You’re going to hear a lot of things about the 2023 quarterback class.

For example, take this pair of tweets:

I went with the under 6.5 QBs in the first round of the 2023 class but @MelKiperESPN and I agree it’s shaping up to be a great QB class next year! https://t.co/y5D6wUVvhP

— Todd McShay (@McShay13) May 2, 2022

Already, Mel Kiper is predicting we might see seven quarterbacks drafted in the first round. McShay goes with the more conservative ‘under’ on the 6.5 projection.

If you look around the internet you’ll see all kinds of weird and wonderful predictions. The hype is out of control already. So much so that pretty much any quarterback who played well in college last season is being touted as a potential first rounder.

For example, I read a list recently that had Spencer Rattler, Jake Haener and Jaren Hall projected as viable options for the ‘early first round’ as the third, fourth and fifth best prospects at the position.

It was a perfect example that silly season is here eight months earlier than usual.

None of those three players, at this point, deserve to be discussed as first round prospects. It doesn’t mean they can’t work their way into that conversation with their play in 2022. Players always emerge, develop and promote their stock. After all, Joe Burrow was seen as a late day three pick before his final season at LSU. Zach Wilson emerged from nowhere to be the #2 pick in 2021. Nobody was talking about Kenny Pickett as a first rounder 12 months ago either.

Yet we also need to be realistic about these players. For that reason, after a week studying the names below, I wanted to share some notes.

Even among the consensus ‘best two’ (Bryce Young & C.J. Stroud) I think there’s a lot of misinformation and hype out there.

As of today, I think there are four quarterbacks you can say with some degree of confidence deserve to be talked about as a potential day one pick…

1. Will Levis (QB, Kentucky)
For me it’s pretty clear that Levis is the early contender to be the first quarterback drafted. He has everything the modern franchise quarterback needs. He is big, athletic and has a strong arm. He’s 6-3, 232lbs, ran a 4.10 short shuttle at SPARQ and jumped a 36 inch vertical. His overall score was a 123.27 — which is seriously impressive for a quarterback who was already 224lbs in High School. He can throw to all levels of the field with touch and velocity. His throwing base is impressive and keeps him accurate. He shares similarities to Josh Allen as both a passer and as a physical, creative runner. He has elevated Kentucky to a new level and he doesn’t benefit from an amazing supporting cast. He has a ‘wow’ factor that the other quarterbacks simply don’t have. He’s also best prepared to enter the league having spent a year with Liam Coen — a hand-picked Sean McVay protégé who has now returned to the Rams to be McVay’s offensive coordinator. Coen has been replaced by Kyle Shanahan’s QB coach Rich Scangarello. So he’s operating in a translatable offense to the pro’s, competing in the SEC for a non-powerhouse (and succeeding). He’s adept at play-action and he’s worked with pro-concepts. If he can continue to excel at Kentucky and reduce his number of turnovers in 2022, for me he should be universally seen as the front-runner to challenge Alabama’s incredible pass rusher Will Anderson to be the #1 pick in 2023.

2. Tyler Van Dyke (QB, Miami)
I think there’s every chance Van Dyke can elevate himself into the QB2 position with a strong 2022 season. I’ll start with the concern I voiced a few days ago — Mario Cristobal. His horrible offensive vision stymied Justin Herbert and made him a harder evaluation than necessary. There’s already talk from Miami’s Spring camp that TVD is throwing a lot of the underneath stuff Herbert was lumbered with. The endless check-downs, screens and short-slants will not suit Van Dyke. He has a rocket arm and is at his best attacking opponents — just as he did when he expertly out-gunned Kenny Pickett and Pittsburgh on the road. He took over from D’Eriq King with Miami looking a bit of a shambles and transformed their season with a 5-1 run. According to PFF he was the only quarterback in the FBS to finish in the top-10 for passing yards, touchdowns, big-time throws and big-time throw rate in the second half of the season. He stands tall in the pocket and his base is impressive for a young QB. He plants his feet nicely, steps into his throws and it helps him stay accurate. His passes carry strong velocity. The ball flicks out of his hand on release — the throwing finger spinning it out with a little extra juice to launch downfield. He does tend to drop his shoulder down and his release is a little more elongated than ideal. It’s not a deal-breaker but it’s something to note. He throws into the right areas of the field, leading his receivers and playing with anticipation. He’s not the most mobile quarterback (5.00 forty at SPARQ) but he can scramble away to make a first down from time to time. He’s not overly elusive or creative as a runner and it’s something he says he’s been working on. If the offensive scheme doesn’t hold him back, TVD could easily be QB2 and a top-10 pick next year.

3. Bryce Young (QB, Alabama)
The first thing we have to note with Young is his size. I am very sceptical of his listed 6-0, 194lbs frame. I suspect he’s shorter and lighter than that. There aren’t many players drafted early with that size. Kyler Murray has a stocky frame and let’s be fair here, is a thoroughly unique player with an outstanding skill set. Young’s size won’t necessarily prevent him going very early but it’s something to keep in mind. On the field he is a master processor who appears to do a great job in his mental preparation because he’s adept at understanding what a defense is giving, identifying his keys and delivering an accurate football to the right place on time. He has the arm strength to throw downfield and into tight windows. He can scramble, improvise and create. At Alabama he hasn’t been challenged too often and when teams have brought consistent pressure (eg Georgia) his footwork and mechanics have suffered. It’s fair to wonder how he will translate from playing for Alabama to potentially one of the worst teams in the NFL. I would suggest at this point he has first round potential — rather than declaring he’s a nailed-on top-five pick like many websites and analysts.

4. C.J. Stroud (QB, Ohio State)
Stroud is a complex and nuanced evaluation for different reasons. The Buckeyes offense is mass-production and has been for a long time — and hasn’t translated to pro-success for a string of quarterbacks. He has been throwing to the #10 pick in the 2022 draft (Garrett Wilson), the #11 pick (Chris Olave) and Jaxon Smith-Njigba — who I think is better than Wilson and Olave. Let’s just acknowledge that’s an advantage many college players don’t have. He lit up the Rose Bowl and gained rave reviews but when you break down the tape, Utah’s depleted secondary couldn’t cover and had no answers. It was painful to watch. There were so many wide open, huge plays. It was easy for Stroud and it’s hard to watch that game and really take much from it. Technically his footwork and base need work to produce more consistent results. He needs to learn not to throw off his toes as much, with his shoulders and legs in the correct position, without as many hitches before throwing and he needs to cut out the bad errors. Given Ohio State never fixed Justin Fields’ technical flaws, I fear for Stroud. He has size, ample arm strength and I’d say the good with Stroud is very, very good and the bad can equally be horrible. An interception against Minnesota thrown needlessly high and wide under no pressure. A pick against Tulsa where he had as much time in the pocket as you’ll ever see on a given play only to launch a terrible pass into double coverage. He threw right to a defender against Nebraska when Smith-Njigba had fallen over, despite having masses of free space in front of him to run for a first down and get out of bounds. The decision making even from a clean pocket when the obvious decisions are in front of him is a concern. Remember — both Fields and Dwayne Haskins were once considered very high picks from this offense and both lasted into the mid-first round rather than the top-five. I think that is a likely outcome for Stroud based on what I’ve seen so far.

Here are some brief thoughts on other players touted as potential first round picks but they either don’t warrant that projection or they will need to elevate their grade during the 2022 season…

Spencer Rattler (QB, South Carolina)
His 2021 season was a disaster, he was rightly benched and he has an enormous challenge to repair his stock. Rattler’s problem is he needs to learn how to play quarterback. Sounds important, right? At Oklahoma he played with arrogance — trusting his arm way too much to continuously make ill-advised throws into double or sometimes even triple coverage, believing he could just ‘fit it in there’. There were no signs of mental processing, working a defense, taking what was given. He doesn’t throw with anticipation. He does have physical tools. He’s not a particularly quick or dynamic scrambler but he does have the ability to make off-script highlight plays. He can throw off-platform and on the move. He does have good arm strength. He needs to learn how to play in structure and make an offense function, rather than just try to play hero-ball. There’s no way I could consider him a first round prospect at this stage. He has a point to prove but he’s now playing in the unforgiving SEC.

Jake Haener (QB, Fresno State)
We need to be realistic about what these players are. Haener is an accomplished college passer and the system at Fresno State suits his skill-set. He can play within structure and he shows a tremendous amount of grit — bouncing back from big hits and playing through the pain barrier. He is what he is though — a 6-1, 195lbs passer who will be in his mid-20’s as a rookie and lacks the physical tools to warrant anything like a first round grade. He doesn’t ‘wow’ you in any way. His arm is decent but not great. His accuracy is inconsistent at times and there are some concerning misses on tape. He doesn’t handle pressure that well and he gets antsy in the pocket too often — bailing on plays too early or setting off when he just needs to sit and wait. College football produces players like this all the time and how many go in the first round? Seeing people project him in that range is a major head-scratcher for me. I just don’t get it. And that’s nothing against him. I’ll watch a Fresno State game and enjoy it, mainly because he’s a fun, competitive player. But there’s a difference between that and being a high draft pick for the NFL.

