With the NFL draft just over one day away, it’s time to examine the top needs of what was widely considered the by far the best and most competitive division in football last year, the NFC West.
The NFC West is defined by tough defense and a strong running game. Home to two of the best teams in the league in the Seahawks and 49ers, a Cardinals team coming off of a 10-win season, and the Rams with two top-15 picks in the draft, if all four of these were to finish above .500, it would not be a huge surprise.
NFL Draft Needs: NFC West
1. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS: Team Needs: OG, OT, WR, DT, TE
In just four years under head coach Pete Carroll, the Seahawks have made a dramatic turnaround, going from being an NFL laughingstock for making the playoffs with a dreadful 7-9 record in 2010, to annihilating the favored Denver Broncos by a score of 43-8 in Super Bowl XLVIII.
Lead by a suffocating defense and a young, confident quarterback in Russell Wilson, the Seahawks are arguably the most loaded team in the NFL, and have themselves set up to be contenders for a while.
The team is not without fault, however. As is always the case in professional sports, there is room for improvement. With only two above-average starters on the offensive line in LT Russell Okung and C Max Unger, guard and tackle are glaring positions of need. Picking last in the first round at No. 32, possible options to bolster their O-Line include UCLA guard Xavier Su’a-Filo, Nevada tackle Joel Bitonio, and Virginia tackle Morgan Moses.
Although not nearly as crucial as their need in the trenches, the Seahawks could also look to draft a wide receiver to cover for the loss of Golden Tate in the later rounds of the draft
2. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS: Team Needs: CB, WR, C, LB
Much like the Seattle Seahawks, the San Francisco 49ers are another franchise that has made drastic improvements in recent years. After placing third in the division in the same season that the Seahawks made the playoffs with a 7-9 record, the Niners responded by winning it two years in a row between 2011-12 with records of 13-3 and 11-4-1, respectively.
Also led by a suffocating defense and young quarterback, the 49ers are ironically considered by many to be the second-best team in the NFL, just behind their hated rivals in Seattle.
They do have several holes to fill on the defensive side of the ball, however, particularly at cornerback, where they will be in prime position to grab Ohio State’s Bradley Roby, Nebraska’s Stanley Jean-Babtiste, or TCU’s Jason Verrett. They are also likely to pick up a linebacker at some point in the draft, given Aldon Smith’s legal troubles.
If they opt to go offense on Thursday night, they could also fill a need at wide receiver with Indiana’s Cody Latimer or Mississipi’s Donte Moncrief.
3. ARIZONA CARDINALS: Team Needs: S, OLB, QB
The Cardinals are in a very difficult situation. They improved greatly with Carson Palmer at quarterback in 2013, finishing with a 10-6 record. If they played in any other division in the NFL, they would have undoubtedly been playing in January.
While Arizona also totes a stout defense, the window is closing almost as quickly as it opened for them, as Palmer is already 34-years-old, and Larry Fitzgerald isn’t getting any younger.
With Yeremiah Bell leaving in free agency, and Tyrann Matheiu rehabbing a torn ACL, they could definitely use help in the secondary, and if Louisville safety Calvin Pryor happens to fall to No. 20, I think it is an easy pick for Arizona. They will also look to replace outside linebacker Karlos Dansby, who also left during free agency, at some point in the draft.
4. ST. LOUIS RAMS: Team Needs: OT, WR, S
Like the Cardinals, the St. Louis Rams are a respectable team led by a good defense that happens to be stuck in a division with the two best teams in football (Niners and Hawks). This Rams spent most of last season without their starting quarterback, and still managed to finish 7-9.
With Sam Bradford coming back, Tavon Austin likely to see an increased role, and the addition of Kenny Britt, the Rams look pretty good offensively heading into the 2014 season.
St. Louis definitely has a serious need at offensive tackle, and picking at No. 2, they can have their preference of Auburn’s Greg Robinson or Texas A&M’s Jake Matthews, provided, of course, that they can resist the temptation of drafting the once-in-a-generation phenom known as Sammy Watkins. While receiver isn’t a glaring hole on this team, it is hard to pass up someone as talented as Watkins is. The good news for the Rams, however, is that this year’s wide receiver class is very deep, and they will pick again at No. 13.
Be sure to also check out the rest of Last Word On Sports’ NFL draft coverage.
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