One of the most recognized names in the industry, Rob Rang is an NFL Draft analyst for FOX Sports. Rob has been covering the NFL Draft for more than 20 years, with work at FOX, Sports Illustrated, CBSSports.com, USA Today, Yahoo, NFL.com and NFLDraftScout.com, among others. He also works as a scout with the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League. Rang's opinions and evaluations are his own and do not reflect those of the Seahawks. Follow him on Twitter @RobRang.

Even after signing a defensive-oriented head coach in Mike Macdonald, much of the pre-draft focus on the Seahawks has been centered along the offensive line, even after Seattle has brought in three veteran free agents in guards Laken Tomlinson and Tremayne Anchrum Jr, as well as center Nick Harris.

As a former protégé at the University of Washington under new Seahawks offensive line coach Scott Huff, Harris warrants mentioning here. He can operate as a coach on the field if he's able to beat out Olu Oluwatimi, who won the Rimington Award as the best center in college football prior to the Seahawks selecting him a year ago.

The familiarity Huff has with Harris is worth noting, as the Seahawks may lean upon the experience that he, Maconald, offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb and special teams coordinator Jay Harbaugh all earned recently at the college level.

The Seahawks are sure to address both the offense and defense in the real NFL draft, scheduled for next Thursday through Saturday, but this mock draft below is dedicated only to the former, projecting who GM John Schneider (and the coaches he's hired) might lean towards if not trading back to acquire more picks and instead allowed to focus on just that side of the ball.

Round 1: No. 16 overall – Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia

If the Seahawks make a selection at No. 16 overall, most presume it will be spent on an offensive lineman, with many focusing on left guard candidates.

History shows, however, that when John Schneider does invest a first-round pick in a blocker, that player suited up at offensive tackle in college, not a guard or center.

Mims is so big and gifted, he might be able to help all over. Remarkably athletic and prototypically-built for tackle at 6-foot-8 and 340 pounds, Mims has the look of a future All-Pro. He's remarkably agile for a player of his size with his weight well-distributed over his frame, which includes some of the longest arms (36 1/8") and largest hands (11 ¼") of this class. He is equal parts mauler and ballerina, consistently creating space in the running game and not allowing a sack (or drawing a penalty flag) over the 21-year-old's brief career at Georgia. The Seahawks are thought likely to be considering a trade down to acquire more picks. But a player with Mims' tools isn't normally available at the middle portion of the first round and they may see the opportunity too "big" to pass up.

The Seahawks have a quality starting right tackle in Abraham Lucas, but he missed 11 games due to a knee injury that required offseason surgery. When healthy, Lucas has proven himself to be a quality starter at right tackle, but the Seahawks struggled without him a year ago. Further, if Mims were to beat him out, Lucas has the girth, strength and nastiness to potentially slide over to left guard – a position some scouts felt the former WSU standout projected to best in the NFL in the first place.

Round 3: No. 81 (from Saints through Broncos): Cade Stover, TE, Ohio State

While the offensive line (and quarterback) have generated most of the pre-draft buzz for the Seahawks, with Noah Fant the only tight end under contract past this upcoming season, I expect this to be a position of focus for the club.

The 6-foot-4, 247 pound Stover would be a perfect complementary piece to the seam-stretching Fant and free agent addition Pharaoh Brown, a quality blocker. Prior to winning the Kwalick-Clark Big Ten Tight End of the Year award in 2023, Stover saw time at defensive end and even started at linebacker for Ohio State in the Rose Bowl win over Utah that saw then-Buckeyes wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba set an FBS bowl game record with 347 receiving yards.

Understandably, Stover isn't as polished a pass-catcher as his former Ohio State teammate, Smith-Njigba, but he plucks the ball well and is a bumper car with the ball in his hands, showing excellent contact balance and desire to create after the catch.

Round 4: No. 102 (from Commanders): Anthony Gould, WR/PR, Oregon State

Speaking of highly productive pass-catchers, the Seahawks could see mid-round gold in Gould – the nation's leading punt returner in 2022 – as a potential boost to a return game needing to replace DeeJay Dallas.

At just 5-foot-8 and 174 pounds, Gould has a slight frame similar to current Seahawks star Tyler Lockett, who began his remarkable career in Seattle as a return specialist. Like Lockett, Gould is cat-quick and blazing fast, zipping by would-be tacklers with sub 4.40 speed and averaging 16.4 yards per punt return over his career, taking two back for scores in 2022 and another during the East-West Shrine Bowl.