Phil Jurkovec (QB, Boston College)
I’m not sure how anyone can project Jurkovec based on the tiny sample size we have available. After transferring from Notre Dame because he couldn’t usurp Ian Book, he’s had one Covid-impacted season at Boston College and a second season where he only played six games due to injury issues. In two of those six games he went 3/11 for 19 yards and two interceptions in a defeat to Wake Forest and he was 3/4 for 22 yards against UMass before leaving with a bad wrist. He lost to Florida State while completing 41.7% of his passes and his best statistical performance came in a 51-0 win against Colgate where he threw three touchdowns. You can’t look at that, or the tape, and have any serious idea of him being a first round pick. He has quite a hunched, over-the-top throwing motion and his frame is akin to watching a Minecraft character — he’s quite stocky and square. He’s very capable of throwing downfield if given time but there are also examples of passes where he’s just off with his accuracy ever so slightly — throwing to the wrong side of a receiver, giving them too much to do, leading them into trouble. I need to see more to make a proper assessment but if we’re being honest, he shouldn’t even be mentioned as a viable first round pick at this point. He needs to play a full season and stay healthy.

Jaren Hall (QB, BYU)
One trap people fall into is seeing a school where a player emerged from nowhere to go #2 overall (Zach Wilson), then the next time they have a reasonable quarterback starting, you lurch towards making a comparison or thinking lightning will strike twice. Hall is not Wilson. There’s a reason Wilson went #2 overall. There’s a reason Hall won’t. He is a good athlete and an effective runner. But at this stage he’s a runner and thrower more than a passer, if that makes sense. That doesn’t mean he couldn’t take a leap forward in 2022 and I certainly wouldn’t rule that out. Right now I see him as a very effective college quarterback who can make enough throws in the passing game to complement his running ability and athleticism. Does he look like someone destined to be an early draft pick? Not for me.

Anthony Richardson (QB, Florida)
He’s thrown 66 passes in college football. Let’s see him actually, you know, play football before determining whether he’s a high pick.

Grayson McCall (QB, Coastal Carolina)
Every now and again a McCall type comes along and makes life fun. A smaller-school over-achiever who will certainly find a home in the NFL. Frankly, it won’t be a surprise if he sticks around either. He has something about him. McCall is reasonably sized, he’s not physically limited, he plays with a lot of grit and he has elevated his team to a new level. These are all things that will impress NFL scouts. Yet his offense is very much designed to attack the intermediate level, his deep-ball accuracy isn’t what it needs to be and he operates in a funky option-offense that isn’t particularly transferable. There are some misses on tape that are concerning — just basic stuff where he throws wide or high. I would be surprised if he generates early-round consideration and see him more as a player who comes into the NFL much in the way Gardner Minshew did and finds a way to stick around. I’m not comparing him to Minshew either — it’s just to me he has the feel of a mid-to-late round project quarterback who has enough about him to stick around, without ever truly convincing anyone he’s a legit NFL starter. That would be my early projection.

Devin Leary (QB, NC State)
He had a breakout 2021 season delivering 35 touchdowns and just five interceptions, leading his Head Coach to declare he’s the best quarterback in college football. I wouldn’t go that far. He has average arm strength and there’s just a distinct lack of ‘wow’ factor with Leary. He’s only 6-1 and 212lbs and he doesn’t have the physical traits to covet as an early rounder. Let’s see how he does this year but right now it’s hard to get too excited about his NFL stock, or imagine him working his way into the first round discussion.

There are also two players I like who will probably not be first round picks but warrant some attention going into the new college season…

Dorian Thompson-Robinson (QB, UCLA)
I secretly hoped he might declare for the draft this year and provide the Seahawks with a potential mid or later round option. At 6-1 and 205lbs he lacks the elite physical tools to really promote himself into the top range of quarterbacks but DTR is creative, athletic and he just makes things happen. There are some errors on tape and although he only had six interceptions in 2021, most were avoidable. Yet he added 30 total touchdowns and has been driving UCLA forwards. He was impressive in big wins against LCU, USC and California. He ran Oregon close and performed well in a shoot-out against Fresno State. For me he’s better than a lot of the quarterbacks listed above and if he can carry UCLA to another level in 2022 — don’t be surprised if he ends up being one of the late risers in this class.

Tanner McKee (QB, Stanford)
He had a two-year mission before joining-up with Stanford so he’s an older player from the same recruiting class as Will Levis. He’s 6-6 and 228lbs and plays like you’d expect at that size. He’s not a mobile, elusive or scrambling quarterback. He’s at his best standing tall in the pocket and delivering the ball. He can throw fade-passes with touch, he can get the ball downfield with velocity and he’s generally accurate. I would say he’s a level below Davis Mills but still retains enough talent to change that this year. The worst case scenario is he’s naturally gifted enough as a passer for someone to take a chance on him in the middle rounds. This is a big opportunity in a wide-open PAC-12. Can he make a name for himself and pump up his stock?

Right now I see four viable first round quarterbacks for the 2023 class — Levis, Van Dyke, Young and Stroud. As proven with Burrow, Wilson and Pickett — players can and will emerge. That could happen again this year.

I think this is a more accurate portrayal of what this class is though — rather than some of the hype out there at the moment with people discussing more than 6-7 players in the first frame while assuming Young and Stroud are going to be the top two players. You have a lot of positional depth — the numbers are certainly up — but there’s a smaller pool of ‘top’ players than people are suggesting.

It’s also worth remembering just how good Alabama’s Will Anderson is. We’re talking about a player who had 17.5 sacks and 33.5 TFL’s in 2021 alone. It’s unquestionably true that he is the best player eligible for the draft in 2023. It’s not all about the quarterbacks at the top of round one.

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Yesterday I published an article discussing the 2023 draft class. I intend to take a bit of a break this month, which will include a family holiday, but I’m already into the 2023 work and will post when I’ve studied certain players.

Miami quarterback Tyler Van Dyke is a very interesting prospect.

He’s only a redshirt sophomore (like Bryce Young) so it’s not a given he’ll declare for the draft in 12 months. He only started in 2021 after an injury to D’Eriq King. He may prefer to gain a little bit more experience before turning pro. We’ll see how 2022 goes for him and if it’s going well, I’m sure we’ll hear about his intentions soon enough.

According to PFF he was the only quarterback in the FBS to finish in the top-10 for passing yards, touchdowns, big-time throws and big-time throw rate in the second half of the season. He lifted a team that was struggling to a 5-1 record down the stretch.

I am a little bit concerned about Mario Cristobal going to Miami. The offense he ran at Oregon didn’t make the most of Justin Herbert and made him a harder evaluation than was necessary. Van Dyke is at his best throwing downfield, attacking opponents with his arm — not indulging in all the screens and slants that Herbert was lumbered with.

Cristobal has spoken about tailoring an offense to fit Van Dyke though, so there is that.

So what does he do well?

I watched three games to get a feel for him. One early in the 2021, two later on (including when he out-duelled Kenny Pickett in a big win at Pittsburgh). The difference is noticeable. You can see him throw with greater confidence in the later games — he looked more in control, more comfortable and he looked every bit a quarterback capable of succeeding at the next level.

He stands tall in the pocket and his base is impressive for a young QB. He plants his feet nicely, steps into his throws and it helps him stay accurate. His passes carry strong velocity. The ball kind of flicks out of his hand on release — the throwing finger spinning it out with a little extra juice to launch downfield.

He does tend to drop his shoulder down and his release is a little more elongated than ideal. It’s not a deal-breaker but it’s something to note.

He throws into the right areas of the field, leading his receivers and playing with anticipation. Van Dyke drives the ball downfield, even when he faces pressure. His arm strength is very impressive.

Two throws stood out in a game against Virginia Tech. One flew 55 yards downfield on a dime, hitting the receiver perfectly in stride. He made it look effortless. Then he threw from his own 15-yard-line across the field to the right hand side dropping a pass into the tightest window. The cornerback had good coverage on the receiver leaving the smallest possible margin to throw to against the sideline. Van Dyke dropped it in there, giving his receiver a chance to make the grab. That was a 40-yard throw, with perfect timing, accuracy and velocity.

He’s not the most mobile quarterback (5.00 forty at SPARQ) but he can scramble away to make a first down from time to time. He’s not overly elusive or creative as a runner and it’s something he says he’s been working on.

