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The final Seattle Seahawks mock draft heading into this month’s event will include a trade down from the second round. This is needed with Seattle boasting the fewest draft picks (three) in the NFL after making a plethora of trades.
There’s certainly needs on both sides of the field for general manager John Schneider and Co. It’s also unreasonable to believe that he will be able to fill those needs with three picks. Without further ado, here’s our final Seattle Seahawks mock draft heading into the 2021 NFL Draft.
Read More: 2021 NFL Mock Draft: Expert Picks & Analysis on Round 1 Prospects
Seattle Seahawks mock draft: Trading down, acquiring more picks
- Seahawks trade second-round pick (56th overall) to the Las Vegas Raiders for third, fourth and fifth-round picks
Boasting just three picks in the 2021 NFL Draft, it’s almost a foregone conclusion that general manager John Schneider will trade down multiple times.
However, we’re projecting just one trade in this final Seattle Seahawks mock draft. It has the Seahawks acquiring a fourth-and-fifth round selection to move down from 56 to the middle of the third round. There’s needs on both sides of the field. Short of a top-end prospect falling to Round 2, I highly doubt Seattle will be selecting before the third.
Read More: 2021 NFL Draft big board: Ranking top 100 prospects
Third round, 79th pick: Jordan Smith, EDGE, Alabama-Birmingham
Re-signing Carlos Dunlap and adding Kerry Hyder from the division rival San Francisco 49ers in free agency was darn good from a short-term standpoint. However, it does not change what this team is facing in the NFC West moving forward. We’re talking about Kyler Murray in Arizona, new Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford and a top-three pick in San Francisco. Quarterback play is going to be a major conversation in the division moving forward.
At 6-foot-6 and 255 pounds, Smith is a perfect fit in defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr.’s defensive scheme. He has the frame to hold up well and boasts plus-level speed for someone his size. He also starred at UAB, recording 23.5 tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks over the past two seasons.
At the very least, he could be a situational pass rusher out of the gate. It’s a need for a Seahawks defense that saw safety Jamal Adams lead the unit in sacks a season ago with 9.5.
Read More: Top 10 storylines for the 2021 NFL Draft
Seattle Seahawks mock draft: Finding depth and need on Day 3
- Fourth round, 121st pick: Adrian Ealy, offensive tackle, Oklahoma
- Fourth round, 129th pick: Keith Taylor, cornerback, Washington
- Fifth round, 162nd pick: Josh Palmer, wide receiver, Tennessee
- Seventh round, 250th pick: Tuf Borland, linebacker, Ohio State
This is where we get into the meat of the Seahawks’ 2021 NFL Draft. They have obvious needs along the offensive line and on defense. That’s where the 6-foot-6, 326-pound Ealy comes into play. Projected as a potential right tackle moving forward, he’s a mauler in the run game and already excels opening up lanes. Ealy could even be a starter relatively early in his career.
From there, the Seahawks go back to their MO with another physical cornerback in the 6-foot-2 Taylor. He’s an ideal fit in a Seattle scheme that likes to get physical at the line. Underrated as they come, the Washington product has a tremendous amount of upside.
As for Josh Palmer, it’s not a secret that Russell Wilson has been campaigning for the Seahawks to sign Antonio Brown. Short of that happening, going wide receiver in the mid rounds could make sense. Seattle is looking for a No. 3 behind the recently-extended Tyler Lockett and D.K. Metcalf.
While Palmer’s numbers were not great with Tennessee, that’s primarily because of poor quarterback play. He shows good hands and is already a crisp route-runner. The 6-foot-2 Palmer could even be an immediate-impact performer. Borland is more of a special teams guy with physical limitations. However, depth might be needed at linebacker with K.J. Wright still a free agent.