The Seahawks have had managed exactly one good offensive line pick in the last 12 years. With their first selection ever in the draft leading the franchise, Pete Carroll and John Schneider chose Oklahoma State’s Russell Okung at No. 6 overall back in 2010. Okung went on to be a respectable starter at left tackle for Seattle the next six years and was effectively their only above-average lineman for much of that time.
Heading into the 2022 NFL draft, Seattle once again has a need at left tackle. Veteran Duane Brown is still a free agent and will turn 37 years old just before next season begins, so he’s not a long-term solution.
The safest choice the Seahawks could make on Thursday night when they’re on the clock at No. 9 overall is picking the top offensive tackle that’s available. In a new mock draft from NFL Network, the best one in the class falls into their laps in round one. Rhett Lewis has Alabama’s stud Evan Neal landing in Seattle at that spot.
With the 9th pick, @RhettNFL has the @Seahawks bolstering their O-Line with @ENeal73 from @AlabamaFTBL! pic.twitter.com/CyyCzEiQE9
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) April 25, 2022
NC State’s Ikem Ekwonu may be the best run blocker in this group (he’s certainly the meanest). However, Neal appears to be the top overall prospect in a deep class of offensive tackles.
Neal (6-foot-7, 337 pounds) has plenty of power, athleticism and length, but it’s his technical refinement that really stands out on tape. One look at Neal’s backside blocks and you’ll see a rare level of execution for a 21-year old lineman. He also comes ready-made as an ace in pass protection.
Career pressure rate allowed on 3rd-and-4-plus at offensive tackle, per @PFF:
Bernhard Raimann — 3.3% (150 snaps)
Evan Neal — 4.3% (212)
Ikem Ekwonu — 4.5% (290)Tyler Smith — 6.4% (251)
Charles Cross — 6.5% (214)Trevor Penning — 7.8% (309)
— Austin Gayle (@PFF_AustinGayle) April 24, 2022
It’s difficult to screw up a top-10 overall pick, even for teams that have a poor track record in the draft. Neal would be about as close to a slam-dunk as these things get, though. That has a strong appeal for a front office desperate to claim a victory.