I like the way he speaks too. His interviews are a bit Belichick-y but you can’t go wrong with a quote like this about the new staff at Miami:

“You can tell the difference, the discipline and intensity that has changed the program so far,” Van Dyke said. “There’s no more BS going on around here. “Always have to be on time or you’re going to face some discipline issues. [Paying attention to] small details will help us on the field. We need that standard and we’ve needed it for awhile. ”With him as the head guy, with all that talent, there no more excuses. We have the best coaching staff in college football. There are no more excuses to be 7-5, 8-4.

”We’ve got to be better with discipline and details…. That’s what gets us beat. The biggest thing is player-led accountability. Me and a couple guys are doing that to make sure everybody does the right thing.”

A sign that he’s seen as a big time prospect is that he’s already working with agent Drew Rosenhaus on NIL deals.

The way he was playing at the end of the season hinted at a player who could easily work himself into top-10 consideration if he continues to improve and elevate Miami.

For all the talk about Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud — it’s players like Van Dyke and Kentucky’s Will Levis that increase the excitement around the 2023 draft. And it further highlights why the Seahawks (and other teams) passed on the 2022 quarterback class with an eye towards next year.

I’m seeing a number of 2023 mock emerge, many refuse to acknowledge Levis as the prospect he clearly is. Take a look at his performance against Iowa in the Citrus Bowl. Let me draw your attention to the throw at 2:16 where, under pressure, he throws perfectly on 3rd and 26 for a huge completion in between two defenders:

That’s as good a throw as you’ll see. No hesitation, anticipation, accuracy, arm strength, throws the receiver open. Perfect.

He is legit. Any early projection that doesn’t include him among the top 2023 prospect should be ignored.

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Amid all the hand-wringing over Seattle’s decision to pass on the 2022 quarterbacks, the reality is the Seahawks did exactly what they needed to do.

They set themselves up for next year.

While the 2022 group was filled with mid-round prospects, elevated unfairly within a media desperate for quarterbacks to discuss, the 2023 class is a different story entirely.

The truth is, while Drew Lock may carry a ‘damaged goods’ tag after a challenging spell in Denver — the likes of Malik Willis, Desmond Ridder and Matt Corral simply weren’t any better than he is. You can take that as a review of Lock as much as the quarterbacks — but why have two players, neither of which are likely to be the long term answer?

Especially when the roster needed major work at other premium positions where the 2022 draft class provided some actual solutions.

Let’s assume they draft a quarterback next year. That player will join an offense that now includes:

— Two young book-end offensive tackles
— D.K. Metcalf (expect an extension)
— Investment in other receivers
— Noah Fant & Will Dissly
— The prospect of a strong running game led by Kenneth Walker

That’s a great situation to come into — with the option to add even more talent to the offense in the draft and free agency next year.

They had to use the 2022 draft to set the table and they accomplished that.

Next season will present some challenges in the first year of a rebuild. It could even get ugly. Sometimes you’ve got to take your lumps and learn from it.

Imagine if they’d drafted an overrated quarterback this year. Not only would it have been a wasted pick (in my opinion) — but the clamour for said player to start would’ve been consuming. And what realistic chance would they have to succeed in an environment of learning and development?

In 2023 you can get a better player, coming into a better situation where the likes of Charles Cross, Abraham Lucas and Walker have a year of experience under their belts.

The Seahawks showed admirable restraint to project and plan with a longer term mentality.

So what do we know about the 2023 draft class at this stage to make this such a good approach from the team?

The quarterbacks

There’s going to be a ton of buzz around C.J. Stroud (Ohio State) and Bryce Young (Alabama). I think there’s a better quarterback than both eligible for 2023 and I’ll come onto him shortly.

Stroud’s footwork and base needs work to produce more consistent results. The Buckeyes offense is mass-production and has been for a long time — so it’s important to focus on the technical areas that will define Stroud’s stock. For example — he lit up the Rose Bowl but when you break down the tape, Utah couldn’t cover. They had no answer. There were so many wide open, huge plays. It was easy for Stroud and it’s hard to watch that game and really take much from it.

He has size, ample arm strength and I’d say the good with Stroud is very, very good. The bad can equally be horrible at times. An interception against Minnesota thrown needlessly high and wide under no pressure. A pick against Tulsa where he had enough time in the pocket to light a BBQ and sink two beers before throwing into horrible double coverage (what did he see?). He threw right to a defender against Nebraska when Jaxon Smith-Njigba had fallen over, despite having masses of free space in front of him to run for a first down and get out of bounds.

The decision making even from a clean pocket when the obvious decisions are in front of him is a concern.

No doubt he’ll have another ridiculous season statistically in 2022 and he’ll likely be a very high pick. Yet he needs technical refinement with his feet so he doesn’t throw off his toes as much, with his shoulders and legs in the correct position, without as many hitches before throwing and he needs to cut out the bad errors.

I don’t want to overplay it too much because he can work on all of this at Ohio State and in his first weeks of camp. There’s a lot to like — there are just some things to be aware of.

Bryce Young is only about 5-11 and 190lbs. Now — I wouldn’t write him off purely because of that. But we also have to acknowledge that he would be truly unique to come into the NFL and star with that kind of frame.

Playing for Alabama he doesn’t face too much adversity. However, it was noticeable in the National Championship game how inconsistent his footwork was when feeling pressure. Georgia got after him and he looked overwhelmed at times. Games like that matter because there aren’t going to be many occasions where he feels sustained, creative pressure at Alabama.

That said — his arm talent is good. He generates velocity when he needs to ramp up the reps to fit the ball into a tight window. He throws downfield with ease. He does an excellent job reading what the defense is giving, ID’ing the right opportunity to find a completion and hitting the target. His processing for a young player is already very, very good.

His accuracy is impressive. There are several throws on tape where you just have to sit back and enjoy seeing the combination of timing, anticipation and torque. There’s no doubt he is a very natural, gifted, skilled quarterback. It’s a difficult projection though because the size is so uncommon for the position and he plays for the most dominant team in college over the last decade. How will he fair in the very different setting of playing for a team picking in the top-10?

Both Stroud and Young are talented players but they are not quite the ‘OMG’ types the media have you believe. For me, the top quarterback prospect for 2023 is Kentucky’s Will Levis and it’s not that close.

He is the most exciting 2023 prospect aside from Alabama’s Will Anderson. He has everything — ideal size, arm strength, improvisation skills, the ability to challenge defenses at every level. He is a sensational talent.

Firstly, the physical traits. Levis is the closest thing we’ve seen to Josh Allen since he was drafted by the Bills. Now — he isn’t Allen. Nobody is. Allen is basically factory-made for the QB position with the complete physical skill-set. Levis isn’t far away though. He ran a 4.10 short shuttle at SPARQ and jumped a 36 inch vertical. His overall score was a 123.27 — which is seriously impressive for a quarterback who was already 224lbs in High School (he’s now listed at 230lbs).

Levis combines fantastic arm talent with a supreme physicality that allows him to excel as a runner. He can break off huge plays on QB-draws and scrambles to make a defense always account for his legs. He can also get his head down to make a yard when his team needs a conversion.

I recall one play last season where the center gave him a bad snap down at his feet. He plucked the ball off his toes, put his head down and drove at the LOS. He got the yardage for a first down, then pushed the pile Marshawn Lynch style for an extra five yards.

I like Levis’ technique as a thrower. He squares his shoulders off and positions himself to make accurate throws. His feet are planted on the ground, providing the necessary base to throw with consistent velocity. There’s evidence of touch throws and he has plenty of arm strength to drive the ball into tight windows. His release is compact and smooth.

There was one throw on a double pass where he received the ball towards the left sideline. A defender read the trick-play and closed on him quickly. In a flash he released the ball to the receiver downfield — it was such an improbable quick flick of the wrist and yet he generated so much force for a big-time completion.

He gave Georgia a game — more than a lot of quarterbacks can say in 2021. There was also a throw against LSU that felt like a statement of his quality.

Levis dropped back and processes the field. His first read isn’t open and there’s edge pressure from both sides. There’s a post-route option vs single coverage. As he’s being wiped out from the pressure, he launches the ball downfield. He delivers a 45-yard bomb right on the money, into the tightest window, settling between the covering cornerback who received some safety help. It hits the receiver right in the hands.

He does all of this while being hit, under immense pressure. Placement, composure and pure talent doesn’t get much better than this. You have to be able to create big plays downfield when things break down. Levis has the natural talent to do that — and in the modern NFL he has the improv and the physical attributes to excel.

I think he’s best placed to come into the league and have early success. His offensive coordinator last year was Liam Coen. Why does that matter? Coen was the receivers and quarterback coach for Sean McVay’s Rams between 2018-20. He was appointed back to the Rams this year to replace Kevin O’Connell as offensive coordinator.

He’s had pro-level coaching from the McVay tree, from a man so respected by McVay that he’s essentially become his right-hand-man. It also means he’s used to operating a lot of play-action and he’s a master of it. He is dealing in a translatable offense where the PA isn’t just a crutch to create easy completions.

