Seahawks select Okung

With the sixth pick in the 2010 NFL draft, the Seahawks selected …

Russell Okung, an offensive tackle from Oklahoma State. Okung fills the team’s most glaring need – a large, athletic body to replace left tackle Walter Jones, a nine-time Pro Bowl selection who missed all of last season while recovering from microfracture surgery and is contemplating retirement.

The 6-foot-5, 302-pound Okung was generally considered the top tackle in this year’s draft class, but Oklahoma’s Trent Williams actually was selected first – at No. 4 by the Washington Redskins. The Seahawks then had a few anxious moments when the Kansas City Chiefs were on the clock. But they opted for Eric Berry, a free safety from Tennessee.

Okung will have to adapt to the zone-blocking scheme being installed by offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates and veteran line coach Alex Gibbs.

NFLDraftScout.com had this to say about Okung: “He might not be as strong as the typical 325-330 pound tackle, but no lineman gives more effort on every play and opposing defensive ends find themselves on the ground more often than they’d like when up against Okung.”