Seahawks Post-Pro Days Mock Draft: Seattle Goes Chopping After Massive Trade Down

Holding a now coveted pick in the middle of the first round, the Seattle Seahawks should have a prime opportunity to recoup a second round pick while still landing a quality player on day one.

Jan 2, 2023; Pasadena, California, USA; Utah Utes quarterback Cameron Rising (7) is pressured by / Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

As pro days and top-30 visits wrap up around the country, the Seattle Seahawks should have most of the hay in the barn with just three weeks until they will be on the clock with the 16th selection in the 2024 NFL Draft.

While it's still too early to project how things may transpire in the first round in Detroit on April 25, several playoff teams from a year ago have major holes at tackle and/or receiver, including the Bills, who traded Stefon Diggs to the Texans on Wednesday. With Buffalo, Kansas City, and others late in the round needing to plug holes at significant positions of need, general manager John Schneider must be licking his lips thinking about the possible king's ransom Seattle may be able to land from one of those teams aiming to move up into the middle of the round.

Closing in on the draft, what may Schneider be able to realistically acquire moving down to the bottom of the first round? In my latest seven-round projection, the Seahawks execute a substantial trade down with the now receiver-need Bills to recoup a second and fourth-round pick while taking a different strategy to address concerns with their interior offensive line.

All nine selections with analysis:

Round 1, Pick 28* - Chop Robinson, EDGE, Penn State

*Acquired from Bills in exchange for pick No. 16

With Uchenna Nwosu, Boye Mafe, Darrell Taylor, and Derick Hall all returning, EDGE isn't Seattle's biggest short-term need. However, an elite athlete of Robinson's caliber would be too much to pass up late in the first-round after a trade down. A bendy rusher with a top-tier gear off the snap to get upfield and strike fear in tackles, his athletic traits didn't translate into the sack numbers expected of him with just 9.5 sacks in his two seasons with the Nittany Lions. However, his low sack numbers are a bit deceiving, as he ranked 13th in the nation in pass rush win rate (20.9 percent) per Pro Football Focus. He also performed effectively in limited snaps as a run defender, finishing second in the nation with a negative one average yards of depth per run stop. Just turning 21 in January, this youngster should have a ceiling through the clouds in Macdonald's system.

Round 2, Pick 60* - Junior Colson, LB, Michigan

*Acquired from Bills in exchange for pick No. 16

Already familiar with coach Mike Macdonald after playing for him at Michigan, Junior Colson would have an excellent chance to start for the Seahawks on day one. / Kirthmon F. Dozier / USA TODAY NETWORK

Starting as a true freshman at Michigan with Macdonald as defensive coordinator, Colson wasted little time emerging as one of the Big Ten's best linebackers. Built with a stout 240-pound frame, he excelled as a run defender and tallied nearly 200 tackles in his final two seasons with the Wolverines, exhibiting excellent sideline to sideline speed and improving coverage skills over the course of his time in Ann Arbor. There may be some growing pains covering NFL running backs and tight ends, but he's polished for an early entrant and could push newcomers Jerome Baker and Tyrel Dodson for a starting spot early in his rookie season.

Round 3, Pick 81 - Cooper Beebe, G, Kansas State

A highly decorated starter with versatility, Beebe started 48 games for the Wildcats as a left guard, left tackle, and right tackle in five years on campus. Built with a thick, powerful 335-pound frame, he throws bricks for hands and consistently knocked opponents backward off the snap for a physical Kansas State rushing attack that ran more than 50 percent of the time. Light on his feet, he demonstrates good, yet unspectacular movement skills mirroring opponents, giving up just 28 combined pressures in his final three years as a starter. He has buzzed off arms and athletic deficiencies may be more of a problem at the next level, but he oozes toughness and plays with sound technique, setting him up to be an early starter for the Seahawks.

