An early 2020 mock for Seattle (4 rounds)

[Maelstrom787]

Looking forward to draft season. Seattle is in a good position to add a few pieces to push them further towards having a legitimate championship roster. Currently, they're 10-3 and outperforming their level of talent on paper, as is typical of Pete Carroll teams. However, the point differential is really close - tons of nailbiter games.

Carroll and Schneider are likely going to have a late first, as well as 2 late seconds to play around with. Here's how I think they use them. Draft position estimates are based off the list here: https://www.draftsite.com/nfl/seattle/38/


TRADE: Round 1, Pick 30 traded to Lions for 37, 112, 176.


Round 2, Pick 37 (from Detroit): Mekhi Becton, OT, Louisville.



Let me start by saying that if Becton lasts until 37, it'll be because someone like Alex Leatherwood declared and was taken ahead of Becton.

Becton is a monster of a man - 6'7", 369. Long 'n' strong. He's playing left tackle for the Cardinals, but here he's slotting in at right tackle to replace Ifedi, who leaves in free agency. Becton is strong, tough, and for the most part he's reliable, only missing a few games due to injury. He comes off as a good guy in interviews. He's improved from 2018. He keeps a decent amount of agility for a man of his size. He seems to struggle with stunts, but he can be coached out of that.

I expect Seattle to go tackle with their first pick. They've never been shy about investing in the offensive line, and Becton fits with the identity of the team. If he ends up lasting until the top of the second, pull the trigger and call it a day. Let him duke it out with Jamarco for RT.


Round 2, Pick 58: Kenny Willekes, Edge, Michigan State

Exorcising the demons from the last time they picked a Spartan defensive lineman... we go with the anti-McDowell, Kenny Willekes. A guy who went from walk-on, to one of the more productive defenders in the country. He just won the Burlsworth Trophy as the nation's top walk-on player. He was the 2018 Big 10 DL of the Year. He's all over the place draft stock wise... not a top-100 prospect according to CBS. I suspect he will rise.

He's not the most athletic player - but he's going to test better than Collier did. His motor is high-revving, and he plays at redline. Does not give up. Not a huge liability in the run game, effort doesn't dip on run plays, plays with discipline. I suspect his pressure numbers (specifically the pressure rate stat that PC/JS seem to put significant stock in to) will look good, in most part due to his motor. Footwork is clean, pass rush moves are just adequate and he would benefit by adding some nuance to his moves as they can be somewhat predictable. In college, a lot of his wins come when he's unblocked. He's solid, though. A leader.


Round 2, Pick 62: Logan Stenberg, OG, Kentucky

Another lineman, yeah. Iupati is gone after this year, Britt and Fluker are strong cut candidates, Ifedi is almost certainly gone in free agency. Realistically, the line could lose every starter that isn't Duane Brown. This is going to be a need.

Stenberg is NASTY. Not "bad human being" nasty - he's likely going to interview well, and he's a guy who loves football, but this guy plays with a crazy mean streak. He lives solely to pancake, he drives guys into the ground, he plays with strength - he's a straight up mean sonuvabitch on the gridiron. If you give him a shot, he comes away with one of the starting guard spots I bet.

If there is a worry, it's that he has a high change to draw a few more holding/unnecessary roughness calls than average. But I bet he pisses opposing defenders off enough to draw a few calls himself to even it out.

He came into the season a UDFA, he's rising, will probably end up day 2 with an outside shot to skyrocket into day 1. I absolutely love this dude, and heavy investment on the line will be needed. Becton and Stenberg together in the same draft haul would be amazing. Seriously, watch his tape, it's fun stuff.



Round 3, Pick 103 (Compensatory): Najee Harris, RB, Alabama

Note: Najee is returning to Alabama for the 2020 season, no longer eligible for selection.



Don't get me wrong, I think Pete Carroll loves Chris Carson.

I also think he'd love Najee Harris.

We've seen before that the Seahawks will hedge their bet at running back with draft capital - they loved Carson, but still selected Penny in the 1st round. Penny, despite not being the main workhorse, has missed a fair amount of time and is now out for the remainder of the season. Carroll views rushing as sort of the heart and soul of the team. I'm sure he's really wishing he had another back right now.

Harris doesn't fumble often. He's productive. He has upside in the passing game, and bear in mind Schottenheimer has mentioned he wants to target rushers more in the pass game. Najee has a mean stiff arm and hurdle - kinda like Carson. Big guy who can rush with power, has a serviceable juke move, and can hit a hole with conviction. Harris seems like a guy who'd fit right in.