This year's wide receiver crop is loaded with exceptional top-end talent and depth. A handful of wideouts who might normally be drafted on Day Two could easily slip into the fourth round just because of sheer numbers, offering extreme value. Given a receiver corps that currently ranks among the league's best, the Seahawks don't seem likely to invest much at the position this year but Gould's ability to add juice on offense and special teams, alike, make him one of the few rookies at the position capable of making an immediate impact.

Round 4: No. 118: Joe Milton III, QB, Tennessee

The trade for Sam Howell reduces the need for a young quarterback but Seattle won't go into training camp with the former Commanders starter as the only passer on the roster behind Geno Smith. If the Seahawks are willing to invest a draft pick in a developmental quarterback this year, Milton would seem like the perfect blend of upside and value at this point in the draft.

Milton certainly looks the part of an NFL quarterback, checking in at 6-foot-5 and 246 pounds while possessing arguably the strongest arm of this class. He signed with Michigan as a celebrated four-star recruit back in 2018, starting five games for Jim Harbaugh during the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign. When he was replaced as a starter there, Milton transferred to Tennessee, where he started two games in which their star Hendon Hooker (now a member of the Detroit Lions) was injured in 2022 and all 12 regular season games this past season completing 63.1% of his passes with 41 touchdowns (nine rushing) with just five interceptions during his time in the SEC.

At 24-years-old, Milton is older than most prospects (as well as Howell) and, despite his age, he's still a relatively raw prospect, needing to show greater awareness and touch as a passer. He'd be drafted as a clear No. 3 developmental quarterback but one with starter upside, as well as the size and athleticism to potentially provide the Seahawks with a Wildcat or Tush-Push wrinkle on offense or simply on the scout team to prepare the defense for opponents with mobile quarterbacks.

Round 6: No. 179 (from Commanders): LaDarius Henderson, OL, Michigan

Henderson began his college career at Arizona State, starting at both left tackle and left guard there prior to transferring to Michigan for his final season. He earned First Team All-Big Ten honors at left tackle for the Wolverines to cap his college career with a national championship. Henderson has the frame (6-foot-4, 309 pounds with 35" arms), physical nature and agility to be an ideal swing man with the possibility of developing into a potential starter with cleaner technique.

A fun side Seahawks note on Henderson - he played his high school football at Waxahachie (outside of Dallas) under the tutelage of former Seahawks quarterback Jon Kitna. While in high school, Henderson met Jada, Kitna's daughter, who worked on the equipment staff at Arizona State. The two married in Ann Arbor a year ago.

Round 6: No. 192: Jack Westover, TE/H-Back, Washington

As mentioned previously, the Seahawks currently have just one tight end under contract past this season. Two of my favorite Day Three candidates in this year's class happen to be former Huskies Westover and Devin Culp, who proved the fastest of this year's tight end crop at the Combine, clocking in at a receiver-like 4.47 seconds in the 40-yard dash.

The 6-3, 243-pound Westover may lack his former teammate's straight-line speed but his agility, ball-skills and instincts make him the more polished player. That is unusual, as Westover (a Bellevue native who played his prep ball at O'Dea and Mount Si) dedicated much of his high school time in athletics to basketball. The fact that then-UW offensive coordinator (and now Seahawks OC) Ryan Grubb called on Westover in as many critical situations last season as he did suggests great trust in his former tight end, who was unable to perform at the Combine (and was limited at the UW Pro Day) due to surgery on his thumb, possibly allowing the Seahawks to "steal" Westover later than his untapped potential warrants.

Round 7: No. 235: Dillon Johnson, RB, Washington

Back-to-back UW picks? It might happen, as I expect the University of Washington to set a new record for the most players ever selected in the NFL draft (currently 10) and the Seahawks looking for competition at running back.

Many local football fans saw Johnson succeed as a tough interior runner for the Huskies, helping UW win the PAC-12 championship and qualify for the national title game with his ability to keep his legs churning and run through arm tackles and pain. Prior to Johnson's gutty running for UW in 2023, however, he showed terrific hands out of the backfield at Mississippi State, excelling as a receiver out of the backfield for the late Mike Leach, hauling in a staggering 149 catches over three seasons for the Bulldogs.

Grubb (as well as offensive line coach Scott Huff) might push for Johnson as they know him well. His size (6-0, 217 pounds) and physicality could make him an ideal "big back" to support Zach Charbonnet, while also offering the soft hands, grit and awareness to help as a receiver and on blitz pickup to help on third down.

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