Offensive Tackle Options For Seahawks in 2022 NFL Draft

The 2022 NFL Draft has excellent options at offensive tackle for the Seahawks, an area they need to replenish on both the right and left side. Matty F. Brown looks at the athletic preferences of Shane Waldron and Andy Dickerson before highlighting which 2022 prospects fit this mold.

One of the more obvious needs for the Seahawks in the 2022 NFL Draft is at offensive tackle.

John Schneider often picks a more obscure path which defies convention. However, even the unorthodox general manager will surely want to bolster a spot where the current projected starters are a 2021 sixth-round pick on the left side and a 2021 undrafted free agent on the right.

Seattle may still re-sign veteran cornerstone Duane Brown to beat out Stone Forsythe at left tackle. But whether that proves to be the case or not, depth behind Forsythe and Jake Curhan does not exist.

With the Seahawks in a foreign situation picking high on day one (No. 9) and day two (No. 40, No. 41 and No. 72), they possess the draft capital to add one of the upper tier tackles in this class.

Thankfully, 2022 features a ton of attractive options for Seattle. Additionally, Pro Football Network’s Tony Pauline reported with confidence that the Seahawks will take Northern Iowa’s Trevor Penning with their first pick.

Aside from watching the tape, one quick way of sorting these tackles into more Seahawk-y options is by analyzing their measureables and testing numbers.

To set thresholds, we can look at the tackles offensive coordinator Shane Waldron and offensive line coach Andy Dickerson have welcomed in their years coaching together in Los Angeles and Seattle. Note that Bobby Evans is more of a guard. 

Sean McVay’s Rams have been known for favoring height at tackle, although you can see that, beyond Andrew Whitworth, their adds have not been as tall as preconceptions may suggest.

The real keys appear to be having height taller than 6-foot-4, arms of 34 inches or longer and then scoring well on the agility drills. The jumps need to be good enough.

Of course, as the draft progresses, the numbers become less and less important if the tape is what is appealing about a prospect. That’s what saw Curhan land in Seattle as an undrafted free agent, after he slid out of the process due to medical concerns.

It’s safe to assume, however, that when spending a top-100 pick on the position, certain numbers become deal-breakers. Here’s how the 2022 class tested. 

The orange highlighted numbers are for those who are right on the edge of what is acceptable. The red signifies a number that is way below what Waldron and Dickerson have previously coveted. It feels highly unlikely that a first- or second-round pick would have one red or multiple oranges.

The one man who excels in each area is Penning, who is likely to go in the first round. His movement skills show up on tape, as does some nasty (with an element of fake tough guy). An added benefit is his experience at both right and left tackle. Improving his pad level consistency and play versus wide speed rushers will be two key goals in the NFL, with struggles evident at the Senior Bowl.

Meanwhile, Washington State’s Abraham Lucas—more of a second-rounder—almost aced everything as well, with his arms being 1/8th-inch shorter than the threshold of 34 being the only hold up. The right tackle’s tape was disappointing, with his size being an obstacle but his play style lacking physicality.

#Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll scanning through a tablet with offensive line coach Andy Dickerson before the run of Washington State tackle Abraham Lucas. At over 6-foot-6, Lucas fits the tall tackle mold. 34-inch arms too pic.twitter.com/TBxpzAlLpT

— Under Zone X (Frisco)/Phoenix Check/Stick Slasher2 (@mattyfbrown) March 4, 2022

Really, Tyler Smith’s 7.78s 3-cone should have an orange fill too. The Tulsa man is a mauling blocker on tape with heaps of athletic ability visible. However, he has become a fringe first-rounder in the process and Seattle may find his slow 3-cone and fresh pass pro techniques too rich.

Mississippi State’s Charles Cross might be the best pure pass protector in the class with unbelievable reactive athleticism, body control, weight distribution, feet and hand usage. Such a refined skillset on the left side has seen Cross enter the top-10 discussion, with some draftniks even mocking him to Seattle at No. 9. However, he too ran a slow 3-cone.