2013 Seahawks draft team needs: Focus must be on offensive line as Seattle assembles draft board
LAST SEASON Rush Offense - 161.2 ypg (3rd)
Pass Offense - 189.4 ypg (27th)
Total Offense - 350.6 ypg (17th)
Scoring Offense - 25.8 ppg (9th)
Rush Defense - 103.1 ypg (10th)
Pass Defense - 203.1 ypg (6th)
Total Defense - 306.2 ypg (4th)
Scoring Defense - 15.3 ppg (1st) MOST PRESSING NEEDS Offense: Guard and tackle
Defense: Tackle, linebacker and nickel/slot cornerback
Quarterback
By the end of the season, Russell Wilson, the team's third round selection in 2012, had fully taken over as the leader in Seattle. His work ethic is off the charts and as the game slowed down for him, he became more playmaker than caretaker. Matt Flynn is still his backup and will remain so, unless (until?) the Seahawks can deal him for additional picks.
Running Back
Marshawn Lynch was phenomenal last season, rushing for nearly 1,600 yards and 11 touchdowns in a Pro Bowl season. Furthermore, the Seahawks found him running mate Robert Turbin in last year's draft . The former Utah State star averaged 4.4 yards per carry on 80 carries. Both run with a combination of anger and brute force and together they should be a strong one-two punch for years to come. The addition of Percy Harvin adds another wrinkle to the running game, so Lynch may get fewer touches, and hits.
Wide Receiver
The Seahawks made their first round selection by acquiring Percy Harvin and he could be the piece that takes the offense to a new level.
What the Seahawks can do with Harvin is completely up to OC Darrell Bevell, who coached Harvin his first two years in Minnesota. Add Harvin to Wilson, Lynch and the rest of the receiving corps and there's no telling how explosive the offense can become. Are there enough carries/touches for everyone? If Seattle wins, it won't matter and there should be a lot of winning.
Tight End The Draft Board
6th round Jack Doyle, Western Kentucky (6-5, 254)
Michael Williams, Alabama (6-6, 269) 7th round Justice Cunningham, South Carolina (6-3, 258)
Luke Willson, Rice (6-6, 252)
Lost in the Harvin love-fest is the group of tight ends. Zach Miller, when healthy, is a tremendous threat for Wilson. Anthony McCoy is an excellent complement to Miller in two tight end sets and he had 18 receptions last year. Tight end won't be a priority until late in the draft.
Doyle has flown under the radar after a less-than-stellar Senior Bowl, but he could become a competent pass catcher. Williams is the best run-blocking tight end in the class, and Willson can be a solid all-around tight end if he can stay healthy.
Offensive line The Draft Board
2nd round G/T Kyle Long, Oregon (6-6, 313)
T Terron Armstead, Arkansas-Pine Bluff (6-5, 306), 3rd round G Larry Warford, Kentucky (6-3, 332)
T Oday Aboushi, Virginia (6-5, 308)
G/T Justin Pugh, Syracuse (6-5, 307) 4th round T David Quessenberry, San Jose State (6-5, 302) 5th round G/T Ricky Wagner, Wisconsin (6-6, 308)
G Jeff Baca, UCLA (6-3, 302) 6th round T Tanner Hawkinson, Kansas (6-5, 298) 7th round T Emmett Cleary, Boston College (6-7, 316)
Which offense would you rather have - San Francisco's or Seattle's? It's not really a tough question to answer given the differences in the two offensive lines. San Francisco's OL is a step ahead of Seattle's and it's the one area that Seahawks can and should target throughout this April's draft. LT Russell Okung and C Max Unger made the Pro Bowl last year, but the other three spots are wide open for competition.
If Long is available in the latter part of the second round, he'll push for playing time. He had off-the-field issues when he was playing baseball at Florida State, but he's past them and it won't matter to the Seahawks if he can play. Warford might look sloppy, but he had his best games against the best competition in the toughest conference. He's quicker than a 332-pound man is supposed to be and has surprisingly good feet.
