Seahawks get back to defensive front, draft Auburn pass rusher Derick Hall in round 2

Derick Hall remakes trucks.

The Seahawks have just picked him to help remake their defensive front.

After a day off, coach Pete Carroll’s remodel of Seattle’s defensive front seven resumed Friday in round two of the NFL draft.

The Seahawks selected Auburn edge-rushing linebacker Derick Hall with its first of two choices in second round, at 37th overall.

The 6-foot-3, 254-pound Hall had 19 1/2 sacks the last three college seasons, playing as an edge-rushing outside linebacker. That included 16 the last two seasons in the mighty Southeastern Conference. He was a team captain and an All-SEC selection last season for the Tigers.

Hall was home in Gulfport, Mississippi, surrounded by his family, when Seahawks general manager John Schneider called to inform him he was drafted to Seattle near the top of round two.

The linebacker and his family cried.

“A lot of, a lot of emotion. It was very, very special for me and my family,” Hall said by telephone from Gulfport Friday evening. “We kind of figured Seattle was really interested. Once their number came across my phone, man, my face lit up. Tears of joy.

“Just really enjoying the time trying to be here with my family. Once again, I’m just so thankful.”

Hall met with Carroll and Seahawks defensive coordinator Clint Hurtt at the league’s scouting combine in Indianapolis last month. That’s where he saw how interested they were in him.

He said he played all over Auburn’s defense, the kind of versatility Carroll and Hurtt seek up front. He was an outside linebacker rushing quarterbacks, stopping off tackle runs and dropping into pass coverage. He said he was also a stack, inside “Mike” linebacker in the middle of the defense at times at Auburn.

“I converted my game to a lot more power,” he said.

“I feel like I play with a high motor, a great attitude. This game really means a lot to me. Just showing my love and appreciation, and continue to do what got me there.

“A great humble guy that is going to come in and bust his butt every day to help the team get better.”

Hall’s choice follows the Seahawks using their fifth pick in the draft on Illinois cornerback Devon Witherspoon and the 20th pick in round one on Ohio State wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

About those trucks: Hall is a golfer, bowler, hunter and fisher, but his true love is building trucks.

“Not like from the frame, but from taking how it moves and gets around, I take everything completely off. Like, there is nothing under the truck,” he said. “You can take it up, the motor’s good, all that’s good. But rotars, brakes, tires is completely gone and off the truck.”

Then he gets a lift, remakes the truck from its bottom “then put it back all together myself.”

The proudest truck he’s made?

“Probably my first one: 2014 Ram 1500,” he said of the rig he got his second year at Auburn.

“Came out really good. (Painted) it blue and orange.”

Auburn colors, of course.