Should the Seahawks choose not to address the offensive line by taking one of the big four in the first round, the talent doesn't dry up.
A few solid options remain at the top of the second, and Connecticut left tackle William Beatty is one of them.
A four-year starter, Beatty had a breakout year as a senior. That, combined with his terrific athleticism should make him a solid choice for a team looking for an offensive lineman in the late first to early second round area.
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Strengths
Beatty has good balance athletically with great quickness and agility paired with solid strength.
While he has the lateral quickness and good footwork to be a great pass blocker, it was his run blocking that made him stand out as a senior.
Beatty finishes blocks and consistently gets to the second level. He helped teammated Donald Brown lead the country in rushing with 2,083 yards.
Weaknesses
Beatty arrived on campus weighing 265 pounds and didn't gain much in his next three years of college. He played his senior year at 290 pounds, rail-thin for a 6-foot-6 man.
His light size made him weak against bull rushes, and in run blocking, he's been more effective pulling, as he doesn't have the strength to drive blockers off the line.
At the NFL Combine, Beatty seemed to have put on significant weight, coming in at 307 pounds, which is nearly identical to what three of the top four offensive tackles weighed in at.
Still, he has yet to prove how the added weight will benefit his game and that he can be more than just a zone-blocking lineman. He also has to prove that his senior year wasn't a fluke.
How does he fit in Seattle?
Beatty is the prototype for a zone-blocking tackle. He moves as well as anyone and can get to the second and even third level with ease.
While Seattle makes the transition, general manager Tim Ruskell will want to start picking up players that fit the scheme.
Beatty has as much talent as anyone in the draft, though as mentioned, he's only displayed elite talent during one year of college.
Ruskell likes consistent production in college, but even he may recognize the occasional late bloomer, if that's what Beatty is.
If drafted, Beatty probably wouldn't be able to start right away like the top four would be able to, as he may not be a good enough run blocker when Seattle employs a man-blocking scheme.
Still, he would immediately become Walter Jones' heir apparent and could groom behind him for a couple seasons before he's ready to take over, at which point Big Walt could transition to right tackle.
Draft position
As mentioned earlier, Beatty is a late first to early second round prospect. However, his significant weight gain and impressive showing at the combine may vault him ahead of Seattle's spot.
Still, he's yet to prove he can be affective in anything other than a zone-blocking scheme in the NFL. Any power-blocking team that takes him knows they're getting a project, which could help his slide to pick 37.
Offensive line highlights? Watch carefully.
Reach Jeff Richards at nextseasonsports@gmail.com