Round 4, Pick 102 - Christian Mahogany, G, Boston College

A three-year starter for the Eagles, Mahogany has looked like an early round prospect for extended stretches, particularly in pass protection where his mobility and sound technique have allowed him to be utterly dominant shutting down ACC defensive linemen. Last year, he had a six-game span without allowing a single pressure and he didn't give up a sack all year. However, he has been far less consistent in the run blocking department, where opponents have capitalized on poor weight distribution out of his stance to beat him with quick counter moves. Given his pass blocking chops and glimpses of overpowering run blocking, this would be a great value pick early on day three for the Seahawks with him being a potential day one starter to compete with Anthony Bradford.

Round 4, Pick 118 - McKinnley Jackson, DT, Texas A&M

A stalwart in the middle of the Aggies defensive front, the 320-pound Jackson played the role of immovable object against the run, handling consistent double teams without issues. While he tested worse than expected at the combine, he has flashed the ability to not only overpower blockers at the point of attack, but also split gaps with a surprisingly quick initial step. He only had 14 pressures as a senior and struggled with missed tackles at times, but if he can develop as a technician using his hands more effectively to disengage from blocks, he still has a high ceiling and could be a rare 0-tech nose tackle who excels at rushing the passer at the next level in Macdonald's scheme.

Round 5, Pick 158** - Malik Mustapha, S, Wake Forest

*Acquired from Dolphins in exchange for picks No. 133 (from Bills), 235

A capable blitzer with quality ball skills and physicality, Malik Mustapha could compete for playing time in Seattle's secondary right away. / Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports

Following one season at Richmond, Mustapha transferred to Wake Forest and found an early role as a sub-package defender, eventually developing into one of the best defensive backs in the conference. While his aggressive mentality has resulted in too many missed tackles and he has had a tendency to get baited on double moves in coverage, he plays bigger than 207 pounds in the box and produced four sacks as a junior, showing the versatility to play either safety spot. He's likely best suited as a free safety in the league, but could vie for snaps at both positions early competing against veterans Rayshawn Jenkins and K'Von Wallace.

Round 6, Pick 179 - Kimani Vidal, RB, Troy

One of the biggest stars in the Sun Belt over the past two years, Vidal rushed for nearly 1,800 yards and 24 touchdowns for the Trojans, using a low center of gravity to power through arm tackles and occasionally knock defenders on their backside while having the juice to rip off long runs on a consistent basis. Though he averaged just 7.6 yards per reception, he caught 92 passes and only gave up six pressures with no sacks on 121 pass blocking reps last year, showcasing the traits to push Kenny McIntosh for Seattle's third-down back role immediately.

Round 6, Pick 184** - Tip Reiman, TE, Illinois

*Acquired from Dolphins in exchange for picks No. 133 (from Bills), 235

Putting his name on the map with an outstanding performance at the NFL combine, Reiman's body of work with the Fighting Illini isn't quite as impressive, but that isn't necessarily his fault. Playing with sub-par quarterbacks for most of his college career, he caught 41 out of 59 targets for 418 yards and five touchdowns, showing some ability to create with the ball in his hands with 242 of those yards coming after the catch. A capable in-line blocker at 265 pounds with plenty of physicality playing in a run-heavy offense, he has a chance to be a far better receiver at the next level with better quarterback play and would be a fine developmental option to replace Will Dissly in Seattle.

Round 6, Pick 192 - Dominique Hampton, S, Washington

Double-dipping on safeties may seem like overkill for Seattle, but K'Von Wallace and Julian Love will both be free agents next spring. After already adding an athletic free safety in Mustapha, the 6-2, 215-pound Hampton fits the bill as an intriguing box safety. A fantastic athlete for his size, as demonstrated by his 4.51 40-yard dash and 39-inch vertical jump at the combine, he put everything together in his final season with the Huskies while racking up 107 tackles, two interceptions, and seven pass breakups. He will be a project with inconsistent play across the board, but with proper coaching, he's a late round flier with enough upside to start at some point for the Seahawks.