Defensive line The Draft Board
2nd round DT Sylvester Williams, North Carolina (6-3, 313)
DE Corey Lemonier, Auburn (6-3, 255)
Tank Carradine, Florida State (6-4, 276) 3rd round DT Brandon Williams, Missouri Southern (6-1, 335)
DE Devin Taylor, South Carolina (6-7, 266) 4th round DE Michael Buchanan, Illinois (6-5, 255) 5th round DT Kwame Geathers, Georgia (6-5, 342)
The Seahawks suffered a massive blow when DE Chris Clemons injured his ACL in the playoff win at Washington. Whether he'll be able to make it back for the start of the season is a major question that the Seahawks answered, in some respects, by signing former Lions DE Cliff Avril. With the defensive end riddle seemingly solved, the Seahawks' aim is to find a defensive tackle to replace unrestricted free agent Alan Branch. The Seahawks will need some help opposite Brandon Mebane without Branch in the middle. As such, expect the team to target a versatile defensive tackle and if the Seahawks find a DE with edge speed, it's worth examining.
Williams is disruptive with his explosiveness upfield, but he also holds his ground at the point of attack. His ability to create chaos with the blocking scheme sets him apart from other DTs in this draft. Lemonier could play 3-4 OLB or 4-3 DE and that versatility in this defense is key. He has a quick first step off the ball, but has to learn to win with a couple of pet pass rush moves. Keep an eye on Kwame Geathers late on day three to provide big depth.
Linebackers The Draft Board
3rd round OLB Sean Porter, Texas A&M (6-1, 229)
ILB/OLB Sio Moore, U Conn (6-1, 245)
OLB Zaviar Gooden, Missouri (6-1, 234) 4th round OLB Devonte Holloman, South Carolina (6-1, 243) 5th round OLB AJ Klein, Iowa State (6-1, 250)
OLB Brandon Magee, Arizona State (5-11, 223) 6th round ILB Bruce Taylor, Virginia Tech (6-1, 237)
The draft has been good to the Seahawks the past two seasons, providing not only two starters, but stars at linebacker. KJ Wright and Bobby Wagner should be fixtures in Seattle, as long as they can stay healthy. There is no depth behind Wagner, so expect the Seahawks to find a guy to back him up and contribute on special teams. WLB Leroy Hill is an unrestricted free agent, but his off-the-field issues will force him out of Seattle. The team likes 2012 seventh-rounder Malcolm Smith and Kyle Knox, but they should look to add competition to the mix.
Porter moved to 4-3 WLB as a senior and that move paid huge dividends for both Porter and the Aggies. He can rush the edge, if needed, but he also improved his ability to drop in coverage. Moore can play either inside or outside and proved that at both the Shrine Bowl and Senior Bowl. Keep an eye on Magee, a smaller, yet highly instinctive linebacker. He can get to the football and that's all that matters to Carroll and GM John Schneider.
Secondary The Draft Board
3rd round CB Leon McFadden, San Diego State (5-10, 193)
CB Blidi Wreh-Wilson, U Conn (6-1, 195)
S T.J McDonald, USC (6-3, 219)
S D.J Swearinger, South Carolina (5-11, 208) 4th round CB/S Tyrann Mathieu, LSU (5-9, 178) 5th round CB DJ Hayden, Houston (5-11, 191)
CB Tharold Simon, LSU (6-2, 202)
S Keelan Johnson, Arizona State (6-0, 209)
The Seahawks possess, arguably, the best secondary in the NFL. What's indisputable is Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas, Kam Chancellor and Brandon Browner will be patrolling for another season. The only concern is depth at both positions. CB Marcus Trufant is an unrestricted free agent that has fought nagging injuries and backup S Chris Margos is a restricted free agent. In sub packages, Byron Maxwell or Trufant played in the slot, but the team could use an upgrade there. As such, there are a few intriguing options in the draft to discuss.
Considering how confident this secondary is, the addition of Mathieu is intriguing. He's at his playmaking best when he's lined up in the slot, covering an interior receiver or blitzing the edge. Carroll targets taller corners, but in Mathieu's case, playing inside, it's about the havoc he can create than his dimensions. Hayden is a second-round talent, but because he almost died during a November practice, it may scare some teams away. If he's cleared, he can cover as well as any CB in this class.
John Harris hosts The John Harris Show for Yahoo! Sports Radio.
