Getty Illinois DT Jer'Zhan Newton
The Seattle Seahawks are killing their 2024 NFL Draft pick right now, which fans will love as the team makes a major push for the 2023 NFL Playoffs. While The 12 will gladly sacrifice a few draft slots for a shot at postseason glory, it’s never too early to start looking toward the future. With that in mind, the Seahawks take Illinois defensive tackle Jer’Zhan Newton in Pro Football Network’s Dec. 25, 2023 mock draft, which raises interesting questions about the future of newly-acquired DT Leonard Williams.
Seahawks Mock Draft Has Team Taking Jer’Zhan Newton
On Christmas Day, Pro Football Network’s NFL insider, Adam Caplan, dropped a mock 2024 NFL Draft. What makes this mock draft intriguing is that, as Caplan explained on Twitter, he uses “notes [and] very early intel from various teams.”
For the Seahawks, the notes and intel add up to the team selecting Illinois DT Jer’Zhan Newton at No. 21 in this mock draft.
“Intel: Seattle addressed their much-maligned offensive line in recent drafts, so that’s no longer a need. In fact, their issues remain on the defensive side of the ball,” Caplan writes. “Jer’Zhan Newton, who is widely recognized as one of the top interior defensive linemen for the 2024 NFL Draft, would start for years to come and fill a big need.”
Taking Newton doesn’t necessarily spell the end for Williams, whom the team traded a second-round pick for at the 2023 NFL trade deadline. However, as an unrestricted free agent after this season, Newton would provide a great deal of Williams insurance.
On his own, Newton is one of the most intriguing defensive prospects in this draft. At 6-foot-2, 295 pounds, he’s not the space-eating DT that many teams are looking for. However, he has excellent athleticism for his size and is an accomplished pass-rusher already, with 18.0 sacks for the Fighting Illini, including 8.0 this season.
“Jer’Zhan Newton is just a disruptive player overall. He’s strong and stout at the point of attack against the run to stun offensive linemen and stay in his gap,” Bleacher Report’s scouting report reads. “He also has little to no issues getting off blocks and can make plays outside of his gap with his impressive blend of strength and athleticism.”
While Newton will have to overcome his stature in the pros, his size, athleticism, and pass-rush ability remind some of the best DT in the NFL, Aaron Donald.
One last thing to note about this NFL mock draft — and all Seahawks mock drafts moving forward — is if Seattle makes the playoffs, their draft position won’t be determined until they are knocked out of the postseason.
Leonard Williams’ Future With Seattle
Leonard Williams is in the final year of a three-year, $63,000,000 contract he signed with the New York Giants in 2020. At 29, the dominant defensive tackle will certainly be looking for a massive deal when he hits free agency this offseason.
Spotrac estimates his market value is somewhere in the neighborhood of $14.8 million per season, and is worth a three-year, $44,581,380 extension. However, after getting more than that in his last negotiation, it’s likely Willaims will be looking for something more in line with the recent top-end DT contracts.
While Williams likely won’t command Donald-level money ($31,666,667 per season), his next deal should be in line with recent DT contracts such as Quinnen Williams ($24,000,000), Jeffery Simmons ($23,500,000), or Daron Payne ($22,500,000).
With the current rookie contracts on the books and a relative bargain at quarterback, the Seahawks can afford to pay Williams this offseason if they so choose. And after giving up a premium draft pick for him, it would make sense to do so.
However, if Williams is looking for more than two or three years, a deal may not make sense as his age doesn’t fully fit the team’s timeline after several years of adding great picks through the NFL Draft.