Seahawks Predicted to Land 2 New Stars Including Playmaking Quarterback

Tyler Lockett DK Metcalf

Getty Tyler Lockett (left) and DK Metcalf (right) could witness another QB competition in 2023.

The Seattle Seahawks have already made several major moves this offseason but more are on the way as the franchise has four picks in the first two rounds of the upcoming NFL draft. The Seahawks have overhauled their defensive line since last season ended, but ESPN’s Mel Kiper predicts the franchise will bolster their offense in his latest mock draft.

Kiper has Seattle taking their quarterback of the future at No. 5 by selecting Anthony Richardson. The Seahawks then land former Ohio State standout receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba at No. 20 in Kiper’s projections. The ESPN analyst pointed to Geno Smith’s new contract allowing the Seahawks to easily exit next offseason leaving the door open for the team to take a quarterback at No. 5.

“The finer details of Geno Smith’s new contract show it’s really only a one-year commitment; Seattle absolutely could take a quarterback here,” Kiper wrote on March 21, 2023.

“…Why Richardson? The upside is so, so high. He’s a 6-foot-4, 244-pound signal-caller who can make any throw and who also ran a 4.43-second 40-yard dash at the combine. If he’s given time to catch up to the speed of the NFL, he could be a star. This would be a great situation for him, on an offense that has young stars. Plus, the Seahawks have another Round 1 pick at No. 20 — if any team is in a spot to take a high-risk player, it’s them. By the way, four quarterbacks going in the top five picks has never happened before.”


Anthony Richardson on Seahawks: ‘When I Seen Pete Carroll, My Heart Dropped’

A strong argument can be made that Richardson has the most upside of any quarterback in the 2023 draft. Yet, Richardson may not be ready to be an NFL starting quarterback in Week 1 making Seattle an ideal landing spot. Richardson has not been shy about his affinity for the Seahawks, in particular head coach Pete Carroll. The playmaking quarterback revealed that Seattle was one of the teams he met with at the NFL combine.

“Yes sir, I did [meet with the Seahawks],” Richardson noted during a March 6 interview on “The Rich Eisen Show.” “When I seen Pete Carroll, my heart dropped. I’m like, ‘Whoa.’ You only see this guy on TV, and I was in the same room with him. It felt different.”


The Seahawks Are Still Searching for a WR3 & Could Take a Playmaker in the First Round

Much has been made about the Seahawks potentially drafting a quarterback, but Kiper’s prediction of Seattle taking a wide receiver at No. 20 is a much more plausible scenario. Seattle has struggled to find a permanent WR3 to compliment DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett.

The Seahawks selected Dee Eskridge in the second round of the 2021 NFL draft, but the wideout has missed 14 games with multiple injuries over his first two seasons. Kiper believes Iowa State pass rusher Will McDonald IV, Clemson defensive end Myles Murphy and Florida guard O’Cyrus Torrence could also be in play for Seattle at No. 20.

“Smith-Njigba has a chance to develop into a true No. 1 receiver,” Kiper noted. “He didn’t run the 40-yard dash at the combine, but he looked effortless in the pass-catching drills and led all receivers with a 6.57-second 3-cone time and a 3.93-second short shuttle. A hamstring injury limited him to just five catches last season, but he caught 95 passes for 1,606 yards in 2021. He could be a plug-and-play starter for a team that already features Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf. He could alternate reps outside and in the slot.”


Jaxon Smith-Njigba Is Drawing Comparisons to 5-Time Pro Bowl WR Jarvis Landry

Heading into the college football season, Smith-Njigba was widely viewed as a potential top-five pick in the 2023 draft, but a hamstring injury derailed the majority of his final year with the Buckeyes. The star wideout still has a chance to be the first receiver taken in the draft, and NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein compared the prospect to five-time Pro Bowler Jarvis Landry.

“Smith-Njigba is a possession slot receiver who lacks the shake to separate underneath and the speed to run past defenses,” Zierlein wrote in his profile of Smith-Njigba. “He’s tough in the middle of the defense and has proven he can make catches in congestion. Smith-Njigba will need to fine-tune his route running to give himself his best chance to succeed at the next level. It is impossible to ignore his monster finish to the 2021 season, and he has starting slot potential, but the speed concerns coupled with an injury-plagued 2022 season threaten to negatively impact his draft stock.”