“It’s not a sexy pick, but it’s a smart one.” That’s what you’ll often hear on TV when a team picks an offensive lineman in the first round of the NFL draft. While it’s one of hundreds of tired draft clichés we’d rather do without, it often rings true. The Seahawks certainly hope it will this time, anyway.
Last night Seattle threw a curveball by actually playing things straight for a change in Round 1. By taking Mississippi State’s stud OT Charles Cross at No. 9 overall they selected the best left tackle still on the board – ideally filling a critical position with a quality starter for at least the next five years on a relatively-cheap rookie contract.
Cross is supposed to be the best pass protecting lineman in this class – making his selection an almost shocking development for a team that usually prioritizes establishing the run to a fault and then drags it out for another three yards after contact.
As an added bonus, Cross is a plus athlete for his position. While he’s relatively undersized for a pro tackle he comes equipped with elite speed and good agility and explosion compared to contemporary OTs.
If you needed another clue that Cross is now this team’s franchise left tackle, look no further than the physical profile numbers Brock Huard shared last night on Twitter that show Cross and Duane Brown are a close match.
Duane Brown & Charles Cross
Very similar physical specimens pic.twitter.com/nomlfudMer— Brock Huard (@BrockHuard) April 29, 2022
Brown should probably be a Pro Football Hall of Famer some day, but at 36 the chances he’ll continue performing at a high level for much longer are slim. Meanwhile, Cross is 15 years younger. In a perfect world, he’ll go on to have a career something like Brown’s.
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