The Seattle Seahawks have made two draft picks in two days, over three rounds. This is certainly a departure from the norm for a John Schneider draft. That isn’t to say they didn’t get impactful players. Byron Murphy II and Christian Haynes both could absolutely play significant snaps for Seattle early this fall.
The Seahawks took Haynes at 81 and should expect him to compete right away at guard. His pass protection is highly regarded as one of the best among true guards in this draft class.
Now, we move to day three. Barring a trade, the Seahawks have two fourth rounders, two sixth rounders, and a seventh round pick. Having addressed the interior of both lines, let’s see what could be available for Seattle at other areas of need on Saturday with a day three mock draft:
Round 4, Pick 102: Jeremiah Trotter, LB, Clemson
This might be a little boring since we discussed drafting Trotter in the mock for day two. However, here he still is as we approach the fourth round. It’s likely he will be available when Seattle picks, since the Carolina Panthers are the only ones that stand between Seattle and their next draft slot.
Trotter possesses all the football IQ you would want from a linebacker. It helps to have an NFL great for a father. Seattle needs to infuse their linebacking group with youth and more depth. Tyrel Dodson has not proven to be a full-time starter quite yet. Jerome Baker came over after being a steady starter for Miami, albeit not as a Pro Bowler.
Trotter could end up being better than both of them. Off-ball linebackers can get away with a lack of elite athleticism and size if they make up for it with pure instincts and football smarts. Trotter checks those boxes.
Round 4, Pick 118: Cade Stover, TE, Ohio State
While tight end isn’t the most glaring need, a further look under the hood suggests Seattle should invest in one this draft. Noah Fant returned on a two-year deal. That was after they lost Will Dissly and Colby Parkinson to free agency elsewhere. Pharoah Brown came to town, but only on a one-year deal. Seattle is one year away from a very barren tight end room.
Enter Stover, who is one of the best tight ends in this class after Brock Bowers. He is definitely a receiver-first, block-maybe-later type of tight end. Perhaps offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb can deploy him more as a versatile weapon on and off the line of scrimmage, looking for mismatches. Those shouldn’t be hard to find, given he is a 250-pound tight end who can run a 4.65.
Round 6, Pick 179: Beaux Limmer, IOL, Arkansas
Even with the Seahawks taking Haynes, Seattle still should solidify their line. Limmer played center and right guard in the SEC. He has excellent size at 6-foot-5, 302 pounds. His shuttle and three cone times tested in the 85th percentile, displaying his quickness despite his size.
At times, he doesn’t seem to use his power and size to his advantage. He can tend to lean and anchor instead of drive and push. With more coaching, he could compete for one of the guard spots or even center if the coaches feel Olu Oluwatimi isn’t the answer.
Round 6, Pick 192: Trey Taylor, S, Air Force
When you bring in someone from one of the military academies, you know you are getting a high character guy who is intelligent with a great work ethic. Taylor certainly fits that mold. However, he isn’t your average under-recruited, undersized military academy player. At six feet, 206 pounds with 32 1/8-inch arms, he has ideal safety size.
He is comfortable playing near the line of scrimmage and typically delivers the blow instead of taking one. While he typically plays close to the line, he can take the ball away, as he had six interceptions over the last three seasons.
He has core special teams presence written all over him.
Round 7, Pick 235: Lideatrick Griffin, WR, Mississippi State
Griffin turned in back-to-back 500-plus receiving yards, four-touchdown seasons in a struggling offense with the Bulldogs. Where he could possibly earn his stripes in the NFL is his return ability. Given the new kickoff rules, Griffin stands to benefit from the new structure. At Mississippi State, he returned kicks for over 1,600 yards and two scores. The Seahawks need an upgrade with their return game.