Take a look:

There’s a level or projection you need to make with Stroud and Young that you simply don’t have to worry about with Levis because of the system he’s played in.

Coen has now been replaced by Rich Scangarello — the quarterbacks coach at the 49ers and the former Broncos offensive coordinator. So again, he’s going to be receiving pro-level coaching and guidance from someone familiar to modern NFL trends (Kyle Shanahan tree).

Levis is also an older player and while some will knock him for that — for me it just means he has a level of maturity and experience. He spent three seasons as the backup to Trace McSorley and Sean Clifford and it never really worked out at Penn State. The 2022 season will be his second full season at Kentucky.

It’s not that tricky to win at Ohio State and Alabama. UK finished the 2021 season 10-3 and defeated Iowa in the Citrus Bowl with Levis pulling the strings. They’ve just had an impressive recruiting cycle, ranking 10th in the nation according to Rivals. So they’re a team trending in the right direction. Levis is helping make that so.

Take a look for yourself at what he brings to the table:

As much as there’s a ton of hype around Stroud and Young — I wouldn’t be surprised if the Seahawks (and other teams) are quietly keeping a very close eye on Levis. He is one of the most exciting and intriguing quarterback prospects I’ve ever covered.

He would be the main man to target in 2023 for me. He will be the player I’ll be watching closest when the college football season begins.

What about the rest of the class?

The term ‘generational talent’ is thrown around too much but it seems perfectly acceptable for Alabama pass rusher Will Anderson. With 17.5 sacks and 34.5 TFL’s in 2021 alone — he could easily be the #1 overall pick next year depending on who is making the selection. The fact he wears #31 also speaks to the intensity and physicality he plays with. He’s a true game-wrecking edge defender.

Ohio State had two receivers drafted in the top-15 on Thursday. Jaxon Smith-Njigba might be technically superior to both Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave. He is a star in the making.

Notre Dame has been a breeding ground for interesting tight ends over the years. Michael Mayer may be the best one yet. He’s an incredible pass-catching target with the skill and athleticism to create mismatches across the field.

Georgia has just sent a boat-load of defensive studs to the NFL. There are even more on the way. Jalen Carter will control the interior next season and as a former five-star recruit, big things are expected from him. Nolan Smith is another five-star edge rusher who ran a ridiculous 4.15 short shuttle at SPARQ, jumped a 40 inch vertical and had an overall score of 141.18. Kelee Ringo is, you guessed it, yet another five star recruit and a big, dynamic cornerback prospect.

Jordan Addison won the Biletnikoff at Pittsburgh and during the draft has been involved in a somewhat explosive story over the weekend where he’s said to be transferring to USC due to a lucrative NIL deal. It’d be harsh on Pittsburgh (and indicative of the changing landscape of college football) but it would provide him an opportunity to elevate his stock even further playing for Lincoln Riley (and with Caleb Williams).

Addison’s a smaller receiver but shows off excellent route-running nouse and an ability to stretch the field and play with consistent hands.

Clemson will look to bounce back this season and 6-5, 275lbs defensive end Myles Murphy will be key to that. He’s been compared to Travon Walker and while he might not match his physical upside and testing performance — he’s a powerhouse who controls the edge and has the quickness to shoot inside and break into the backfield.

Miami offensive tackle Zion Nelson was impressive based on 2021 tape and it was a little surprising he didn’t declare for the draft this year. He’s very athletic, he mirrors well, he’s a stout run blocker. There’s a lot to like.

Sticking with the offensive line, O’Cyrus Torrence has followed Billy Napier from Louisiana to Florida and the highly rated guard could propel himself into a solid top-40 range with a strong season in the SEC. He was already highly rated.

I know there are people in the league who like the intensity and playing style of Louisville linebacker Monty Montgomery. Zach Charbonnet, the running back at UCLA, warrants serious attention — as does Zach Evans at Ole Miss.

Jalen Catalon the safety at Arkansas was a surprise snub for the draft this year but has every chance to go in round one. He has some of the playing characteristics of Quandre Diggs.

The two other quarterback names I’d recommend watching for outside of the first round are the underrated Dorian Thompson-Robinson at UCLA and Tanner McKee at Stanford.

So as you can see — it’s shaping up already to be a promising class, with the Seahawks owning two first and two second round picks.

Exciting times.

I will begin to pore over the 2023 draft class over the next few weeks. The Seahawks have a great opportunity ahead of them — largely because of the areas they addressed in the 2022 draft.

They set the table for the next step.

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A week ago I wrote a list of ‘draft rules and aims’ for the Seahawks.

It included:

— Improve the trenches
— Don’t hole-fill
— Build to be the kind of team you want to be
— Be prepared to shoot for the stars at #9
— Be patient at quarterback (aka don’t draft one from this class)
— An unsexy draft is OK

All ticked off. Mission accomplished.

(They didn’t draft a Georgia defender though, shame)

Despite Pete Carroll’s protestations, this is a rebuild. You simply cannot move on from so many players — Russell Wilson, Bobby Wagner, Duane Brown, D.J. Reed, Carlos Dunlap — and not see it that way.

It might not be an expansion franchise-level build. It’s still significant. It called for a very deliberate and specific approach to the draft.

This was a foundational class full of building blocks in the trenches. Tapping into that to construct the foundation of your future team had to be the aim.

This also wasn’t the year to go chasing a quarterback. It was a class full of third rounders. How many times did we say that? We even had a long interview with Scot McCloughan spelling it out.

You were never going to find your next franchise quarterback among this group. Instead of feeling obliged to rush out and try to find a Wilson replacement who likely wasn’t any better than Drew Lock — and probably would’ve been worse — the Seahawks showed great restraint.

They went about building their structure. Two high picks on offensive tackles. Two picks on pass rushers. Two picks on cornerbacks. Two on receivers.

Premium positions — all of them.

The areas where you need to be strong in order to succeed — addressed.

And look — who’s to say that they drafted the right players or that these prospects will amount to anything? Who knows?

I’ve always felt, however, that as a fan all you can hope for, really, is to understand the plan. Have faith in the plan. The Seahawks sent the message that they know this is going to take some time and they needed to build from the front.

That’s refreshing and reassuring.

It’s also what they need to do to create the kind of team they want to be. There’s been a slightly awkward clash of philosophies in recent years as Carroll tried to instil his vision and accommodate a franchise quarterback who quite rightly expected a big say too.

Now, though, Carroll is in a position to build the kind of roster he feels is necessary. And whether you agree that he should have that power or not — that’s not the point. The only thing worse than having a Head Coach you don’t believe in any more is having a Head Coach who has lost all sense of identity and vision.

So while ‘Seahawks Twitter’ went about having a good moan after Seattle picked a running back in round two — I was completely comfortable with it. Not just because Kenneth Walker is a really good player — but also because Carroll needs a top runner for this to work. We’ve seen the stark difference in performance when his team can and can’t run the ball well.

He hasn’t been able to rely on Rashaad Penny and Chris Carson to stay healthy. Now he’s taken a player who can potentially drive this team on.

Walker carried Michigan State to unexpected success in 2021.

It may or may not work. We’ll find out. I understand the plan though. Frankly I also believe in it too. They’ve built up their lines. They’re now better placed to rush the passer, run the football and pass protect.

That is a good thing.

The three top picks headline everything of course. I think it’s interesting to look at how they were graded and marked.

I wasn’t a huge Charles Cross fan personally but appreciate the thought process and acknowledge others rated him a lot higher than I did.

Many people graded him among the best players in the draft and I never did. I wasn’t alone. Daniel Jeremiah only ranked him as the 22nd best player in the draft.

As I wrote after the first round, I think a lot of teams ‘settled’ on players. It wasn’t a draft with a great top-10 or even top-20. There were some solid players, some risky players and maybe one or two with star potential but some flags.

They took Cross probably because options such as Derek Stingley Jr, Kayvon Thibodeaux, Evan Neal and Ikem Ekwonu weren’t there. Two days on, I’m at peace with it. Like I said — he wasn’t my personal top choice by any stretch. He likely wouldn’t be the top choice for people like Jeremiah or Lance Zierlein (who had Cross ranked 17th in the class). I don’t think you can quibble too much, though, about taking a left tackle prospect in round one.

Here’s the thing though — the comparative value of their next two choices was really good. If they reached on Cross on Jeremiah’s board, Zierlein’s board and my own personal board, the next two picks were the opposite.

Jeremiah had Boye Mafe ranked 31st but he was taken at #40. He had Kenneth Walker ranked 33rd but he was taken at #41.

I don’t think they got a true top-10 value out of Cross but you could easily suggest they got two first-round graded players in round two. Don’t just take my word for it either. Dane Brugler had Walker as RB1, a fringe first rounder and compared him to Garrison Hearst. Zierlein had Mafe ranked 34th and Walker 36th.

