The Seattle Seahawks have two picks in the first round of the NFL Draft (No.5 and No.20), and many are predicting that the front office will target defense first.
The name on everyone's lips is Georgia Bulldog Jalen Carter, and despite his off-field issues, the Seahawks are reported to be keen to take him with the No. 5 pick. But there is an issue that to some hasn't really been addressed this offseason - the offensive line.
Former NFL receiver Michael Bumpus spoke on Seattle Sports' Bump and Stacy and said that the Seahawks' offensive line needs fortifying.
"I still look at that offensive line and say you still need one or two guys right there," Bumpus said. "You need some young talent. ... I'm looking at that at that O-line and saying, 'Do you think this is enough to protect Geno (Smith) and to run the football effectively?' They might think it's enough, but I know they're gonna address this position in the draft.''
Seattle's offensive line last season ranked 10th in sacks given up with 46, and when it came to running the football, they were middle of the pack (averaging 120.1 yards per game, ranked 18th).
So for all of the talk regarding Seattle going defense in the first few rounds, perhaps the offensive line needs addressing as well. That likely won't come with the No. 5 pick, but Seattle has the No. 20 pick to take an offensive lineman such as Broderick Jones, John Michael Schmitz or O'Cyrus Torrence.
Jones could go high. Also worth noting are some other top-ranked names: Peter Skoronski of Northwestern, Paris Johnson Jr. of Ohio State and Darnell Wright of Tennessee.
Seattle also has two second-round picks (No.37 and No.52) to address the offensive line. So, there are a few ways in which the front office could approach it.
After Geno signed his new deal in the offseason, keeping him upright will go a long way in building on what was accomplished last season, and to do that, upgrading the offensive line via the draft could pay immediate dividends.
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