The NFL Draft is months away but it's never too early to take a look at who the Seattle Seahawks might be selecting. Finishing the 2017 season without a playoff appearance for the first time since 2011, the Seahawks have landed the No. 18 overall pick.
USA TODAY's Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz has the Seahawks selecting defensive end Marcus Davenport out of Texas-San Antonio.
“Pete Carroll's defenses depend on creating havoc up front, and uncertain futures for Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett could limit Seattle's options,” Middlehurst-Schwartz writes. “Enter Davenport, a little-known edge rusher who shouldn't fly under the radar for long given his impressive length and array of moves.”
Davenport is listed on the Roadrunners website as a 6-foot-seven, 255-pound senior from San Antonio.
“This Roadrunners defensive end is a twitchy, refined, productive pass-rusher,” CBSSports.com's Chris Trapasso wrote of Davenport in a November profile. “And when you're all three of those things – while having NFL-size – at the collegiate level, you're likely going to be a good professional player. It's the one-dimensional edge-rushers who typically struggle.”
The Seahawks selected a defensive lineman with their highest pick in the draft last season – Malik McDowell at No. 35 overall. Injured in a vehicular accident during the offseason, McDowell spent his entire rookie season on Seattle's Non-Football Injury List.
Seahawks defensive end Cliff Avril was placed on the injured reserve on Oct. 20 with a neck injury and his football future remains uncertain.
Adding some youth and insurance to Seattle's defensive line seems a likely move this April for the Seahawks.
