Mapping out the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft:

Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll and GM John Schneider

Seahawks weirdness at No. 5?

Let’s get to the really fun part of this early portion.

Seattle just put together an amazing rookie class this season, with another top ten pick in offensive tackle Charles Cross headlining the group, along with key contributors throughout all three days.

What was somewhat surprising, however, last April was the fact the Seahawks stayed in line with the consensus board – which isn’t something we’re accustomed to seeing from them.

Other than 2021, when they only made three total selections, with wide receiver D’Wayne Eskridge as their top pick on Day Two, their first-round picks the prior three years were linebacker Jordyn Brooks, defensive end L.J. Collier and running back Rashaad Penny, who were all well outside the top 50 and not even the top prospects available at their positions at that point, based on consensus boards.

So, in the spirit of expecting the unexpected, this could really be a turning point for how the first round shakes out.

Could the Seahawks be in the quarterback market? We don’t know exactly if and how they can get on the same page with Geno Smith coming off by far the best season of his career. He made many people believers in 2022, and if he can keep up the level he just showcased, I think he’s worth committing to.

But this was a complete outlier year for him in his 10th season. So, how long they are willing to bind themselves to him will be interesting to watch. And if they can find more of a short-term agreement, do they love the idea of a high-ceiling QB like Florida’s Anthony Richardson or Kentucky’s Will Levis?

Most likely, to me, based on what this roster looks like, is taking the top defensive lineman on their board, whether that’s Texas Tech’s Tyree Wilson – who is a popular pick for them, based on the type of big, freakish builds general manager John Schneider and coach Pete Carroll typically covet – or Clemson’s Myles Murphy or, if they get lucky, either of the top two prospects falling to them.

That’s the most logical path to me. But would I be shocked if they went with their favorite corner, traded down or maybe even up? Not in the slightest.