The last time the Seattle Seahawks held a top-10 pick in the NFL draft was 2010, the first year of the Pete Carroll and John Schneider regime. While a couple of safeties they took later on got most of the attention, they used that first pick on Russell Okung, an OT prospect from Oklahoma State who went on to be their starting left tackle for the next six seasons.
While Okung was never a star, he played well enough to make two Pro Bowls and kept his job for a long time. Heading into the 2022 NFL draft, it’s possible we’ll see a similar situation unfold.
In a new 2022 mock from Luke Easterling at Draft Wire, the Seahawks use the No. 9 overall pick they got from the Broncos in the Russell Wilson trade on Mississippi State’s Charles Cross.
Cross (6-foot-5, 310 pounds) could be the answer to one of Seattle’s biggest personnel dilemnas this offseason: what to do with 36-year old left tackle Duane Brown. While he’s still a far-above-average player at his position, Brown admitted his performance in 2021 was below his standard. It’s possible the inevitable decline has already begun, which means finding a potential replacement as soon as possible is important.
