Good morning, 12s. Here's a look at what's happening today – Monday, May 3 – for your Seattle Seahawks.
Recapping The 2021 NFL Draft For The NFC West
The 2021 NFL Draft has come and gone, with the Seahawks selecting three players over the weekend. D'Wayne Eskridge, Tre Brown and Stone Forsythe will be making their way to Seattle for their rookie seasons to join the reigning NFC West champions.
Who did the rest of the teams in the NFC West add as they try to dethrone Seattle? Let's take a look.
Meet The Seahawks 2021 NFL Draft Class
Everything you need to know about the three newest members of the Seattle Seahawks
Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals made seven picks in the 2021 draft, headlined by Tulsa linebacker Zaven Collins at No. 16 overall and Purdue wide receiver Rondale Moore at No. 49 overall.
Collins was a projected first-rounder and should fit in on a defense that also added J.J. Watt and Malcolm Butler this offseason. The Cardinals also selected a linebacker in the first round last year in Isaiah Simmons.
Moore will join a deep wide receiver room in Arizona led by DeAndre Hopkins, Christian Kirk and A.J. Green. Franchise legend Larry Fitzgerald is currently a free agent and it is unknown whether or not he will retire. Moore should provide depth and strong play out of the slot in his 5-foot-7, 180-pound frame.
The Cardinals continued to add to their defense later in the draft with Florida cornerback Marco Wilson (No. 136), Duke defensive end Victor Dimukeje (No. 210), UCF cornerback Tay Gowan (No. 223) and Cincinnati safety James Wiggins (No. 243). Arizona's final selection was Penn State center Michal Menet at No. 247 overall.
Los Angeles Rams
Like the Seahawks, the Rams didn't have a first-round pick after trading for a star defensive player (Jalen Ramsey). And, again like the Seahawks, the Rams added a wide receiver with their first pick in the second round. Louisville's Tutu Atwell was the pick at No. 57 overall. He'll slot in behind Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp, competing for snaps with 2020 second-rounder Van Jefferson (who coincidentally also went at No. 57).
Los Angeles went for a run on defenders in the middle rounds, adding South Carolina linebacker Ernest Jones (No. 103), Texas A&M defensive tackle Bobby Brown III (No. 117) and Central Arkansas cornerback Robert Rochell (No. 130). The Rams' defense was among the league's best last season, but they lost key players in John Johnson, Troy Hill and Michael Brockers.
The Rams added tight end UCF tight end Jacob Harris at No. 141 overall. He'll try to fill in after the Rams lost Gerald Everett to the Seahawks in free agency. Northwestern defensive lineman Earnest Brown IV was the pick at No. 175 as the Rams continued to bolster their front seven.
In the seventh round, the Rams selected three more players -- Maryland running back Jake Funk (No. 233), Notre Dame wide receiver Ben Skowronek (No. 249) and Concordia-St. Paul linebacker Chris Garrett.
San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers had the highest pick of any team in the division after trading up to No. 3 overall. After much deliberation, San Francisco selected North Dakota State quarterback Trey Lance. Lance was a consensus first-round quarterback, as his combination of arm strength, mobility and intelligence make him an ideal modern quarterback. He only attempted 318 passes at the FCS level before being drafted.
In the second round, the 49ers picked Notre Dame offensive lineman Aaron Banks. This move makes sense after selecting your future franchise quarterback. Next, San Francisco took Ohio State running back Trey Sermon at No. 88. He'll be competing with Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson Jr. for carries after the team lost Tevin Coleman in free agency.
Michigan cornerback Ambry Thomas was selected next at No. 102, and the team later added Oregon cornerback Deommodore Lenoir at No. 172. Richard Sherman is still a free agent, so adding a pair of rookie corners is a sound decision. Sandwiched in between those two picks was Western Michigan offensive lineman Jaylon Moore (No. 155).
Later in the fifth round, the 49ers stayed in-state to select USC safety Talanoa Hufanga at No. 180. With their final pick, San Francisco added another running back with Louisiana's Elijah Mitchell. Mitchell rushed for over 3,000 yards in college and will add more depth options for Kyle Shanahan's run-heavy offense.
Social Post Of The Day
The draft is finally over and there's only one thing left to do, according to Seahawks running back DeeJay Dallas:
More From Around The Web
Seahawks.com reporter John Boyle has everything you need to know about D’Wayne Eskridge, Tre Brown and Stone Forsythe.
Matt Calkins of the Seattle Times on why this small Seattle draft class should be judged by more than just the three draft picks.
Brady Henderson of ESPN with in-depth analysis of each Seahawks draft pick.
Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic saw the Seahawks stray from their usual draft strategy, and he explained why that’s a good thing.
Take a look at the Seahawks 2021 Draft Class in the Seahawks blue and green. Uniform numbers are unofficial and subject to change.
