Stanford in the NFL: How Free Agency Helped Joshua Garnett

With all of the madness that free agency creates, it's easy to forget that the NFL draft is less than a month away. It's easy to get caught up in how the signing of a big name free agent could help a teams production. One thing that gets overlooked is how the loss of a player could open doors for NFL hopefuls.

For months I have been tirelessly saying that Joshua Garnett is the perfect fit for the Seattle Seahawks. Seattle has lost some key players of their already weak offensive line. J.R. Sweezy decided to chase a larger payday in Tampa Bay, and Alvin Bailey decided to sign with the Cleveland Browns. Include the departure of their long time left tackle Russell Okung, and you have the makings of a team desperate for some fresh new faces ready to shore up an o-line that has all but been picked clean. Enter Josh Garnett.

With the 26th pick in the draft, it would seem completely foolish to pass on adding the services of Garnett, should he still be available. Of course, every NFL writer, pundit, critic, and scout has their mock drafts written up and made public now. Some are leaning towards the 'Hawks taking a defensive tackle, while others are saying it's going to be a cornerback. While I personally believe that John Schneider, the GM of the Seahawks, is one of the best in the league today, I'd find it highly questionable if he decided not to fix the problems with his line before addressing any other position.

The last thing to consider is how this is such a good fit for Garnett personally. He is a Washington native, and according to The News Tribune, Garnett told the Seahawks management at the combine that playing for them would be "A dream come true." Just words, sure, but Garnett has never been one to say things he didn't stand by. Should Garnett fall into Seattle's lap, it just might be a match made in heaven.