VOTE: Biggest Draft Bust, First Round
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Posted by: Shaun Dolence
Steve Niehaus, Seattle’s first ever draft pick, was selected second overall in 1976. A star at Notre Dame, Niehaus had a solid rookie showing with 9.5 sacks and was the NFC Defensive Rookie of the Year. It was all down hill after that, however, as Niehaus suffered a plethora of injuries and started just six games over the next three seasons.
Steve August was a part of a terrible draft for the Seahawks. The Seahawks traded the second overall pick to Dallas (which they used to select Tony Dorsett) for the fourteenth overall pick plus three choices in the second round. With the fourteenth overall pick Seattle chose August, who played in Seattle from 1977-1984 but never developed into anything close to All-Pro.
Owen Gill was Seattle’s first selection in 1985, drafted 53rd overall in the second round. Although the running back from Iowa was their first selection that year, he never played a down for the Seahawks. In fact, the first six players drafted that year by Seattle combined to play only six games TOTAL. Gill went on to play three seasons in the NFL with Indianapolis and Los Angeles (Rams), rushing for just 490 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Lamar King was the first draft choice by the Holmgren regime, picked 22nd overall out of Saginaw Valley State. King didn’t start a game his rookie season, but would go on to start 34 games during his five-year stint in Seattle. Only collecting 12 sacks in five seasons, he was let go after 2003 and signed by Tampa Bay (where he never played in a game).