I think it all basically balances out quite well in terms of value.

They then selected Abraham Lucas in round three — a player I thought genuinely deserved late first round consideration — before gaining tremendous value on day three with the two cornerbacks they selected.

I’ll say it again — mission accomplished.

People have quibbled and that’s fine. You don’t have to take my word as gospel on this draft class or the Seahawks.

I do think it’s a bit silly though that the running back value debate has reared its ugly head again — a thoroughly boring topic that people obsess over. I’d suggest the presence of Derrick Henry, Jonathan Taylor, Dalvin Cook, Nick Chubb and Joe Mixon — all drafted in the same range as Kenneth Walker — suggests there’s ample value to be found with a pick like this.

Not everything has to be viewed through the prism of straining every last drop of positional value out of every decision — then complaining about it on Twitter.

A lot of this was connected to the quarterback class. Why take a running back in round two instead of a quarterback, people asked. It’s a simple answer. The running back taken is really good. The quarterbacks were limited, middling and mediocre.

There were also people complaining about Mafe’s age. Presumably if he was only currently 21 or 22 instead of 23 it would somehow impact his ability to succeed in the NFL. Forget that he runs a 1.56 10-yard split, jumps a 42 inch vertical, had a strong 19.8% pass rush win percentage at Minnesota and made it look easy at the Senior Bowl with the way he rushed the edge with a great repertoire. Forget that he’s only a year older than T.J. Watt was when he entered the league.

No, he’s one or two years older than ideal. Let the complaining begin.

Anyway, enough about that.

Here’s what the Seahawks achieved over the last three days.

They are launching a rebuild with young book-end offensive tackles. Two legit options for the long haul at both tackle spots.

They have a dynamic, explosive, super-quick pass rusher to play across from Darrell Taylor and rotate with Uchenna Nwosu.

They have a running back with the potential and upside to be something a bit special. Walker is a dude. Look at his combine highlights video. Look at that frame. Watch his game against Michigan. Be excited by him.

There wasn’t a week during the 2021 season where we didn’t discuss the way Walker was putting on a show for Michigan State. He carried his team to a great season.

They’ve added two young cornerbacks — one hailed for his physicality, leadership and production, the other for his incredible upside and ceiling.

They drafted the guy who fought with Trevor Penning — a top-20 pick — throughout the Senior Bowl (and won his fair share of reps).

They ended with two dynamic receivers with upside potential.

They haven’t addressed every need and they were never going to be able to pull that off. It’s a little bit unexpected that they didn’t tap into this attractive linebacker class at any point.

They’ll need to return to the veteran market in the coming days to fill some holes.

I’ll also always wonder about the first round trade up that ‘vanished’ according to John Schneider. The Giants taking Kayvon Thibodeaux at #5 instead of an offensive lineman took away a possible move up to #6 in deal with Carolina.

In the future they will need to find a game-wrecking defensive player — probably a pass rusher — and a quarterback. In order to truly succeed, those will be the things they need to accomplish over the next one or two off-seasons.

The building blocks are in place though thanks to this draft. We’ll see what the 2022 season brings with modest expectations.

Then in 12 months time they’ll have a chunk of cap space to use, four picks in the first two rounds and a chance to push this team into a contending position — while finding the future at quarterback.

I can’t wait to watch quarterback tape. I want to start now. What an exciting prospect to study a talented class to try and find the player they will select next year. I’ve already done plenty of work on Kentucky’s Will Levis — who I believe should be the top target — but I will begin pouring over the other candidates.

Then when the college football season returns in September — the excitement will build as we watch these young players perform.

The future at the position, whoever it is, will be part of a team with all the necessary pieces to succeed on offense.

Rebuilds don’t happen in one off-season. Seattle started theirs the right way.

A good start. The right start.

Forward we go.

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Welcome to the live blog for this year. I’ll be posting my reaction to every Seahawks pick on here.

I’ll be doing an instant reaction live stream immediately after the draft concludes.

NO tipping picks in the comments section

#109 (R4) — Coby Bryant (CB, Cincinnati)
I had Bryant graded in round four and I like the pick even though I had other corners graded higher. It’s hard to work out these days what the Seahawks want at the position — highlighted by them drafting another short armed corner (30.5 inch arms). He was considered a big time leader in Cincinnati. He’s not the quickest (4.54 at the combine, 4.48 at pro-day) but he’s competitive in run support and was well liked by a lot in the scouting community. He has a chance to compete to start which is all you can ask for in day three. Lesser upside than others but perhaps readier to start.

#145 (R5) — TRADE
The Seahawks dealt this pick to Kansas City, moving down to #158 and gaining #233.

#153 (R5) — Tariq Woolen (CB, UTSA)
Another cornerback added and it’s a player with major upside. He ran a 4.26 at 6-4 and 205lbs. He’s an outstanding athlete. Jim Nagy highlighted him during our pre-Senior Bowl interview. Woolen is a bit stiff in his transition and given his size there’s not much he can do about that. Yet the size and traits combo is majorly intriguing. I had him listed in the second round based on his remarkable upside so getting him in round five is great value. He’s only played cornerback for two years and he needs some work. Yet there isn’t really anyone else with his size, speed and explosive qualities in this draft.

#158 (R5) — Tyreke Smith (DE, Ohio State)
Perhaps best known as the guy who spent most of the Senior Bowl fighting with Trevor Penning, Smith has some pass rushing skill. Classically for the Seahawks he tested well in the short shuttle (4.26) and that has been viewed as a better indicator than forty (which wasn’t great — 4.86 at 254lbs). He had his fair share of wins in Mobile and he’s extremely competitive and sparky. I had him in the fourth round range so again this looks like good value.

#229 (R7) — Bo Melton (WR, Rutgers)
I had a fourth round grade on Melton so once again this is great value. He ran a 4.34 at the combine and jumped a 38 inch vertical. He was used as a gunner at Rutgers so he carries some special teams value and he was a two-time team captain. As a seventh round pick he has a legit chance to make the roster with a good camp. You can’t ask for more than that.

#233 (R7) — Dareke Young (WR, Lenoir-Ryne)
The final pick is another receiver. I had Young as a sixth or seventh round pick. He ran a 4.44 at his pro-day and jumped a 37 inch vertical and an 11-3 broad. That was at 6-2 and 224lbs and he looks incredible in terms of frame. He’s a developmental receiver with major upside.

Seahawks 2022 draft class

Charles Cross T
Boye Mafe DE
Kenneth Walker RB
Abraham Lucas T
Coby Bryant CB
Tariq Woolen CB
Tyreke Smith DE
Bo Melton WR
Dareke Young WR

Welcome to the live blog for this year. I’ll be posting my reaction to every pick on here, including longer-form analysis of the Seahawks picks.

Don’t forget — I’ll be doing an instant reaction live stream immediately after the third round concludes.

NO tipping picks in the comments section

#33 Tampa Bay — Logan Hall (DT, Houston)
My source said Hall had a great chance to sneak into the late first and he goes as the top pick on day two. Hall is incredibly agile and quick. He’s powerful. Yet he needs a better pass-rush plan and he’s too upright. At the moment he’s an out of control fireball.

#34 Green Bay (v/MIN) — Christian Watson (WR, North Dakota State)
The Packers give up two second rounders (#53 & #59) to move up. It’s a bit of a desperation move due to the run on receivers yesterday. However, I really like Watson. He’s incredibly quick and can be used in a variety of ways (vertical, sweeps, shorter routes with quick separation). Good player.

#35 Tennessee — Roger McCreary (CB, Auburn)
A tenacious, competitive cornerback. He’s diminutive and his lack of length could be an issue. However, his recovery speed and ability to mirror then just stick out an arm at the crucial moment to break up a pass is impressive.

#36 New York Jets (v/NYG) — Breece Hall (RB, Iowa State)
The Jets jump ahead of Houston, giving up a fifth rounder to move up two spots. New York is building a heck of a class. Hall is a plug and play, impact player for the offense — adding to Garrett Wilson. This is a really smart draft from the Jets.

#37 Houston — Jalen Pitre (S, Baylor)
A lot of people like Pitre but I had a hard job assessing him. I think this is a bit of a reach though for a nickel safety type. He made plays in college but I can’t tell whether it translates to the next level.

#38 Atlanta (v/NYG) — Arnold Ebiketie (DE, Penn State)
The Falcons trade up from #43 moving ahead of the Colts, Seahawks and Bears. Ebiketie was fun to watch and he’s explosive. However, it did raise a bit of an alarm when he didn’t run at the combine and then delivered a 1.69 10-yard split at his pro-day. Burst matters. Atlanta badly needed a pass rusher.

#39 Chicago — Kyler Gordon (CB, Washington)
Extremely explosive, incredibly agile. Gordon has a ton of talent. The forty he ran at the combine was a big surprise and probably cost him a place in round one. Nevertheless, this is good value for the Bears who didn’t have a first rounder.

