Seahawks Draft Profile: Abraham Lucas

The Seahawks are in desperate need of starting tackles. Lucas is a local college prospect that could provide instant juice to the offensive line.

With the 2022 NFL Draft set to kick off in Las Vegas on Thursday, April 28, the Seahawks will have a chance to kickstart a new era for the franchise with eight selections, including a top-10 pick and four picks total in the first three rounds.

Over the next month leading up to draft weekend, the AllSeahawks writing staff will dish out in-depth profiles on numerous prospects who could be targets on Seattle's big board.

Next up in the series: the Seahawks are still without clear answers at both tackle spots with neither Duane Brown nor Brandon Shell on the roster as of now. Could Washington State product Abraham Lucas be an instant starter? 

Background

If there was a tackle prospect in the draft who knows what it's like to play football in the Pacific Northwest, it's Lucas. From his time at Archbishop Murphy High School in Everett to his college days at Washington State in Pullman, Lucas is familiar with football in the Evergreen State. He quickly developed into a key cog in WSU's high-flying offensive attack. He was a freshman All-American in 2018 after starting every game at right tackle for Mike Leach's offense, protecting Gardner Minshew. In 2019, once again he started every game at right tackle, rating as the best pass-blocking tackle in college football. He became All-Pac 12 in 2020, during the pandemic-shortened season. 2021 brought the best out of Lucas, as he became the second-highest graded pass-blocker in college football. He did not allow a single sack in 477 pass-blocking snaps. For his career, he played the vast majority of his snaps at right tackle.

Strengths

As it is at Washington State, Lucas is familiar with pass protection and his technique is solid. As mentioned, he very rarely allowed Cougar quarterbacks to even be pressured, much less sacked. His footwork and hand-fighting suffice to neutralize talented pass rushers. He has allowed just one sack over the last two years in over 600 snaps in pass protection. 

At 6-foot-6 and 315 pounds, Lucas possesses the ideal length and size to be a tackle in the NFL. For reference, Pro Bowl left tackle Duane Brown is 315 pounds as well, but Lucas has two inches on Brown, who is 6-foot-4. He has a nasty streak and is a fierce competitor. Though the run game is not his strength after playing in an Air Raid system, he shows a willingness to finish blocks. 

As a former high school basketball standout, Lucas' footwork and balance showcase his prior athletic background. He mirrors well for a player of his size, playing light on his feet to stay in front of pass rushers.

Weaknesses

Lucas was not initially recruited to play tackle at Washington State because they were going to run the ball. Mike Leach's offense rarely ran the ball with any consistency, thus Lucas' abilities in that department are not ideal. He has not played many snaps with his hand in the dirt, which means he has a major adjustment coming heading to the league in that regard.

However, over the last two seasons since Coach Leach's departure, the Cougars have ran the ball more and Lucas has gained more experience. His technique is still a work-in-progress nonetheless. Though he has a large frame, he does not move people off the ball as consistently as one would think at that size. 

At the point of attack, Lucas needs to work on gaining proper leverage, which could be difficult given his height. False starts were also an issue for him in his final season on the Palouse and he will have to play with greater discipline at the next level.

Fit in Seattle

Seattle's tackle situation is bordering on scary. Stone Forsythe and Jake Curhan are currently the best, and nearly the only, options at both tackle spots. Brown still remains a free agent and could return, but that still leaves a gaping hole at right tackle. There is a severe lack of depth or experience at both positions.

Luckily, Lucas is one of the most NFL-ready right tackle prospects in this draft, having played almost 2,000 snaps in college at right tackle. He possesses the traits and physical tools to become a stable, starting right tackle with some solid coaching early on and showed at the Senior Bowl he may be better equipped to run block than anticipated.

The WSU product is certainly not a fully polished product yet, but the necessary tools are there for Lucas to become one of the main cogs of the offensive line of the present and future for the Seahawks.

Previous Seahawks NFL Draft Profiles

Sam Howell, QB, North Carolina | Tyler Linderbaum, C, Iowa | Arnold Ebiketie, EDGE, Penn State | Tyler Allgeier, RB, BYU | Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati | Tariq Woolen, CB, UTSA | Cameron Thomas, EDGE, San Diego State | Trevor Penning, OT, Northern Iowa | Hassan Haskins, RB, Michigan