Analyst: Why the Seahawks may not draft O-line in 1st round

When the NFL Draft kicks off Thursday, much of the attention in the Pacific Northwest will be on the Seattle Seahawks. Specifically, it will be on what the team does to address its offensive line.

ESPN insider’s potential draft cheat code for Seattle Seahawks’ O-line

The O-line has remained as the greatest hole on Seattle’s roster, particularly on the interior. The team has to replace its starting left guard from last season, and between both guard spots and center, there figures to be a handful of unproven players competing for starting roles.

With the offensive line being the greatest area of need, it would seem to make sense that the Seahawks would select a player who can play guard or center in the first round at No. 18 overall. But there’s a good chance that isn’t how it goes on Day 1 of the draft.

NFL.com draft analyst Chad Reuter explained why positional need generally isn’t the deciding factor for teams in the draft during a conversation last week with Seattle Sports’ Bump and Stacy.

“I think a lot of fans tend to think that teams will always pick their primary need, like they’re going to the grocery store and aisle one is wide receiver, so they’re going to go through there and get a wide receiver in round one,” Reuter said. “But teams really do try to take the best available player within reason of a need for the team. The need might not even be for this upcoming season as much as the season after. That’s really the GM’s job is to look two to three years down the road, even though they’re fighting for their job every year.”

Who will be the best available player?

Drafting the best player available over positional need is a philosophy Seahawks general manger John Schneider has followed.

According to Reuter, that best available player for the Seahawks at No. 18 will be Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, who he has as the first receiver off the board in his latest mock draft. Reuter doesn’t have any offensive lineman being selected from picks 14 through 26.

If the Seahawks were to take McMillan, he would join a wide receiver room that includes 2023 first-round pick Jaxon Smith-Njigba and recent free agent signing Cooper Kupp and Marquez Valdes-Scantling.

“Sometimes teams will take a guy in the first round like an offensive tackle even though they have two veterans that are expected to play,” Reuter said. “And I think teams do tend to take, especially those with GMs separate from owners, a little bit longer-term look and are not necessarily focused on what other people think their biggest need is.”

Hear the full conversation at this link or in the audio player in this story. Listen to Brock and Salk weekdays from 6-10 a.m. or find the podcast on the Seattle Sports app.

More on the Seattle Seahawks

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• Daniel Jeremiah: The ideal QB draft scenario for Seahawks
• Seahawks Draft Profile: Why Brock says ‘Draft Kelvin Banks’
• A surprise player who could fall to Seattle Seahawks at No. 18

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