2 early mock drafts have Seahawks taking QB, DE
Jan 9, 2012, 11:04 AM | Updated: 11:12 am
By Brady Henderson
A long-term solution at quarterback and a pass-rushing defensive end are two of the Seahawks’ most obvious needs.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that two recent mock drafts from Rob Rang and Dane Brugler of NFLDraftScout.com have Seattle addressing those holes with its first-round pick. Rang has the Seahawks taking USC defensive end Nick Perry, while Brugler predicts it will be Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill.
 Nick Perry led the Pac-12 with 9.5 sacks in 2011. (AP) |
Rang on Perry: “Having captured a full third of Seattle’s 33 sacks in 2011, Chris Clemons has quietly emerged as one of the NFL’s most productive pass rushers. His statistics are inflated due to the matchups presented by Seattle’s LEO position, a hybrid pass-rushing role. Carroll recruited Perry to Southern Cal three years ago to fill precisely this role. The 6-3, 255-pound Perry led the Pac-12 with 9.5 sacks as a junior and may be just scratching the surface of his potential. Whether serving as a complement to Clemons or as his eventual replacement, Perry’s speed and pass rushing potential will be highly valued come draft day.”
Perry is the second defensive end to come off the board in Rang’s mock draft. He has North Carolina’s Quinton Coples, who also played defensive tackle for the Tar Heels, going 10th to the Bills.
Brugler on Tannehill: “I know I am in the minority, but I believe Ryan Tannehill has first-round potential with his raw skills. He has the size, arm strength and intelligence to develop into a starting caliber quarterback. He had just one-and-a-half years of experience playing the position in college, starting his career as a wide receiver. The Seahawks will be a favorite to land QB Matt Flynn in free agency, but if they don’t land the Green Bay backup then they’ll look to the draft.”
Brugler has two quarterbacks being taken ahead of Tannehill, Stanford’s Andrew Luck with the first pick and Baylor’s Robert Griffin III with the fourth. Griffin, who has a year of eligibility remaining, has yet to declare for the draft and is expected to announce his decision soon.
Both mock drafts assume the Seahawks will pick 12th. They would own the 11th pick if they win a coinflip to break a tie with the Chiefs.
