Seahawks take ‘real deal’ players in Derick Hall and Zach Charbonnet on Day 2 of NFL draft
RENTON — Through the first two rounds of the NFL draft, the Seahawks have added who they hope is a shutdown corner, a big-play receiver, a difference-making edge rusher and a running back who can give the team the proverbial 1-2 punch rushing attack.
The latter two members of that quartet were added Friday when they drafted Auburn edge rusher Derick Hall at 37 and UCLA running back Zach Charbonnet at 52.
Seahawks general manager John Schneider said the two fit a theme of the draft of players who can take on big roles immediately.
“We drafted two grown men today,” Schneider said. “Huge competitors, excellent human beings. … It’s really exciting to add to the toughness of the group.”
Those two were the only two picks the Seahawks made Friday as they decided to trade their final pick — No. 83 in the third round — to Denver for pick 108 in the fourth round Saturday as well as a third-rounder in 2024.
The trade means the Seahawks still have six picks remaining in the draft — all coming Saturday when rounds four through seven are held — and a total of 10.
Advertising
Schneider said the move was made in part because the team had a goal to try to add to its 2024 draft-pick total because it expects that to be a strong class.
He said the Seahawks saw a few players they might have been interested taken by the time that pick rolled around.
“Couple upsets in there, meaning that we had some guys go that we were interested in,” he said. “It happens, especially early in the draft. So we felt real blessed to be able to get into a deal with Denver.”
What they haven’t yet drafted is anyone who can be regarded as an interior line player on either side of the ball, something that many felt was a priority heading into the weekend with Friday’s picks adding to cornerback Devon Witherspoon of Illinois and receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba of Ohio State, who were taken fifth and 20th, respectively, on Thursday.
That means the Seahawks still just have four players listed as defensive ends or tackles on the roster.
Schneider said that wasn’t necessarily by design, noting again that the team had its eyes on some players who got away. Schneider said he felt this has been maybe the most “random” draft he has taken part in with the Seahawks, leading to having to zig a little bit more than maybe he wanted.
Advertising
Said Carroll of the lack of addressing the interior defensive line so far: “It’s not like we’re not aware of it. We’re watching. We’d like to hit it. We made an effort in free agency, went right out of the shoot to get a couple of guys we could really count on (tackles Dre’Mont Jones and Jarran Reed) and we’re not done. It’s not done. None of it’s done. We’ve go a lot of work to do, and we get six big shots tomorrow, so we’re still at it.”
What they also didn’t draft is a quarterback, bypassing Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker — a player some thought could go in the first round who was still available when the Seahawks picked at 37. Hooker went to the Lions in the third round.
While the Seahawks could take one in the final four rounds Saturday, their moves in the draft indicate they didn’t feel the urgency many might have thought to add competition behind starter Geno Smith and backup Drew Lock.
Whether the Seahawks might go for a quarterback early garnered much discussion, but the team’s interior needs, especially on defense, had the consensus of mock drafts having them take at least one down linemen in the first round.
But the Seahawks went best-player-available Thursday in finding the talents of Witherspoon and Smith-Njigba too irresistible to ignore.
Friday began with a pick that went more to positional chalk, as the Seahawks took Hall at 37 to help flesh out a pass-rush group the team felt needs more depth.
Advertising
The team envisions him as similar to last year’s second-round pick, Boye Mafe, as an outside linebacker in the base who can be an edge rusher in the nickel.
The Seahawks threw something of a curveball with their next pick, taking Charbonnet at No. 52.
Not that the Seahawks don’t need running backs — they had just two on the roster coming into the draft in Kenneth Walker III and DeeJay Dallas.
Carroll noted the team’s need to have a strong rotation at that spot to get through 17 games.
“I think he’ll be a great complement to Ken,” Carroll said, saying he had gotten Walker on the phone to talk about it. “… It’s going to take both guys to get the workload with some help from DeeJay.”
Some wondered if the Seahawks should have addressed some of the interior needs — players such as center John Michael Schmitz of Minnesota (who went 57 to the Giants) and guard O’Cyrus Torrence of Florida (who went 59 to the Bills).
Sponsored
Most glaring remains the middle of the defensive line where they have just four players listed as defensive ends (Reed and Jones) or nose tackles (Myles Adams, Bryan Mone) on the roster. Mone is coming off an ACL injury suffered in December, though Carroll said Friday night he is with the team during the offseason program.
The Seahawks can start addressing that Saturday, which will begin with pick 108 — the sixth of the day. Their other picks are 123, 151, 154, 198 and 237.
It also means they will have eight picks in 2024 — all of their own plus the third-rounder from Denver. The Seahawks will get the lower of the two third-round picks the Broncos have in 2024. Denver also has one from New Orleans.
And one reason for desiring another pick in 2024 is that they are not projected to receive any compensatory picks for free agents lost.
Carroll and Schneider insisted Friday was also a good day for the immediate future with the team already getting four players they feel can make a real difference.
“These guys, you can tell,” Carroll said, “they are the real deal.”
Source: The Seattle Times
