NFL

Seattle Seahawks Draft Picks 2023 – Witherspoon and Smith-Njigba land in Seattle

April 30, 2023 11:54 am

seahawks-draft-picks
Photo: Sven Hoppe/dpa – Photo by Icon sport

The Seattle Seahawks failed getting past the Wild Card game last season and with the next one look promising. First, they added free agents Dre’Mont Jones, Julian Love and Devin Bush and then made good decisions with their two first round picks at the 2023 NFL Draft.

Seahawks Draft Picks 2023

The Seahawks were one of the teams that had multiple selections in the first round of the Draft and fact is, they did a great job with them. In the following lines, we will take a deeper look at their selections.

First-round pick (5th): Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois

The Seahawks got the No. 5 pick from the Denver Broncos in the Russell Wilson trade. It was their first top-5 selection since 2009 when they selected LB Aaron Curry with the fourth pick overall. The Seahawks hoped that they will be able to grab one of the top quarterbacks in the class but three of those were selected before they turn came. Seattle had to look elsewhere, and they decided to pick cornerback Devon Witherspoon from the University of Illinois. The Seahawks used all 10 minutes when their clock started ticking and many expected to pick local talent Jalen Carter.

However, the feeling is they made the right decision with Witherspoon. He is a tough 6-foot, 181 pounds cornerback who seems like a character that fell fit in Pete Carroll’s highly competitive environment immediately. Witherspoon earned All-Big Ten honors and broke up 23 passes over two seasons he played with the Fighting Illini. He would join Tariq Woolen and Coby Bryant, giving Seattle the best young corner trio in the league.

First-round pick (20th): Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State

With the 20th pick in the first round, the Seahawks selected Jaxon Smith-Njigba who is the highest picked wide receiver in the draft. He is probably a much better player than the draft board shows but Smith-Njigba fall as he played only 3 games in his senior season with the Buckeyes after suffering a hamstring injury. He played a total of 23 games in three seasons at Ohio State recording 109 receptions and 10 touchdowns. Seattle already has DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett in their offensive line and the addition of Smith-Njigba may be a perfect fit. Not playing much in his last season at Ohio State may demand some time to adapt but Smith-Njigba has everything it takes to become a solid player on the Seahawks team.

Second-round pick (37th from Denver): Derick Hall, EDGE, Auburn

Derick Hall was under the radar talent going into the 2023 NFL Draft and the Seahawks can be happy he was available at No. 37. Not many edge rusher talents have as complete a skill set in the 2023 NFL Draft as Hall. Standing 6-foot-3, 254 pounds, Hall is a dense and compact edge defender. Furthermore, with that size, he also brings rare proportional length and arms nearly 35″ long. He has an explosive first step and is confident closing when he has an open sight of the quarterback. Hall went to Auburn as a four-star recruit and quickly became one of the cornerstones of their defense. In 2021, he broke out as an SEC standout with 9 sacks, 12.5 tackles for loss, and 2 fumbles forced in the best season in his career. The following season, he built on that breakout performance with 6.5 sacks, 11.5 TFLs, an interception, and two more forced fumbles.

Second-round pick (52nd): Zach Charbonnet, RB, UCLA

Charbonnet considered declaring for the draft last year and from this perspective that could have been a better decision. 23 running backs were selected last season and he could have be among the top 5 in that position. This year, things look way different as no running back was selected in the first round for the first time in 9 years. Charbonnet is a natural and powerful runner who lowers his shoulders into contact and runs behind his pads better than most of the players in his class. He is much more matured than the rest of the class and he will be able to help the Seahawks from Day 1. He was a highly recruited coming off high-school with more than 20 schools offering him a scholarship. He made the right choice choosing the Bruins back then and it seem like the Seahawks made a right choice choosing Charbonett in the draft.

Fourth-round pick (108th via Denver): Anthony Bradford, OL, LSU

He is a strong lineman who excels in a confined space. He blocks with his strength and leverage while remaining square. Bradford knows how to focus on pass protection while directing defenders away from the line to create space for rushing lanes. He can punch blockers hard knocking them back. Sometimes he plays with a questionable attitude.

Fourth-round pick (123rd): Cameron Young, DL, Mississippi State

Young is a rock solid off the point lineman who can fill the gaps well. Plays through the whistle, uses his hands skillfully, and shows quickness off the snap. He is capable of blocking from both sides of the line to prevent teammates from making plays with the ball. Clogs the middle of the line and rushes opponents off the line, collapses the pocket, and displays a lot of lower body strength.

Fifth-round pick (151st from Pittsburgh): Mike Morris, Edge, Michigan

Morris possesses a big, hulking physique with remarkable length and unique mass at 6-foot-6 and 292 pounds. He is however athletic enough to line up closer to the tackle or play from a two-point stance outside the tackle at his stature.

Fifth-round pick (154th): Olusegun Oluwatimi, C, Michigan

Oluwatimi received more Pro Football Network Team of the Week appearances than any other college football player. He had a significant role in the team winning the Joe Moore Award for two years running. And as a result of his consistently outstanding performance, he eventually took home the Rimington Award, which is given to college football’s top center.

Sixth-round pick (198th): Jerrick Reed II, S, New Mexico

Reed II is a dynamic safety prospect with good athleticism. He is an outstanding run defender who makes plays up the field or out to the flanks after swiftly identifying the ball handler. Maintains focus on assignments, recognizes plays in coverage quickly, and flips his hips swiftly.

Seventh-round pick (237th): Kenny McIntosh, RB, Georgia

McIntosh had a breakthrough season last year at Georgia. He brought in over 1,200 yards from scrimmage and found the end zone a dozen times — an impressive feat in a Georgia offense with plenty of mouths to feed.

Seahawks Draft Grade: A-

It’s a fact that the Seahawks made as much as they could with their two first round draft picks. Not selecting a quarterback is the reason for the minus next to the A, but Seattle definitely grabbed two players that will be able to help the team win from Day 1. Day 2 also proved to be a success for them, so we are looking forward for the final day of the draft.

Subscribe to Punditfeed on Google News for all the latest updates from the world of sports!