#40 Seattle — Boye Mafe (DE, Minnesota)
Mafe is tremendous value here. His Senior Bowl performance was outstanding. He made it look effortless. Cast your mind back to that time. We were talking about him being a round one option if they had their #10 pick still. He has heavy hands, he’s lightning quick off the edge. He ran a 1.56 10-yard split. He just needs to find a level of consistency. He has superb potential and they needed a pass rusher. I had him going #31 overall to the Chiefs in my mock.

#41 Seattle — Kenneth Walker (RB, Michigan State)
Another superb value pick. Again, think back to the college football season and how often we talked about Walker. He carried Michigan State on his back. Then think back to the combine. He just looked like an absolute dude. He was rocked up. Ran amazingly. Explosive. This is the range in the draft where some of the best backs in the league have been taken. I really like this value.

Bonus thought on the quarterbacks
Been saying for a long time — this isn’t a quarterback class to chase. While many have clamoured for this group in the media and among Seattle’s fan base, look at what the league is saying. Look at what Scot McCloughan told us. Look at the breakdowns we’ve done on here. It’s a draft full of third rounders.

#42 Minnesota (v/IND) — Andrew Booth (CB, Clemson)
Fantastic value here. My now overly cited to the point of nausea league source said he was CB3 in this class. The injury hurt him a bit. He has a chance to be really good though. He plays the ball superbly, he can tackle, he’s incredibly smooth with his footwork but he can mix it up too.

#43 New York Giants — Wan’Dale Robinson (WR, Kentucky)
I loved Robinson. He was so good for Will Levis — a reliable threat. He is fearless. He reminded me a lot of Golden Tate. You can rely on him to get the job done — just get the ball into his hands.

#44 Houston — John Metchie (WR, Alabama)
When I reviewed the tape recently all I could think of was — he’s not as fast as I thought. Even so, he always produced for Alabama and the Texans needed a target for Davis Mills.

#45 Baltimore — David Ojabo (DE, Michigan)
This was about the range for him post-injury. It’s a great pick for player and team. Well done to the man from Scotland. The Ravens are just good at drafting.

#46 Detroit — Josh Paschal (DE, Kentucky)
This is such a Lions pick. Paschal is a tone-setter and a passionate, forceful defender. He’s not much of an edge threat but he’s a thunderous force against the run. Really explosive, really agile. The type who helps set a culture.

#47 Washington — Phidarian Mathis (DT, Alabama)
I like Mathis. Long arms. Did a fantastic job rushing the passer despite a middling physical profile. He stood out in numerous games. I’m not sure replacing Tim Settle this early was a huge need but you know what you’re going to get with Mathis.

#48 Chicago — Jaquan Brisker (S, Penn State)
Their new defensive minded Head Coach adds two defensive backs. Brisker has his fans in scouting circles but I was never truly enamoured with him. The Bears start a new era focusing on their secondary — which is a bit odd given the need to build around Justin Fields.

#49 New Orleans — Alontae Taylor (CB, Tennessee)
I like him but this feels pretty high. Good length, great athleticism. He has a lot of potential and he could play corner or safety.

#50 New England (v/KC) — Tyquan Thornton (WR, Baylor)
The Patriots move up from 54 and give the Chiefs a fifth round pick. Thornton ran an incredible forty at the combine and they’ve gone with the speed because I had him down in round four. He’s very thin, very slight. Can he handle the physicality at the next level?

#51 Philadelphia — Cam Jurgens (C, Nebraska)
Outstanding pick. Love what the Eagles have done here — adding Jordan Davis, A.J. Brown and Jurgens. He will be the heir apparent to Jason Kelce and he’ll help set the tone up front. No wonder they were celebrating in the Philly draft room.

#52 Pittsburgh — George Pickens (WR, Georgia)
The Steelers have done a good job drafting receivers over the years but I never quite could get excited about Pickens. He’s had injuries. There was some character chatter. They need weapons for Kenny Pickett though.

#53 Indianapolis — Alec Pierce (WR, Cincinnati)
Despite the 4.3 testing speed he had a lot of contested catches which made you wonder if the speed translates. That said, there were also posts downfield where he blazed by a defender and Desmond Ridder under-threw the pass to make life harder than it needed to be. He has a shot to be good. I like him more than Pickens.

#54 Kansas City — Skyy Moore (WR, Western Michigan)
He goes in the same range as former team mate Dee Eskridge. He’s very competitive and a warrior. He’s not as quick as Eskridge. He goes up and gets the football. He’ll enjoy playing with Pat Mahomes. This fills a need and they didn’t panic like green Bay.

#55 Arizona — Trey McBride (TE, Colorado State)
I like him. He loves to block, he tested well at pro-day. He’s a complete TE.

#56 Dallas — Sam Williams (DE, Ole Miss)
Provided the character concerns check out, this is a fantastic pick. He ran a 1.52 10-yard split and he can get after it off the edge. It’s a classic Cowboys draft pick and they like taking a shot on these guys. I would’ve had him in Seattle (character permitting).

#57 Tampa Bay (v/BUF) — Luke Goedeke (G, Central Michigan)
The Buccs trade up with the Bills. Goedeke will kick inside to guard. He was well liked at Central Michigan, with a lot of people rating him against the far more raw and inexperienced Bernhard Raimann.

#58 Atlanta — Troy Andersen (LB, Montana State)
One of the most fun players to watch on tape. His testing profile is elite and the sky’s the limit for him. He can be superb with the right coaching and guidance. This could launch a bit of a run at the position.

#59 Minnesota — Ed Ingram (G, LSU)
I had him in round four. He jumped an awful 20.5 inch vertical at the combine. There are some good, athletic snaps on tape but this feels like a reach.

#60 Cincinnati (v/BUF) — Cam Taylor-Britt (CB, Nebraska)
The Bengals have traded up from #63, leapfrogging the 49ers. I’m a big fan of CTB. He’s a big hitter who loves to tackle. He has the speed to cover and be a potential playmaker. A good pick at cornerback for the Bengals and if they kept him away from the Niners, all the better.

#61 San Francisco — Drake Jackson (DE, USC)
People were talking him up as a first rounder this week. He has amazing flashes on tape at times but my word you want to see more. He’s been up and down trying to find an ideal weight. He’s a chunky edge. I get a Rasheem Green vibe from him that he has all the potential but can he put it together?

#62 Kansas City — Bryan Cook (S, Cincinnati)
I love Cook — a solid, mature leader and a player who loves to mix it up as a tackler. He can cover. He’s just really solid. He can do some of what Tyrann Mathieu did for them. He’s that kind of player. I had him squarely in round two.

#63 Buffalo — James Cook (RB, Georgia)
I didn’t see him going this early. Dalvin’s brother goes in the second round. That’s interesting. Will be keen to see how they utilise him.

#64 Denver — Nik Bonitto (DE, Oklahoma)
I mocked this a couple of times, it felt like a fit for what they do and they need to replace Von Miller. This is good value for the Broncos to be fair, given their lack of picks this year.

#65 Jacksonville — Luke Fortner (C, Kentucky)
I wasn’t blown away by his tape. I liked his willingness to get to the second level and he’s a solid player but I didn’t get excited watching him (yes, it’s possible to get excited watching a center). I had him down for day three.

#66 Minnesota — Brian Asamoah (LB, Oklahoma)
His tape is great. He flies to the ball-carrier. He would’ve been a second rounder but for a middling set of testing results.

#67 New York Giants — Joshua Ezeudu (G, North Carolina)
Wasn’t crazy about him on tape. Not explosive or that athletic. They needed a guard and he’ll come in and give it a go. I prefer Logan Bruss. Another player I had listed for day three.

#68 Cleveland — MJ Emerson (CB, Mississippi State)
Love this pick. Classic Seahawks-style corner. Stood out at the combine as someone who screamed Seattle. On tape he hits hard and loves a tackle. He needs better ball skills to create turnovers but there’s so much to like. I gave him a R2 grade.

#69 Tennessee — Nicholas Petit-Frere (T, Ohio State)
On tape he looked athletic and smooth. He just lacked an edge. Yet at the combine he tested poorly and it took the edge off his stock.

#70 Jacksonville — Chad Muma (LB, Wyoming)
Muma’s tape is really good. He flies around the field and was a quick striker once he’d ID’s the ball-carrier. They take another linebacker after selecting Devin Lloyd earlier.

#71 Chicago — Velus Jones Jr (WR, Tennessee)
He is a special player when it comes to special teams. He can be a big time return-man, he can block for others too. His character is excellent and he will lift those around him. He’s really quick so he’ll have a role on offense too.

