Seattle, WA

Which Wild Cards Could Seattle Seahawks Draft in First Round?

Published

2 years ago

April 20, 2024

Which Wild Cards Could Seattle Seahawks Draft in First Round?

Now just six days away from the 2024 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks could go a number of different routes with their first round pick, including addressing the trenches on either side of the football investing in a guard, defensive tackle, or edge rusher.

But could Seahawks general manager John Schneider throw his signature curve ball and pick a player nobody expected entering year one of the Mike Macdonald era? Based on past precedent, nobody should be surprised if he makes a selection out of left field as he done plenty of times in the opening round in prior drafts.

Way back in 2011, Schneider stunned many by selecting Alabama tackle James Carpenter with the 25th overall pick, which even drew raised eyebrows from legendary coach Nick Saban in the green room. Fast forwarding to 2018, Seattle traded back with Green Bay before tabbing running back Rashaad Penny as the 27th pick and only a year later, the team selected defensive end L.J. Collier, who many viewed as a day two pick, 29th overall.

Which wild cards could Schneider turn in to commissioner Roger Goodell with the 16th overall pick or on a later selection after a trade down this year?

Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia

The best tight end in this year’s draft class by a mile, Bowers offers a rare set of skills for the position and starred for two eventual national champions in three years with the Bulldogs. Though he isn’t the biggest player at 6-3, 243 pounds and his lack of size may show up trying to block NFL defensive linemen, he held his own in that area against SEC competition. Where he really stands out from his peers, however, is his playmaking ability with the ball in his hands. Able to win down the seam as well as pile yardage up in bunches after the catch, he accumulated 175 receptions for 2,538 yards and 26 touchdowns as a receiver while also adding five touchdowns on the ground as a runner, offering unique versatility for a tight end.

From Seattle’s perspective, tight end may not seem like a big enough need to justify using a first-round pick on one. But with only Noah Fant under contract beyond 2024 and both Will Dissly and Colby Parkinson gone, new offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb may be clamoring for Bowers to add another dynamic weapon for Geno Smith to pair alongside star receivers DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and if he’s available, Schneider could easily snag him at 16 overall.

JC Latham, T, Alabama

Weighing in at 342 pounds, Latham carries tree stumps for legs and uses his raw power coupled with 35 1/8-inch arms and heavy, brick-like hands to consistently knock defenders off the ball in the run game as an elite drive blocker. He’s surprising nimble at his size in pass protection as well and moves like he weighs 20 pounds less, as he only gave up 14 pressures and two sacks in his final season with the Crimson Tide as they advanced back to the College Football Playoff. He isn’t quite as adept in the zone blocking game and has a bit tougher time getting to the second level, but he should be able to improve upon those areas at the next level.

Built with a thick lower body and equipped with powerful hands, JC Latham should instantly upgrade the run game for whichever team drafts him.

Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Most teams will want to keep him at tackle in the NFL due to his smooth pass sets and length, but Latham’s power and average lateral mobility may make him a better fit to slide inside. With the Seahawks losing both Damien Lewis and Phil Haynes in free agency and desperate for long-term answers at guard, the Wisconsin native could jump in as a starter on day one on either side while providing another insurance option at tackle in case Abraham Lucas battles knee issues again in 2024.

Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU

Bursting onto the scene as one of the nation’s biggest breakout receivers last season in LSU’s explosive passing arsenal, Thomas exploded with over 1,100 yards while averaging a gaudy 17.3 yards per reception and scoring 17 touchdowns, showcasing his ability to beat opponents downfield and win vertically as a big play threat. Per Pro Football Focus, he finished in the top five in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns on throws traveling 20 or more yards through the air. At 6-5, 200 pounds, he has a lean frame that doesn’t lend itself to breaking many tackles, but he creates a major mismatch with his length and speed for opposing cornerbacks.

