The Seattle Seahawks added one of the top offensive line prospects in the draft by selecting Germain Ifedi with the No. 31 overall pick after trading down with the Denver Broncos.
Germain Ifedi drafted by Seahawks with final pick in first round
The Seahawks added a protector for Russell Wilson with the final pick of the first round.
A three-year starter at Texas A&M, Ifedi continues the tradition of elite offensive tackles coming out of College Station. He follows in the footsteps of Luke Joeckel (2013), Jake Matthews (2014) and Cedric Ogbuehi (2015), who each went in the first round. Unlike those guys, however, Ifedi never was the team's blindside protector. He started his career at guard and then finished up at right tackle the past two seasons.
The Houston native started 36 games in college, becoming a mainstay on Texas A&M’s offensive line as a redshirt freshman in 2013. He earned second-team All-SEC honors during his junior campaign before electing to go pro after three seasons with the Aggies.
At 6’6, 324 pounds and with 36-inch arms, Ifedi has the pure physical traits that scouts covet in a tackle. He’s a tremendous athlete with excellent upper-body strength, lateral quickness and balance that allows him to easily drive defenders off the line. His positional versatility -- having played both guard and tackle at Texas A&M -- is also a big plus.
Although Ifedi certainly looks the part of a solid offensive lineman and has more starting experience than many other top prospects, his inconsistent technique and sloppy footwork are huge red flags. He got exposed numerous times by more agile guys, and speed rushers were especially problematic for him.
There is little doubt that Ifedi possess the raw tools and talent to develop into a long-time NFL starter, and with the proper coaching he has a good shot to excel at the next level.
The Seahawks could use an upgrade on the offensive line after Russell Wilson was chased by opposing pass rushers all season. While he managed to still be the highest-rated quarterback in the NFL for the 2015 season, Wilson is the most important player on the Seahawks and wasn't well protected. With Russell Okung now gone, Ifedi will likely have to man a starting role immediately in Seattle.
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