Seattle Seahawks Draft Preview

Seattle Fans are not very accustomed to picking this high in the draft and when you look at their roster, it should be just a one-year aberration.
However, this puts the Seahawks into a perfect situation in being able to add a top-five caliber player to a team that should be in contention for a playoff spot.
The question for Seattle GM Tim Ruskell is this-Do you take the best player on the board, take the best player at a position of need, or is this the time that you begin to groom your franchise QB?
For a 4-12 team, there are not many glaring holes although there are spots that could some upgrading.
Seattle owns all of their own picks except for their 5th rounder and in the 5th they have Detroit's which leads off the round.
Seattle has four picks in Round 7, so Seattle can either take a high upside project and/or a specialist and have some room to maneuver.
Here are our opinions of the Seahawks positions that could be addressed.

1) Tackle
Walter Jones is a perennial Pro Bowler, but he is 35 years old, has been somewhat injury-plagued, and was not up to his usual standards last season.
One does not have chances to sign top left tackles in free agency, as Jones has been Seattle's franchise player many times through the years, you have to draft them and develop them yourself.
With three top tackles in this draft, Seattle will have the chance to pick the successor to Jones and hope the pick plays anywhere near the caliber of Jones and his Hall of Fame level career,

2) Safety
The 4th overall pick is way too early to address the need at safety, but I have watched Brian Russell botch his way through both of my teams starting lineup at free safety and I am tired of it.
Deon Grant was decent enough last season, but he is entering the 10th year of his career and the backups of C.J.Wallace and Jamar Adams seem more like special teamers to me.
Jordan Babineaux makes big plays in the nickel and dime defenses but would be very vulnerable as a starter.
I am hopeful that the Hawks will address this no later than Round 3.

3) Guard
The Seahawks look solid enough with Rob Sims and Ray Willis, but the depth is very suspect and neither starter is Pro Bowl-bound anytime soon.
Look for Seattle to do what they did last year, take some offensive linemen in bulk later in the draft, and see if they can strike silver...

4)Quarterback
Matt Hasselbeck is 34 years old and has back issues.
Seneca Wallace has proven himself to be incapable of playing full-time and Charlie Frye was let go.
Seattle needs to address this in the middle rounds at least or if the Mark Sanchez rumors are true, they could begin to groom the eventual replacement.

5) Linebacker
Lofa Tatupu is still as good as they come on in the middle and Leroy Hill is solid on the one side, but the replacement for Julian Peterson is needed.
D.D Lewis and Will Herring aren't the answer and Seattle will need someone for at least some depth help, if not start outright.

Bonus Rounds

Wide Reciever
Seattle spent a ton of money of T.J. Houshmanzdeh and still have Deion Branch and Nate Burleson, but late-round fliers on Jordan Kent and Courtney Taylor haven't worked out and I am not as high on Ben Obomanu as others.
A talented receiver could allow Burleson to do what he does best, return kicks, and run fly patterns.

Cornerback
Marcus Trufant is one of the games best and Josh Wilson is really coming along at the other corner, but there is next to nothing behind them.

Shawn's top wish list for Seattle in Round one, if the Seahawks stay at 4

1) Wake Forest LB Aaron Curry-best player available.
2) Texas Tech WR Michael Crabtree-best offensive player available
3) Virginia T Eugene Monroe-Safest tackle among the top three tackles and least likely to be a bust.
4)Ohio State CB Malcolm Jenkins-Combine dropped his stock, but I have seen every game he played in college and he is a player.

The Pirates dropped a 4-3 verdict in 11 innings in San Diego to the Padres as former Pirate Brian Giles singled off closer Matt Capps (0-1) for the win.
The series continues tonight at 10:05 in San Diego

Pirate Hooks

1) Ian Snell singled in the Pirates' first run but had control problems all night with five walks over five innings.
Could it be that Snell is destined to be a Kris Benson type that occasionally shows you just how much potential he has, but more often than not frustrates the hell out of you?

2) Nate McLouth missed the game with a strained oblique muscle.
Nyjer Morgan moved to center, Brandon Moss to left and Eric Hinske played right.
No word on McLouth's status for this evening's game.

3) It would have been interesting to see the game move further in extra innings, just to see the results from Craig Hansen and Donald Veal.
Both have had trouble throwing strikes and Pirate fans remember the early season issues that Evan Meek had in similar situations last season.

4) I don't expect Jack Wilson to be a high average hitter, but I do expect things like being able to lay down a sac bunt, which Wilson failed at last night with a chance to move Nyjer Morgan to second with no one out...

5) Nice outing for Jesse Chavez from the bullpen.
The Padre announcers derided Chavez at first for his delivery but were admitting their mistakes by the time his night was finished.

Pitching Matchup
Pittsburgh: Zach Duke (2-1 2.95 ERA) at San Diego: Shawn Hill (1-0 3.60 ERA) 10:05

Back later with a few words on the newest members of the Browns and Seahawks.

Photo Credit
Seahawks: Chris Creamer's sports logos
Monroe: Unknown
Wilson:Lenny Ignelzi-AP Photo