The Seattle Seahawks only had three selections in the 2021 NFL Draft, but they targeted the right players to bolster their depth.
The NFL Draft was a quiet affair for the Seattle Seahawks, who came in with just three picks available.
They gave up their first-rounder in the trade that brought Jamal Adams to Seattle, so being inactive on Day 1 wasn’t all the bad.
Still, having so few selections means Pete Carroll and company had to be sure to hit on the guys they did grab. Here’s the reason each Seahawks’ selection was a win:
3. D’Wayne Eskridge is lightning fast
Seahawks opponents already have a nightmare on their hands corralling Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf. Now they have another speedy receiver to worry about.
Eskridge ran a 4.39 40-yard dash. That’s up there with the fastest receiver prospects in the draft class. He plays that fast too. He was one of two players with four 70-yard gains in 2020. He did that in just six games. He led the MAC with eight receiving touchdowns and added one on kick return duty.
The 5-foot-9, 190-pounder was an all-purpose monster at Western Michigan too. He averaged 213 yards per game to lead all of college football.
What he lacks in size, he makes up for by being impossible to catch. He’s that quick and elusive.
Adding that kind of speed to the offense will either allow Eskridge to take advantage of the attention paid to Lockett and Metcalf or free those guys up to make plays. Either way, Russell Wilson benefits.
The quarterback may have preferred an offensive lineman in that spot, but Eskridge will soon make him forget about that.
2. Tre Brown will fit right in
Brown has a wealth of experience coming out of Oklahoma with some seriously eye-catching stats to get Seahawks fans excited.
According to Pro Football Focus, he allowed the lowest passer rating in single coverage of the entire 2021 draft class. In 2019 and 2020, he didn’t give up more than 70 yards receiving in a game. That’s an impressive track record in the pass-happy Big 12.
The book on Brown is all about upside. He’s got an excellent mentality that will drive him to maximize his potential. He’s as competitive as they come and will fit right in with the aggressive mentality of the Seahawks secondary.
As a fourth-round selection, the gamble makes sense. Maybe he’ll be a career backup. He could just as easily outperform evaluations and prove his time as an effective DB in a Power 5 conference prepared him well. At a minimum, he’ll be a special teams fixture.
Seattle could throw him in the slot to make his stature at 5-foot-9 less of an issue. He still ran a 4.42 in the 40-yard dash and can put that speed to work for him in the pros.
1. Stone Forsythe was unbelievable value
Here’s how crazy it is that Forsythe was still on the board in the sixth round when Seattle traded up to get him: NFL.com graded him as the sixth-best offensive tackle in the class.
Not that the Seahawks could have known he’d fall so far, but why spend a second- or fourth-round pick on an offensive lineman when you can get one of Forsythe’s caliber in the sixth.
Russell Wilson was feeling the pick.
I can smell what he’s cooking... @stone_forsythe https://t.co/JmywqNnfJe pic.twitter.com/UwqaMmIXzS
— Russell Wilson (@DangeRussWilson) May 1, 2021
Forsythe is a giant at 6-foot-8, 307 pounds. He’s big, strong and powerful with skills as a pass protector that far outpace his draft position.
The trouble is, he struggles in the run game, where his height can be a detriment. That’s why it would be wise for the Seahawks to take their time developing him before thrusting him into action.
His potential is great enough for patience to be a virtue.
Of course, that means Forsythe isn’t likely to factor into Seattle’s plans for protecting Wilson this year, but they did trade a fifth-rounder to pick up Gabe Jackson from the Raiders. Being comfortable with Duane Brown and Brandon Shell as tackles means being able to invest in the future with someone like Forsythe.