CBS Sports’ latest mock draft gives Seahawks huge boost on defensive line

Seattle takes exclusively defenders with first four picks.

At this point, it’s difficult to find a mock draft that doesn’t have Alabama EDGE Will Anderson Jr. and a trio of quarterbacks coming off the board with the first four picks.

The latest mock draft by CBS Sports is no exception.

Except that it kind of is . . .

. . . starting with the Carolina Panthers using the #1 pick on Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson.

Alabama’s Bryce Young is selected by the Houston Texans at #2.

The Arizona Cardinals stay put at #3 and select Anderson.

C.J. Stroud moves one state over at #4.

With the 5th overall pick, the Seahawks find themselves in a familiar position, mock draft-wise: Do they take the 4th QB (Will Levis), the 2nd EDGE (Tyree Wilson), the 1st DT (Jalen Carter), or someone else?

Or do they maybe trade the pick, add some additional draft capital, and make their first selection a little later?

In this mock draft, the answer is EDGE #2.

Wilson is too long and athletic for the Seahawks to pass on him here.

Since this mock draft isn’t behind a paywall, we’ll jump ahead to Seattle’s 2nd R1 . . .

. . . after breaking down the positional picks from #1 to #19:

• QBs = 4
• CBs = 4
• EDGEs = 3 (including Tyree Wilson)
• OTs = 3
• WRs = 3
• TEs = 1
• LBs = 1

Eagle-eyed 12s can probably guess what comes next.

The Seahawks are intent on stopping Carter’s slide here and are thrilled to come away with Wilson and the former Georgia star in the first round.

Without question, there are some 12s that would hate the results of Seattle’s draft up to this point.

Also without question, the only possible way that CBS Sports could have infused more talent on the defensive side of the ball for the Seahawks, would be if they’d had Will Anderson Jr. join Jalen Carter in Seattle.

Note: Carter is #3 on CBS Sports’ Big Board and Wilson is #6,

CBS Sports doesn’t offer any justification explanation for their 2nd or 3rd round picks, but it’s sort of clear what their thinking is in regard to the Seahawks: 2022 defense BAD, and IOL not much better.

At #37, the Seahawks select Illinois Safety Sydney Brown.

With their 2nd R2 (#52 overall), the Seahawks add another defender: Georgia CB Kelee Ringo.

In Round 3, the Seahawks shift their focus to the offensive trenches and use the 83rd overall pick on TCU Guard Steve Avila.

What is perhaps most interesting isn’t who Seattle’s picks are on Day 2 and Day 3, but when each of them were selected.

Using CBS Sports’ own Big Board, this is how those picks line up: the Seahawks’ first R2 (Sydney Brown) is the #88 prospect, the 2nd R2 (Kelee Ringo) is #29, and Seattle’s R3 (Steve Avila) is #50.

Putting that another way, Seattle’s R2 picks are a massive reach (51 picks) and a sizable slide (23 picks), and their R3 is an even larger slide (33 picks).

Question it if you want . . .

. . . but also remember that this mock draft started out with Anthony Richardson as the #1 pick and Jalen Carter slid to #20.

Go Hawks!