted at No. 12 with his latest mock by simply stating:

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Kuechly is athletic, and he's got a nose for the ball. The Seahawks took care of offense in free agency, and this pick will take care of their need at middle linebacker.

"

NFL.com's Bucky Brooks adds:

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Pete Carroll needs to address the second level of Seattle's defense to re-emerge as a contender in the NFC West. Kuechly is an instinctive playmaker with the athleticism and skill to play multiple spots, and his strong nose for the ball could make him a star on the Seahawks' aggressive D.

"

Meanwhile, over at CBSSports.com, Kuechly seems to have quite a number of experts believing he has Pete Carroll under a spell.  Before shifting gears on Monday to Quinton Coples, Rob Rang wrote:

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A year ago the Seahawks' starting three linebackers were Aaron Curry (strong side), David Hawthorne (middle) and Leroy Hill (weak side). After trading Curry to Oakland during the season, Seattle doesn't appear particularly concerned about the possibility of losing Hawthorne or Hill to free agency. Perhaps that's because they're targeting the All-American Kuechly, who'd be an upgrade in the middle.

"

But if you're looking for a fresher perspective, Rang's colleagues can offer the following:

Clark Judge writes:

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Seattle has one of the best young defenses anywhere, and Kuechly is a tackling machine. The Seahawks follow San Francisco's blueprint and fortify their defense.

"

Pat Kirwan adds:

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The Seahawks could go in a few directions at this spot but Kuechly makes the most sense to me to QB Pete Carroll's defense. As Carroll said to me last week, linebackers in free agency moved off the board slowly because there are some very interesting linebackers in the draft.

"

And last but not least for the CBS team, Will Brinson offers his thoughts on Kuechly:

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Someone recently asked me who a draft sleeper was and I threw out Kuechly's name. Here's why: he's like a defensive version of Nick Mangold, in that he's a safe pick, a potential future star and a guy who lacks a lot of flaws. Except for one: he plays a position that people don't value these days. So he'll fall ... right into Pete Carroll's lap.

"

The kiss of death combo of "sleeper/safe-pick" is what has me most concerned about Kuechly.  If you simply replaced Luke Kuechly's name with Aaron Curry, wouldn't you basically be reading the same glowing reports from only a few years earlier?

Instead of seeing the hype over Kuechly settle down since the combine, it's been the exact opposite, especially following the 'Hawks inactivity in free agency to address the linebacking issue beyond the Barrett Rudd signing. 

While I understand that Kuechly fills an important need, what about Alabama's Dont'a Hightower?

Similar to Nick Perry, can the 'Hawks swing a deal to move down?

Conclusions: Thoughts, Theories and Rants...

At the end of the day, what the experts are saying makes sense.  Defensive end and linebacker are two positions the 'Hawks need to address in the draft and the sooner the better.

Yet, I'm not sure the spot the 'Hawks are currently occupying at No. 12 is the best place for them to be this year given the players that will likely be available.

If the team stays at No. 12, the options are as follows if we translate what the experts are saying:

High-Risk, High-Reward Pick

Quinton Coples, who in essence would "fall" to the 'Hawks.

The Safe Pick

Luke Kuechly who fills an important role, but doesn't strike me a top 15 talent. 

The Hybrid

Melvin Ingram, a man who is all over the field and the draft board depending on who you trust/believe.

The Reach

Nick Perry, a player who could strangely enough fill all three aforementioned roles, but like Kuechly doesn't quite belong in the top 15. 

As you can probably guess, I'm a fan of trading down and can't imagine that will change much between now and the end of the month. 

With players like Dont'a Hightower, Courtney Upshaw and Whitney Mercilus potentially available just a few spots down the board in Round 1, why not make a move and stock up with a pick for later?

What John Schneider and Pete Carroll do next remains to be seen, but for now the experts have spoken and the pick would seem to be Kuechly.