Photo Credits (L to R): sbnation.com, turnonthejets.com, cbssports.com
The 2014 NFL Draft commences on Thursday night as the first 32 members of the 2014 rookie class will be welcomed into the National Football League. As the defending Super Bowl champions, the Seahawks are currently slotted to pick 32nd in the first round of the draft; the last pick of the first round. After scouting over 250 players that attended the scouting combine, I analyzed game film of 75 of these players, ultimately whittling this list down to 35 players I would like to see the Seahawks draft over the course of this weekend. Barring a trade either up the board or down and out of the first round entirely, here are three players I would like to see the Seahawks select at #32.
Ra’Shede Hageman (DT, Minnesota): I believe the Seahawks will have the opportunity to draft both the best player available at #32 and a player at a position of need if Minnesota defensive tackle Ra’Shede Hageman is still on the board. Hageman would be a perfect fit along our defensive line and could be a potential replacement to Red Bryant. Hageman stands 6 feet, 6 inches tall and weighs in at 311 pounds. These numbers justify his positional fit as a defensive tackle but his speed justifies why he could be a defensive tackle/defensive end hybrid like Bryant. Hageman has one of the best bursts off the line of scrimmage of any first round defensive line prospect and can penetrate the offensive line well. Hageman is a very good fundamental tackler and has good instincts to know how a play will progress. Beating blocks is his strong suit as he does a very good job shedding blocks and being the first defender to the ball carrier on running plays. A defensive line with Hageman, Tony McDaniel, Brandon Mebane, and Michael Bennett could be a force to be reckoned with, especially on first and second down.
Joel Bitonio (OG, Nevada): In the first round of the draft it is very important to add depth to both the defensive line and the offensive line. In the Pete Carroll/John Schneider era the Seahawks have drafted 3 offensive linemen within the first three rounds of the draft, 2 of which coming in round one (Russell Okung, James Carpenter). At #32 the Seahawks could be in the market to take an offensive lineman and I think the best fit in this spot is Nevada guard Joel Bitonio. Bitonio has been climbing draft boards over the past couple of weeks and the earliest I have seen him go in any mock draft is #26 to the Carolina Panthers. Perhaps the most uncertain position along the Seahawks offensive line is left guard and Bitonio could add solidarity to a unit that had a difficult time keeping Russell Wilson consistently clean over the course of the 2013 season. Among Bitonio’s strengths, he has very good balance and does not allow himself to get bullied by his man. He is a very good pass protector and after watching film I could see strengths in zone blocking on running plays. Bitonio does not collapse the pocket on his own (something Carpenter has struggled with mightily over the course of his career) and Bitonio also works well with the other four guys on the offensive line.
Kelvin Benjamin (WR, Florida State): Understand that the Seahawks are high on both Jermaine Kearse and Ricardo Lockette but with the departure of Golden Tate during free agency, the Seahawks could be in the market to draft another wide receiver. In a draft flooded with wide receiver talent, another toy for Russell Wilson to play with could be the decision Carroll and Schneider come to at #32. If the Seahawks go with a skill position player at #32 my hope is that player will be Florida State wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin. Benjamin is one of the tallest receivers available which means he will be a matchup problem with most cornerbacks in the league. Benjamin makes fantastic adjustments on the ball while the pass is still in the air and his upper body strength makes it hard for just one defender to tackle him. Benjamin looks the ball into his hands and dropped passes are rare. In addition to being a “raw” prospect there are two areas where Benjamin struggles. He sometimes mistimes his jumps and his ball security is average and must improve.
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