Dear Seattle Seahawk Fan,

Predicting what these Seahawks will do during the draft is a fool’s errand. Therefore, what I am attempting here is probably sillier than the Dumb and Dumber dudes on a mescaline bender inside a bouncy house listening to the Scissor Sisters.

But that said, I have a quasi Jedi sense on what I thinks going to happen with these Seahawks over the three day span of the draft, and if I’m wrong, well, I’ve just been watching too much of the Star Wars Rebels series in preparation of the Obi Won Kenobi show starting on May 25th (should have been set for May 4th, duh).

So, here we go. Here is my final bold prediction mock draft for these 2022 Seattle Seahawks.

With the 9th pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks trade with the Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings want to make a splash on their defense and trade up for Jordan Davis, and I will scream in agony (Davis is who I want Seattle to draft more than anyone else). Minnie sends Seattle picks 12 and 77, so there’s that.

With the 12th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select Trevor Penning, Offensive Tackle, Northern Iowa

There’s a lot of growing buzz around Penning to Seattle lately, and I can see why. He’s a huge tackle prospect, and he possesses crazy athleticism, and a plays with nasty edge. It’s worth noting that, with Andy Dickerson now coaching the line for Seattle from the Rams, there could be a shift in what Seattle now wants at offensive tackle. The Rams use taller tackles, and last year, Seattle drafted 6-8 Stone Forsythe as a developmental guy. Penning fits this profile with considerable more elite traits. Why am I confident that Seattle is about to make him their next starting left tackle? Pro Football Focus graded his run blocking last year at 99.9, the highest number that they have ever given a player, ever.

Trade Alert!

At pick 25, the Buffalo Bills trade their first rounder to the Seattle Seahawks for picks 40 and 72. Hmmm.. Seattle sees someone they love in this draft that they need to get back into round round for.

With the 25th Pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Seahawks Seahawks select Matt Corral, Quarterback, Ole Miss

Like Penning, there has been a steady buzz connecting Matt Corral with the Seattle Seahawks. I can see the reasons. His ultra quick release and athleticism makes him a good fit for the quick passing attack that Shane Waldron wants to run. The fact that over sixty percent of his passes came off of play action last year is a big tell. His college coach is Lane Kiffen, who is very close with Pete Carroll. He went to a high school in California that Pete Carroll is highly connected with. He models his game after Aaron Rodgers who is probably John Schneider’s favorite quarterback. I actually think it’s possible that he’s QB1 for this team, and I almost feel stronger about him being a Seahawk than I do Penning.

With the 41st pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks trade with the Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs want to move up to grab a prize safety and they trade to Seattle picks 50, 103, and 233. By trading back from 41 to 50, Seattle gets a late third round pick and another seventh rounder. In a deep draft, this is attractive enough.

With the 50th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select Abraham Lucas, Offensive tackle, Washington State

I just got a hunch that Seattle is going to be aggressive attacking offensive line in this draft, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they want to come out of this draft with two starting offensive tackles. I think Lucas is a highly underrated dude. He’s a good mover and pass blocker. They met with Lucas at the combine, and he’s a stated fan of the team. If they want him, I don’t think he will be there in round three. Might as well grab him here if he’s available.

With the 77th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select Leo Chenal, Linebacker, Wisconsin

Seahawks have a definite need at linebacker, and Clint Hurtt was promoted to coach up a more aggressive style defense. Chenal fits the mold of being aggressive, and he’s a very effective blitzer. What I really love about Chenal is his willingness to mix is up with guards and centers. He will need work as a coverage guy, but I can see Seattle being very attracted to his style on the whole, and I think he likely brings a level of bad ass that this defense frankly needs. I wouldn’t be upset with this pick. Dave Wyman will love him.

With the 103rd pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select Jalyn Armour-Davis, Cornerback, Alabama

I see Seattle taking a cornerback in this draft, and I think day two is likely. I think Armour-Davis is going to be a guy that they will likely target. He has a physical profile that they like, plays an aggressive style that they probably want, and he was coached by Karl Scott who is Seattle’s new secondary coach. I see a lot of dots connecting him to the Seahawks.

With the 109th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select Daemon Pierce, Running Back, Florida

Seahawks are going to draft a running back out of this draft. It’s a certain. The question is how soon? My hunch is that they don’t wait longer than this pick right here, and I think Daemon Pierce has a running style that screams Pete Carroll football. He’s physical, he’s got decent speed and is hard to bring down, and he can catch the rock out of the backfield. He would be a great competent to Rashaad Penny, especially if Chris Carson can’t play this year. He feels like a Seahawk runner.

With the 145th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select Michael Clemons, Edge Rusher, Texas A&M

Seahawks passed on edge rushers early to fill bigger needs at other spots but will feel great about taking this guy here. Clemons was a good player for A&M. I think his floor if pretty good. He will be an NFL player for years, likely. At this stage, Seattle is probably happy to pick him up for the depth he can provide with a chance at developing as a starter down the road.

With the 153rd Pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select Alec Lindstrom, Center, Boston College

I’m sure at some point in this draft, Seattle would love to pick up a developmental center who they think has a chance to be a good one in their zone blocking scheme. Like, Clemons, Lindstrom is a player with some decent refined qualities. I think he has a decent floor. I also think center is a position that you can sometimes find guys in later rounds to bring along. In round five, I’d be good about taking this guy, and I think Seattle would be too.

With the 229th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select Max Borghi, Running Back, Washington State

I am connecting Borghi to the Seahawks to compete for the third down back gig, and I think Seattle has followed him closely. He’s a scrappy dude who isn’t shy about contact, and is a really good receiver out of the backfield. I also think he’d be a pretty willing special teamer. I suspect that Seattle is into him. This would be a really fun pick for the fans.

