Prospects for Seahawks to Avoid in 2021 NFL Draft

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The Russell Wilson rumors hovered over the Seattle Seahawks for most of the offseason.

Now that the potential of Wilson leaving has waned for the moment, they can focus on using their three draft picks from April 30 to May 1.

Seattle needs to be smart with its selections, which means it can’t waste any of its picks.

The Seahawks front office should have a list of needs, including cornerback and defensive end.

With those defensive needs at the forefront of the discussion, there should be plenty of prospects the Seahawks avoid because they need to get the best out of their selections, starting in the second round.

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The Seahawks should have no interest in drafting a quarterback of the future in the second round.

Texas A&M's Kellen Mond would be the most reasonable target if that was the approach at No. 56.

Mond could be intriguing because he possesses a similar skill set as Wilson and holds four years of experience as a starter.

The four-year player finished his A&M career with 9,661 passing yards, 1,608 rushing yards and 93 total touchdowns.

Seattle's backup situation is not great, with Danny Etling and Alex McGough on the depth chart behind Wilson. Last year's backup, Geno Smith, is still a free agent.

In most years, the Seahawks could bolster their depth by bringing in a young quarterback on the second or third day, but with only three selections, it does not seem like the ideal strategy.

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The 2021 wide receiver class is as intriguing as the collection of players that entered the NFL in 2020.

There should be plenty of value in the second round in guys like Oklahoma State's Tylan Wallace, LSU's Terrace Marshall and Amari Rodgers out of Clemson.

Wallace had a 1,491-yard receiving season as a sophomore and eclipsed 900 yards in his final two seasons.

As the No. 9 wideout on Bleacher Report's prospect rankings, there is a good chance he will be on the draft board when the No. 56 pick rolls around.

Seven wide receivers were chosen in the 2020 second round, and the Seahawks could use some depth behind DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett.

But Seattle may be better off developing Freddie Swain as a third wideout instead of going to get a new one in the draft if there are corners and edge rushers available.

Seattle lost Shaquill Griffin in free agency and did not upgrade much, if at all, through Ahkello Witherspoon, and it could use some extra help on the edge to support Carlos Dunlap, Poona Ford and free-agent signing Kerry Hyder.

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The one area of the defense in which the Seahawks do not have depth concerns is linebacker.

Bobby Wagner, Jordyn Brooks and Ben Burr-Kirven hold the top positions on the linebacker depth chart.

While Seattle could always use more depth in the middle of the defense in an attempt to contain the dynamic offenses of the NFC West, it has more pressing needs elsewhere.

That means North Carolina's Chazz Surratt could be out of the team's plans at No. 56.

Surratt, who is B/R's fourth-best linebacker prospect, made a total of 116 tackles and 12.5 sacks in the last two seasons for the Tar Heels.

Similar to other positions, the Seahawks could upgrade at linebacker in the draft, but there are more pressing needs that should keep them away from talents like Surratt.

Statistics obtained from ESPN.com.