Seattle Seahawks 2011 NFL Draft: A Round-by-Round Look at Potential Picks
For the Seattle Seahawks, the 2010 NFL Draft priorities were pretty clear. Impact future LT (please let it be Russell Okung)...check. Dynamic playmaker on defense, preferably Earl Thomas...check. More help at CB/DB...check. A few guys grabbed in late rounds that make the team...check.
There was one other priority for 2010—get back to the playoffs...check.
2011 doesn't offer the same clarity for Seattle. They are drafting well down the board in the first two rounds, and their needs are quite varied.
Different mock draft boards have Seattle taking an OT, C/OG, CB, QB, WR, DE and DT in round one. All are possibilities (except maybe WR) depending on who manages to fall down the draft board and who the war room isolates as the best player available.
The following slides take a pick-by-pick look at who figures to be available, and which player Seattle should consider taking. It will incorporate an encompassing view of the draft, considering such things as who will be available in later rounds with similar skill sets to a player being considered earlier in the draft.
Pick 25: Quarterback, Offensive Line, Defensive Tackle or Cornerback?
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Seattle currently has one quarterback on the roster. He has a total of two NFL starts. He's thrown three INT and been a part of four touchdowns. This has been accomplished over five seasons. Needless to say, Seattle needs to draft a QB at some point this draft.
Six would be the number of free agents on Seattle's offensive line. Three of them were starters at the end of the season (Sean Locklear, Tyler Polumbus and Chris Spencer). A fourth, Ray Willis, would have been starting had he not spent the season on injured reserve. Two additional starters from the 2010 season (Chester Pitts and Ben Hamilton) will not be with the team in 2011.
Obviously, Seattle needs to add at least one more quality starter on the offensive line. Given their history of injuries on this unit, they also need to add depth.
The defensive backfield is thin as well. Seattle is relying on a CFL acquisition and the oft-injured Marcus Trufant to man one of the corners...assuming Walter Thurmond can elevate his performance in his second season and cover the other side. They have an amazing free safety, but need to find a replacement for the 15-year veteran Lawyer Milloy at strong safety.
Round one will be about whom Pete Carroll finds to be the best player available. Seattle has enough needs that it is unlikely they will let a talented player pass because he won't be able to improve their roster. Granted, it would be ideal if that person fit one of the above positions.
I do not expect offensive line to be addressed in round one. In a recent mock draft article I discussed my concerns with the talent in the 2011 draft; few options will be ready to start this upcoming season. Seattle's primary need is interior lineman, and there will be options in round two that are on par with whomever they would draft in the first round.
Another possibility is Seattle looking to trade down if the player they want isn't available. There are several second round players that would fit in nicely in Seattle, and an extra pick later in the draft would be most valuable.
Projected Pick:
Jimmy Smith (CB, Colorado). He is a big, solid cover guy that could be available at pick 25. If Jake Locker happens to fall that far he may be too tempting for Seattle to pass on and hopefully will have a year or two to play behind Hasselbeck. Keep in mind...following the last time Carroll coached against Washington he said "That's the best quarterback we've played in nine years here. Jake Locker has ridiculous talent."
Round 2: Filling a Specific Need
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Round two will be all about plugging a specific hole. If Jimmy Smith isn't available in Round one, CB could be targeted with the 57th pick. There is a chance Ras-I Dowling could still be available, albeit a small one. Curtis Brown (CB, Texas) is another potential pick at this position.
The most likely scenario is Seattle will look to bolster one of their lines with this pick. We've discussed the needs on the offensive side. On defense there are issues as well. The DT position has been unable to produce a pass rush, and there are depth issues at DE.
The defensive tackle position could offer a steal in round two. Drake Nevis (DT, LSU) has first round talent, but the lack of 4-3 defensive fronts could lead to him dropping on draft weekend. Jurrell Casey is another possibility, but he would be a stretch in the second round.
Seattle is in dire need to build the QB position as well. However, all the top QB options figure to be off the board at this point. Look for Seattle to draft a project QB in a later round (provided they can work out a deal with Hasselbeck). The 2012 draft figures to be when Seattle looks for their QB of the future.
Projected Pick:
Rodney Hudson (G/C, Florida State). Seattle needs some help on the interior, and the biggest value with the 57th pick could very well be at OG. There is a lot of talk about Mike Pouncey (G/C Florida) being targeted by Seattle in round one. However, his performance has not separated himself from the rest of the pack. If not for his twin brother's performance in 2010, I don't believe he'd be considered as a first round pick.
Danny Watkins (G, Baylor) and Marcus Cannon (G, TCU) also figure to be available should Hudson be off the board.
Round 3: Charlie Whitehurst
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Yes, this pick is already done and dealt. However, when looking at the overall draft for this year, it is only fair to remember what we received for what we are passing up in this draft. Yes, there was also some draft capital in round two of the 2010 draft, but reports are that Seattle would have taken Golden Tate regardless.
When San Diego was scheduled to receive Seattle's third round pick in 2011, I can only imagine they expected that pick to be close to the start of the round. One nice side-note to Seattle's playoff run is it made this pick less valuable for the Chargers.
There are some projections that show Jurrell Casey (DT, USC) will be available through the third round. He appears to be a talented nose tackle that would provide some depth and perhaps improve on the interior pass rush that was so desperately lacking in 2010. Two sacks from the tackle positions isn't going to get it done in 2011.
