NFL Mock Draft: 3 first round mistakes the Seahawks cannot afford

The Seahawks are a sneaky team going into the 2023 season but must understand and own that concept before making a mistake in the NFL Draft 

With the 2023 NFL Draft just a week away now, the pressure is mounting on teams like the Seattle Seahawks to figure out what exactly they’re going to do, specifically in the first round.

Seattle holds a lot of power with the fifth overall pick in the draft, knowing that there is now a likelihood of only two quarterbacks going in the top four selections, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Pete Carroll and his squad could wind up with a lot of pressure on their shoulders early on Thursday night, if that came to fruition. Seattle will have to act swiftly, but intelligently, depending on who is available with that fifth pick.

If they’re not careful, one mistake could set this franchise back from competing at the level they’re capable of in 2023. General manager John Schneider and his front office must avoid these crucial mistakes in the first round next week.

First-round mistakes the Seahawks cannot make: Passing on a top edge rusher at No. 5

With their first selection at No. 5, Seattle very well could see either Alabama’s Will Anderson Jr. or Texas Tech’s Tyree Wilson fall into their lap. The former is far less likely to be there at five, but the former Red Raider has a good shot of being available.

The Seahawks finished with 45 sacks as a team in 2022, which was tied for fifth in the league. If they have an opportunity to build on that number, they have to take it, especially with such a dominant defense across the division in San Francisco.

If Seattle is able to continue rushing the quarterback at a high level, then those young cornerbacks are only going to improve at a quicker rate, allowing that defense to come away with more and more takeaways and big plays.