The Seattle Seahawks were at their best when they dominated the NFL defensively. For four straight seasons (2012-2015) they had the top defense in the league. While nobody can maintain a run like that forever, the results since then have been mostly underwhelming and disappointing. Pete Carroll admitted as much in his end-of-season press conference, when he told reporters that the ongoing defensive issues are “killing him.” Whatever they try schematically, the Seahawks will never get back to being an elite defense unless they get some serious upgrades at several positions.
Good news: this year Seattle has five picks in the first three rounds of the draft and the second-most capital all together. That puts them in rare position to get some real difference-makers on defense. So, who’s on their list? There are at least a few names we know for sure they’re interested in.
Here are all of the defensive prospects that Seattle has met with so far at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, according to Walter Football.
Georgia CB Kelee Ringo
Cornerback may not be a dire need for this roster. However, this draft class is deepest at this position and fans should expect to see at least one pick used on a corner. One of the best is Kelee Ringo (6-foot-2, 205 pounds), a physical defender who has helped contribute to the most dominant unit in college football the last two years, posting four interceptions and 15 pass breakups in 29 games. NFL Draft Buzz ranks him No. 5 among cornerbacks in this class.
Kansas State CB Julius Brents
Another intriguing member of the cornerback crop is Julius Brents, who’s one of the largest and longest in the group. Brents checks in at 6-foot-4, 204 pounds. He’s coming off a breakout season for Kansas State, having totaled four interceptions and 3.5 tackles for a loss. Brents is projected to be a third or fourth-round draft pick.
Washington State LB Daiyan Henley
With Jordyn Brooks coming off an ACL tear and both Cody Barton and Tanner Muse about to become free agents, Seattle may need to draft a linebacker even if they do wind up bringing back Bobby Wagner.
If they go local, the Seahawks might consider Daiyan Henley (6-foot-1, 220 pounds). Henley had the benefit of two Senior years, one at Nevada and another at Washington State. In those 24 combined games Henley made an impact at all three levels, racking up five interceptions, three forced fumbles, 200 tackles (14 for a loss) and four sacks.
Boise State S JL Skinner
Safety is probably the last position the Seahawks need help at with Jamal Adams and Quandre Diggs still under contract and Ryan Neal likely returning as a restricted free agent. However, one should never rule out picking an athlete like this. JL Skinner comes in a Kam Chancellor-like package at 6-foot-4 and 218 pounds and he does his best work being physical around the box. Skinner is projected to be a Round 2 pick and Pro Football Focus has him ranked as the fourth-best safety in this class.
Michigan DE Mike Morris
The Seahawks have a history of drafting Michigan defensive linemen, even before Jim Harbaugh’s time. Mike Morris is a bit bigger and heavier (6-foot-6, 278 pounds) than the usual type of DL prospect Seattle takes but his work in 2022 makes him hard to ignore. In 12 games he put up 7.5 sacks, 11 tackles for a loss and three pass breakups. Here’s the highlight reel.