#72 Seattle — Abraham Lucas (T, Washington State)
Punching the air over here. What a pick. Lucas was by far the best performer during on-field drills at the combine. He was great at the Senior Bowl. He’s a tremendous run-blocker. I had him graded in round one, they get him in round three. I love this pick.

#73 Indianapolis — Jelani Woods (TE, Virginia)
He was so interesting on tape and his testing backed it up. Yes he’s a bit tall and stiff but there’s some magic in there.

#74 Atlanta — Desmond Ridder (QB, Cincinnati)
This is fair enough range for Ridder. The first round talk was total and utter nonsense. This is his true placing in this class — mid-rounds.

#75 Houston (v/Denver) — Christian Harris (LB, Alabama)
He had great testing but his tape just left you wanting more.

#76 Baltimore — Travis Jones (DT, Connecticut)
Of course the Ravens selected this guy. Because they continue to make smart moves. They are having an outstanding draft.

#77 Indianapolis — Bernhard Raimann (T/G, Central Michigan)
They really focus on explosive traits in Indy so it’s no surprise they’ve taken Raimann. His technique needs a total ground-zero build though.

#78 Cleveland — Alex Wright (DE, UAB)
His testing was so bad I didn’t give him a draftable grade.

#79 LA Chargers — JT Woods (S, Baylor)
I’m very surprised he’s gone before Nick Cross. I had him in the fourth round. He’s a solid player with a good set of physical traits.

#80 Denver — Greg Dulcich (TE, UCLA)
Given the Wilson trade, the Broncos have done a tremendous job finding value with their two picks. Dulcich has major potential and will immediately fill the void left by Noah Fant.

#81 New York Giants — Cordale Flott (CB, LSU)
I didn’t give Flott a draftable grade. He’s just so slight and how will we handle the physical NFL?

#82 Atlanta — DeAngelo Malone (DE, Western Kentucky)
He had a great Senior Bowl and tested well after adding weight. As a developmental pass rusher he is a good pick in this range.

#83 Philadelphia — Nakobe Dean (LB, Georgia)
I had a big disagreement in the comments recently for suggesting Dean could last to round three. The injuries and lack of size or testing were an issue. It’s as simple as that. The Eagles doing it right by drafting two Georgia defenders.

#84 Pittsburgh — DeMarvin Leal (DT, Texas A&M)
As I’ve kept saying — the idea of DeMarvin Leal is better than the reality. This is a good spot for him though and he provides some value at this stage.

#85 New England — Marcus Jones (CB, Houston)
He’s really small but he still finds a way to make an impression. He’s one of the best special teamers in the draft.

#86 Tennessee (v/LVR) — Malik Willis (QB, Liberty)
The Titans move up four spots in a deal with the Raiders. Willis comes off the board, in fairness, in the range he deserved to go in. The media should feel bad about what they’ve done to him — promoting him way beyond his level, mocking him #2 overall and stuff like that. That was utter nonsense and I bet the last two days have been an emotional rollercoaster for him because people talked utter bollocks about his draft stock for months.

#87 Arizona — Cam Thomas (DE, San Diego State)
On tape he flashed and looked good. But his lack of length, injuries ruling him out of the Senior Bowl and average testing took away some of the gloss.

#88 Dallas — Jalen Tolbert (WR, South Alabama)
This is really good value for Tolbert. Dallas has done a good job adding receivers over the years. He’s really smooth and made the best catch in college football last season.

#89 Buffalo — Terrel Bernard (LB, Baylor)
He’s well regarded for his character reportedly but I thought it was hard to imagine him in much more than a special teams role.

#90 Las Vegas — Dylan Parham (C, Memphis)
Good player, strong value in this range. The type of pick you can imagine the New England mafia making for their O-line. He impressed at the Senior Bowl.

#91 Tampa Bay — Rachaad White (RB, Arizona State)
I liked watching him and he can fill the Ronald Jones role for them. His frame isn’t what you’d typically expect for a running back. He’s quite long and lean. However, he has a bit of an X-factor about him and he can break off big plays.

#92 Green Bay — Sean Rhyan (G, UCLA)
He played tackle in college but has a guard frame. Short arms are an issue but the Packers have done a good job developing their O-liners.

#93 San Francisco — Tyrion Davis-Price (RB, LSU)
I really like TDP. Terrific, underrated player. The Niners keep running through RB’s and to be honest, a lot of them haven’t worked (surprisingly). This guy could be really good. Quick feet for his size, he dances away from tackles yet has the strength to also drive through contact and finish.

#94 Carolina (v/NE) — Matt Corral (QB, Ole Miss)
The Panthers have dealt their 2023 third rounder to get back into the draft. For me he was the best quarterback in the class. In the late third round, you can definitely justify taking him. The Panthers keep paying forward though to try and find a QB. They’re desperate. And given the price (this pick and the 2023 R3) presumably they’re out of the Baker Mayfield sweepstakes.

#95 Cincinnati — Zach Carter (DE, Florida)
I liked his tape and his Senior Bowl but his testing performance was so bad that I gave him a day three grade. He’s an inside/out rusher.

#96 Indianapolis (v/DEN) — Nick Cross (S, Maryland)
Another team giving up a 2023 third rounder to move back into the end of day two. It was a good decision. I really like Cross — he is such a tough, fast, versatile defender.

#97 Detroit — Kerby Joseph (S, Illinois)
Another classic Lions pick. They keep adding their types of guy — culture builders. Joseph plays with fire. He’s a magnet to the ball. I gave him a second round grade and had he tested, he might’ve gone in that range.

#98 Washington — Brian Robinson Jr (RB, Alabama)
He’s a tough runner who shot through contact and finished runs. He’s high-cut which is always a concern but he had a tremendous 2021 season.

#99 Cleveland — David Bell (WR, Purdue)
On tape I had him down as a second rounder. He looked tremendous. But his testing was so hideous, running in the 4.7’s at his size, that I moved him to round five.

#100 Arizona — Myjai Sanders (DE, Cincinnati)
The whole weight thing at the combine was weird and a bit off-putting. He doesn’t have the kind of frame you’d typically associate with a NFL rusher so he’ll need to be an outlier.

#101 New York Jets — Jeremy Ruckert (TE, Ohio State)
Without the injuries, he would’ve gone a lot earlier than this. There was talk early in the process that the Jets liked Ruckert. It’s another good pick by New York.

#102 Miami — Channing Tindall (LB, Georgia)
I wish the Seahawks would’ve found a way to move up from #109 to get Tindall. He’s a terrific, explosive player who absolutely flies to the ball. This is a tremendous pick for the Dolphins.

#103 Kansas City — Leo Chenal (LB, Wisconsin)
This is a bit of a disappointing end to the day, watching two quality linebackers come off the board. Not sure how easy it would’ve been to move up from #109 but it’s a shame they couldn’t find a way to add one of Tindall or Chenal.

#104 LA Rams — Logan Bruss (G, Wisconsin)
Sheesh, it’s hard seeing these guys come off the board. The last four picks are really good players. I’m a big fan of Bruss. The Rams love kicking tackles inside to play guard and he’s a great fit for them. He’s explosive with a great short shuttle.

#105 San Francisco — Danny Gray (WR, SMU)
He’s super fast and Kyle Shanahan will find plenty of creative ways to use him.

Before getting into the article, earlier today I conducted a live stream with Jeff Simmons prior to the start of day two. Check it out here:

Today was always going to be the defining day of this draft. It’s when the real winners will be determined.

Here’s my updated horizontal board with the drafted players removed. As you can see, a lot of talent remains (click the image to enlarge):

I think the Seahawks need to add to their defense. They need to inject some young talent to that group. They need to add a couple of impact players capable of starting very quickly.

Right now, all they’ve done to the unit is remove D.J. Reed, Bobby Wagner, Carlos Dunlap and Benson Mayowa and they’ve added Uchenna Nwosu, Shelby Harris, Artie Burns and Quinton Jefferson.

That’s concerning, to be honest. Now they need to do something about it.

I doubt Sean Desai was lured to Seattle for this.

The most talented defenders available are:

Andrew Booth (CB, Clemson)
Described by my league source as the third best cornerback in the draft, he’s only fallen out of the first round due to a lack of testing because of an injury. Booth has the potential to be really, really good — much in the way Trevon Diggs has emerged as a second round steal.

Travis Jones (DT, Connecticut)
One of the stars of the Senior Bowl, Jones is an absolute physical marvel. In Mobile he consistently dominated 1v1 reps with a dynamic bull-rush showing off his power and explosive qualities. He ran a 4.92 at 325lbs and added a 4.58 short shuttle. He can disrupt the pocket and has a great shot to be Ndamukong Suh’s replacement in Tampa Bay with the 33rd pick.

Logan Hall (DT, Houston)
He ran a 4.44 at 283lbs which is remarkable and indicative of a player with major potential. He plays way too upright and his pass rush plan needs significant work (he’s kind of all over the place at the moment) but the upside and potential is there to be a fantastic five-technique or three-technique rusher.