On paper, the Seahawks have one of the best receiving corps in the league, especially after drafting Smith-Njigba in the first round last season. But Lockett isn’t getting any younger and has a massive cap charge in 2025, so Schneider and the front office may be looking ahead of the curve if the right receiver falls to them after a trade down. Always looking for explosive vertical targets, teaming Thomas up with Metcalf moving forward would be a scary proposition for defensive coordinators in Grubb’s four-wide heavy offense.

Amarius Mims, T, Georgia

Unlike Latham, Mims doesn’t have any guard flexibility, as at 6-8, 340 pounds, he’s simply too tall to slide inside at the next level. He also has work to do in the run game, particularly when it comes to sustaining blocks where his built-in leverage issues can be problematic. However, he’s a silky smooth pass protector with an ideal build for an NFL tackle and with 36 1/8-inch arms, he has a condor-like wing span that helps him thwart speed rushers and has enough athletic ability to consistently recover on the rare occasion where he does get beat.

With Charles Cross and Lucas both returning for their third seasons, Seattle doesn’t have an urgent need at tackle. But if Schneider and the coaching staff identify Mims as the best player available, even with only eight college starts under his belt, they could decide to shift Lucas inside to guard and select the massive, smooth-footed blocker to plug and play on the right side. Such a selection would say a lot about how Grubb and line coach Scott Huff plan to deploy their offensive line for the long haul.

Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama

The latest standout cornerback ready to make the jump to NFL first round pick out of Tuscaloosa, Arnold enjoyed a dominant final season as a do-it-all defensive back for the Crimson Tide. Aside from picking off five passes, he posted a career-best 63 tackles and swatted away 13 pass breakups, functioning as if he had football magnets inside his gloves. An aggressive defender who likes to hit and has plus-blitzing skills, he played over 250 snaps in the slot and in the box last year, suggesting he could transition into a Swiss army knife role moving all over the formation at the next level with a bit more muscle to his lean 190-pound frame.

After drafting Devon Witherspoon with a top-five pick to pair him with Riq Woolen last year, cornerback is far from the Seahawks biggest priority in the present and some fans would scoff at the idea of investing another high pick at the position. But the team only has Witherspoon and Woolen under contract past this year and Macdonald likes to deploy three-safety and four-cornerback looks, which could make Arnold an intriguing candidate to bring on board to unleash in the scheme.

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Seattle, WA

The question Jeff Passan has about the Seattle Mariners

Published

16 hours ago

March 25, 2026

Press Room

The question Jeff Passan has about the Seattle Mariners

The Seattle Mariners enter this season with fewer question marks than they’ve had in any year in recent memory.

Mariners unveil 2026 opening day roster and who’s on IL

The club began spring camp with few open spots on a big league roster set to return many of the same faces from last year’s run to the American League Championship Series. And outside of what are believed to be short-term injuries to shortstop J.P. Crawford and right-hander Bryce Miller, the M’s left their spring training facility in Peoria without much to be concerned about.

ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan is high on this year’s Mariners, even picking them to represent the American League in the World Series. But there is one question he has about the team as the season begins, he told Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk on Wednesday.

“Cal Raleigh had a once-in-a-lifetime season last year, and while he’s still going to be excellent his year, once in a lifetime is once in a lifetime. So how does the offense make up for – I’m not gonna even say lack of production – but the difference in production from what they got from Cal Raleigh last year?” Passan said.

After leading MLB catchers in home runs during the 2023 and 2024 campaigns, Raleigh led all of baseball with a historic 60-homer season in 2026 that nearly doubled his previous career high of 34 hit in 2024. Raleigh’s 60 homers broke Salvador Perez’s single-season record of 48 for a primary catcher, Hall of Famer Mickey Mantle’s record of 54 for a switch-hitter and Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr.’s Mariners record of 56.

While Raleigh has displayed premier slugging abilities since becoming a full-time starter in 2022, Passan expects a significant drop from the 60 he hit last year.

“I don’t think it would be fair or reasonable to expect 60 home runs again from Cal Raleigh because let’s not forget no catcher in history had come close to that number,” Passan said. “I don’t even know if 50 is a reasonable expectation, frankly. But a 40-plus home run season from Cal Raleigh (is reasonable).”