Round 4, Pick 112 (From Detroit): Lavert Hill, CB, Michigan



Yes, this is Lano's brother. Lavert is smaller than Lano, and projects as a nickel/slot corner in the NFL. He's speedy, has decent ball skills, and has the connection with Lano. I'm worried that he gets a bit too handsy and may draw some flags, but otherwise I think he has potential to be one of the better nickel corners in the league and think Seattle may specifically target a smaller corner for the role to replicate the success they had with Justin Coleman. He'll probably compete with Amadi, who likely has a roster spot regardless due to his versatility and special teams play.

TRADE: Seattle trades up to 113, giving up 136, 162, and 249.



Round 4: Pick 113: Tyler Johnson, WR, Minnesota

I've got Tyler Johnson falling here due to underwhelming testing. He's a guy who can get open and make some really nice catches. Doesn't miss much due to injury. Team player, smart kid who stayed in school to get his degree. Biggest knock is that he doesn't have elite speed. If he falls, I think he's a player worth trading up for.




Round 4, Pick 145 (Compensatory): Willie Gay Jr., LB, Mississippi State



Willie has a character red flag - he was suspended for violating team rules this earlier this season. However, he is respected by his teammates and brings energy to his defense. He has speed and some playmaking ability, but needs to work on taking better angles to ballcarriers. He grades out fantastically in coverage, so if Pete continues to have such a boner for base defense, his zone prowess will come in handy. If he interviews well and the suspension was more of a one time mistake than an indicator of persistent irresponsibility, he will probably rise higher than this. If he does have some maturity issues, he's worth the risk and will be going to a solid locker room in Seattle. Son of former Steeler CB William Gay.



This is a fun draft class.

EDIT: Kinda screwed up the images. Work in progress re-editing the post.

 

[hawksfansinceday1]

4th round WR?
Ummmmm................



Seriously thanks for your effort. The G from Kentucky sounds the most intriguing. "Nasty" is something I'd like to see more of on this team as would many others here. You mentioned nothing about his pass pro ability tho. Got any insight?

 

[Maelstrom787]

4th round WR?
Ummmmm................



Seriously thanks for your effort. The G from Kentucky sounds the most intriguing. "Nasty" is something I'd like to see more of on this team as would many others here. You mentioned nothing about his pass pro ability tho. Got any insight?

Hey, one of those 4th round receivers has to hit at some point

Yeah, run blocking definitely seems to be his strength, but his pass protection is better than I thought for a guy who has limited agility.

For his pass pro, he doesn't seem to get beat by power very often - he's very stout. His limitations come when dealing with speed rushers - once he makes solid contact, he doesn't let his guy go very often. Best way to get past him is to get around him is to prevent him locking on by rushing on a stunt or as a blitzer. Other than that, he's sound.

He would do best going to a straight up power scheme, but I don't think he'd be terrible in a combo scheme like we have here. His lateral agility isn't his strong suit, but he isn't the worst. Surprisingly, he looks to be pretty adept at pulling from his spot at LG for Kentucky. One thing I've noticed is that he struggles a bit once he moves up to the second level, and the linebackers tend to get around him.

So to recap, I think he's a decent pass protector inside. He won't have too much trouble against your traditional nose tackles or 1 techniques, but guys that rocket off the ball like, say, Geno Atkins, or quicker guys that move inside like Michael Bennett or Frank Clark have a better chance of exploiting him.

 

[kobebryant]

I really like it, especially the positions.

Some thoughts:

-I think I might prefer Baun, Ushe, Okwara or Lewis to Willekes if Willekes doesn't test all that well athletically.

- I do feel like the Hawks play with fire a little bit by by only having two starter quality boundary corners in Griffin and Flowers. This is a pretty good draft for length at the outside CB spot, though it doesn't tend to be something that they ever do early.

-The late 2nd/early 3rd tends to be the Hawks sweet spot for nailing the WRs - Tate, Lockett, Metcalf. I wouldn't be opposed to going there again.

- Interior oline. Joey Hunt has been an excellent draft pick and is doing a commendable job. Though I think if they draft for the interior that the player should have some center capabilities - like a Cesar Ruiz.

 

[hawksfansinceday1]

- Interior oline. Joey Hunt has been an excellent draft pick and is doing a commendable job. Though I think if they draft for the interior that the player should have some center capabilities - like a Cesar Ruiz.

Hunt is a nice backup. If they let Britt walk as expected they'll draft a C unless Pocic comes in and tears it up at the position which I have serious doubts about. I think that guy needs to be picked early.

 

[2_0_6]

Agreed. If they let Britt walk, a stud Center is what I want in one of the first few rounds.

 

[chris98251]

Way to damn early to even start speculating on this shit yet let alone what we need and who's available and drafting.

 

[Maelstrom787]

Way to damn early to even start speculating on this shit yet let alone what we need and who's available and drafting.

K thx

 

[kobebryant]

Way to damn early to even start speculating on this $h!t yet let alone what we need and who's available and drafting.

