Huard: Who in NFL Draft could be Seahawks’ next Baldwin

The Seattle Seahawks may be looking for a new wide receiver in the NFL Draft. And if that’s indeed the case, Brock Huard has the name to keep an eye on.

Who the Seattle Seahawks reportedly met with at NFL combine

Huard has a specific reason for this particular receiver – Iowa State’s Jaylin Noel – and it’s that he shares some traits with a pair of Seahawks greats: Doug Baldwin and Tyler Lockett.

Baldwin went from going undrafted out of Stanford to a two-time Pro Bowler and integral member of the Seattle teams that made back-to-back Super Bowl appearances and won one championship. He retired after the 2018 season.

Lockett, meanwhile, was a third round NFL Draft selection out of Kansas State who went somewhat under the radar in 2015, only to emerge as one of the best wide receivers in Seahawks history. Lockett is expected to be a salary cap casualty this month, however, which could spell the end of his time in Seattle after 10 seasons.

Related: Is there any chance Lockett stays with Seahawks in ’25?

“Doug Baldwin’s not walking back through that door. Tyler Lockett’s probably about to walk out that door,” said Mike Salk, Huard’s co-host on Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk on Monday. “Did you find your guy to be the next Lockett, to be the next Baldwin, to be the next dynamic, fast, quick off the line Seahawks receiver?”

Like with Lockett, Huard is looking to the Big 12 Conference, as the former NFL quarterback and longtime FOX college football analyst was impressed by Noel’s huge showing in the NFL combine last week.

“What the combine does is it pays off the tape you see,” Huard said. “This guy’s tape was great. This guy elevated over people, this guy ran by people, and now you know why. Because those numbers absolutely back it up.”

At 5 foot 10 and 195 pounds, Noel has a similar build to Baldwin (5-10, 194) and Lockett (5-10, 182). His performance at the combine could push him even higher than Lockett was selected, with Huard saying he’s a “top-three round guy now.”

So about those combine numbers.

Among wide receivers, Noel was No. 1 with 23 reps of 225 pounds in the bench press, beating even former tight end Jack Besch from TCU. He was also No. 1 in the broad jump (11 feet, 2 inches) and tied for first in the vertical jump (41 1/2 inches), and his strong 40-yard dash (4.39 seconds) finished in the top 10.

“He is an absolute muscle ball,” Huard said. “Body control and power and twitch for days. … None of things are normal. (NFL Network analyst and former scout Daniel Jeremiah) tweeted out last night, like to be No. 1, No. 1, No. 1, that just doesn’t happen.

“And oh, by the way, the play is awesome as well.”

Noel set career highs as a senior at Iowa State in 2024 with 80 receptions, 1,194 receiving yards, eight touchdown catches and 14.9 yards per catch.

“He was a huge part in Iowa State getting to a Big 12 title game,” Huard said. “I mean, a huge part, like Breece Hall was and others have been at Iowa State – Brock Purdy – to elevate that program, so was this kid.”

Hear the full conversation from the Blue 88 segment of Monday’s Brock and Salk in the podcast at this link or in the player near the top of this post. Huard answers three football questions at 7:45 a.m. during each edition of Brock and Salk. Catch Brock and Salk from 6-10 a.m. weekdays on Seattle Sports.

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