How To Get It Right With Only Three Picks

COLLEGE STATION, TX – OCTOBER 12: Alabama Crimson Tide offensive lineman Landon Dickerson (69) looks on … [+] during the college football game between the Alabama Crimson Tide and Texas A&M Aggies on October 12, 2019 at Kyle Field in College Station, Texas. (Photo by Daniel Dunn / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Times change and the brightest decision makers adapt. Such is the case of Pete Carroll, Seattle Seahawks coach, and John Schneider, general manager.

They used a draft-picking strategy to build a highly reliable team that has made the playoffs eight times in the past nine years. But this time around, they issued their capital draft early, both to lower their risk on a draft that was more difficult to scouting than ever before and to open the shrinking window to winning with Russell Wilson in his prime.

Trades to get the safety of stars Jamal Adams, pass rusher Carlos Dunlap and guard Gabe Jackson left the Seahawks with just three draft picks, the highest being number 56. No team has fewer cards to play, which is why they are so active outdoors were agency.

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Team needs

Along with signing Dunlap and returning Chris Carson, they’ve added pieces all over the field: the tight end Gerald Everett, the defensive end Kerry Hyder, the cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon, and the defensive tackles Jarran Reed and Al Woods. They also have a deal with linebacker Aldon Smith (who fired Wilson three times last season when Seattle faced Dallas), but it seems likely that he will disband because he was charged on battery after an incident in New Orleans.

While Carroll would love to make the Seahawks less dependent on Wilson’s downfield hits against DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, protecting him so he can get the ball to Metcalf and Lockett remains the priority. Seattle gave up 48 bags in 2020, more than all but four teams. Jackson will help, but Schneider devoured college tapes looking for another interior designer to help.

Cornerback Shaquill Griffin jumped to Jacksonville (three years, $ 40 million), and it’s not clear if Carroll is happy with a tandem of Witherspoon and Tre Flowers. The other fascinating option is to add an edge player who can help put pressure on the passers-by they face at NFC West (Matthew Stafford, Kyler Murray and Jimmy Garopollo, or the quarterback the 49ers got after acquiring the third choice).

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Second round goals

Will Alabama Center Landon Dickerson Slip to 56th Election? He could have been a top 10 pick before suffering an ACL rift in the SEC title game as arguably the most dominant lineman in college ranks, earning a 91.3 grade from Pro Football Focus. But he must be seen as a big risk, having survived only one of the last four seasons without any significant injury.

After the Seahawks re-sign Ethan Pocic for a year, they can afford to give Dickerson extra time to recover from knee surgery and win him for the second half of the 2021 season (and hopefully the playoffs) . His presence in the locker room and on the depth map would be an intangible edge for a line of scrimmage located under the gun.

If Dickerson gets off the board in the first 55 picks, the Seahawks can still add an impact center or guard. Wyatt Davis from the US state of Ohio is considered the best guardian in the draft, but was not an enthusiastic guy. Oklahoma’s Creed Humphrey, Illinois’ Kendrick Green and Wisconsin-Whitewater’s Quinn Meinerz are other ways to add strength to the line. Humphrey, who played for over 2,400 snapshots in college, appears to be as safe as Dickerson is risky.

Later goals

The bet here is that the Seahawks will use the 129th and 250th selections for players on the defensive side of the ball. The third round pick will most likely result in an athletic corner, with 5-9 Tre Brown, a three year old starter in Oklahoma, and Robert Rochell of Central Arkansas among those scrutinized.

But don’t be surprised if you’re riding a linebacker or pass rusher should someone like Joe Tryon (Washington), Cameron Sample (Tulane), Justin Hilliard (Ohio State), or Monty Rice (Georgia) slip. The situation with Smith increases the likelihood of an edge rusher or linebacker ending up with the Seahawks.

One possible wild card: Vanderbilt’s Dayo Odeyingbo, hailed by Pro Football Focus as one of the draft’s most versatile defenders. It’s raw but has the potential to act as a three-down starter. It was considered a second round hit before suffering a torn Achilles while doing conditioning in January. Like Dickerson, he could bring tremendous rewards for a patient team who believe in their recovery in the second half of 2021 and beyond.

Trading opportunities

While the Chicago Bears would still like to add Wilson, it is highly unlikely for a number of reasons, including the lack of a clear replacement for Wilson. However, it will come as a surprise if, given Schneider’s history, the Seahawks don’t do a business or two on drafting a position. He could add multiple picks by trading down from the second and fourth rounds, or deal future picks to get up.

Best case scenario

Schneider resists the urge to trade against more quantity of picks and focuses on quality. He pulls rabbits out of his hat with his first two picks and lands players on both sides of the ball who switch to starting jobs until November and play a significant role in the postseason. He’s one of the most active GMs tracking down uncovered players and addressing the needs of the deep.