Duke Blue Devils offensive lineman Graham Barton. Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

NFL Draft countdown: Focus on Seahawks' first-round pick at No. 16

By Bruce Ewing | Last updated 4/9/24

The 2024 NFL Draft is rapidly approaching. Last year, the Commanders took CB Emmanuel Forbes 16th overall. This year, Seattle picks 16th. Here’s who experts think they'll take.

NFL.com (Chad Reuter): Jer'Zhan Newton, DT, Illinois

As a former defensive coordinator, it’s no surprise to see new Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald shore up Seattle’s 31st-ranked run defense with the team’s first pick. Newton was an All-American for the Fighting Illini and 2023 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year.

At 6-foot-2 and 304 pounds, Newton may be slightly undersized for a tackle but with 18 sacks with Illinois, has the quickness needed to get to the quarterback. He also had no problems at the NFL Scouting Combine, where his composite score ranked second-best among defensive tackles.

Jer’Zhan Newton earning both a sack and his black belt in karate in one rep. Those hands! pic.twitter.com/f819K6BGe6
— Trevor Sikkema (@TampaBayTre) November 5, 2023

CBS Sports (Tom Fornelli): Graham Barton, OL, Duke

The 6-foot-5, 313-pound offensive lineman spent the bulk of his time at tackle with the Blue Devils, but most scouts see him playing center in the NFL. He played center as a freshman and worked primarily at the position during the team’s pro day.

Barton’s combine score was tops among centers, but Fornelli remains skeptical.

“I've heard so many conflicting opinions on Graham Barton that it's hard to know where he'll end up. I don't know that he has elite traits, but he's versatile and doesn't show any glaring weaknesses.”

The same can’t be said for center Nick Harris, who signed a one-year, $2.5M deal with the Seahawks in the offseason. With only four starts in three seasons for Harris, Barton should easily win the job in training camp.

ESPN (Field Yates) : Troy Fautanu, G, Washington

Yates calls the interior of Seattle’s offensive line “razor-thin” and sees Fautanu as the perfect solution.

“Fautanu was an awesome college left tackle but has the flexibility to kick inside and play guard. Seattle lost Damien Lewis and Phil Haynes in free agency (the former on a lucrative deal with Carolina) and must shore up the position. Fautanu plays with an edge that shows up on tape.”

Washington’s 317-pound left tackle won the 2023 Morris Trophy as the Pac-12’s top offensive lineman in 2023. With one of the youngest offensive lines in the NFL, Seattle should have no problem adding Fautanu to the mix.

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