Seahawks draft: Brock Huard breaks down the 7 picks from our mock draft

Apr 8, 2020, 12:27 AM

Brock Huard would be a big fan if the Seahawks drafted Kenny Willekes in the fourth round. (Getty)

(Getty)

Brock & Salk, 6-10 a.m. on Seattle Sports

You may have caught our Seahawks mock draft piece earlier this week from James “Boy Howdy” Osborn, who explained how Seattle could use the draft later this month to finish rebuilding its core.

Click here to read Boy Howdy’s Seahawks mock draft

As you may be aware, Howdy has some friends in high places, most notably Brock and Salk co-host and FOX college football analyst Brock Huard. Howdy asked if he would break down the picks he made in the mock draft, and Brock was glad to oblige as he has seen many of the players first hand by covering their games. Not only that, but Brock found this particular draft to be on point.

“This has been my favorite mock I’ve seen the great Howdy put together,” he said.

Here’s what Brock had to say about the picks.

• Round 1 (No. 27): Austin Jackson, OT, USC

Young and huge upside. Turns 21 in May and is one of those rare college OTs I see that, while he is 6 foot 5 and 315 pounds, he looks and moves like a 250-pound athlete. Very similar to Duane Brown in that way. In fact, in looking at Brown out of college and Jackson out of USC, it’s almost eerie the physical similarities. Jackson is an inch taller but has the same arm length at 34.25 inches. They both ran a 5.07 and 5.08 40-yard dash, and I especially liked the 27 reps of 225 pounds on the bench by Jackson. Carroll liked drafting his USC prospects and if he pulls the trigger here on an OT, you know he’s got as much background and intel on him as anyone in the draft.

• Round 2 (59): Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson

TD maker and knows how to use his frame. Didn’t run or jump at the combine because he’s no DK Metcalf, and his pro day 40 time of 4.55 and 31-inch vertical are not numbers that Pete or John Schneider will be thrilled with. That said, he’s available in the late second round here because of those track numbers and not his football production. While his route tree is also not terribly refined coming out of Clemson’s up-tempo spread system, Higgins has excellent change of direction and dip for a player of his size, and adding his size and speed to Tyler Lockett, DK and Phillip Dorsett would give Russell Wilson more artillery than he’s ever had athletically to work with.

• Round 2 (64): Neville Gallimore, DT, Oklahoma

The opposite of Tee Higgins in many ways where the physical skillset and testing at the combine were off the charts but the football production didn’t necessarily match. At 6-2 and 304 pounds and running a 4.79 at the combine, that is rare stuff, but what you’d like to see on the field match that numbers – sacks, tackles for loss and disruption – don’t. I saw Gallimore nearly 10 times in person over the last four years doing Oklahoma games and while I always thought of him as an intriguing prospect out of Canada, I never left a game saying that he’s a physical game-wrecker. He is still raw, there is a ton of upside, and his supporting cast at Oklahoma defensively was porous so you can make a case for Gallimore here, and likely someone will.

• Round 3 (100): Lloyd Cushenberry, C, LSU

The unquestioned leader of LSU’s group up front and a guy that loves ball. He’s 6-3, 312 with long arms and a heavy punch. Recruited to LSU to play ground and pound and has the physical make-up to do so, then transitioned like the rest of the boys on the Bayou to throw it all over the yard and win a national title. Teammates and coaches love him and that’s exactly what you want at that position.

• Round 4 (130): Kenny Willekes, DE, Michigan State

Nearly 30 Sacks and over 50 TFL for this grinder and former walk-on at Michigan State. Tremendous bend and power (32 reps of 225) but a 4.87 40 and 31-inch arms will scare a lot of evaluators from taking him early. Unique guy that could play some powerful strong side linebacker in early downs and add punch in some nickel pass rush from inside and out with his versatility. I’d really like this pick in the fourth round.

• Round 4 (143): Zack Moss, RB, Utah

I’ve seen Moss’ name attached to the Hawks in a bunch of mock drafts and I understand why: John Schneider desires the most physical running back in college football. Moss doesn’t shy from contact and that helped elevate Utah to new heights but it also took a toll on his body. His 4.65 40 at the combine and injury history will drop him to the middle rounds. With Chris Carson’s own injury history and Rashsad Penny coming off a torn ACL, the Seahawks may favor a prospect with more tread on the tires, but they’ll be hard pressed to find a RB with more tenacity and toughness than Moss.

• Round 6 (213): Trajan Bandy, CB, Miami (Fla.)

Total late round flyer that doesn’t make much sense to me. Too small, doesn’t check any of Pete’s requirements for his corners and also not a blazer. Good football player, just don’t see the fit in SEA.