According to a report by Brady Henderson at ESPN, the Seattle Seahawks likely would have traded down out of the No. 9 overall spot in the 2022 NFL draft if Charles Cross had not been available.
Apparently, the Mississippi State OT was the final prospect they were prepared to take at that position and the board fell just right for them.
“With the top two pass-rushers (Travon Walker and Aidan Hutchinson), the top two corners (Derek Stingley Jr. and Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner) and two of the top three tackles (Ikem Ekwonu and Evan Neal) taken among the first eight picks, Cross was the only player left the Seahawks wanted to draft at No. 9, according to a source. They needed pass-rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux (whom they didn’t like) and receiver Drake London (whom they didn’t need) to come off the board in order for Cross — their second-rated tackle behind Ekwonu — to still be there.”
Interesting stuff. We’d love to know why they didn’t like Thibodeaux but odds are we’ll never find out.
Anyway, taking Cross was probably the safest and smartest choice they could make in Round 1 given their poor history with offensive line prospects. Picking a left tackle as early as possible gave them the best chance to get a good one.
Cross is a little small for a pro left tackle and he sometimes had issues with power rushers. However, he’s an excellent athlete for his position and his tape is strong enough to believe he can develop into a respectable starter.
