The mock drafts are beginning to take a more cohesive shape before their next shake-up following the 2012 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. The Seattle Seahawks are once again being pegged by certain analysts to select an option that will improve their pass rush in the 2012 NFL Draft.
For the third week in a row, the analysts over at Draft Tek suggest that the Seahawks will select Illinois Fighting Illini DE Whitney Mercilus as the No. 11 overall pick. Here is their take:
The CMD sticks with Mercilus again, slotting him into the 11th overall pick for the 3rd week in a row. The Hawks simply have to find a way to upgrade their anemic pass rush. Outside of Chris Clemons, it seems nobody can get to the opposing quarterback . . . RDE Red Bryant (a 323 lb DT by trade) is strong against the run, but had more interceptions (2) than sacks (2) in 2011, Anthony Hargrove contributed 3 sacks in part-time duty, and will LSU rookie Lazarius Levinston ever see the field? It is extremely likely that Carroll will be targeting someone who can get into the backfield and help the Seahawks D rack up more than a mediocre 33 sacks in a season. Could the man with arguably the best last name in football since Dick Butkus be just the guy Carroll is looking for? If college production is any indicator, then Mercilus will have no problem as he posted 16 sacks and had the 2nd highest number of forced fumbles in a season in NCAA history (9).
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