The Seattle Seahawks have had a huge question on their minds since their season ended earlier this year. They will have seven picks in the upcoming draft. In the last two seasons, Seattle has been able to hit the nail on the head with their late-round selections, such as 2022 fifth round pick (153rd overall) Tariq Woolen and 2023 6th round pick (198th overall) Jerrick Reed. 

The difference this year, though, is that we don’t have future Hall of Fame coach Pete Carroll; this will be Mike McDonald’s first draft at the helm. Judging from his rookies and their production in Baltimore, I would say it’s safe to trust his opinion. 

Many names have been linked to the Seahawks’ No.16 picks, such as UW guard/tackle Troy Fautauna and Texas defensive lineman Byron Murphy. Both of these players would be significant additions to the Seahawks. For the better part of a decade, Seahawk fans have witnessed the defensive line be lackluster in generating pressure and sacks on the opposing team’s QBs. 

On the other side of the ball, the offensive line has been very inconsistent but has been masked due to Seahawks legend Russell Wilson’s ability to escape the pocket and create dynamic plays. With Geno Smith under center for the foreseeable future, the O-line has become a bigger issue with his inability to maneuver around the pocket as much.

I believe the right choice for the Seahawks and Co. would be to draft Byron Murphy with the 16th overall pick; they already have Leonard Williams and Uchenna Nwosu. Adding an interior threat will give the Seahawks a quality player at every part of the d-line. To make up for not drafting Troy Fautanu, I would select either Oregon center Jackson Powers or Duke combo lineman Graham Barton. 

My ideal draft with the seven picks the Seattle Seahawks have as of Wednesday afternoon would be:

Round 1: Byron Murphy, D-Line (Texas)

Round 2: Graham Barton, O-Line (Duke)

Round 3: T’Vondre Sweat, D-Line (Texas)

Round 4: Sedrick Van Pran-Granger O-Line (Georgia)

Round 5: Jordan Travis Qb (Florida State University)

Round 6: Edefuan Ulofoshio, Linebacker (University of Washington)

Round 7: Kitan Oladapo Safety (Oregon State University)

 This mock draft covers all major spots, bringing in linemen on both sides of the ball. Defensively, they would add depth to positions they addressed with veterans in the offseason. Quarterback Jordan Travis is my sneaky pick; he was on track to win the Heisman and lead FSU to the College Football Playoff. Unfortunately, his leg snapped, and he is recovering and should be ready in three to four months. He still has the potential to be a franchise QB. 

 Whatever the Seahawks end up doing in this year’s draft, I just hope they finally address the needs of the team rather than trading down and trying to bet on late-round picks.