I appreciated the op, thought it was a quality read actually.

 

[Maelstrom787]

Way to damn early to even start speculating on this $h!t yet let alone what we need and who's available and drafting.

I appreciated the op, thought it was a quality read actually.

To be fair, I do get where he's coming from. I was a dick in my reply above.

I'm just a guy with a special passion for the NFL Draft - I like it almost as much as the football itself, maybe equally. It's like a second Christmas to me. I'm glued to the TV for all 7 rounds, even if the 'Hawks aren't picking round 1.

Chris is right, there are tons of unknowns. For a lot of mock drafts, their intention is to try to accurately nail the picks at their correct spot. Obviously, it's too soon to try to get that stuff right. My intention was more so to ponder the upcoming needs of the team, keeping in mind likely departures, and highlight some of my current favorite prospects that fit what the Seahawks look for and what range they may be available in. My motivation is mostly to satisfy my own boredom through studying - this is when I really like to start diving into the draft class so that when the big show is here, I feel informed when I'm watching it unfold. Mock drafts help me do that because I have to dive deep into big boards and college rosters to understand what each positional group currently looks like in the 2020 class.

I wouldn't say that it's too early to start speculating, though. My main concern is the current season, obviously, and I'm loving where the Seahawks are given their record. I think that this draft is what really has the potential to push the roster into the next echelon of talent.

Thanks, by the way. I'm glad you liked it. I'm not too great at evaluating prospects or breaking down tape, but I try to back everything up with solid reasoning and go with my gut based on tape.

 

[Maelstrom787]

Agreed. If they let Britt walk, a stud Center is what I want in one of the first few rounds.

I was thinking they'd let Pocic and Haynes go at it, possibly signing a free agent to join the competition. Pete said in November that they're looking at Haynes at center, possibly developing him there long term. Center was Pocic's natural position in college, as well. I like Haynes a lot, and Pocic has shown massive improvement.

[tweet]https://twitter.com/bcondotta/status/1193295897024593920[/tweet]

The way I was approaching this basic draft outline was similar to the 2011 draft, where they loaded up on offensive line early on. They seem more likely to spend draft capital at tackle and guard early on than center, so I kept that tendency in mind even though it's probably somewhat random and based on how the board falls.

 

[chris98251]

Wasn't trying to be an ass as much as we need to know who we are resigning, secondly do we back fill with F.A. at certain positions, we went heavy into the F.A. market to get big guys on the O line and draft project guys not starters. Do we use that same approach again ? Solari has his types and we don't emphasize pass protection as much as a guy that can blow holes open.

We also tend to load up positionally in drafts, need a LB we draft 4, need Safeties we draft 4, CB's or RB's same heavy approach hoping one or two work out. Right now were still on the DE, DT need as well Collier and I think Green are targeted for break out seasons next year., at last we can hope.

We obviously need a Nickel guy, since Coleman left it has been a problem, Diggs is the guy at FS and we have our redshirt guys drafted last year plus Hill and Thompson. We are missing that Enforcer SS however still, McDougald is a nice stop gap but really doesn't make anyone think twice about crossing about the middle of the field.

TE is another position to look for depth, Dickson is all but gone I would think, Hollister earned another contract, Dissly may not be back early next year.

Now you have to look at position in draft, what the strengths are for what we are going to be needing after all the Veterans are sorted out and F.A. signings.

So much to speculate about at this point, they are saying cap will be around 196 to 204 Million next year.


Oh and then their is also RB depth again, does Penny come back with the same explosion he had before injury, typically that's a two year process, we have Homer, Prosise god do we go there for another contract?

 

[justafan]

Its never to early. Thanks for taking the time to do this. Mocks for me are about seeing others opinions and seeing it from a different point of view. Being right or wrong on picks shouldnt even be an issue. Its about gaining knowledge or insights as a starting point to learn more about a player I havent seen play.

I hope they bring in another RB.

I like the thought of drafting a few lineman,we can use them on both sides. I like Ruiz as well. I would love for Tyler Biadasz to fall to us.

Hopefully you post more on prospects thanks again.

 

[sutz]

Way to damn early to even start speculating on this shit yet let alone what we need and who's available and drafting.

Which is why we have a separate forum for draft issues. I don't click in here often, especially during the season. :les:

 

[justafan]

I love everything I read about Stenberg. This is the type of attitude on the OL we need. I read a quote about him being the man Dlineman go home saying I hate that guy. He has the same attitude as Giacomini, hopefully he can reign it in a little.
,
I am having trouble finding much video of him and I havent watched a single Kentucky game. Thanks for the info

 

[CPHawk]

6 round, Jacob Breeland TE.

 

[massari]

Great post TS.