Don't be surprised to see Seattle maneuvering to get back into position in the third round if Casey is still on the board late in the round.
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Round 4: Fixing a Deficiency in the Ground Game
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Seattle has the second pick in round four. They could be looking at deciding between a QB, FB and needed help at DT. The aforementioned Casey could still be available, along with Pat Devlin and Andy Dalton at the QB position. However, at least one of them figures to be available in the fifth round.
Despite all the comments and concerns over Seattle's lack of run blocking from the offensive line, there is a bigger issue facing Seattle's ground game in 2011. Seattle doesn't have a hole-opening fullback.
The team became spoiled at this position, and some seem to forget how much of a role Mack Strong played in Shaun Alexander's success. Yes, the offensive line was quite critical as well, but without Strong the Seahawks might not have had a league MVP awarded to its franchise player.
Seattle replaced the injured Strong with another pro bowl FB. Granted, he was still learning the position, but Leonard Weaver gave Seattle numerous options when he was lined up in the backfield. He was a powerful blocker and a skilled runner.
Weaver was also dangerous in the passing game, although it varied on what team should be afraid when the ball was flying through the air to him. After catching the ball he was known for making great plays in the open field. The problem was he was still honing his catching skills, and had a tendency to drop passes.
As bad as the transition tag issue with Hutchinson was, Tim Ruskell likely made a bigger mistake when he just let Weaver walk from Seattle. No tender was offered and no compensation was received from Philadelphia.
Why? Because Greg Knapp and Jim Mora convinced him that their offense didn't rely on a talented FB. We have been deficient at the position since, and Seattle must make a move in this draft to rectify the issue. This pick is when we can expect that to happen.
Projected Pick:
Owen Marecic (FB, Stanford). Marecic doesn't figure to be the type of threat Weaver is, but he is a dynamic run blocker. He can also hit the line with a full head of steam, exploding through small holes. Seattle has lacked options on short yardage; Marecic would give them a running threat on third and short and on the goal line.
Round 5: Two Opportunities to Find Depth and a Playmaker
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Seattle holds their own pick in round five, along with Baltimore's selection in exchange for Josh Wilson.
In an earlier article I discussed how Baltimore seemed to game Wilson's playing time to ensure this pick would not be upgraded to a fourth rounder. Perhaps it was inexperience on Seattle's part, but there is little doubt that his playing time and performance validated a higher pick.
There are numerous directions Seattle may opt to go here. With the way I've mocked Seattle's picks so far, one of them will need to be a QB. In the other slot we would likely see DL or WR, and possibly OL or LB. Similar to the first round, Seattle will be in a position to go BPA with this pick. Seattle has depth concerns across the board and the priority in the later picks is finding someone that can make the final 53 and develop into a starter in the NFL.
Projected Pick—153:
Ian Williams (DT, Notre Dame) or Cedric Thornton, (DT / DE, Southern Arkansas)
Projected Pick—154:
Pat Devlin (QB, Delaware), Andy Dalton (QB, TCU) or Greg McElroy (QB, Alabama). Seattle will take the best QB available here, and my preferences are listed in order.
Devlin appears to be a well-rounded QB, but hasn't played top competition. It is hard to know if he'll be able to make the big step to the NFL. He was impressive against Eastern Washington University in the FCS National Championship Game, but he'll need to make quicker decisions in the NFL.
Dalton was a solid, consistent performer for TCU, but the question remains if his performance will transition to the NFL. Aside from not having typical NFL size, he was a system QB in college. He was surrounded by talent that allowed him to commonly hit open receivers.
McElroy is the most likely option to be available, and may be able to develop. His best option in the NFL is on a West Coast Offense, as he lacks the arm strength to really open up the field. He is accurate with the ball, and makes quick reads from the pocket.
Round 6: Looking for a Diamond in the Rough
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Seattle's pick in round six was sent to San Francisco for Kentwan Balmer. In return, they moved up the board by shipping Lawrence Jackson off to Detroit.
Seattle will be looking for a player to groom to fill a need with this pick. That could be at the WR position, depth along either line, or at DB.
Kam Chancellor may be the answer at SS, but it wouldn't surprise me to see Carroll grab someone to challenge him. There isn't much along the lines of elite talent at that position in this draft, but there is a lot of NFL potential at the position that will be drafted in the later rounds.
Projected Pick:
Jermale Hines (SS, Ohio State) or Jeron Johnson (SS, Boise State)
Round 7: Hoping to Find Something More Than a Camp Guy
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Talent will be thin at the end of the 2011 draft. The success teams had getting talent in 2010 isn't likely to be repeated, so I would expect the Seahawks to focus on positions that are a little more deep this year.
WR and CB are both possibilities. Seattle could look towards a speedy wideout to fill the slot or line up opposite Mike Williams.
I've seen a mock with Ronald Johnson (WR, USC) here, but he figures to be gone by the end of round five. Same for Jeremy Kerley (WR, Boise State). However, Cecil Shorts (WR, Mount Union) is a scoring machine that could develop into a reliable target and he could slip to the end of the draft.
Projected Pick:
Denarius Moore (WR, Tennessee) figures to be a backup receiver that can stretch the field. He has great deep speed, but isn't explosive off the line. He can get separation on longer patterns, and is a good route runner. If he can add a bit more bulk, he could be a solid threat over the middle as well.
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