Tyler Lockett worth it for the Seattle Seahawks

By Kevin Parvizi | May 1, 2015

We knew the Seattle Seahawks would be very interested in adding a wide receiver in the 2015 NFL Draft, and many of us thought they would key in on Dorial Green-Beckham in the second round. The Tennessee Titans took him at No. 40 after trading down with the New York Giants at the top of the second round of the draft, but the Seahawks still managed to snag a receiver of their own in the third round after completing a huge draft-day deal with the Washington Redskins in order to snag themselves Tyler Lockett.

There’s no doubt in my mind that Lockett is one of the top receivers in the class, and he could end up being the biggest steal in this year’s draft. The Kansas State product brings special teams ability to the equation, and he’s a sick route-runner who can leave defensive backs for dead. He’s been compared to Antonio Brown by some especially bullish draftniks, and I don’t blame anyone who believes that he should have been a first-round pick.

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Lockett is undersized at around 5’10”, but that literally means nothing, especially when you watch his ability to almost toy with defensive backs. This guy is a playmaker who can also boss the intermediate regions, and he might be the Seahawks replacement for Golden Tate.

Doug Baldwin is a solid receiver and Jermaine Kearse can do some nice things, but they were in over their heads as the Seahawks No. 1 and 2 receivers last season and were simply asked to do too much, which, by extension, caused Seahawks franchise quarterback Russell Wilson to have to go the extra mile to take care of the football.

Adding Jimmy Graham in a trade with the New Orleans Saints was a stroke of genius by John Schneider and the Seahawks, and they continue to look like even bigger winners after that deal. However, Graham wasn’t enough, as the Seahawks needed to add a receiver, and they’ve brought in someone who can succeed inside or outside.

Not everyone likes him as much as me, but I’m very impressed with this acquisition. Based on the aggressive nature of the trade (the Seahawks traded the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth-round picks), it seems like the Seattle Seahawks agree with that. They drafted Paul Richardson and Kevin Norwood last year, and Richardson especially has massive upside and playmaking ability.

I think the Seahawks hit this one out of the park, and Tyler Lockett could easily make this team big winners. He’s an excellent fit for Russell Wilson, as he does a lot of things well and has been compared to T.Y. Hilton due to his terrific ability to do damage in the open field.

With Lockett and Richardson, the Seahawks have a very intriguing blend of short and tall receivers surrounding Wilson. Graham, Chris Matthews, and Kearse can go up and get it with the best of them, while Richardson and Lockett are the small playmaker types. It’s going to be fun to watch the Seahawks offense go at it, and this team has managed to have a great draft so far despite not having a Day 1 pick (well, Graham was that pick, right?).

Next: Round 2 Grades and Analysis

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