Mel Kiper Jr. is back
with his second 2013 NFL mock draft for the first round.
We're running through the projected picks for NFC West teams in reverse order. Seattle is up next.
25. Seattle Seahawks: Johnathan Hankins, Ohio State
Kiper's give: Another good spot for someone to call and trade up. As for the pick, if Seattle wants a penetrator on the interior of the D-line, Hankins really isn't that guy. He doesn't have the burst to split gaps and create havoc behind the line of scrimmage. What he can do is occupy multiple blockers, help other rushers find space and better matchups, and make the Seahawks more difficult to run against.
Sando's take: Mock drafts usually focus on filling needs. Seattle could use another big body on its defensive line, for sure, but what percentage of snaps would Hankins play as a rookie? How much would he improve Seattle's ability to close out games in fourth quarters by getting additional pressure on opposing quarterbacks? I don't know the answers to those questions, but Kiper makes Hankins sound like an early down player. Last year, critics questioned the Seahawks' thinking in using a first-round choice for pass-rusher Bruce Irvin, who was seen as a situational player. Irvin was the 15th overall choice. Hankins would be drafted 25th. Do those 10 spots make all the difference? Is it better to take a situational player when that player is best at stopping the run? Would Hankins stay on the field for pass-rushing situations? His Insider player card rates him in seven categories. It calls Hankins "below average" as a pass-rusher, calling him a "one-dimensional power rusher" with "considerable" upside in that area. For the record, Irvin played 43.8 percent of the defensive snaps in the regular season. That was about as many snaps as fellow first-round defensive linemen Fletcher Cox (48.7) and Quinton Coples (47.5) played for their teams.