OL, DL and NCB do seem like the obvious top needs. Maybe a CB to compete with Flowers as well, while adding talented depth if him or Griffin get hurt.

Good point about adding another RB in the middle rounds. Especially since both Carson and Penny have durability issues. So unless Homer surprises for the rest of the season, seems it's a good idea.

Hopefully there are some good TE's in the middle rounds too.

All assuming they re-sign Clowney, Reed, Jefferson, Kendricks, Simmons, Hollister, Gordon

Let go of Ifedi, Fant, Britt, Ansah, Ed Dickson (Fant and Ifedi because of what their market value is projected to be)

 

[chris98251]

To do this we need to start the process of elimination of the roster be it play or performance to salary.

Then we need to list who we think we will resign that are F.A.

Off the street guys is way harder to guess at so leave that till last since we know the way some Agents try to bait guys and use the Northwest as a leverage for their clients. Typically it's when we don't hear something it happens with this franchise.

Then when all that is done we can see what draft positions we have and then whom will typically be in those slots.

In regards to the OP I do not think we draft two O line man that high, your draft may but where we are in the draft board I don't see it unless a stud falls to us. Collier may be something and may not, Pete is weird how he brings guys along compared to the rest of the league, but edge rusher is still a need and pressure up the middle, we have a whole stable of Safeties and CB's redshirted and IR'ed as well as WR's plus Gordon who says he would like to come back. Don't see us going there a lot unless it's a Free Agent Nickel guy.

Pete also has said he has the future of our LB's on the roster in Barton and BBK, I think we may need one more here but it's back filled already. Then we have Jones, and Fant as well as Knox, Simmons, Roos, and Haynes all guys that have played but need to be healthy, Roos and Haynes both working at Center. Hard to say what the plan is here but Iupati and Fluker as well as Ifedi all are either F.A. or one more and done.

What it comes down to is D line again, Christmas and Nazair Jones are the only two guys not playing and on IR, that's D line Depth. Neither has been a pinnacle of health.

We tend to bring in bodies and stack them up till the position gets filled, seeing that happen on the D line again. We had a draft last year stacked with them yet whiffed and didn't get the guys we really wanted, Collier may be ok and maybe not, but that's not who they really wanted I don't think, I think they go back to the well and heavily this time round.

Oh as an edit, we really need that SS 4th LB Enforcer guy, Rams would not be throwing that crossing patterns stuff long with WR's needing dentures after a half of play, getting their teeth knocked out with just impactful clean hits has a way of causing dropped passes, that reputation needs to return.

 

[CPHawk]

We need to draft the top kicker in the draft. Our kicking game has been a joke for 4 years now.

 

[justafan]

To do this we need to start the process of elimination of the roster be it play or performance to salary.

Then we need to list who we think we will resign that are F.A.

Off the street guys is way harder to guess at so leave that till last since we know the way some Agents try to bait guys and use the Northwest as a leverage for their clients. Typically it's when we don't hear something it happens with this franchise.

Then when all that is done we can see what draft positions we have and then whom will typically be in those slots.

In regards to the OP I do not think we draft two O line man that high, your draft may but where we are in the draft board I don't see it unless a stud falls to us. Collier may be something and may not, Pete is weird how he brings guys along compared to the rest of the league, but edge rusher is still a need and pressure up the middle, we have a whole stable of Safeties and CB's redshirted and IR'ed as well as WR's plus Gordon who says he would like to come back. Don't see us going there a lot unless it's a Free Agent Nickel guy.

Pete also has said he has the future of our LB's on the roster in Barton and BBK, I think we may need one more here but it's back filled already. Then we have Jones, and Fant as well as Knox, Simmons, Roos, and Haynes all guys that have played but need to be healthy, Roos and Haynes both working at Center. Hard to say what the plan is here but Iupati and Fluker as well as Ifedi all are either F.A. or one more and done.

What it comes down to is D line again, Christmas and Nazair Jones are the only two guys not playing and on IR, that's D line Depth. Neither has been a pinnacle of health.

We tend to bring in bodies and stack them up till the position gets filled, seeing that happen on the D line again. We had a draft last year stacked with them yet whiffed and didn't get the guys we really wanted, Collier may be ok and maybe not, but that's not who they really wanted I don't think, I think they go back to the well and heavily this time round.

Oh as an edit, we really need that SS 4th LB Enforcer guy, Rams would not be throwing that crossing patterns stuff long with WR's needing dentures after a half of play, getting their teeth knocked out with just impactful clean hits has a way of causing dropped passes, that reputation needs to return.

if you dont want to read about mock drafts dont read them. There is no need to discourage them or tell people what we need to do. Everyone knows a lot changes between now and the draft.

They are all for fun and discussion. After decades of reading mock drafts,there have been exactly zero that have been right. Nobody will get one right in the future. Dont be so uptight.