With the 223rd pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select Jalen Nailor, Wide Receiver, Michigan State

Pete Carroll is always looking for the down field threats and at this stage in the draft, taking a flyer on Nailor feels like a smart move. He’s a shifty dude who averaged over 17 yards per catch last year, and he carried out of the backfield some. For me, I see him as a backup to what they want out of Dee Eskridge, and a likely fifth receiver candidate.

Thoughts about Trevor Penning taken first and adding Abraham Lucas round two

With no Duane Brown or Brandon Shell on this roster right now, the Seahawks are terrifyingly thin at offensive tackle with unproven Stone Forsythe at left tackle, and Jake Curhan at right tackle. Curhan showed some promise late last season, but he might ultimately be a better guard than a tackle in this league.

Trevor Penning makes sense on a lot of levels, as stated above. He’s got size and elite athleticism, and he’s known to be a very hard worker who loves passionately football. I think he also had some pretty good games against bigger programs last year that got NFL scouts excited about his potential. I wouldn’t hate this pick. That 99.9 run blocking grade from PFF gets my juices flowing, and I’m sure it does for Seattle, as well.

Abraham Lucas makes a TON of sense. It makes sense for Seattle to want to walk out of this draft knowing that they have their bookend tackles nailed down for the next several years.

I think Lucas is a guy that projects as a top level right tackle, and I honestly wouldn’t be upset if he was taken round one. He’s also supposedly a big Seahawks fan, so getting a guy here with his talent, that wants to play for this program, also makes tons of sense.

I will be incredibly happy if the Seahawks walk out of this draft with Abraham Lucas.

Thoughts about the Seahawks trading up for Matt Corral

I’m not a fan of taking a quarterback this year. I don’t know if I’m a fan of taking one next year, as well.

I prefer the Seahawks to trade for Baker Mayfield, sign him to a short extension, and giver him a two year window to establish himself as the franchise quarterback. He’s a proven commodity who has faced and beaten top NFL defenses. When healthy, I think he’s solidly a top fifteen quarterback in the league, and he probably hasn’t reached his ceiling yet as a pro.

I’m also not convinced there is any quarterback in this draft (or even next year’s) who will be any better than Mayfield, so why not just go get Mayfield, and use the top end picks at other positions of need? It just makes too much sense for me not to do it.

That said, I gotta vibe that Seattle wants to draft a quarterback high this year, and have that dude on a rookie deal while they fork over the big bucks to keep DK Metcalf here for the longer haul. I believe this is the plan, and if it is Matt Corral, I will kinda sorta dig that.

He’s the only quarterback of this class that gets my juices flowing. That release of his is next level, and while he was very much a system quarterback in college, I don’t necessarily consider that a bad thing for the Seahawks with their system. I think there’s potentially a very good fit here with him.

It’s also very interesting to me that the quarterback he most emulates is Aaron Rodgers, who slid into the twenties during the 2005 draft because he was viewed by the league as merely a “system quarterback” in college. Apparently, being a system guy didn’t bother John Schneider when he was a key front office person in Green Bay and they selected Rodgers that year.

For me, Matt Corral is essentially Jimmy Garoppolo if Jimmy G was more athletic, and had a better arm. A stronger armed Jimmy G with faster wheels isn’t the worst thing to have as your starting quarterback. In fact, I think that sounds pretty good.

I would say that if there’s one thing about Corral that makes me nervous, it’s his narrow frame. Russell Wilson was a short quarterback and his height hindered him some, but he was a stocky dude who could take punishment. Corral is taller, but he’s super wiry, and I think he’s going to have to learn how to avoid the hits in this league. This is the only thing about him that makes me slightly nervous. Your best ability will always be availability.

But, I like him. If Pete and John love this dude, I’m intrigued.

Final Thoughts

I’m not super stoked about the Seahawks going heavy on offense with this draft, but I’m prepared for it. I would prefer them to stay at 9, and possibly grab Jordan Davis, who I think is destined to become a rare game wrecking defense tackle for years.

But, I see the writings on the wall. Without Duane Brown and Brandon Shell, Seattle’s offensive line looks like a horrific mess. Even if they are both brought back, both positions need to be addressed for the longer haul, and so does center. Therefore, I’m anticipating that they will add at least three O-liners out of this class, and possibly more.

I’m pretty convinced that they will also draft a quarterback high, even though they remain somewhat connected to Baker Mayfield. I kinda think the Mayfield situation might be the fall back plan more than anything else, but we will see. The one thing that I’m certain of is that this team doesn’t want the main quarterback competition to come down to Geno Smith battling Drew Lock, and Jacob Eason. This, I’m sure of.

I also feel strongly that they need to grab a running back, and it might be wishful thinking on my part that they wait until the middle rounds. It could happen much sooner.

I don’t think they’re going to take an edge rusher high. I think the big dollars that they gave to Uchenna Nwosu signals that they know they aren’t going to land a premier edge rusher, and they are prepped to address other big needs with their higher picks. I also suspect that Carlos Dunlap could easily be brought back in for another season after the draft, and next year’s draft looks to be a good one again for defensive linemen and edge defenders.

I think they are going to try to land a stud linebacker and a starting caliber corner. This draft is deep enough at both positions that can probably wait to the third round (if they wanted to), and Seattle has yet to draft a corner higher than round three under Pete Carroll.

So, there it is. There you have it. This is my big bold mock draft prediction.

And we are a few short days away from where I will be completely proven wrong about all of this.

Just go get Baker and draft Jordan Davis.

Go Hawks.