The Good

The Seahawks already have a formidable wide receiving corps headlined by D.K. Metcalf. They were only missing one piece and that was a slot receiver. Seattle addressed that need in the 2023 NFL Draft by selecting Ohio State receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Smith-Njigba is the next great Buckeye receiver and should fit right in on Seattle’s offense. He has exceptional hands and consistently makes tough contested catches. Smith-Njigba’s final season with the Buckeyes was injury plagued and he will have to show that he can stay healthy at this level.

The Bad

Like many other teams we have profiled, the Seattle Seahawks biggest weakness is on the offensive line. Seattle will need its young tackles to show great improvement in order to be successful. Mainly LT Charles Cross struggled down the stretch last year and the hope is he can better handle a long NFL season in year two. Evan Brown will take over the center position after spending last season with the Detroit Lions. The hope is Brown can be the anchor on this young o-line.

The Prediction

I see Seattle as a team that can make a run this year. It should be a head-to-head battle between them and the San Francisco 49ers with the 49ers pulling away late in the season. Keep an eye on rookie Zach Charbonnet as he could eventually take over as the starting running back.

2023 Record: (10-7 2nd in the Division)

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BACKGROUND

Paris Johnson is an offensive tackle prospect from Cincinnati, Ohio. He was a top-20 prospect for the class of 2020 and was ranked the third-best offensive tackle in his class. His performance as a senior earned him the Anthony Munoz Award. He would commit to the Ohio State Buckeyes.

COLLEGE CAREER

He played in limited games as a freshman. However, he was slotted to play as an offensive guard in the 2021 National Championship Game where Ohio State lost to Alabama. The coaches decided to move him to offensive guard in his second year. Even in his new position, he was still selected to the Second-team All-Big Ten.

2022-2023 COLLEGE CAREER

Paris was moved back to his original position, offensive tackle for his junior season. Even with the position change, Johnson was still one of the best in his position for 2022. In 12 games, he only allowed two sacks and nine QB hurries while playing 757 snaps. He was named a consensus All-American and First-team All-Big Ten.

STRENGTHS: Fierce Competitor

One of the best traits of Paris Johnson is that he is a born leader. Coaches and teammates love his IQ for the game but also his passion. He doesn’t take plays off. He has a mean streak about him and he finishes plays strong. He will have a long and successful NFL career if his passion and determination are present.

WEAKNESSES: Limited Experience

The switch to offensive guard definitely affected his growth so there’s only one year of experience for him playing as an offensive tackle. Even with the lack of experience, teams will still love what he showed at Ohio State. They are gonna used the early days of his career to teach him and get him stronger.

PLAYER COMPARISON: Charles Cross

TEAMS WHO COULD DRAFT HIM

Paris Johnson is rated highly and it shows in mock drafts. Mock drafts have him going in the top half in the 1st round. The Titans and the Patriots are two teams that would be perfect for Paris. Tennessee seems to be in a rebuild so Paris would be perfect for the new era of the Titans. Mac Jones needs a better offensive line and drafting the Buckeye would give him better protection especially with them losing weapons such as Jakobi Meyers and Jonnu Smith. A sleeper team could be the Bears as he would protect his former QB in college, Justin Fields.

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By: Jake Rajala

It would be an understatement to say that the Seattle Seahawks haven’t been known for possessing a potent offensive line. The Seahawks often allowed their veteran dual-threat QB, Russell Wilson, to get teed off on over the past few seasons. The outlook for the Seahawks OL in 2022 is still nerve-wracking — as PFF recently slotted the Hawks OL as the dead last OL in the league.

The Seahawks projected OL starters are LT Charles Cross, LG Damien Lewis, C Austin Blythe, RG Gabe Jackson, and RT Abraham Lucas. Cross, who was drafted by the Hawks ninth overall in the 2022 draft, might be deemed as the Seahawks only hope. Lance Zierlein of NFL.com compared his play to OT Tristan Wirfs. The Seahawks may not have a sexy OL, but they clearly took the proper steps this off-season to begin building their OL with the selection of Cross.

Lewis is also a young gun in some respect – as he was drafted in the third round of 2020. He hasn’t been a superb (57.1 PFF grade in 2021), so 2022 is clearly a make-or-break season for him. The Hawks brought in Bythe to be the new center for them moving forward (and he signed a one-year deal worth $4 million dollars). Unfortunately, he only played in four games last year. He only garnered a 60.0 grade by PFF in 2020. I do believe it will be wise for the Hawks to target a center in the second or third round of the 2023 draft.

