2019 NFL Mock Draft: Seattle Seahawks Select DT Jeffery Simmons at No. 21

With the 21st pick in the 2019 DBN Community NFL Mock Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select...

Jeffery Simmons, DT, Mississippi State

The selection and write-up were made by Swagnasty:

The Seahawks have needs at DE, CB, OL, WR, and others, but it’s not typically their style to home in on a single position in the draft. A better idea, particularly with Russell Wilson locked up for several more years, is drafting the best player available, even if they can’t make an immediate impact. The Seahawks make a habit of playing at a level higher than their talent and depth would suggest, so the long-term benefits outweigh the risks here. The other obvious risk stems from an assault incident from high school. I can’t exactly interview him myself, so I’ll have to make the assumption that he’s grown into a better person since then.

Simmons as a player doesn’t need much of an introduction. He’s powerful, explosive, incredibly agile, aggressive, and has potential to get even better if he hones his instinct to an NFL level. Frank Clark is currently the only star on the defensive line, and could use some help when generating pressure. There’s some concern that he’ll be leaving town as early as this season, and if so that need is even greater. That pressure can come from the edge or inside, and Simmons has shown he can do either, or use his speed to pursue the ball all over the field, a rare combination of versatility and elite talent.

Realistically, I’d expect the Seahawks to trade down from here, and possibly grab this same player 10 or more picks later. The Seahawks will be competitive in 2019 regardless of how their draft pans out, and picking a top talent could help vault them back into the league’s top tier in 2020 and beyond.

Pokorny: “We are just coming off of a pick with the Steelers that was not a ‘win now’ selection, and now we have another one here for the Seahawks. Simmons could go anyway from the middle of the first round to the second round, and I don’t think I could fault a team for taking a crack at his potential.”

The Baltimore Ravens are up next, led by jdreyfuss.