After moving down three spots late in the first round following a deal with Dallas that delivered picks in the fifth and seventh rounds, the Seahawks selected USC DE Lawrence Jackson, a player they began targeting after a strong Senior Bowl showing. A four-year starter for the Trojans, Jackson will challenge Darryl Tapp for the starting job at right end and is expected to see considerable playing time in the team’s DE rotation, whether he starts or not. That rotation was stretched very thin last season, with DLE Patrick Kerney forced to play too many snaps, and Tapp being hampered by a broken hand the second half of the ’07 campaign. The Seahawks were willing to sacrifice their third-round pick in a deal with the Ravens that enabled them to move way up in the second round to select Notre Dame product John Carlson, the top-rated tight end on their draft board. Carlson fills a major need and is expected to become a key member of an expected TE-by-committee with his size, blocking ability and, above all else, route-running ability, which the team hopes will make him a legitimate threat in the red zone. In the fourth round, Seattle switched gears to the defensive side of the ball, selecting massive run stuffer Red Bryant. The Texas A&M product adds badly needed beef up front and extra insurance in case Marcus Tubbs is unable to come back from major knee injuries the past two seasons. With the fifth-round pick they obtained from Dallas, the Seahawks selected FB Owen Schmitt, an ornery cuss who shattered 11 facemasks during his career at West Virginia. In the sixth round, they selected yet another “Schmitt” (Tyler), who hopefully fills a major need at long-snapper, which was a big-time problem area last season. The team’s first pick in the seventh round, California RB Justin Forsett, probably will earn a roster spot after scoring a conference-high 15 rushing TDs last season. With its final pick, Seattle once again addressed its special teams, picking Georgia product Brandon Coutu, who should have a decent opportunity to challenge free-agent addition Olindo Mare for the starting PK job.
