Houston, We Have a Problem: Could Texans Foil Seahawks' Draft Plans?
Inside 10 days until the 2023 NFL Draft finally kicks off in Kansas City, teams such as the Seattle Seahawks have most of the hay in the barn wrapping things up with their last handful of top-30 meetings.
But while there's a sense of closure from the pre-draft evaluation sense for most organizations as they finalize their big boards, smokescreen season remains at peak level with rumors and speculation running rampant for teams with top-five selections. This includes Seattle, which has no shortage of options with the fifth overall pick from selecting troubled Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter to tabbing a future franchise quarterback, depending on what happens the first four picks.
Among those teams slated to pick before the Seahawks go on the clock, most have assumed the Texans would draft a quarterback second overall. Coming off a three-win season with Davis Mills under center, there's no way they would pass up on selecting Ohio State's C.J. Stroud or Florida's Anthony Richardson, right?
Though general manager Nick Caserio may still opt to do that, however, the latest rumor to gain steam has Houston skipping quarterback and instead using its top-three selection on a blue chip defender. With a first-time head coach in Demeco Ryans now in charge after coordinating a dominant defense with the 49ers, it would make sense why Alabama's Will Anderson Jr. or Texas Tech's Tyree Wilson would be atop the team's big board aspiring to build a similar juggernaut with the Texans.
Of course, the Texans pivoting away from Stroud or Richardson to take a defensive player would create an unforeseen domino effect for teams drafting behind them, including the Seahawks. Assuming Anderson Jr. is the favorite to go at that spot and the Cardinals pick Carter or Wilson third overall, two of the top three consensus defenders would be off the board in the first three picks.
If general manager John Schneider crossed his fingers hoping to see Anderson Jr. or Carter slide into Seattle's lap, one might view this as the worst-case scenario if those two get selected on consecutive picks. While a talented prospect in his own right who may be high on the team's big board, Wilson may not be the best scheme fit as a 270-pound base defensive end who doesn't have top-end burst or twitch off the edge and he's coming off of a foot injury that prevented him from working out for teams this spring.
But on the contrary, regardless of how Seattle views Wilson as a prospect, Houston deciding to bypass drafting a quarterback could have positive consequences for Schneider and company on multiple fronts.
For one, the Seahawks haven't been secretive at all about their interest in the top four quarterbacks in this year's class. Even after re-signing Pro Bowler Geno Smith to a three-year contract, Schneider, coach Pete Carroll, and several assistant coaches as well as other executives and scouts flew all over the country on a private jet provided by owner Jody Allen attending pro days for Alabama's Bryce Young, Kentucky's Will Levis, Stroud, and Richardson.
Among those quarterbacks, Seattle has most frequently been linked to Richardson, who hit it off with Carroll during a combine formal meeting and possesses the rare physical traits Schneider covets at the position. Under this scenario, assuming Young goes to Carolina with the first overall pick as expected, either Richardson or Stroud would still be on the board to draft and groom behind Smith.
Even if Schneider and Carroll don't want to invest a high pick in a quarterback who won't be playing right away, the Seahawks will have the ability to start a bidding war for teams aiming to trade up to select a quarterback. Teams such as the Raiders, Titans, and the Texans, who also hold the 12th overall pick, could pay a premium to slide up for Richardson or Stroud, potentially packaging a deal featuring a first-round pick in 2024 along with additional picks for this year.
Already holding 10 picks, Schneider could move down a few spots to acquire additional early round capital and still draft one of the best remaining players available, including Illinois shutdown cornerback Devon Witherspoon and Clemson edge Myles Murphy as realistic possibilities. From there, Seattle would still have a second first-round pick and at least four selections in the second and third rounds on Friday, providing a prime opportunity to infuse the roster with tons of young talent.
Looking big picture, while Anderson Jr. or Carter may be their top prizes, the Seahawks have aptly positioned themselves to roll with whatever punches get thrown before they are on the clock and the Texans throwing a wrench by picking a defender instead of a quarterback wouldn't derail their plans with the fifth pick. There'd still be great options available for Schneider and given the potential windfall trading down to QB-needy teams, an argument can be made this might be the scenario they want to see play out on April 27.
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