The 2022 NFL draft is set to begin in just a few hours. This close to the draft there’s a ton of misdirection going on in the media, so everything you read up until Commissioner Roger Goodell takes the stage should be taken with a heavy dose of sodium.
That said, we can offer our best educated guess as to what the Seattle Seahawks will do when they’re on the clock at No. 9 overall. Here are a few potential scenarios we’ve come up with, mostly leaning on what national and local beat writers have been reporting/predicting over the last several days.
Trading up?
We think this is unlikely, but for what it’s worth, PFF’s NFL reporter Doug Kyed is speculating Seattle could be looking to move up in the draft. It’s not clear if he meant in the first round or later on, but for now we’ll assume he means up from No. 9 overall. If that’s the move then the plan has to be taking a potential new franchise quarterback. Liberty’s Malik Willis is the consensus QB1 in this class, but the Seahawks may be madly in love with Cincinnati’s Desmond Ridder.
Trade back into first round?
If Ridder is the target odds are Seattle won’t have to trade up for him anyway, as there’s no consensus top overall QB-prospect in this class. It’s possible the plan is to either trade down from No. 9 into the teens and take Ridder there or move up from their two picks in Round 2 (Nos. 40 and 41) and select him near the end of the first round.
Mid-round prospects to watch
The Seahawks could be targetting a pair of other prospects in the teens if they do trade down in Round 1. Some of the players who they’re reported to be high on include Georgia DT Jordan Davis and LSU CB Derek Stingley Jr.. The hottest name connected to the team in this department though is Northern Iowa OT Trevor Penning. If they do move down, they could pair one of these guys along with Ridder in Round 1.
Baker or Baker Jr. on Day 2?
ESPN has also reported that Seattle “likes” North Carolina quarterback Sam Howell and may target him Day 2. He has a reputation as a gunslinger and is drawing a ton of comparisons to Baker Mayfield, who the Browns might trade at some point on Friday. Mayfield’s contract is a major burden for Cleveland though and odds are they will have to eat a large portion of his fully-guaranteed 2022 salary for any team to agree to a deal.
Stars aligning at these 2 positions
The deepest positions in this draft class are EDGE and offensive tackle, which are both major needs for the Seahawks right now. They currently have no proven starter at either left or right tackle and they need more help at EDGE after designating Carlos Dunlap a post-June 1 cut and releasing both Kerry Hyder Jr. and Benson Mayowa. That means big, athletic edge defender prospects should be on their radar. Boye Mafe, Drake Jackson and Kingsley Enagbare are among those who fit the profile.
The OT group is also deep, so Seattle can probably afford to wait until Round 3 or 4 to address these particular needs.
Expect the unexpected
The best advice we can give for fans is not to get too hung up on any one prospect. Pete Carroll and John Schneider have a well-established reputation for upending expectations this time of year, especially on the first night of the draft. For better or worse, they have a very-different way of approaching it than most NFL teams – and especially from what analysts expect from a modern front office.
A recent analysis showed the Seahawks have used a lower percentage of first-round picks on premium positions (QB, WR, OT, EDGE) than any other team since the 2011 class.
This is why listening to the beat writers to get the pulse makes more sense than the average draft expert.
So, what will actually happen?
Their plans can always be upset by other teams making trades and picks, but we’re willing to believe the traditional journalists on this one. Odds are Seattle’s interest in Ridder is real. We’re betting he’s their first pick after trading down.