The Seahawks current RG and former Raiders guard, Jackson, hasn’t been a stud as of late (a 61.8 grade in 2019, a 63.7 grade in 2020, and a 63.8 grade in 2021) — after having a potent 2018 season that showcased him having a 73.7 grade. Jackson is also 31 years old. The Hawks RT (Abraham Lucas) is also a rookie. He isn’t the most proven pass blocker, but his power and hands can help the Seahawks rushing attack thrive without Chris Carson. Zierlein compared him to Jah Reid.

It may be tough for (I expect) Geno Smith to stay away pass rushers on a consistent basis, but I do believe the Hawks can find often find success on the ground attack. The Seahawks OL will certainly have growing pains in 2022, but I do believe their OT tandem carries a lot of potential.

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By: Faustino Felix

The Seattle Seahawks entered the 2022 NFL Draft bound to be one of the most scrutinized teams in it. That’s what happens when you trade your franchise legend, nine-time Pro Bowl, Super Bowl-winning quarterback. After making their selections, the Seahawks still walked away with this draft class:

1. Round 1, Pick 9: OT Charles Cross, from Mississippi State
2. Round 2, Pick 40: DE Boye Mafe, from Minnesota
3. Round 2, Pick 41: RB Kenneth Walker III, from Michigan State
4. Round 3, Pick 72: OT Abraham Lucas, from Washington State
5. Round 4, Pick 109: CB Coby Bryant, from Cincinnati
6. Round 5, Pick 153: CB Tariq Woolen, from UTSA
7. Round 5, Pick 158: DE Tyreke Smith, from Ohio State
8. Round 7, Pick 229: WR Bo Melton, from Rutgers
9. Round 7, Pick 233: WR Dareke Young, from Lenoir-Rhyne

Seattle’s draft class has been one of the most polarizing in the immediate aftermath of the draft, with grades ranging from an A- from PFF to a C from CBS’s Pete Prisco. For me, it’s unclear why.

General Manager John Schneider’s last few drafts have been characterized by big reaches, and by not addressing premium positions (widely considered to be left tackle, wide receiver, cornerback and edge rusher). The offensive line has been especially neglected. In the last five drafts, they have only taken one offensive lineman in the first three rounds.

2022 represents a big change in philosophy for a team that refuses to acknowledge they are in a rebuild. The Seahawks had nine selections, and eight of them went to premium positions (OT, WR, CB, EDGE), with the lone exception being running back Kenneth Walker, who was picked in the 2nd round. The ‘Hawks are setting up a solid core for whoever is their long-term answer at the quarterback position. And no, Drew Lock is not it.

Their first-round pick was offensive tackle Charles Cross, from Mississippi State. Picking him with the 9^th overall pick was a good move, as the next tackle selected was Trevor Penning, who represented a clear tier drop. Cross is ready to play at both tackle positions, as he’s already a great pass protector. OT Abraham Lucas, picked in the 3rd Round, is also a solid prospect that can eventually start as a tackle or guard.

The Seahawks will always run the ball under Pete Carroll, and they are poised to do so after drafting Walker out of Michigan State. With Chris Carson’s recovery from neck surgery as cloudy as ever, and the often-injured Rashaad Penny on top of the depth chart, Walker brings a physical, yet explosive style and can eventually become a three-down back if he works on his receiving game.

Boye Mafe, a player that got first round hype after shining bright in the senior bowl, is a great value at his draft position. He will come in and be a disruptive rotational pass rusher and can eventually develop into a starter at one of the game’s most important positions.

The Seahawks also added a lot of athleticism, with three of their selections having a sub 4.4 seconds 40-yard dash. These three players are RB Kenneth Walker, CB Tariq Woolen, and WR Bo Melton. Woolen in particular, is an intriguing prospect. While coming from a small school in UTSA, he ran his 40-yard dash in 4.26 seconds, along with a 42” vertical jump. Combined with that athleticism is imposing size and length for a cornerback (6’4”, 205 lb).

Woolen has an extremely high ceiling, and drafting him along with Coby Bryant is a great move where the Seahawks could get incredible return should one of them pan out. Bryant played for Cincinnati, where he won the Jim Thorpe award over his teammate, Sauce Gardner. He was also a 2-time First team All-AAC and a First Team All American. That production makes him a solid bet in the 4th round.

Bo Melton is a WR from Rutgers who could prove to be one of the steals of the draft. He didn’t get to showcase his full ability in college as he had subpar quarterback play, but he has the looks of someone who can contribute as a WR3/4 while being a solid special-teamer.

Regardless of your opinion on particular prospects, it’s hard to deny that Seattle had a solid plan, and made value picks all across the board. Of course, it’s still too early for a verdict on the 2022 Seahawks draft class, but so far, it looks like they set them up well for success in the post-Russell Wilson era.

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