The Seattle Seahawks should have a plethora of options at the number 9 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
This offseason has been one of the most exciting and chaotic offseasons in recent memory, maybe ever. One move that kickstarted the craze on the market was the trade that sent Russell Wilson from the Seattle Seahawks to the Denver Broncos for a return that included the ninth overall selection in the 2022 NFL Draft.
The move did a few things for Seattle. First and foremost it was the sure sign that somewhat of a rebuild was coming. The following move of releasing Bobby Wagner reinforced those notions and while it might not be a complete teardown of the roster, it’s at least a reset at key positions. The other thing the deal did was reintroduce the Seattle Seahawks to the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Seattle’s original pick in the first went to the New York Jets in the deal for Jamal Adams that included their 2021 first as well. In fact, since the 2013 NFL Draft the Seahawks have picked in the first round just four times, taking Germain Ifedi in 2016, Rashaad Penny in 2018, L.J. Collier in 2019 and Jordyn Brooks in 2020.
This will be the first time Seattle has picked inside the Top 10 since 2010, when they took Russell Okung with the sixth pick, and just the fourth time since the 2000 NFL Draft. Needless to say, this is relatively new territory for the Seahawks.
5 Players The Seattle Seahawks Should Consider With The No. 9 Pick In The 2022 NFL Draft
Without Russell Wilson the rest of the roster will have more pressure to play at a high level. Wilson won’t be there to bail out the team. The Seahawks have to build this roster to compete across the board in a heavily competitive division. That work will begin in the trenches, but should certain playmakers fall down the board it will be hard to turn away for the Seahawks who have a multitude of needs.
Seattle Seahawks First Round Target #1: Charles Cross, OT, Mississippi State
Offensive line has been a need for the Seattle Seahawks for a long time. The picks that have come in have struggled to find their rhythm and you can rely on veterans for only so long. With Wilson out in Seattle, the Seahawks can’t hope that their quarterback can keep the play alive anymore. The protection up front needs to be upgraded after allowing 46 sacks last season.
The Seahawks made a strong addition with Austin Blythe in the center of the line, but Jake Curhan and Stone Forsythe can’t be their starting tackles during the 2022 season. That can’t be the situation you put Drew Lock in, or any quarterback for that matter, and expect results.
Odds are by the ninth pick Evan Neal and Ikem Ekwonu will be off the board, even if there is a quarterback frenzy at the top of the draft. That will leave Seattle choosing between the rest of the field and one name being talked about in the tier directly below Neal and Ekwonu is Charles Cross.
Cross was a two-year starter that allowed him to gain experience and showcase consistency. Those are two key aspects for the Seahawks to monitor as they will help the transition to the NFL. Those two paired with his frame provide the base for a strong future in the NFL. There’s aspects that Cross will need to clean up, like his athleticism and not holding, but those can come in time. For now, he would make a great addition to this offensive line that direly needs help.
Seattle Seahawks First Round Target #2: Trevor Penning, OT, Northern Iowa
As I said, the Seattle Seahawks need to invest in the trenches with the nine pick one way or another. While Charles Cross has consistently been mentioned in the conversation around the Top 10 with Neal and Ekwonu he is far from the only tackle that the Seahawks can consider in the first round.
While the type of competition is different than Cross, Trevor Penning continues to gain steam as we near the 2022 NFL Draft. However, in makes sense as a 6-foot-7 offensive tackle that has impressed in various situations is hard to ignore.
Penning first broke out at the Senior Bowl and then carried that momentum into the NFL Combine. Penning started at left tackle for three years and checks off nearly every measurable box. Those measurables combined with a bit of a mean streak on the field shows why Penning is drawing attention from teams around the NFL.
The downside to Penning is that mean streak can sometimes turn sour. Whether it’s mistakes or penalties, those errors need to be reeled in a bit. However, what things need to be touched up are addressable for an NFL coaching staff. He’s a bit more raw than Cross, but might have a higher ceiling with the right mentorship.
Seattle Seahawks First Round Target #3: Travon Walker, EDGE, Georgia
While offensive line is the biggest need of the Seattle Seahawks, that doesn’t always mean that’s the position of choice in the first round. If the Seahawks do indeed opt to go to a position other than offensive tackle in the first round, they would be wise to move to the other side of the line and add to their pass rush.
Shelby Harris came to the Seahawks in the Wilson trade with Denver and Seattle brought back Quinton Jefferson in free agency. Uchenna Nwosu was also added through the free agent market, so there’s been an emphasis on improving the front seven. However, a top tier edge rusher from a deep class in the 2022 NFL Draft could take this unit to another level.
Travon Walker has been climbing draft boards over the last few months and it makes sense why. Walker was on a very talented Georgia defense that didn’t exactly allow players to stuff the stat sheet with so much talent on the roster, but since then Walker has shined in the pre-draft process.
Built for a 3-4 defense, Walker would fit well into the Seattle defense and would be able to take on a role similar to what we saw out of Carlos Dunlap with the Seahawks. The one hang up for Walker will be how he transitions to the NFL.
At Georgia he struggled to matchup with Evan Neal in games against Alabama, so there will need to be progress made by Walker for him to reach a dominant level, especially in the pass rush. However, the raw talent in Walker is enough to create intrigue within the Top 10.
Seattle Seahawks First Round Target #4: Jermaine Johnson, EDGE, Florida State
Like Cross and Penning, there are plenty of options on the edge in this class as well. Travon Walker has been a name to follow all offseason, but another one that might be jumping past him on lists is Jermaine Johnson. The former Last Chance U star has put together an impressive last few months that have many mocks placing him in the top 10 of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Through the draft process Walker and Johnson have been near identical so this will be a hard decision to make if it comes down to these two. For Combine grades, Johnson received a 6.49 and Walker a 6.48 on the NFL’s website. As for Next Gen Stats, Johnson was an 81 while Walker came in at 80. They are nearly neck-and-neck.
The big difference between Johnson and Walker is the timeline. Johnson seems to have a bit higher of a ceiling, but lacks the experience that Walker gained with Georgia during the 2021 season against some of college football’s top talent.
While Johnson is great in the passing game, he has some work to do in the run game. However, in the NFC West that might not matter as much. While the 49ers, Rams and Cardinals run, it isn’t exactly from a strong running back so those flaws for Johnson would be masked a bit in Seattle.
Seattle Seahawks First Round Target #5: Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner, CB, Cincinnati
If the Seahawks go anywhere other than the trenches there’s only a few players who would be worth the pick. Forcing a quarterback shouldn’t be the plan at this point for Seattle and they are set at wide receiver, at least for now and in terms of first round talent. That really just leaves the defensive side of the ball and the list of players worth a top 10 pick that aren’t on the defensive line is slim. However, at the top of that list is Ahmad Gardner.
Gardner has taken over the recognition of being the top corner in this 2022 NFL Draft and is now working his way up the draft boards. Some have him as high as fourth and I even mentioned him as someone the Lions could consider with the second pick. If he falls down to ninth there at least has to be consideration from Seattle.
Gardner received the sixth-highest score at the NFL Combine and was fifth on the Next Gen Stats list, while also being the top defensive back. At 6-foot-3, Gardner checks off size and his 4.41 40-yard dash shows promising speed. Those two attributes have brought along comparisons to Richard Sherman.
If Gardner truly is on the Richard Sherman level, he could be a great get for Seattle to move along this defense and potentially begin the formation of a new Legion of Boom.