Nearly a dozen NFL scouts and executives reportedly believe the Seattle Seahawks will likely land the player many NFL Draft observers believe is the best in this year’s class.
The 2023 NFL Draft is closing in and the Seattle Seahawks are in a very good position. The organization made the bold decision to trade franchise legend Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos last spring, and the move has turned out to be one of the best in team history.
Related: NFL insider hints at surprising trade-up target for Seattle Seahawks in 2023 NFL Draft
Despite giving up a superstar quarterback, the Seattle Seahawks were one of the surprise stories in the NFL in 2022 as they reached the NFC playoffs. While the Broncos were a disaster and didn’t even reach the postseason. That massive difference now means that a playoff team will have the fifth pick in this year’s NFL Draft after they acquired the selection in the trade with Denver.
Now, the team has an interesting choice to make. They can draft a possible future QB to sit behind incumbent Geno Smith or take the top player available. The best player overall is what the Seahawks may end up getting.
Seattle Seahawks record (2022): 9-8, second place in NFC West
Even though QBs Bryce Young and CJ Stroud are expected to be taken with two of the three top selections this month, many college football experts believe that Georgia Bulldogs defensive lineman Jalen Cater is the top talent in this year’s class.
However, following a warrant for his arrest and plea deal in March with Georgia officials, after he gave a questionable account of his involvement in a fatal car crash earlier this year, his stock in the NFL Draft has taken a hit. That could end up being a huge benefit for the Seattle Seahawks when they are on the clock at fifth overall.
On Friday, ESPN published a piece with several of their league insiders and draft experts. When delivering a report on various news for the event this month, NFL Draft expert Matt Miller offered a very interesting nugget of information on the Seahawks’ pick at five.
“When asked to predict Carter’s landing spot, more than 10 scouts and execs polled believed he would be drafted at No. 5 (Seattle Seahawks) or No. 9 (Chicago Bears). And no one polled thought he would slip out of the top 10 picks.’
– Matt Miller
If the Seattle Seahawks were lucky enough to have Carter fall to them at five, that would be a major win for the team that needs to make some improvements on the defensive line ahead of the 2023 season.