It's pretty easy to discern which positions need the most help when looking at the Seattle Seahawks roster as we head into the 2023 NFL Draft. 

In no specific order, the team needs help along the defensive line, at linebacker, at cornerback, receiver, tight end, and running back. Granted, there's a mix of starters and depth that are needed among those positions, so they're not all created equally in terms of need and priority.

And honestly, it may not matter. Because the draft doesn't care what you need or prioritize. Before teams know it, their top however many players are taken from them in an instant, leaving them to rely on whatever alternate plans they may have had. No one knows what's going to happen, therefore, they can never stay grounded or fixated on one need, player, position, etc.

"Compared to last year I would say yes, besides that, I don't really know," Seahawks GM John Schneider told reporters when asked if the top of this year's draft is harder to predict. "I think there's just a ton of variables up there, a lot of different scenarios, a lot of different ways we can go."

Many are predicting the Seahawks take either an interior defensive lineman like a Jalen Carter or an outside pass rusher like Will Anderson Jr., Tyree Wilson, etc. and that's totally feasible. The main debate is whether or not the 'Hawks take d-line or quarterback at No. 5, but recently, an ESPN source said to expect defensive line help over quarterback at No. 5, so that appears to be where things are heading.

And they seem to be heading even faster in that direction based off what Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll said during Wednesday's pre-draft press conference. 

"We've got some work to do," Carroll said when asked how he feels about the interior d-line. "We've done some work here in free agency, and we're going to continue in the draft, and we'll just keep battling throughout to put it together. We made some big commitments that have gotten us to this point, and we're really excited about it, but it has left us with a few question marks we've got to get filled out, so there's plenty of time to get that done."

At this point, the Seahawks are a lock to take a defensive lineman in Round 1

The only thing that will stop them is how the board falls. The only way the Seahawks don't take a defensive lineman in Round 1 of the 2023 NFL Draft is if there aren't any ones available that are worth taking.

When it comes to No. 5 overall, interior d-line is a bigger need because the Seahawks have two solid pass rush options on the outside in Uchenna Nwosu and Darrell Taylor. Granted, the Seahawks could definitely use a third pass rusher in their rotation, but drafting a player like Carter at No. 5 -or even a Calijah Kancey or Mazi Smith at No. 20- not only fills a big need, but it's easiest way to get your first-rounder on the field. 

Drafting Wilson or Anderson (if he's there) at No. 5 doesn't mean he'll a) beat out either Taylor or Nwosu in camp and b) garner a lot of snaps in 2023. Third options in pass rush rotations are typically on the field for about 20-25% of the time.

If the Seahawks draft a Carter, Kancey, or Smith, then they will be in the starting rotation (if things go to plan, of course), thus, they will get more playing time. And that makes more sense for a first-round pick.

All signs continue to point to the Seahawks loading up their front seven on draft weekend and the final result should yield some major star power in the defensive trenches.