Seahawks will not draft a running back in the first round
The Seahawks definitely need to improve their running game to return to the playoffs. Using their first round pick on a running back would be a waste.
The Seahawks will have the 18th overall pick in this year’s NFL draft. The odds of them actually keeping that pick are almost nil, of course. I’m just as likely to win the Pulitzer Prize; please, you’ve read my stuff. So this is something of a “what if?” piece. Like those “What if Batman fought Iron Man?” questions you had as a kid. Or last week, if you’re me. Batman wins, of course. Now, Batman versus Black Panther, there you’ve got a fight.
But let’s pretend the Seahawks actually use their first round pick for just the second time in six years. Drafting 18th, who would be available for them? Knowing where running backs have gone in past drafts would be a bit of helpful information, so let’s take a quick look at that.
In 2017, only two running backs were picked in the first round. Leonard Fournette was the fourth overall pick, and Christian McCaffrey was the eighth. Both had over 1,000 yards from scrimmage, both gone long before Seattle would have had a chance at them if they’d been in this year’s draft.
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2016 saw just one back taken in the first round. That would be Ezekiel Elliott, taken fourth overall. Elliott is certainly a bona-fide star. Again, wouldn’t have been available at 18. 2015 is a bit more interesting. Two running backs were take, but they were drafted 10th and 15th overall. That puts them both in striking range of a trade up. Would the Seahawks make that move to get Todd Gurley at 10th, or Melvin Gordon at 15th? I think they may have done so. That is, if their biggest need was at running back.