This is a draft that has a fair few intriguing prospects of a variety of stripes.
Deebo Samuel is a quick/stout slot type. Very good footwork and ability to create separation. Uncommonly big in terms of weight -- built much more in height/weight to our RB prototype. I see a blend of Tate and Baldwin with him.
N'Keal Harry is a larger prospect. Very good hands/ball skills. Doesn't seem to be adept at separation. Speed looks NFL sufficient.
DK Metcalf is a larger receiver prospect. Flashes brilliance. But seemed less productive than one would expect. A number of outside factors could play into that. As a prospect, he's very unique and there's no doubt there should be expected to be a strong appeal to Seattle based on that.
Hakeem Butler is a larger receiver prospect. Showed ability to dominate in games. Gifted receiver who seems to have slid into anonymity somewhat lately. Still a very good prospect.
Overall, I think Metcalf and Butler both are better prospects empirically than Devante Parker was coming out. I like Samuel for Seattle as I think he's the kind of receiver that Wilson has shown to invest his trust into. Unfortunately, to secure him may require only one short trade back which is not particularly likely given we have so few picks.
Overall, selecting at this position is tough to forecast. It is in short term (next 24 months) need, but not necessarily imminent need. Carroll basically stated he didn't see any imminent needs for this team. So WR could/should be in play.
Seattle has two WRs on their second contracts. For a run first team, this is exceptionally rich. When I consider this question, I'm not considering the back half of the roster (Moore and Brown). I'm looking at the starter grade quality. Baldwin is a player who is now at a cost and age and injury history that is impossible to divorce from the equation. Samuel is a player who looks like he could provide a close approximation to Baldwin's quality by year two.
Consider this as well. Baldwin is signed through 2020. Every fan should rightly expect there to be a much more significant work stoppage in 2021. If not a full season shutdown. There should be little expectation that a similar injunction will take place in 2021 that allowed for a draft as it did in 2011. So the league year will end, assuredly with no UFA signing period and likely no draft either.
By drafting a player like Samuel, you are preparing your roster for the 2020/2021 season. Baldwin can be released in 2020 with 11M in cap relief. It's important to recall, that Baldwin's original deal was set up so that the team could succeed Baldwin on the roster in 2019 or 2020 easily. But we sacrificed the ability to shed the contract in 2019 by converting salary to bonus in 2017 (part of the Sheldon Richardson deal). It is no shock to me that Seattle has been actively planning for life after Baldwin. Taking a WR early this year, in a year without dire needs on the roster, aligns with those plans.
Overall, Seattle's WR group needs to add top shelf talent - at least not development project level talent. Both starting WRs are on expensive 2nd deals and both of them now carry injury histories that should remain causes for concern going forward. Both starters are firmly entrenched on this year's roster. So adding one this year allows the team options (both longer term evaluation and development) without foreseeable risk to positional production.
Of course, this could be said for virtually all of our position groups at this point. There is a definite intersection between available talent in the 30-60 overall range and medium term need at WR this year.