For some people, the New Year is all about making resolutions: lose weight, quit smoking, smash the patriarchy, and so on. For the Seahawks, 2023 offers a rare to chance to truly improve themselves by upgrading the roster. At the moment they hold two of the top 12 picks in the draft, including No. 3 overall, which they got from the Broncos in the Russell Wilson trade. Seattle also has Denver’s second-round choice and five of the top 81 picks overall.
If the front office decides to make some resolutions for this coming year, these three should be at the top: 1. learn how to stop the run, 2. get Uchenna Nwosu some help on the edge and 3. find an inside linebacker who won’t get zapped in coverage by Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay.
In our second seven-round 2023 mock draft, we hit all three resolutions early and picked up a few interesting playmakers along the way…
Pick No. 3: Georgia DT Jalen Carter
Taking a defensive tackle this early may raise some eyebrows, but the Seahawks shouldn’t overthink this. When the consensus best player in the draft is there at No. 3 and also happens to play your biggest position of need you take him. Carter (6-foot-3, 310 pounds) is only one man but disruptive enough to engineer an end to this team’s run defense woes. He may also be the best iDL prospect to come along in a decade.
Pick No. 12: Clemson LB Trenton Simpson
Again, an off-ball linebacker this early in the draft is a question mark, but Simpson (6-foot-3, 225 pounds) checks too many boxes to ignore. He can get to the quarterback, having posted 13 sacks in 33 games. Simpson can also make them pay dropping back into zone and thrives getting off blocks and making tackles for a loss, which he had 23 of at Clemson.
Pick No. 36: Florida DT Gervon Dexter
Pick No. 50: Georgia TE Darnell Washington
Washington (6-foot-7, 265 pounds) is one of the most unique physical specimens in this draft class. His size and power help make him a high-level blocker and his explosiveness makes him a threat after the catch, a quality that the current Seahawks offense doesn’t have nearly enough of.
Pick No. 81: Washington EDGE Bralen Trice
The Seahawks desperately need to improve their pass rush rotation, and this local product might be able to help. Trice (6-foot-4, 260 pounds) showed out at the Alamo Bowl last night and finishes the 2022 season with 10 sacks.
Pick No. 118: Iowa State EDGE Will McDonald IV
Doubling up at both defensive tackle and along the edge gives Seattle the best chance at improving both positions. McDonald (6-foot-4, 245 pounds) has racked up 34 sacks and 40.5 tackles for a loss in 48 games.
Pick No. 147: Oklahoma RB Eric Gray
Seattle may need another infusion at running back, depending on how healthy Rashaad Penny looks this spring and if they want to bring him back for another round. Travis Homer is also a free agent, underscoring the need for more youth, here. Gray (5-foot-9, 206 pounds) posted 11 touchdowns and 1,364 rushing yards this year and averaged 8.4 yards per carry in his career.
Pick No. 150: Wisconsin C Joe Tippman
The Seahawks’ interior offensive line could also use some maintenance. Tippman (6-foot-6, 312 pounds) gives them another option at center if they choose to let the 30-year old Austin Blythe go.
Pick No. 190: West Virginia WR Bryce Ford-Wheaton
Seattle’s receiver corps could use another big receiver with a wide catch radius. Ford-Wheaton (6-foot-3, 220 pounds) is coming off a breakout season, posting 62 catches, 675 receiving yards and seven touchdowns.
