Seattle Seahawks 2011 NFL Draft: What Experts Say About Their First Round Pick

In a larger article, I analyzed the mock drafts for eight NFL correspondents and created a consensus pick for each draft slot.  The analysts found some commonality in their selections for most of the draft picks.  

But not so for the Seattle Seahawks.  

Just like the anomaly of the team itself, the eight analysts producedyou guessed it...eight different players (list is below).  

Some of the mock picks made perfect sense.  Rob Rang, who has been extremely accurate in Mock Drafts in recent years, echoed my selection of Jimmy Smith.  Mel Kiper has Seattle taking Jake Locker, a player he feels is much closer to being a very good NFL QB than most, thus filling in our need at QB.

Chad Reuter thinks the Seahawks need to address the linebacker issues in round one, which seems early.  

Then there is Russ Lande of the Sporting News.  I almost removed him from my list of this pick, but in the interest of statistical integrity I didn't feel I could eliminate one of the mocks.  Did anybody have Jabaal Sheard in their office pool?  

The biggest advantage we can take from the random list of players is something I discussed in my seven round mock draft two weeks ago:

"There is one advantage to having so many needs...other teams won't know whom Seattle will have at the top of their draft board.  This sets up additional trade partners for the Seahawks, as the teams behind them have fewer needs and would be willing to give up a later pick to make sure they get their man."

Since that article, John Schneider has come out and confirmed what many fans suspected—the Seahawks are interested in trading down to acquire more picks to fill in some of their holes.  From that perspective, the analysts are doing the Seahawks a big favor.

NFL Analyst Picks for the Seattle Seahawks at Pick 25

Rob Rang, CBSSports: Jimmy Smith, CB, Colorado
Chad Reuter, CBSSports: Brooks Reed, DE/OLB, Arizona
Todd McShay, ESPN: Derek Sherrod, OT, Mississippi State
Mel Kiper, ESPN: Jake Locker, QB, Washington
Walter Football: Muhammad Wilkerson, DE/DT, Temple
Scott Wright's Draft Countdown: Danny Watkins, OG, Baylor
Don Banks, SI.com: Andy Dalton, QB TCU
Russ Lande, Sporting News: Jabaal Sheard, DE, Pitt