Seahawks Post-Combine Mock Draft: Seattle Turns Extra Picks Into Line Depth, QB Of Future

Known for being aggressive moving up and down the draft board, a top-heavy draft class could lead to more movement than usual in the first three rounds, opening the door for John Schneider to recoup picks and potentially land a successor for Geno Smith.

Concluding one of the most pivotal weeks on the NFL calendar, Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider and the team's personnel department wrapped up a busy week at the 2024 NFL combine in Indianapolis and now will shift their focus towards the upcoming start of free agency on March 13.

While the 2024 NFL Draft may seem a ways away, the festivities will begin in Detroit in just a little over seven weeks, leaving Schneider and his cohorts with limited time to conduct top-30 interviews at the VMAC and wrap up the scouting process at college pro days. Adding in free agent negotiations, it won't be long before commissioner Roger Goodell will announce the Bears are on the clock with the first selection.

Though new coach Mike Macdonald will have a voice in the process, Schneider now has full control of personnel decisions by adding the title of president of football operations, which should make for an interesting three days to see how differently the process plays out with him calling all the shots in the draft room.

If history suggests anything, however, Schneider will be active on the phones looking for trade opportunities, especially with the Seahawks not holding a second-round pick courtesy of the Leonard Williams trade in October. Since taking over in 2010, he has orchestrated 34 draft weekend trades, including picking up a future third-round pick from the Broncos in a trade down last year.

In the aftermath of the combine, considering Schneider's active trade history at the controls, I initiated three trade downs in my latest seven-round Seahawks mock draft, including dealing down twice in the first round in separate trades with the Cowboys and Packers to recoup day two selections. In total, with the three trades, I netted 10 new players, including five picks in the first three rounds.

• Seahawks trade No. 16 to Cowboys for No. 24, No. 56, and a 2025 sixth-round pick
• Seahawks trade No. 24 to Packers for No. 25, No. 91
• Seahawks trade No. 119 to Chiefs for No. 133, No. 158

What will Schneider look to do in his first draft without Pete Carroll? Here's my latest stab at projecting Seattle's upcoming draft with extra intel from the combine: 

Round 1, Pick 25* - Graham Barton, G/C, Duke

*Acquired via trade with Packers

Arguably the most versatile prospect in the entire 2024 draft class, Barton starred as a guard in high school, started six games as a true freshman for the Blue Devils, and earned All-American honors at left tackle as a senior. Bringing a nasty attitude in the trenches that the team has lacked in recent years, he would instantly bolster Seattle's run game with a bullying presence and an unrivaled desire to finish off opponents. Sliding inside at the next level likely would be the best fit for him in pass protection, as he had issues at times with speed rushers off the edge, and the Seahawks could slide him into the starting lineup at guard or center on day one.

Round 2, Pick 56** - Ruke Orhorhoro, DT, Clemson

**Acquired via trade with Cowboys

A former basketball standout, Ruke Orhorhoro offers an elite athletic profile and still has plenty of room for growth after starting to play football late in high school / © Ken Ruinard-USA TODAY Sports

With just one year of football experience under his belt when he committed to the Tigers, Orhorhoro evolved from an interior defender who thrived on raw athleticism early in his career to a developed technician after five seasons on campus. While he can still occasionally get pushed around in the run game, he has vastly improved shedding blocks and saw an uptick in sack production in each of the past three seasons thanks to an explosive first step at 300 pounds, which should set him up to be an impact rotational contributor on passing downs right away and a plus-starter in time for the Seahawks.

Round 3, Pick 76 - Junior Colson, LB, Michigan

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 start next to Bobby Wagner or Jordyn Brooks early.

Round 3, Pick 78 - Michael Pratt, QB, Tulane

Putting the Green Wave on the map, Pratt threw 90 touchdown passes with just 26 interceptions as a four-year starter, exhibiting substantial growth after completing under 60 percent of his passes in his freshman and sophomore campaigns. While he won't win a contest to see who can throw the ball the farthest downfield, he has enough arm talent to fit the ball into tight windows and throws with great anticipation. He also has dual-threat capabilities, as he rushed for over 500 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2022. With Geno Smith under contract, the Seahawks wouldn't have to rush him into action, but he has the skills to eventually be a solid starter in the league.

Round 3, Pick 91* - Ben Sinnott, TE, Kansas State

*Acquired via trade with Packers

A blue collar run blocker who plays bigger than 245 pounds and outperformed athletic expectations at the combine, Sinnott offers extensive experience as a traditional inline tight end un a run-heavy scheme. In the receiving department, he finished sixth in the nation among tight ends averaging 13.9 yards per reception in 2023, doing a large portion of his damage with the ball in his hands while tallying 326 yards after the catch. Coupling his blocking skills and after the catch capabilities, he would be a perfect fit to replace either Noah Fant or Will Dissly as a starter early.

Round 4, Pick 133*** - Malik Mustapha, FS, Wake Forest

***Acquired via trade with Chiefs

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 a free safety in the league and could be groomed behind Quandre Diggs in Seattle.

Round 5, Pick 151 - Khyree Jackson, CB, Oregon

Transferring to the Ducks after two seasons at Alabama, the lean 6-3, 195-pound Jackson enjoyed a breakout season in Eugene, intercepting three passes and tallying eight pass breakups while yielding only one touchdown and a 41.6 passer rating in coverage. He has a tendency to get grabby in press coverage and covering deep balls which could cause penalty issues at the next level. But with Mike Jackson potentially leaving town, Seattle can never use too many tall, athletic corners with ball skills and Khyree Jackson could be an intriguing day three selection with starter upside.

Round 5, Pick 158*** - Kimani Vidal, RB, Troy

***Acquired via trade with Chiefs

Earning a Senior Bowl invite, Kimani Vidal ran through and around Sun Belt defenses eclipsing 1,600 rushing yards in 2023 for 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 be a possible third-down back to compete against Kenny McIntosh in Seattle.

Round 6, Pick 194 - Jah'Quan Jackson, WR, Tulane

More of a complementary weapon for the Green Wave than a featured target, Jackson never produced more than 35 receptions or 560 receiving yards in any of his five college seasons. However, he demonstrated a penchant for big plays, averaging 16 yards per reception and scoring touchdowns on 15 percent of his receptions. He also provided a jolt for Tulane's special teams unit, returning a punt for a touchdown while averaging 22 yards per kick return. Given Tyer Lockett's age, he could be a potential successor in development while returning kicks as a rookie for the Seahawks.

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Round 7, Pick 233 - Jordan Magee, LB, Temple

An under the radar thumper, Magee plays with an old school mindset while sporting a new school body. At 6-3, 225 pounds, he's tall and lanky, but he does a fantastic job reading his keys and has the burst to generate big plays in the backfield consistency, as demonstrated by his eight sacks and 23 tackles for loss in his last two seasons with the Owls. As a seventh-round pick, he wouldn't be asked to play on defense as a rookie and would cut his teeth as a high-energy special teams player, but he could log snaps alongside Colson in the future.