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I slotted Malik Willis to the Seahawks in my mock 2.0, but they'll pass on a quarterback (for now) in this iteration to address their offensive line. Northern Iowa's left tackle will be making a jump from a much lower level of competition, but Penning has outstanding size, length (34¼" arms), strength, toughness and the nasty demeanor that his coaches will appreciate.

The Seahawks have quarterbacks Drew Lock and Jacob Eason on their roster, and even if they re-sign Geno Smith, Pete Carroll says the team is "definitely still in the quarterback business." By trading up into the first round, the Seahawks would secure the fifth-year option for Corral. Improved decision-making and ball placement helped Corral cut down on interceptions in 2021 (five) compared to the previous season (14). While he has benefited from playing in Lane Kiffin's offense, Corral has above-average arm strength, and his mobility helps him to evade pressure and extend plays.

By swapping one of their second-round picks (41st overall) for a fourth-rounder (112th overall) with the Giants, the Seahawks move up four spots and select their future franchise quarterback in Willis. Seattle hopes Drew Lock plays adequately until Willis, who has the highest ceiling of any quarterback in this class, is ready to see the field at the professional level.

It would be very on the nose for the Seahawks to draft an FCS player here, but we wouldn't pan this pick. Penning fits the Seahawks' mentality -- especially if they veer to even more bully ball this season without Russell Wilson -- and it's been years since they drafted a true tackle higher than Day 3 of the draft.

Why Penning over Mississippi State's Charles Cross? Run blocking and nastiness. Pete Carroll is still the coach, after all.

Pass-rusher is going to be a spot to watch, and the Seahawks also need a quarterback. But they haven't re-signed tackle Duane Brown -- who remains a free agent -- and could get a rebuild going with a young franchise left tackle. That's Ekwonu, who has size (6-foot-4, 310 pounds) and lots of mobility. Seattle has allowed at least 42 sacks and finished in the bottom 10 in that department every season since 2015. Ekwonu allowed only nine pressures and three sacks during the 2021 season.

After releasing Bobby Wagner, the Seahawks could opt to add a versatile linebacker with impact potential as a pass rusher/playmaker/ballhawk from the second level.

Many people expect the Seahawks to take quarterback Malik Willis with this pick but I simply don't see that happening. Instead, the Seahawks will go back to their roots and look to build this defense and get back to their glory days of the Legion of Boom. Sauce Gardner has the length, athleticism, and play temperament to develop into a true No. 1 corner.

Michael-Shawn Dugar: The Seahawks haven't drafted a reliable offensive tackle in years. Their inability to acquire quality big boys up front is among the reasons Russell Wilson lost faith in the organization and wanted to see if the grass was greener elsewhere. Seattle is currently in the unfortunate position of needing two tackles because their starters from last year, Duane Brown and Brandon Shell, remain unsigned. Cross satisfies what has been a position of need for the better part of a decade.

Brugler: The Seahawks roster is full of holes, including several at premium positions. Offensive tackle is one of them, so it is no surprise that Michael-Shawn went in this direction. Cross is a much better pass protector than run blocker right now, which might not be a perfect fit for Seattle's offensive identity. But betting on Cross' talent would make sense for a team rebuilding its offense.

North Carolina quarterback Sam Howell or another top signal-caller prospect could be in consideration for Seattle at No. 9 overall, but I lean toward letting veteran Drew Lock lead the team to the top of the 2023 quarterback class over investing in any of the quarterbacks in this class after Willis.

While the Seahawks' two starting offensive tackles in 2021 (Duane Brown and Brandon Shell) remain free agents, the need for talent on the bookends heightens. Charles Cross should be viewed as a top-10 talent in this class after showing promise as a pass protector in the Mike Leach offense and clearing a lot of the perceived measurable thresholds at the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine. He is currently PFF's top offensive tackle in the 2022 NFL Draft and the No. 8 overall player on the media consensus board.