The Seahawks have lost their members of the Legion of Boom. It was quite apparent last season as well. Can the Seahawks make enough moves to make the defense relevant again?
The Offense
If the Seahawks do not sign Russell Wilson to an extension then this mock goes completely differently. For now let us assume that they come to an agreement. They have two very good running backs in second year man Rashad Penny and underrated Chris Carson. With the uncertainty behind Doug Baldwin’s health the Seahawks may want to make an addition at wide receiver. Tyler Lockett really stepped up last season and is looking to leap even further.
Will Dissly looked really good before a season ending injury took him out of the lineup. Nick Vannett filled in well but was not the difference maker that Dissly was. If Dissly does not recover well then it is a position that should be addressed. The offensive line was great in run blocking, ranking 12th in the NFL but ranked 30th in pass protection. Adding a tackle to pair with Duane Brown would be smart as I Germain Ifedi has not lived up to his hype.
The Defense
Richard Sherman is on the 49ers, Kam Chancellor retired, and Earl Thomas is on the Ravens. Bobby Wagner and K.J. Wright are the only players left from that dominating defense. Frank Clark is a beast on the edge but they lack any pass rush on the opposite side. To really get the most out of Clark they should add some pass rush on the edge. Jarran Reed seems to be a stud in the middle and they could easily slide Quinton Jefferson in to play alongside him.
At linebacker they still have one of the best in the league with Bobby Wagner but he is aging. His sidekick is still K.J. Wright but same goes for him. Barkevious Mingo is playing strongside after he played well enough last season the retain the job. The Seahawks do have Austin Calitro waiting for a chance as he played well in limited opportunity last season.
The secondary is a mess, outside of Bradley MacDougald, as their best defensive back is Shaquill Griffen. Griffen is best suited to be a team’s second corner, never number one. Tre Flowers and Tedrich Thompson are best used for depth. Almost the entire defense could use an upgrade.
Round 1, Pick #21 Oshane Ximines, Edge- Old Dominion
Finding an edge rusher to pair with Frank Clark is a great idea for the Seahawks. The best way to start building your defense is with your defensive line. Oshane Ximines has had a very productive career at Old Dominion. He totaled 176 tackles, 51 tackles for a loss, 32.5 sacks, 12 passes defended, one interception, 11 forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries in 49 games.
Ximines is the type of player that Pete Carroll will love. He listens to coaches well and takes the advice and applies it to game play. His play is extremely smooth and has great use of both hands and feet in his pass rush moves. With a wide array of pass rush moves Ximines could thrive playing across Frank Clark.
Round 3, Pick #85 Kris Boyd, Cornerback- Texas
Kris Boyd is a tank at the cornerback position. He stands at 5’11 and 201 Lbs. and ran a 4.45 second 40 yard dash. Boyd is a bully in bump and run as most receivers are not as physically strong as he is. Physical play is another trait for Boyd although at times this makes him prone to pass interference calls.
Boyd is never afraid to attempt to make a play on the football. In 25 games during the last two seasons he was able to accrue 30 passes defended. This sort of physicality is a Seahawks trait through and through. Boyd is not a number one corner but he is better than anybody else the Seahawks have and could push Griffen for number one duties.
Round 4, Pick #125 Olisaemeka Udoh, Offensive Tackle- Elon
Udoh is a huge and powerful presence from the tackle position. He has a grip to keep opposing rushers in place and is a very nasty finisher. His feet are quicker than you would think for a man who is 6’5 and 323 Lbs. Those feet allow him to react to counter moves well and can also kick outside well.
Pass blocking is something that Udoh excels at which is something that the Seahawks line lacks at. Germain Ifedi is a failed experiment and needs to be put to bench duty. Udoh is an incredibly intelligent athlete which means he is coachable. Even before coaching he is in upgrade for the team and is a great pick in the fourth round.
Round 5, Pick #160 E.J. Ejiya, Linebacker- North Texas
This may be a bit of a reach but it screams Seahawks pick. Ejiya has been a monster for North Texas for the past two seasons. In 26 games he racked up 229 tackles, 37.5 tackles for a loss, 16 sacks, one forced fumble and a fumble recovery. There is no denying Ejiya’s ability to find the football. When you watch his tape he pops up on almost every play.
Everybody knows that the linebacker corps for the Seahawks is aging and will not last forever. Ejiya can tackle, rush the passer and is a force in the running game. His Senior season he had nine sacks and 25.5 tackles for a loss to go with 121 tackles. He definitely has the ability, and playing behind or next to Bobby Wagner should benefit him real well.
Summary
With only four picks in the 2019 draft the Seahawks make the best of it. Oshane Ximines is added in the first round to start across from Frank Clark, something that should be great for both parties. Without a second round pick the Seahawks add to their secondary by grabbing physical cornerback Kris Boyd out of Texas. In the fourth They attack the offensive line by grabbing small school tackle Olisaemeka Udoh out of Elon. With the final pick the Seahawks reach for a play maker from another small school prospect in E.J. Ejiya who looks to follow Bobby Wagner.
Follow me on Twitter @JoeyTheToothIDP. Keep an eye out for the rest of my mock draft series as I cover every team leading up to the draft. Remember…the Tooth has the taste for IDP.
