Mike Mayock is one of the most respected and hard-working analysts in the business, and while his opinion isn't taken as gospel, it does carry more weight than pretty much anyone out there these days. With that in mind, on a slow-moving Friday afternoon, let's take a look at a couple of positional groups that the Seahawks might be looking to target early in the Draft this year - defensive end and outside linebacker - and what players Mayock believes are the best.
Mayock's Top-5 Defensive Ends:
1. Quinton Coples, North Carolina
2. Courtney Upshaw, Alabama
3. Nick Perry, USC
4. Chandler Jones, Syracuse
5. Vinny Curry, Marshall
New Entry: Jones
Out: Jared Crick, Nebraska (5)
Fall: Curry (4)
Mayock's Top-5 Outside Linebackers:
1. Melvin Ingram, South Carolina
2. Shea McClellin, Boise State
3. Whitney Mercilus, Illinois
4. Andre Branch, Clemson
5. Ronnell Lewis, Oklahoma
Rise: McClellin (5)
Fall: Mercilus (2), Branch (3), Lewis (4)
Because there's a little bit of a grey area between defensive end and outside linebacker when it comes to projecting a player, I've included both positional groups. Many people believe that the Seahawks have narrowed their focus on Quinton Coples, Courtney Upshaw, and Melvin Ingram - so it may please you to find that Mayock is very high on all three of them. If none of those players fall to #12 or if the Seahawks decide to trade back - guys like Shea McClellin, Nick Perry, and Whitney Mercilus have been mentioned for the Seahawks as well.
See the rest of Mayock's rankings at NFL.com.
For more on the Seahawks, make sure you head to Field Gulls and join in on the discussion.
