The 2022 NFL Draft is three weeks away, and thanks to one of the most significant trades in franchise history, the Seahawks have a lot of draft capital they can use to improve the roster, including the No. 9 overall pick as well as two picks early in the second round.
The Seahawks very well could move back as they so often have done with first-round picks under John Schneider and Pete Carroll, but if they do pick at No. 9, it will be their highest pick since they selected Russell Okung with the No. 6 pick in 2010, Schneider and Carroll's first draft together.
With that in mind, it's time to take a look at what some of the draft experts think the Seahawks might do with that No. 9 pick:
McShay: "The rebuild is on in the Pacific Northwest, and the list of needs is long. The Seahawks seem ready to lean on Drew Lock at quarterback for a year, but that wouldn't necessarily take them out of the mix for Liberty's Malik Willis -- though I think they will wait until 2023 to bring in the long-term fix. And the edge rush remains problematic following free agency, meaning Jermaine Johnson II would certainly be on GM John Schneider's radar. But let's not forget that Seattle has a void at left tackle (Duane Brown is still unsigned), and successful rebuilds often start there. Neal is tough to get around, dominant in the run game and able to play multiple positions."
McSay's mock is a two-rounder, and with picks No. 40 and 41, he has the Seahawks picking Ole Miss QB Matt Corral and Houston DE Logan Hall.
Schrager: "The Seahawks are in rebuild mode. With the pick they landed from Denver in the Russell Wilson deal, I see them scooping up the talented Cross, who wasn't asked to do much run protection in his time under Mike Leach but dominated in pass protection against some of the SEC's best. Cross had a great combine week and can protect whomever the QB ends up being."
Schrager also projects Seattle making a trade to get back into the first round at No. 30 overall, and using that pick on Ole Miss QB Matt Corral.
Davis: "Seattle's roster has need areas all over the place, but defense must be a priority. Notre Dame's Kyle Hamilton got consideration here as a hybrid playmaker, but the pick is the guy they call "Sauce," who has paired a tremendous 2021 season with an eye-popping run-up to the draft."
Feldman: "The Seahawks could really use an offensive tackle, and Charles Cross, a top pass protector, is available, but they also really need a quarterback (I have my doubts whether Seattle will view Drew Lock as the answer to life after Russell Wilson). I toyed with the idea of a big wild-card pick here, where they draft Corral. Pete Carroll and the Seahawks are going to get as good intel on this one as anyone, since Corral's coach is Lane Kiffin, who has been extremely close to Carroll for decades. But Corral is just too high here. The Seahawks draft Stingley, another gifted player for whom Carroll will have keen insight, as Carroll is a mentor to former LSU coach Ed Orgeron.
"Stingley was a star as a freshman on the Tigers' 2019 national title team and had LSU staffers believing he was capable of playing in the NFL right then. Every practice he gave Ja'Marr Chase his toughest battles. But the past two seasons from Stingley were inconsistent, marked by a lot of time on the sideline because of injury."
Stackpole has the Seahawks trading up to the No. 5 overall spot to get Willis.
Stackpole: "By swapping one of their second-round picks (41st overall) for a fourth-rounder (112th overall) with the Giants, the Seahawks move up four spots and select their future franchise quarterback in Willis. Seattle hopes Drew Lock plays adequately until Willis, who has the highest ceiling of any quarterback in this class, is ready to see the field at the professional level."
Odegard: "The Seahawks dealt Russell Wilson to the Broncos and are embarking on a rebuild. This quarterback class isn't too good but Pete Carroll is already 70 and the team may push to turn things around sooner rather than later. Willis is the best choice if they are going to take that risk."
King: "One of the strangest prospects to come out in years. Was superb as a true frosh in 2019, and had great practice battles with Ja'Marr Chase. But Stingley played only 10 games in the last two years due to ankle, illness and Lisfranc issues, and now teams don't know what to think of him. But the Seahawks are desperate for corners this spring, and the 6-1 Stingley could be the kind of big and competitive corner Seattle longs for. "He's got the best feet of any corner I've ever seen," one evaluator says. That could be enough for a corner-needy team like Seattle to take this chance. Note 1: LSU's Pro Day is Wednesday, and Stingley's performance there will be very important for his draft stock. Note 2: The Vikings are interested in Stingley too, and they might view a one-year Patrick Peterson mentorship (LSU ties) worthy of trying to trade up for him."
Hanson has the Seahawks trading back, sending Pick No. 9 to Houston for No. 13 and a third-round pick (No. 68).
Hanson: "I slotted Malik Willis to the Seahawks in my mock 2.0, but they'll pass on a quarterback (for now) in this iteration to address their offensive line. Northern Iowa's left tackle will be making a jump from a much lower level of competition, but Penning has outstanding size, length (34¼" arms), strength, toughness and the nasty demeanor that his coaches will appreciate."
Hanson also mocks the Seahawks trading back into the first round, sending one of their two second-rounders (No. 40 overall) and a third (72 overall) to the Bengals for pick No. 31, which they use on Ole Miss QB Matt Corral.
Iyer: "Willis proved he can be a top-10 upside pick for a QB needy team, which the Seahawks are after the blockbuster Russell Wilson trade that yielded this pick in return. Willis can develop into their new version of Wilson with strong arm, fine athleticism and overall toughness."
Taking a look at what the experts think the Seahawks might do in the 2022 NFL Draft.
