Seahawks take defensive lineman Malik McDowell with their first pick of the draft



RENTON, Wash. – In the end, it was a defensive lineman.

Bet you didn't see that coming.

The Seattle Seahawks made their first pick of the NFL draft Friday night, selecting defensive lineman Malik McDowell out of Michigan State.

"I’m motivated," McDowell said. "Just ready to come down there, play for the 12th Man."

With their second pick of the second round, the Seahawks selected LSU offensive lineman Ethan Pocic.

McDowell is a speedy 6-foot-6, 295 pound defensive tackle. He said he played about 90 percent of his college snaps at nose tackle, with the rest coming at defensive end. 

He played 32 games in three seasons with the Spartans, recording 90 tackles and 7.5 sacks as well as one interception. Last season, he was named a second-team All-American, and first-team Big Ten. 

Of course, it didn’t happen until the Seahawks made one more trade. The Seahawks swapped picks with the Jacksonville Jaguars early in the second round, dropping down one spot in return for Jacksonville’s sixth-round pick (187 overall).

Jacksonville used that pick to select Alabama offensive lineman Cam Robinson.

The Seahawks still have one more second-rounder (58 overall) and four third-rounders (90, 95, 102 and 106) Friday night, as well as a fourth-rounder (111), two sixth-rounders (187 and 210) and two seventh-rounders (226 and 249).