With the Seahawks set to play more man, how the draftable CBs grade out

The first round of the 2022 NFL Draft starts in less than a week, and fans across the league are working themselves into a frenzy for the infusion of youthful talent their team is about to receive. For the Seattle Seahawks there will certainly be a wait, as eight other teams pick before the Hawks come on the clock at number nine, but there’s been no shortage of discussion regarding who the team could select with its first round pick.

Many observers have mocked a cornerback to the Seahawks with their first round pick, and while there are intriguing names available, the team has enough holes across the roster that exactly nobody would be surprised if Seattle trades back out of the ninth overall pick.

In any case, whatever the front office of the Hawks decides to do, it’s likely that at some point the team will look to improve the secondary by adding a cornerback or two.

In the twelve drafts for which Pete Carroll and John Schneider have been in charge the team has drafted a dozen cornerbacks:

• Walter Thurmond (4.111, 2010)
• Byron Maxwell (6.173, 2011)
• Richard Sherman (5.154, 2011)
• Jeremy Lane (6.172, 2012)
• Tharold Simon (5.138, 2013)
• Eric Pinkins (6.208, 2014)
• Tye Smith (5.170, 2015)
• Mike Tyson (6.187, 2017)
• Shaquill Griffin (3.90, 2017)
• Tre Flowers (5.146, 2018)
• Ugo Amadi (4.132, 2019)
• Tre Brown (4.137, 2021)

So, while the past certainly shows a trend not to add cornerbacks until Day 3 of the draft, with four picks on the first three rounds, there is certainly enough ammo for the team to take a shot if it wants. Marcus Jones, obviously, grades out highly in man defense, but at 5’8”, 177 pounds and with just 29” arms, he might measure in a bit under what Carroll prefers. How strong the tendencies of his preferences continue, though, could be determined by how big the changes the defense is set to implement this season turn out to be.

The expectation is for the secondary to play more man coverage in 2022, a departure from seasons past, it could mean more additions to the secondary than some fans might expect. The first hints of what the team is looking for came in free agency, and with the draft right around the corner more clues could be coming soon. Regardless of how the Seahawks opt to proceed, it won’t be too much longer before they are on the clock, at which point they can trade down, driving fans nuts.