Mel Kiper Jr., an ESPN NFL Draft analyst, gave his rounds one and two NFL mock draft, and if things go according to his predictions, the Seattle Seahawks will start the draft focusing on defense and shift to a quarterback later on. 

With just over two weeks left until the NFL Draft, the Seahawks are putting the finishing touches on their pre-draft process that involves intense looks at various prospects from defensive tackle to quarterback. 

The Seahawks possess picks No. 5, 20, and 30 (by way of a mock draft trade for Seattle to net a third round-one selection). 

So, with that being said, let's take a look at what ESPN and Kiper think Seattle will do on draft day. 

Seattle's picks: Jalen Carter (No. 5), Myles Murphy (No. 20), and Hendon Hooker (No. 30). 

With Seattle's first selection, ESPN has Carter flying off the board. The defensive tackle out of Georgia was long assumed to be one of the first non-quarterback players off the draft board. An offseason legal case changed that projection for some time, and a disappointing pro day didn't help Carter's stock. But in Kiper's mock draft, Carter being the first non-quarterback off the board is still what happened. 

His rationale for the Seahawks selecting him is the following: 

"The Seahawks likely would be thrilled with this scenario, as they could get their pick of the defenders in the class. I see Carter, the No. 1 prospect on my Big Board, as the better fit here over Will Anderson Jr., who I have ranked No. 3 overall. Seattle can play Carter next to free agent addition Dre'Mont Jones and create one of the NFL's most talented tackle combinations. (Carter is visiting with the team Tuesday.)

I don't expect Carter, who pleaded no contest to misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and racing last month in connection with a fatal crash in January, to drop out of the top seven picks. In fact, his agent said recently that Carter is declining visits with any teams outside the top 10. Carter did not have a good pro day, but NFL teams believe he's too talented to pass up."

Following a defensive-oriented first pick, Seattle sticks with that same theme at pick No. 20, selecting Myles Murphy out of Clemson. 

Take a look at Kiper's explanation: 

"Seattle's surprising run to the 2022 playoffs masked a defense that didn't look like a typical Pete Carroll unit. The Seahawks surrendered 24.0 points per game, which ranked 25th in the league, and allowed 4.9 yards per carry, which ranked 27th. I gave Carroll help in the middle of his defensive line with Jalen Carter at pick No. 5, so let's move outside and add an end who will help against both the run and pass. Murphy has some upside, though I never saw him dominate on tape. He had 14 sacks and 63 QB pressures over the past two seasons. Carroll likes well-rounded defensive ends, and that's Murphy."

Then in order to finally select a quarterback that may surpass Geno Smith as the face of the franchise, Kiper has Seattle trading back into the tail end of the first round to select Tennessee quarterback Hooker with pick No. 30. 

Here is what he had to say regarding the selection: 

"There's some buzz about Hooker rising into the first round and this could be the perfect landing spot. I have a second-round grade on him, but I can see why he might be appealing. He led the FBS in Total QBR (89.5) and yards per attempt (9.5) last season, and he threw just five picks over two seasons at Tennessee. His accuracy on deep throws is really good. The downside? He played in a quarterback-friendly offense, didn't have to go through progressions and is coming off a torn left ACL suffered in November. There's going to be a learning curve in the NFL. Plus, he's already 25 years old, so there are questions about his ceiling.

For Seattle, as I mentioned in my previous mock draft, the details of Geno Smith's contract extension show it's only a one-year commitment. The team could easily move on after one year and turn to Hooker."

If the first two rounds of the draft go this well, Seattle is making out like a bandit around the rest of the NFL. You can read the full mock draft here.