Seahawks take Mississippi State’s Cross No. 9 overall
While the Seattle Seahawks may not know who will be under center this season, they know they’ll have a force protecting him.
Mississippi State football offensive tackle Charles Cross was selected with the ninth pick in the 2022 NFL Draft by the Seahawks on Thursday night.
Cross, who attended the draft in Las Vegas, couldn’t hide his excitement. After becoming the first Bulldogs player selected in the top 10 since 1983, Cross wore a smile the entirety of his long walk to the stage.
His 6-foot-5, 315-pound frame was on display for the football world before reporters got a look at his usual softspoken manner.
Cross told Seattle reporters he wasn’t surprised when the Seahawks called his name. He had a formal interview with Seattle at the NFL Combine in March and two Zoom meetings afterward.
As fellow tackles Evan Neal and Ikem Ekwonu came off the board and Seattle’s turn to pick inched closer, Cross had a sense of what was coming.
“I kind of expected it, to be honest,” Cross said.
And still, the thrill of receiving the call from coach Pete Carroll was evident. His mother was emotional as Cross made his way to the stage with MSU coach Mike Leach and offensive line coach Mason Miller looking on. “It’s a surreal feeling,” Cross said. Cross noted he has never been to Seattle but is looking forward to living in a new city. As for his hometown of Laurel, Mississippi, he’s sure “They’re very proud of me.”
“I know they’re probably going crazy right now,” Cross said. “They’re all excited that I got drafted.”
It’s a move far from home, but Cross has various ties to the Seahawks. Former MSU tackle Greg Eiland was signed by the Seahawks as an undrafted free
agent last year. He and Cross overlapped for two seasons in Starkville.
Cross said he also met Seahawks offensive guard Gabe Jackson, who was taken in the third round in 2014 out of Mississippi State.
Cross enters a thinned room with the Seahawks listing just two offensive tackles on their roster. Tackle was a clear need for Seattle, and they addressed it by drafting a player considered by some to be the top offensive lineman in this year’s draft class.
His ability to rise at the position will center around his skillset in run blocking. Cross’ ability to pass block was clear as he kept quarterback Will Rogers on his feet in the Air Raid offense.
The offensive scheme will be significantly different in Seattle, but Cross isn’t worried.
“I love run blocking,” Cross said. “Playing at Mississippi State in the Air Raid offense helped me a lot, also.”
Stefan Krajisnik is the Mississippi State beat writer for the Clarion Ledger. Contact him at skrajisnik@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter @skrajisnik3.