Seahawks Mock Draft: Daniel Jeremiah Projects Alabama CB to Seattle

Jan 9, 2017; Tampa, FL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide defensive back Marlon Humphrey (26) in the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship Game against the Clemson Tigers at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 9, 2017; Tampa, FL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide defensive back Marlon Humphrey (26) in the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship Game against the Clemson Tigers at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /
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With the NFL Draft less than two months away, several NFL Mock Draft experts are weighing in on who the Seahawks are likely to take with their 26th overall pick. NFL analyst Daniel Jeremiah projected Alabama cornerback Marlon Humphrey to go to Seattle.

The Seahawks have plenty of roster needs they’d like to fill via the NFL Draft, just like any NFL team. They need reinforcements in the secondary and young hands to fix their most glaring team flaw, that pesky offensive line. ESPN NFL Draft analyst Todd McShay last week projected Alabama offensive tackle Cam Robinson going to Seattle with their 26th pick. This week, NFL.com Media Analyst Daniel Jeremiah mocked another Alabama player to the Seahawks: cornerback Marlon Humphrey.

On paper and before we see his combine numbers ahead of the NFL Draft, Humphrey possesses the raw athleticism and size that Pete Carroll and Kris Richard covet in their defensive backs. At 6’1″ and 196 pounds, Humphrey has an NFL-ready body that can match up well with physical receivers at the line.

Scouts say he has good makeup speed and he knows how to cover in several different coverage schemes. Humphrey is a former state champion sprinter and hurdler in high school and was redshirted by Nick Saban his first year at Alabama. If he was at any other program in 2014, he likely would have started.

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In 2015, Humphrey started all 15 games for the National Championship team, intercepting three passes and deflecting eight. He showed good tackling ability in space as well, another coveted Seahawks’ defensive back quality, registering 3.5 tackles for loss in 2015. He earned All-SEC honors for his work.

Last season he missed the All-SEC team but still held up well in coverage for Saban’s team, showing aggressiveness and toughness in coverage, particularly press coverage, which intrigued scouts and should intrigue Carroll and General Manager John Schneider.

There’s no guarantee the Seahawks won’t trade down out of the first round of the NFL Draft in April to gain more picks in later rounds, but Marlon Humphrey appears to fit within Seattle’s secondary and their defensive philosophy overall.

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Is Marlon Humphrey the right call with the 26th pick in the NFL Draft? Would you rather see the Seahawks take Cam Robinson, as McShay projected last week or Humphrey? Let me know in the comments below.