Boye Mafe (DE, Minnesota)
He won so many reps at the Senior Bowl and made it look effortless. He’s a stunning athlete with explosive lower body power, strong hands and dynamic quickness. He rounds the arc with a smoothness few possess in this class. He does need to learn to become more consistent and find a way to dominate rather than perform in spurts but he will have been graded in round one by some teams.

Kyler Gordon (CB, Washington)
His agility testing and explosive traits are off the charts, even if his combine forty was surprisingly slow. You’re going to get an amped up, top-level performer who may never emerge as an elite corner but he has a chance to be extremely good.

I think all five will leave the board before picks #40 and #41.

I’m not as keen on rolling the dice on Nakobe Dean. It’s undoubted he plays with incredible intensity and fire. My source thought he would go in round one but admitted concern about the health and lack of testing. Whoever gets him, the media will call it a steal. If the Seahawks take him, I wouldn’t complain. But he’s a 5-11, 225lbs linebacker without any testing results and injury flags.

David Ojabo was always a little bit overrated as a potential top-10 pick. I’m not a fan of the whole ‘take a player and redshirt them for a year’. Especially when you’re trying to build something like Seattle. I’m not sure you can risk him never really stepping forward — and if he’s not on the field until 2023, that’s tough to swallow when so many good alternatives exist.

Perrion Winfrey is also a tricky evaluation. He played well at the Senior Bowl, he ran a great forty and on the field he carries an alpha, aggressive, passionate personality. His tape is absolutely rubbish though.

There are players I think fit the Seahawks extremely well who may last into range.

Channing Tindall and Leo Chenal are explosive, passionate linebackers with downfield attack-dog mentalities. Troy Andersen has the most athletic upside of any linebacker in the draft.

I’ve wanted Tindall in Seattle since midway through the 2021 college season. They need a hair-on-fire front seven player who can cover ground, fly to ball carriers and pack a punch.

If you could pair Tindall with Sam Williams the Ole Miss rusher — you’d be onto a winner. For me, Williams has as much upside as any of the first round pass rushers. He ran in the 4.4’s, he ran an insane 1.52 10-yard split and his pass rush win percentage is 19.5%. There are some character issues teams will have looked into.

That would give Seattle a scary looking front seven. You could come out of this draft excited about that.

If they took any of the five names above instead — so be it.

Some other wildcard names to monitor — there are four cornerbacks I really like on day two. MJ Emerson, Demarri Mathis, Cam Taylor-Britt and Jalen Armour-Davis. They are all physically imposing. Emerson looks like a Seahawks prototype and is being wildly underrated. They are four classy, exciting players who I ranked above first round selection Kaiir Elam.

Nick Cross the safety at Maryland is a tremendous player — hard-hitting, highly athletic and versatile. Cincinnati’s Bryan Cook is being underrated and is a really solid cover-and-hit prospect. Someone’s going to get a steal with Illinois’ Kerby Joseph and my league source absolutely loved Jaquon Brisker at Penn State. I suspect he will come off the board quickly today.

Kentucky’s Joshua Paschal is so fun to watch. Explosive, tough and a brilliant run defender (albeit with pass rush limitations off the edge).

I’m not as high on Christian Harris at Alabama (underwhelming tape), Drake Jackson (you just want to see more — I think he’ll end up like Rasheem Green), Arnold Ebiketie (ran a 1.69 10-yard split) or DeMarvin Leal (he should be better than he is).

You can make a strong case for Nik Bonitto in Seattle’s new scheme. He’s quick, explosive and can drop in coverage, rush the edge and would help disguise pressure within a more creative scheme. He’s difficult to judge though as a pure pass rusher given his wide alignments at Oklahoma and task of basically getting to the QB before the tackle covers across. Can he engage and still win?

I also think Michael Clemons is such a dude, that wins in the same way Darrell Taylor did. He could be higher on Seattle’s board than many others.

If it wasn’t for Damone Clark’s injury, he would have a legit shot at round one.

So the opportunity is there to really bolster the defense and that’s needed.

However — quality also remains on offense.

I’ve been one of Abraham Lucas’ biggest fans. He was far better than the media acknowledged in Mobile. He was by far the best on-field tester at the combine during drills. I would have no problem drafting him to fill the right tackle spot across from Charles Cross. He’s a tremendous run blocker — don’t be fooled by the ‘air raid’ tag for him at Washington State. They ran plenty and his run-blocking grade was a 91.0. He’s a better run-blocker than pass protector.

Taking Lucas at #40 or #41 would be a steal.

I also think Cam Jurgens would be an outstanding pick. He’s just so physical, explosive, dynamic and he’ll set the tone up front. He can play guard or center.

Wake Forest’s Zach Tom is also a massively underrated player who can play literally any position on the offensive line. Logan Bruss is another name to keep an eye on.

Several quality pass catchers remain on the board — including Kevin Austin Jr, Alec Pierce, Christian Watson, Trey McBride, Greg Dulich, Cade Otton and Wan’Dale Robinson.

Some Seahawks fans are going to dread they take a running back early. As tiresome as that’ll be, there are some really good backs available. Breece Hall has a testing profile similar to Jonathan Taylor. Who wouldn’t want that? Kenneth Walker is a ‘dude’ who carried Michigan State. I love Dameon Pierce and Zamir White as round three options. Pierce in particular just screams ‘Seahawks’.

Personally I would rather wait on the position but if they take Hall or Walker in round two as best player available — no complaints here. They want to run the ball and they need (healthy) talent at running back.

The one position I hope the Seahawks avoid is quarterback. This group simply isn’t good enough. If a player lasts into round three, feel free to take a flier. Not in round two though. Not this year.

Desmond Ridder is a limited quarterback with major accuracy issues. He deserves major credit for what he did at Cincinnati and no doubt the ‘winner’ tag is going to help him. I just don’t think you can get past the average arm, the erratic throws, the robotic mechanics and the lack of flash in key games. Watch his tape — Navy, Eastern Carolina, Alabama. Tell me this is a guy who can be a top-10 quarterback in this league. As my source said — he’s already reached his ceiling.

Malik Willis is a powerful athlete and he has a great arm but he can’t play within the offense. If you were upset with Russell Wilson’s self-inflicted sacks, Willis is on another level. He flat-out refuses to throw over the middle (either that or he just isn’t seeing the field well enough). A lot of fans are shouting for Seattle to draft him. This isn’t the move to make.

I don’t get the Sam Howell hype. I think he’s very, very limited.

Matt Corral could easily be a player they target, given the Kiffin connection. I like his arm strength. I think he can be a point guard. There are just too many misses on tape and he needs a ground-zero lesson in how to operate a pro-offense.

There are better options on both sides of the ball ahead of taking a quarterback in round two who likely won’t be any better than Drew Lock.

Scot McCloughan said all of these QB’s are being graded in round three. So why would you take any of them before then?

Today is a great opportunity for the Seahawks to add talent. Go take it.

Round two options (offense):

Abraham Lucas T
Cam Jurgens C
Breece Hall RB
Kenneth Walker RB
Christian Watson WR
Alec Pierce WR
Kevin Austin Jr WR
Bernhard Raimann G

Round three options (offense):

Dameon Pierce RB
Zamir White RB
Tyrion Davis-Price RB
Calvin Austin WR
Wan’Dale Robinson WR
Skyy Moore WR
George Pickens WR
Khalil Shakir WR
Romeo Doubs WR
Zach Tom T/G/C
Rasheed Walker T
Logan Bruss G/T
Luke Goedeke G
Obinna Eze T
Dylan Parham C/G

Quarterback ranking order:

Matt Corral QB
Malik Willis QB
Desmond Ridder QB
Carson Strong QB
Jack Coan QB
Sam Howell QB

Round two options (defense):

Andrew Booth CB
Kyler Gordon CB
Nick Cross S
Jaquan Brisker S
Nakobe Dean LB
Channing Tindall LB
Leo Chenal LB
Troy Andersen LB
Travis Jones DT
Perrion Winfrey DT
Nik Bonitto EDGE
Sam Williams EDGE
David Ojabo EDGE
Arnold Ebiketie EDGE

Round three options (defense)

MJ Emerson CB
Demarri Mathis CB
Cam Taylor-Britt CB
Jalen Armour-Davis CB
Roger McCreary CB
Tariq Woolen CB
Bryan Cook S
Kerby Joseph S
Jalen Pitre S
Percy Butler S
Michael Clemons EDGE
Drake Jackson EDGE
Joshua Paschal EDGE
DeAngelo Malone EDGE
Dominique Robinson EDGE
Eyioma Uwazurike DT
Matthew Butler DT
DeMarvin Leal DT
Phidarian Mathis DT
Chad Muma LB
Christian Harris LB
Brian Asamoah LB

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