The Seattle Seahawks have the fifth-overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft as part of the Russell Wilson trade, and the 20th overall pick on their own. General manager John Schneider and head coach Pete Carroll haven’t had a draft haul like this since 2010, when they selected tackle Russell Okung and safety Earl Thomas with the sixth and 14th picks, and that went pretty well.
Here, Doug Farrar and Kyle Madson put on their Seahawks GM hats and try to figure out what Seattle’s brain trust should do with those picks.
Doug: Defense, defense, defense. I can see the logic in Seattle taking a receiver to work with DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, but they have a boatload of picks in this draft because of the Wilson trade, and it’s a very deep receiver class, so they can get that done later. Jalen Carter will probably be there at five, and the Seahawks could absolutely use him along their defensive line, but I asked both Carroll and Schneider at the combine why their 2022 draft was so much better than the 5-6 classes before, and they both responded with the importance of getting guys who had no issues getting onto the field right away with the right mentality as opposed to betting on pure talent and not doing due diligence with the off-field stuff. So, I’m not sure they want to take that risk, even though Carter is the best overall player in this class based on his tape.
In my latest mock, I have Seattle taking Oregon cornerback Christian Gonzalez with the fifth pick, and Pitt defensive lineman Calijah Kancey with the 20th. Both players have reams of ridiculous tape, and both blew up their combine drills, proving once again that there aren’t any issues above the neck. They are both plug-and-play players, and both could help set Seattle back on a Legion of Boom path.
Kyle: Two things here.
ONE: Shoutout to the Seahawks for not needing offensive line help in the first round.
TWO: They may not take a running back with either pick. I will not allow it. I don’t care if Bijan Robinson is there at 20. Someone take away Pete Carroll’s controller if he tries doing this.
But yeah, it’s hard to argue with a defense-heavy look here. Gonzalez would pair really nicely with Tariq Woolen, and I think Pete Carroll would have some fun utilizing Kancey’s athleticism. Myles Murphy from Clemson is another player I could see Carroll really liking. He’s not an edge rusher in the traditional sense, but I think he’s gonna be a player who finds a home as an edge setter on base downs and an interior pass rusher in sub packages.
HOWEVER, if something weird happens and Bryce Young falls to No. 5 – that has to be the pick unless a team is dying to move up for him in which case trade back and go to town. I think Young is the only offensive player that makes real sense for Seattle. Maybe if Smith-Njigba gets to 20 then it’s just a matter of taking the best player available, but I’d be pretty surprised if the Seahawks aren’t leaving Day 1 with a pair of defenders.
