Six Picks That Make Sense -- What Will Seahawks Catch In Draft? Several Fill Need

Derek Brown. Johnny Mitchell. Vaughn Dunbar. Ray Roberts. Leon Searcy. Eugene Chung.

They won't be the biggest names in the NFL draft Sunday and Monday, but they are considered definite first-rounders, and all of them make sense for the Seahawks.

Seahawk priorities are a running back, a tight end and offensive linemen. Dunbar is a running back, Brown and Mitchell are tight ends, and Searcy, Chung and Roberts are offensive linemen.

Seattle will have the 10th pick in the draft. Expected to be long gone by the time its turn comes are defensive lineman Steve Emtman of Washington, Heisman Trophy winner Desmond Howard of Michigan, linebacker Quentin Coryatt of Texas A&M, tackle Bob Whitfield of Stanford and cornerback Troy Vincent of Wisconsin.

A look at the six who make sense:

-- Derek Brown, tight end, 6-6, 252, Notre Dame.

Brown already has a Seahawk connection - his potential was a reason the Irish moved Andy Heck to tackle for Heck's senior season. Heck wound up as the Seahawks' No. 1 pick in 1989.

Brown was labeled by some as the best pro prospect in the country at tight end from the day he arrived in South Bend, Ind. He had been named Parade magazine prep player of the year after starring at Merritt Island High School in Florida.

Brown hadn't played football until his freshman year in high school. He spent part of his childhood in England where his father was an IBM systems analyst.

One thing that isn't sensational about Brown is his stats - 62 catches in college. However, in the Notre Dame offense, his primary job was blocking.

Brown consistently is ranked as the No. 1 tight end prospect by scouts and scouting publications. He is praised for his long arms and big frame, and for his ability to go deep and break tackles. Scouts say he needs more consistency both as a blocker and receiver, but as Ourlad's draft guide put it, "He has big-time ability."

Johnny Mitchell, tight end, 6-2 1/2, 258, Nebraska.

Is this the football equivalent of Shawn Kemp, the SuperSonic who was drafted years early and has paid dividends in basketball?

Mitchell is turning pro after only two seasons as a Cornhusker. However, he is 21 years old, having attended school only part time in 1989 while meeting Proposition 48 requirements.

He has said he is leaving school because he wants money to help his ailing grandfather, who raised him in Mississippi until he was 16, when he rejoined his parents in Chicago.

Mitchell was all-Big Eight both years at Nebraska and averaged 20.2 yards on 50 career catches while sharing time with a teammate.

He is faster than Brown (4.67 seconds in 40-yard dash to 4.85), but Brown has the edge in experience. Both are considered capable blockers, and opinions differ on which has better hands.

-- Vaughn Dunbar, running back, 5-10 1/2, 205, Indiana.

Most scouts agree that Dunbar is the best back in this year's draft. They also agree it is a subpar year for backs.

Seahawk Coach Tom Flores said if he can swing a trade with New Orleans for Rueben Mayes, Seattle won't consider Dunbar.

Dunbar, who has been clocked at 4.47 for 40 yards, gained 1,813 as a senior and scored 12 touchdowns for the Hoosiers. He also caught 29 passes for 263 yards.

He rushed for 1,225 yards as a junior.

"Dunbar is no Barry Sanders but is a highly productive runner with speed, balance, power, staying power and moves," said Pro Football Weekly. "He picks his holes well but is not a great make-you-miss guy in the open field, although he avoids tacklers quite nicely in close quarters."

Some scouts have touted Dunbar's vision, toughness and quick feet while conceding he lacks true sprinter's speed and is only a so-so blocker.

-- Leon Searcy, offensive lineman, 6-3 1/2, 295, Miami.

Often ranked as the No. 2 offensive lineman in the draft behind Stanford's Whitfield, Searcy is aggressive whether he is pass blocking or opening a hole.

"He's a real raw talent," said Miami line coach Gregg Smith, who also was on Dennis Erickson's Washington State staffs 1987-88. "Leon only played one year of high-school ball, and he's just now starting to really come on and use his potential."

Smith said most pro teams are looking at Searcy as a guard, but he was so agile the Hurricanes used him as weakside tackle, where he routinely handled the opponent's best pass-rusher. As a run blocker, he has earned special praise.

Not only does Searcy have good feet, but he also has big ones - his shoe size is 17-EEE.

-- Eugene Chung, offensive lineman, 6-4 1/2, 297, Virginia Tech.

Chung would bring a Korean heritage and a brown belt in judo to the Seahawks.

He grew up in a Washington D.C. suburb and played cello, violin and piano as a child. Last year, he did graduate work in hotel and restaurant management during the season.

Chung allowed only one sack in 3 1/2 years as a Tech starter. In recent years, the quarterback he protected was Will Furrer, a Pullman High School graduate migrated east.

"Eugene is a very gifted pass protector," said Steve Marshall, Tech's offensive coordinator and line coach. "He's a tremendous athlete with good balance and agility. His run blocking is very good, but I think he can improve on his consistency."

Chung has been criticized for falling off some blocks and spending too much time on the ground.

-- Ray Roberts, offensive lineman, 6-5 1/2, 305, Virginia.

Twice voted top blocker in the Atlantic Coast Conference, Roberts has proved durable and agile. What sometimes has been missing is intensity. Pro Football Weekly noted, "When he plays hard and concentrates, he looks like a potential Pro Bowl tackle."

Unlike Chung and Searcy, who are projected as either guards or tackles, Roberts is considered strictly a tackle.