Seahawks select Mafe, Walker back to back in 2nd round

RENTON, Wash. (AP) - Even with nearly all the quarterback prospects still available, the Seattle Seahawks decided the second round was too early to try to find a potential replacement for Russell Wilson.

The Seahawks instead addressed specific needs by selecting edge rusher Boye Mafe from Minnesota with the No. 40 pick and running back Kenneth Walker III from Michigan State at No. 41 on Friday night.

Selecting Mafe made sense for Seattle, which is looking to bolster its pass rush with an athletic edge rusher as the Seahawks adjust to more of a 3-4 defensive scheme.

But drafting Walker immediately raises questions about the health of running back Chris Carson after he underwent neck surgery last season. Seattle re-signed Rashaad Penny as the likely primary running back.

The picks also showed that despite trading Wilson, Seattle wasn't interested in any of the quarterbacks that were still available.

Seattle got its left tackle of the future when it selected Charles Cross from Mississippi State with the No. 9 overall pick in the first round. It was Seattle's highest pick since 2010, when it selected left tackle Russell Okung at No. 6.

Mafe was a third-team All-Big Ten selection and led Minnesota in tackles for loss and sacks last season. At 6-foot-4, 260 pounds, Mafe has impressive speed and athleticism, running a 4.53 40-yard dash at the NFL combine and posting a 41ˆ½-inch vertical leap at his pro day.

Mafe played in a 3-4 scheme at Minnesota and made a visit to Seattle in the pre-draft buildup.

"Talking to the coaches, it was great. We talked about ball a lot. They taught me a couple of things,'ť Mafe said. 'œThe culture that they were trying to instill there I could understand it and I could buy into that.'ť

Walker's resume makes it hard to argue with the selection, especially if Carson is unlikely to return to full health. Walker was a first-team AP All-American, the Big Ten running back of the year, and he won both the Doak Walker and Walter Camp awards. Walker finished second in the country with 1,636 yards rushing and 18 rushing touchdowns last season. He finished sixth in voting for the Heisman Trophy.

Walker said he met with the Seahawks at the combine but otherwise had limited contact with them. Getting the phone call from the Seahawks was a bit of a shock.

'œActually, I am very surprised," Walker said. 'œBut at the end of the day, it's a blessing to be on this team. I'm grateful for them giving me that phone call and it means a lot.'ť

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