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Which Top NFL Draft Picks Will The Seahawks Face In 2017?

A closer look at the 2017 NFL Draft's top picks that the Seahawks will face this upcoming season.

Here's a look at the first- and early second-round NFL Draft picks that the Seahawks will face in the 2017 regular season.

Green Bay Packers: CB Kevin King, Washington 

The Pick:Round 2, Pick 1, No. 33 Overall

What He's Done:A three-year starter at nearby University of Washington, King started three seasons for the Huskies from 2014-16, seeing action at safety, in the slot, and on the outside. He finished his career at UW with 165 tackles, 28 passes defensed, and six interceptions. 

How It Affects The Seahawks:King's size (6-foot-3, 200 pounds) and speed (4.43-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine) should present a challenge for Seattle's receivers on the outside, where King is expected to compete for the starting job.

When He'll Face The Seahawks:Week 1 at Green Bay

Tennessee Titans: WR Corey Davis, Western Michigan; CB  Adoree' Jackson, USC

The Pick(s):Round 1, No. 5 Overall; Round 1, No. 18 Overall

What They've Done:Davis owns the title of college football's all-time leader in receiving yards with 5,285 and he's the only player in FBS history to record 300 catches, 5,000 yards, and 50-plus touchdowns in a career. Jackson, meanwhile, was a do-everything player at USC. He recorded 139 tackles, 29 passes defensed, six interceptions, and two forced fumbles on defense and made 39 catches for 628 yards and six touchdowns and carried 15 times for 92 yards on offense. On special teams, he returned 79 kickoffs for 2,141 yards and four touchdowns and brought back 46 punts for 578 yards and four scores.

How It Affects The Seahawks:The Titans have said they plan to be patient with Davis, who has been dealing with an ankle injury, but he is on schedule to be ready for the regular season, meaning the Seahawks will have to find a way to deal with the 6-foot-3, 209-pound wideout whose knack for the explosive play has been well documented. Despite his jack-of-all-trades role for the Trojans, Jackson will play cornerback and work on special teams in the NFL, where he'll look to start in Tennessee and put his speed and ball skills on display. 

When They'll Face The Seahawks:Week 3 at Tennessee

Indianapolis Colts: S Malik Hooker, Ohio St. 

The Pick:Round 1, No. 15 Overall

What He's Done:Hooker returned three of his seven interceptions for touchdowns last year at Ohio State, where he played in 26 games with 13 starts safety, helping lead the Buckeyes to a Fiesta Bowl win in 2015 and the College Football Playoff in 2016. 

How It Affects The Seahawks:Dubbed the "ultimate lurker" and "best center fielder" in the draft by NFL.com, Hooker has the type of instincts, range, and ball skills that need to be accounted for.

When He'll Face The Seahawks:Week 4 in Seattle

New York Giants: TE Evan Engram, Mississippi

The Pick:Round 1, No. 23 Overall

What He's Done: Engram capped his college career as the program's all-time leader in receptions (162), receiving yards (2,320), and touchdown grabs (15) by a tight end. He earned All-SEC honors four times.

How It Affects The Seahawks:The Giants will look to exploit Engram's 4.42-second 40-yard dash speed against opposing linebackers and safeties, meaning players like K.J. Wright or Kam Chancellor could find themselves matching up against Engram and his ability to go up and get the football down the middle of the field.

When He'll Face The Seahawks:Week 7 at New York

Houston Texans: QB Deshaun Watson

The Pick:Round 1, No. 12 Overall

What He's Done: A two-time Heisman Trophy finalist with a 32-3 record as a starter, Watson took Clemson to the school's first national championship in more than 30 years last season. He earned second-team All-American honors in 2016, throwing for 4,593 yards, 41 touchdowns and 17 interceptions while completing 67 percent of his passes and adding 629 yards and nine scores on the ground.