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 Mariners

• Cable TV channels for Seattle Mariners games this season are set
• Drayer: This season, the Mariners replace hope with expectations
• Morosi: Seattle Mariners made the right decision on Mitch Garver
• How prospect expert views Seattle Mariners OF Lazaro Montes
• M’s dust off a classic in latest commercial featuring Cal Raleigh

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Seattle, WA

NBA to explore expansion opportunities in Seattle and Las Vegas after Board of Governors votes in favor of move

Published

1 day ago

March 25, 2026

Press Room

NBA to explore expansion opportunities in Seattle and Las Vegas after Board of Governors votes in favor of move

The NBA took its first major step toward bringing back the Seattle Supersonics on Wednesday. The league’s Board of Governors reportedly voted in favor of the NBA exploring expansion opportunities in both Seattle and Las Vegas, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.

The vote was expected, as Charania reported in mid-March that the league would put the issue up to a vote at its Board of Governors meeting later in the month.

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Seattle, WA

How prospect expert views Seattle Mariners’ Lazaro Montes

Published

2 days ago

March 24, 2026

Press Room

How prospect expert views Seattle Mariners’ Lazaro Montes

When it comes to prospects, much of the attention at Seattle Mariners camp went shortstop Colt Emerson and pitchers Kade Anderson and Rylan Sloan.

Drayer: The state of the Mariners as camp breaks for opening day

Those are the top three prospects in the organization according to must publications, and each could end up impacting the big league club at some point this season, especially Emerson and Anderson.

Outfielder Lazaro Montes, however, had a quieter spring. The 21-year-old went just 4 for 25 (.160 average) with two doubles, an RBI, a walk and 10 strikeouts over 11 spring training games. But he did end things on a high note during Seattle’s Spring Breakout game against Milwaukee last Friday, going 3 for 3 with two RBIs and a stolen bases (those stats didn’t count towards his spring totals).

Montes is the Mariners’ fourth-ranked prospect and No. 43 league-wide, according to MLB Pipeline. Jim Callis, a senior writer for MLB.com, recently shared his assessment of the slugging Cuban outfielder with Seattle Sports’ Wyman and Bob.

“There aren’t many minor leaguers who have more power than him,” Callis said. “He hits the ball hard, he hits it far.”

During his age-20 season in 2025, Montes was tied for third in the minor leagues with 32 home runs across all levels. He hit 18 during a 67-game stint with High-A Everett and 14 in 64 games after making the jump to Double-A Arkansas and playing in the pitcher friendly environment of the Texas League. However, Montes had a 29% strikeout rate across both levels, including 30.5% in Double-A.

“He’s a pretty precocious power hitting prospect,” Callis said. “There’s some swing and miss there. (He’s) always gonna be a power-over-hit guy. He’s not a big runner, so he’s more of a left field-DH type. He does have a strong arm. But his power is tremendous.”

Montes’ high-power, low-contact profile and limited abilities in the field make him a potential boom-or-bust prospect whose value will be completely dependent on his bat in the eyes of most experts. That makes Montes different from the other touted prospects the M’s have had in recent years, but it’s also something Callis likes for the organization.

“That’s another reason I like the Mariners’ system is you gotta a little bit of everything,” he said. “We talked about Anderson and Sloan. We talked about Colt Emerson, he’s one of the best pure hitters in the minors. And Laz Montes is one of the best power hitters in the minors. His raw power is near the top of the scale.”

Hear the full conversation here or in the audio player in this story. Listen to Wyman and Bob weekdays from 2-7 p.m. or find the podcast on the Seattle Sports app.

More on the Seattle Mariners

• M’s dust off a classic in latest commercial featuring Cal Raleigh
• Highlights: Seattle Mariners’ big names end spring training on high notes
• Where things stand with Seattle Mariners pitcher Bryce Miller
• Arozarena says he apologized, Raleigh says WBC drama ‘in the past’
• Seattle Mariners make five more roster moves as opening day nears

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