Seahawks round five may have been their best draft round ever

The Seahawks’ great years were built to a great degree on NFL draft round five choices. Kam Chancellor and Richard Sherman anyone? Seattle has had some great round fives of drafts. 2018, though, might top any round ever for the team.

Clearly, I speak in hyperbole. The Seahawks best draft round ever? That is nearly impossible to choose. Round five of the NFL draft has been especially kind recently to Seattle. For instance, since 2010 both Kam Chancellor and Richard Sherman have been taken in this round. Both are possible future Hall of Famers.

But in 2018, Seattle may have outdone themselves. Sure, national pundits will grade Seattle’s choices based on what they think the Seahawks should have done. But really, only John Schneider and Pete Carroll really believe what Seattle needs.

So what did Seattle do in this year’s round five? They grabbed the brother of a current Seattle cornerback. A player who could make a big difference sooner rather than later. And they chose a punter. Why? Because the college version of the one they have appears to be incredible. They also got a cornerback and an offensive tackle. Both of whom who could turn into starters.

Here is how round five graded.

Round 5, Pick 141: Shaquem Griffin

I am not going to spend a ton of time on this pick because I already have. Let me just say I think Griffin is going to be a very good player at the bare minimum. And the Seahawks may have gotten a steal.

Grade: B

Round 5, Pick 146: Tre Flowers, Cornerback, Oklahoma State

Flowers isn’t just a safety turned cornerback. According to Gregg Bell of the Tacoma News Tribune, he is much much more.

The Seahawks hope to turn Flowers into a starter at cornerback. Not in his rookie year, of course. Seattle re-signed Byron Maxwell for a reason. But in year two, possibly. Flowers has perfect size for a Seattle corner under Pete Carroll. The converted corner is 6’3″ and 200 pounds. Basically, he is Richard Sherman-size.

Will Flowers make a huge impact in his rookie year? Probably not. But in the years beyond that, we could be talking a great corner tandem of Shaquill Griffin and Flowers.

Grade: B

Round 5, Pick 149: Michael Dickson, Punter, Texas

What in Merlin’s beard’s name? The Seahawks took a punter in round five? But they already have a punter!

Here’s the thing, though. Jon Ryan appears to be less and less productive. True, raw stats say his 2017 was comparable with any other of his years. But his most comparable year to 2017 was 2011. Both years he punted 92 times or more. But in 2017 he averaged nearly two yards less an attempt than in 2011. And he was half a yard less in net average. These don’t seem huge, but they are.

Enter Dickson. The Australian has a huge leg. Huge. He was the…And I kid you not here…Dickson was the MVP of the University of Texas’ bowl game in 2017. Why? Because Dickson kept the opposing team pinned back all game. In ten of Dickson’s 11 punts in the game, the Longhorns downed them inside the other teams’ 15-yard line.

Each of the last two seasons Dickson spent at Texas, he averaged 47.4 yards a punt. If Dickson can replicate this in minicamp and preseason, Jon Ryan will be looking for a new team in week one of 2018.

Grade: C+ (He is still a punter but this could turn into a B+ over time.)

Round 5, Pick 168: Jamarco Jones, Offensive tackle, OSU

Jones is a big guy. But he’s “only” 6’4″ tall. This is good for Seattle, though. The Seahawks have a shorter quarterback.

Jones didn’t test well at the NFL combine. This is a shame. Because according to Pro Football Focus, Jones was great his senior season…

32nd on the PFF Big Board? And yet Seattle got the player in the fifth round? This seems amazing!

Jones has never underproduced at any level of playing. Some four day competition of field day events at the NFL combine says he isn’t of high value? I think Seattle got a steal. And in three years, Jones will be a quality starter in Seattle.

Grade at round five for Jones: B+

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Potentially and long-term impact on the Seahawks, Seattle made great and franchise changing choices in the fifth round of the  2018 NFL draft. In four years, we could be reviewing this round as the greatest in Seahawks history.