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Garett Bolles and Seattle Seahawks are perfect NFL Draft match

By Sayre Bedinger

Mar 3, 2017; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Utah Utes offensive lineman Garrett Bolles goes through workout drills during the 2017 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 3, 2017; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Utah Utes offensive lineman Garrett Bolles goes through workout drills during the 2017 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Seattle Seahawks had some of the worst offensive line play in the NFL in 2016. Garett Bolles of Utah could be exactly the player they need…

The Seattle Seahawks need to get nasty on the offensive line, and Garett Bolles could be a cornerstone piece for them moving forward.

Picking near the bottom of the 2017 NFL Draft, the Seahawks may have to get lucky and have the board fall their way a little bit for Bolles to even be available. Some consider the former Utah product to be a top 10 selection, while others don’t see him lasting past the 20th pick with the Denver Broncos.

Bolles’ nasty style of play and elite athletic ability mesh well with what Seattle likes to do offensively, which took a major step back in 2016 thanks to poor offensive line play. The Seahawks as a team ranked 25th in rushing, which can be attributed largely to the departure of Marshawn Lynch (retirement) and the various injuries at running back.

Still, Seattle’s line wasn’t a huge help, and they also gave up 48 sacks last season, including six in the postseason.

Despite Seattle’s deficiency offensively, they were still very close to contending for another Super Bowl and have proven to be one of the NFL’s most resilient teams.

That resilience is precisely the name of Garett Bolles’ game. Bolles couldn’t stay out of trouble as a teenager, but turned his life around and enrolled at Snow College in Utah where he got back into football shape, and earned a scholarship to play for Utah.

With the Utes, Bolles was a fantastic player, even if just for one season. His athleticism is off the charts, and his nastiness is something every offensive line coach in the league is going to love.

The catch?

Bolles is going to be 25 years old as a rookie, which is a bit of a turnoff for some. His ability isn’t really in question, though he has flaws just like every other prospect. After all, he played just one year of major division one college football.

However, his flaws are correctible, and with the Seahawks, he would be able to play either right or left tackle to start off his career. The Seahawks signed Luke Joeckel in free agency, but I can’t imagine the plan is for him to start at left tackle. If it is, they need Bolles or someone else in the mix.

I happen to like the fit of Bolles with Seattle because I think he fits the style Pete Carroll likes in a young player, and I think Tom Cable could help correct his flaws rather quickly.

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