The Seattle Seahawks, and any other NFL team for that matter, can no longer hold official visits with potential draft prospects after Wednesday's deadline. But it doesn't mean the finishing touches on teams' draft boards can't be figured out through other venues. The Seahawks are using such methods on Thursday to continue to get information on a prospect and he hits close to home for all the Washington Huskies fans.

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the organization is set to have dinner with former Huskies standout defensive tackle Vita Vea on Thursday. Per the report, the dinner will take place with Vea and Seahawks brass; so it's likely head coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider will be in attendance. After all, they're in town with the team's offseason program having begun on Monday.

The decision to meet with Vea makes all the sense in the world. He's a local product having hailed from a system the team boasts familiarity. Pete Carroll also has a relationship with Huskies head coach Chris Peterson. Furthermore, the Seahawks are in desperate need of young defensive tackles with the loss of Sheldon Richardson and expected release of Malik McDowell. Even with promising talents like Jarran Reed and Nazair Jones and recent veteran additions like Tom Johnson and Shamar Stephen, those are significant losses in terms of pass rush and versatility.

Vea checks only some of those boxes. Despite tremendous quickness and athleticism for a man of his size (6-4, 347-pounds), it would be a stretch at this point to say he could play all across the line, specifically as an edge rusher. Still in terms of providing a dominating force in the middle for your defensive line, he has the body, speed and power to punish guards and centers with the ability to provide pressure to the quarterback and stop the run dead in its tracks.

Although, the Seahawks acquired Stephen as their pure run stopping defensive tackle for 2018; they still don't have a long-term solution at the position. And besides, you can never have too many defensive linemen with Vea's skill set. A bit raw and unpolished, the Seahawks are willing teachers, as we always say. They won't be scared away by those holdups.

What will be a hindrance is Vea's rising draft stock. After a dominant combine, he's shot up draft boards. With some big time rivals ahead of them in need of line help like the 49ers, Packers, and Cardinals, the team may also be continuing their due diligence on a future opponent but meeting for dinner seems a little more personal than scouting work. Perhaps, the team believes he may slip down their way or is trying to create the vibe he may slip to entice teams to trade up with them by showing interest in the defensive tackle.

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As the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year and Morris Trophy winner (best defensive lineman in the conference), Vea's numbers were actually slightly down as game plans adjusted to account for the havoc he creates. In 2016, he had 39 total tackles with 6.5 tackles for a loss, five sacks and a forced fumble. Last season, he managed 43 tackles but 5.5 tackles for a loss and 3.5 sacks. He did increased his passes defended total from one up to four; so batting balls at the line became a bit of a specialty for him by the looks of that increase.

Vea may ultimately end up falling to them because of the nature of the defensive tackle position and their limited snaps. On the other hand, he boasts speed and athleticism that make him more than just a runner stopper and the Seahawks need exactly that.

Whatever the case may be, they dine Thursday night.