JIM MOORE

Moore: This is the year Seahawks need to trade up in NFL Draft, not down

Jan 27, 2020, 12:32 AM

Seahawks GM John Schneider...

Seahawks GM John Schneider has favored trading down early in the NFL Draft. (AP)

(AP)

We already know what’s going to happen when it’s the Seahawks’ turn to make a selection with the 27th pick overall in the 2020 NFL draft. The commissioner or someone else will tell us that the Seahawks have traded their pick to another team, and the other team will give the Seahawks the 31st pick and a fourth-rounder or something like that.

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General manager John Schneider is known for trading down and collecting draft capital, which has generally served the Seahawks well as they’ve restocked their roster over the years.

Schneider could point to the gems he’s found in later rounds, and he’d be right on the money about that, but I’d like to see him change his draft strategy this year. Isn’t it time for the Seahawks to trade up?

Maybe you disagree. But can’t we agree that the higher you pick a player in the draft, don’t you increase your chances that said player could be more of a difference-maker than one who is drafted lower?

I really don’t want to hear about so-and-so in the fifth round, a pick you got from Denver when you traded down, and how great he’ll be on special teams and as a backup, adding depth to the defensive line.

The Seahawks need to shoot for quality over quantity this year. They’re in position to do it with two second-rounders, a third-rounder and two fourth-rounders. If you could trade the 27th pick and a second-rounder and maybe even a fourth-rounder for the 12th pick who could be a pass-rusher to pair up with Jadeveon Clowney, wouldn’t you rather see that than the trade-down scenario we see year after year?

It’s time for the Seahawks to blow on the dice and roll ’em. Have a wild hair, shoot for the moon, stop being so darn conservative and get a legitimate potential superstar instead of hoping a lower choice beats the odds and becomes one too.

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