How It Affects The Seahawks:Watson hasn't been guaranteed the Texans' starting quarterback job — that's something he'll have to earn in training camp this summer — but if he does become Houston's No. 1 signal caller the Seahawks defense can expect to see more plays that suit Watson's level of athleticism, meaning more potential for things like run-pass options or QB-designed runs. 

When He'll Face The Seahawks:Week 8 in Seattle

Photos of the 11 draft picks the Seahawks selected in the 2017 NFL Draft.

Washington Redskins: DE Jonathan Allen, Alabama

The Pick: Round 1, No. 17 Overall

What He's Done:Allen led what was college football's top defense with 10.5 sacks last season to go with 69 total tackles, including 16 tackles for loss. He earned first-team All-SEC and won the 2016 Chuck Bednarik and Bronko Nagurski Award as the nation's top defender. 

How It Affects The Seahawks:Seattle will look to revive a run game that struggled to move the football consistently last season, and it will be Allen's job to help stop it. On top of providing help up front, the 6-foot-3, 286-pounder should be an active force on the inside and outside in Washington's pass rush rotation.

When He'll Face The Seahawks: Week 9 in Seattle

Atlanta Falcons: DE Takkarist McKinley, UCLA

The Pick:Round 1, No. 26 Overall

What He's Done:McKinley followed up a promising junior campaign (4.5 sacks, four passes defensed, four forced fumbles) with a senior year that earned him first-team All-Pac-12 honors, as he recorded 18 tackles for loss, 10.0 sacks, and six passes defensed.

How It Affects The Seahawks:The defending NFC Champion Falcons get a proven pass rusher to pair alongside the already effective Vic Beasley Jr., who led the NFL in sacks last year with 15.5.

When He'll Face The Seahawks:Week 11 in Seattle

Philadelphia Eagles: DE Derek Barnett, Tennessee 

The Pick:Round 1, No. 14 Overall

What He's Done:He had a school-record 33.0 sacks in college, a career-high 13 of which came in 2016, when he was named a first-team All-American by the Associated Press. He played in all 39 games at Tennessee with 36 starts, racking up 52.0 tackles for loss.

How It Affects The Seahawks: Barnett is one of the most productive defensive linemen to come out of a conference known for its defensive line talent, and despite not testing out at the top of his class at the Combine, the numbers he put up in college should make NFL opposition take notice. 

When He'll Face The Seahawks:Week 13 in Seattle

Jacksonville Jaguars: RB Leonard Fournette, LSU

The Pick:Round 1, No. 4 Overall

What He's Done:Fournette led the SEC in all-purpose yards as a freshman, averaging 137.4 per game and he followed that up with 1,953 yards and 22 rushing touchdowns as a sophomore. An ankle injury slowed his final year at LSU, but he still put up five 100-yard games to earn second-team All-SEC honors. He finished his career with 3,830 rushing yards and 41 rushing touchdowns through three seasons.

How It Affects The Seahawks:The 6-foot, 228-pound Fournette should eventually end up being used as the Jaguars' workhorse back, but like every other rookie, he'll have to earn that role in his first season. Chances are, though, that Seattle will be looking to contain the former Tiger when the two teams meet toward the end of the regular season.

When He'll Face The Seahawks: Week 14 at Jacksonville

Dallas Cowboys: DE Taco Charlton, Michigan

The Pick:Round 1, No. 28 Overall

What He's Done: He made 15 starts and appeared in 46 games at Michigan, where he registered 94 tackles, 28 tackles for loss, and 19 sacks during his career. He led the Wolverines with 9.5 sacks in 2016 while being named All-Big Ten first-team.

How It Affects The Seahawks:Despite starting for just one season at Michigan, the Cowboys believe Charlton has what it takes to make an immediate impact in the NFL, where he'll line up at right defensive end to start. Dallas has been in need of more pass rush options since Demarcus Ware left after the 2013 season, and Charlton should provide the unit with a boost.

When He'll Face The Seahawks:Week 16 at Dallas

Photos from the third and final day of Seahawks rookie minicamp at Renton's Virginia Mason Athletic Center.

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