Sometimes the stars align and a special player falls into your lap. In 2019 the Seahawks got lucky enough to watch 31 other teams inexplicably pass on DK Metcalf twice before he finally landed in Seattle. Last year, 152 other players were picked before Tariq Woolen came off the board.
It happens again in Mel Kiper’s latest 2023 mock draft. Here’s how his first five picks went:
1. Carolina Panthers: Ohio State QB C.J. Stroud
2. Houston Texans: Alabama QB Bryce Young
3. Indianapolis Colts (via trade): Kentucky QB Will Levis
4. Arizona Cardinals (via trade): Alabama EDGE Will Anderson Jr.
5. Seattle Seahawks: Florida QB Anthony Richardson
Unlike most of us, Kiper is not cranking out these mocks online in five minutes to share on Twitter. This is the second time he’s mocked Richardson to Seattle, which indicates legitimate interest on Seattle’s part.
Richardson is far from the most pro-ready QB in this class, but he has the highest ceiling when it comes to athletic potential. He set a new standard in quarterback testing at the combine, showcasing unprecedented explosiveness in a frame only slightly smaller than Cam Newton’s.
The knock on Richardson is that he’s still too raw, which is true. Then again, the Seahawks don’t need him to start anytime soon. Geno Smith just agreed to a flexibile and team-friendly three-year deal, so Richardson would have all the time he needs to learn and develop as needed.
For what it’s worth, getting a Newton-like asset is not a new idea for Pete Carroll and John Schneider. They were the last team to show some serious interest in Newton when Russell Wilson suffered his hand injury in 2021. Richardson may never approach Newton’s peak form and he didn’t have a college season anything like Cam at Auburn in 2010. However, at the very least he has all the physical tools he needs to succeed.
Moving on, when Seattle is on the clock later on in Round 1 Kiper has them picking Ohio State wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. He admitted it was a tough choice, though.
“This was a tough pick for me. It could be a front-seven player; Seattle ranked 27th in yards per carry allowed (4.9) last season, though it added free agent tackle Dre’Mont Jones to help. Edge rushers Will McDonald IV (Iowa State) and Myles Murphy (Clemson) could make sense. I also thought about interior offensive line, but it might be a little too high for guard O’Cyrus Torrence (Florida). So if I’m getting the Seahawks a project quarterback at No. 5, why not add a wideout who could make things easier on offense?”
Smith-Njigba has become a pretty popular mock pick for Seattle at No. 20 overall. While he only has a small sample size of outstanding play, it was good neough to believe he’ll make it at the next level.
