LATEST: Seahawks Select a Crucial Ravens-Style Player in the ESPN Mock Draft

The Seattle Seahawks’ defense should improve significantly in the upcoming season under new head coach Mike Macdonald. As a result, Macdonald’s new team is slated to select Texas defensive tackle Byron Murphy II at No. 16 by ESPN NFL draft expert Matt Miller. Murphy II is reminiscent of important Baltimore Ravens defender Justin Madubuike.

Seattle selects Byron Murphy II in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

Mike Macdonald, the new head coach of the Seahawks, is poised to make his mark on the team by prioritizing defense. With a background that includes coaching linebackers and defensive backs, as well as successful stints as the defensive coordinator for the Ravens and Michigan, Macdonald’s expertise lies on the defensive side of the ball.

During his time with the Ravens, Macdonald’s defense consistently ranked among the top in the league, finishing ninth in yards and third in points allowed in 2022, and improving to sixth and third, respectively, in 2023. Despite lacking household names, Macdonald built a formidable defense featuring players like Roquan Smith, Patrick Queen, Kyle Hamilton, and Madubuike.

Given his defensive-oriented approach to team-building, it’s no surprise that Macdonald’s first draft with the Seahawks is projected to focus on bolstering the defensive tackle position, according to Miller’s Feb. 5 ESPN mock draft. While not the most glamorous position, Macdonald understands the importance of a strong interior defensive line in building a dominant defense.

“New coach Mike Macdonald comes from the Ravens, where he molded defensive tackle Justin Madubuike into an All-Pro-caliber player. Now Macdonald can get another standout 3-technique in Seattle.” Miller writes in the Seahawks section of his mock draft.

“Murphy was asked to play over the tackle in Texas’ 3-3-5 scheme, but his power and burst allowed him to routinely make an impact as a pass-rusher,” Miller continues. “The 6-foot-1 308-pounder had five sacks in 2023 while rarely being put into true gaps as a pass-rusher. Murphy’s ceiling is incredibly high, and he’d be awesome in Macdonald’s defense.”

This season, Madubuike totaled 55 tackles, including 12 stops for a loss and one forced fumble. But what really made the Ravens defense one of the greatest in the league were his 33 QB hits and 13.0 sacks.

In the event that Murphy becomes even seventy-five percent of the player that Madubuike is, the Macdonald-led team will be off to a terrific start attacking.