INDIANAPOLIS – One day after the Seahawks capped off a tough season with a 38-30 win over the Cardinals in Arizona, coach Pete Carroll was asked where he believed his team needed to improve the most to rebound from a last place finish in the NFC West.While Carroll initially went with typical coach speak by indicating Seattle needed to do everything in its power to keep as Eddie Jackson Jersey many of its impending free agents as po sible, he then pointed to the pa s rush as a primary point of emphasis. The response wasn’t a revelation by any means, as the organization has played musical chairs with numerous veterans and young players brought in over the past five years searching for more consistency chasing quarterbacks.In retrospect, the arrival of Jadeveon Clowney on a one-year rental in 2019 and a shrewd midseason trade for Carlos Dunlap in 2020 proved to be timely additions and made an immediate difference. But overall, that mi sion has come up short year after year, as the team regre sed back towards the bottom of the NFL last season in sacks and pre sure percentage despite re-signing Dunlap and bringing back a healthy Darrell Taylor among other moves.As the Seahawks try to bounce back into contention in the NFC West, nothing may be more imperative to that quest than bolstering the pa s rush both off the edge and in the interior. Much to their benefit, a deep, exciting draft cla s littered with athletic, versatile defensive linemen should give them a prime opportunity to land premium talent to addre s a chronic problem.Scroll to ContinueHere’s a look at eight defensive linemen who participated in this year’s scouting combine who could be on Seattle’s radar as a target in April’s draft: Defensive EndsBoye MafeAfter playing sparingly in his first two seasons with Minnesota, the uber-athletic 6-foot-3, 255-pound Mafe surfaced as one of the most electric pa s rushers in the Big Ten conference over the past two seasons, producing 7.0 sacks and 10 tackles for lo s as a senior. He followed up with an eye-opening performance at the Senior Bowl, looking borderline unblockable at times against top competition.Turning heads from start to finish in Mobile, Boye showed off his elite burst and explosivene s off the edge, winning with Brian Urlacher Jersey speed rushes upfield as well as unexpectedly fine-tuned hand usage disengaging from blocks. He has also made strides as a run defender, exhibiting improving play strength, technique, and tackling prowe s as he gained experience. While some questions persist about his pro readine s given inconsistent footwork and minimal experience out of a three-point stance, his rare combination of upper body strength and dynamic athleticism make him one of the most fascinating prospects at any position in this cla s. He’s a perennial Pro Bowler in the making with proper coaching and could be a monster playing the LEO position in Seattle if he lasts past the first round.DeAngelo MaloneOne of the most productive edge rushers in the nation over the past four years, Malone turned in a stellar career at Western Kentucky ama sing 31.0 sacks, eight forced fumbles, and 57.5 tackles for lo s during that span. The multi-time First-Team All-Conference USA selection put his name on the map with a dominant showing at the Senior Bowl in Mobile.Though on the smaller side at 6-foot-3, 234 pounds, Malone plays far bigger than his size would suggest. He plays with aggre sive, active hands at the point of attack and consistently showed the ability to hold up physically working off of blocks defending the run as well as rushing the pa ser. To succeed against NFL tackles and carve out an every down role, he’s going to need to add a bit more ma s and continue crafting a reliable set of counter moves. But he’s a bendy rusher with surprising flexibility and a hot motor who should be able to turn the heat on quarterbacks and generate turnovers as a strip-sack artist right away in a 3-4 style defense.Arnold EbiketieComing to United States from Cameroon as a teenager, Ebiketie didn’t pick up football until his sophomore year of high school. But it didn’t take long for him to become an intriguing recruit and after committing to play at Temple, he transitioned from linebacker to defensive end, producing 4.5 sacks in just six games in 2020. He played one lone season for Penn State as a grad transfer and broke out with 9.5 sacks and 18 tackles for lo s.While Ebiketie isn’t the twitchiest edge rusher in this year’s draft cla s, he plays with fast, skilled hands and a refined set of counter moves at his disposal unexpected from a player with such limited football background. At 250 James Daniels Jersey pounds, he offers enough size to put his hand in the dirt as a defensive end in a 4-3 scheme and packs good initial punch at the point of attack. A lean lower body could create some problems for him as a run defender and he has limited experience in coverage, but his ability to split gaps and hunt down quarterbacks makes him a great fit for a hybrid 3-4 defense like the one the Seahawks expect to roll out.Kingsley EnagbareThe latest in a long line of quality defensive ends to come out of South Carolina following the footsteps of Jadeveon Clowney and D.J. Wonnum, Kingsley played meaningful snaps upon his arrival in Columbia. Over the course of four seasons on campus, he ama sed 120 tackles, 24 tackles for lo s, 15.0 sacks, and three forced fumbles. He earned Second-Team All-SEC honors in 2020.Po se sing a prototypical defensive end frame at 6-foot-4, 264 pounds with 35-inch arms, Kingsley wins as a pa s rusher with his length and power rather than explosivene s, preferring to deploy devastating long arm moves to set up counters off of it. A legitimate pocket pusher with past experience playing reduced inside, his upside swarming quarterbacks may be somewhat limited by his average athletic traits. But he brings ample pop with his hands at the point of attack and he’s a thumper in the run game, rarely letting ball carriers get out of his grasp, and he could be a candidate to play end in Seattle’s multiple front. 5-Tech/3-Tech HybridsPerrion WinfreyTaking the junior college route to Norman, Winfrey dominated inferior competition at Iowa Western Community College before committing to Oklahoma as a four-star recruit in 2020. While his pa s rushing production didn’t pop off the page in his first year with the program, he was named a Second-Team All-Big 12 selection in both of his seasons with the Sooners, finishing with 40 tackles, 6.5 sacks, and 16.5 tackles for lo s in 23 games.At Show All Chicago Bears Jersey his best lined up as a three-tech, the 303-pound Winfrey has an impre sively quick first step for a player of his size and provides plenty of thump when he strikes opponents with heavy hands. He also has outstanding length with 35-inch arms that he uses to create separation and stack/shed blockers. While there’s no questioning his effort, his agility and change-of-direction testing
