Ranking the Seattle Seahawks top draft picks of all time
By Andy Excell
Seahawks 30 and 21
30. Justin Forsett – running back – round 7 – pick 233 – 2008
Ordinarily just over 2000 scrimmage yards and 8 touchdowns over a four-year career is not out of the ordinary, but it is much more than you expect from a seventh round pick who was waived twice by October 8th of the year he was drafted.
Forsett went on to have a 1500 scrimmage yard season in Baltimore, which took him to a pro bowl. How many seventh rounders achieve that?
29. Kevin Mawae – center – Round 2 – pick 36 – 1994
The first of five offensive linemen on this list, Mawae spent 4 years in Seattle and played in 62 games. These first 4 years of Mawae’s NFL career saw him as one of the blockers responsible for making a RB who appears later in this list a back-to-back Pro Bowler.
After leaving Seattle, Mawae went on to make 8 pro bowl appearances and was inducted into the hall of fame in 2019. Pretty good for a 36th pick in the draft.
28. Russell Okung – offensive tackle – round 1 – pick 6 – 2010
Another member of arguably the best draft class by any team in history, Okung was the first Seattle selection of that class. Okung made 72 appearances in 6 seasons and appeared in two Super Bowl, winning one and losing the other. He has also made two pro bowl appearances to date, one as a Seahawk.
27. Joey Galloway – wide receiver – round 1 – pick 8 – 1995
The second wideout to appear so far, Galloway had five seasons as a Seahawk following his first round selection. 4,835 scrimmage yards, 38 touchdowns and a further 823 return yards from 71 games is probably what you hope for from a wideout you pick eighth overall. But you don’t always get that, so Galloway delivered and therefore earns a place on this list.
26. Lofa Tatupu – linebacker – Round 2 – pick 45 – 2005
Tatupu made 84 appearances over 6 seasons for the Seahawks. He produced 552 tackles, 10 interceptions and 8.5 sacks which earned him three Pro Bowl appearances. After leaving Seattle, Tatupu suffered a career-ending pectoral injury after signing with Atlanta.
25. Jeff Bryant – defensive end – round 1 – pick 6 – 1982
Bryant recorded 63 sacks, 11 fumble recoveries and an interception in 175 games over the course of a twelve-year Seattle career. Whilst Bryant never received pro bowl or All-Pro recognition, twelve productive seasons is a pretty good return on a draft pick.
24. Tyler Lockett – wide receiver – round 3 – pick 69 – 2015
To date Lockett has spent six valuable seasons in Seattle, tallying over 5000 scrimmage yards and over 4000 yards as a kick returner, with 41 all-purpose TDs. One appearance in the pro bowl does not seem enough for a player with such good numbers, but there is still time for Lockett to add to that and move higher up this list.
23. Marcus Trufant – cornerback – round 1 – pick 11- 2003
In ten years as a Seahawk, which saw him as the old head that nurtured the early years of the legion of boomers from 2010 onwards. Statistically, 136 games, 646 tackles, 21 interceptions and 2 TD’s do not do Trufant justice.
Again, like Lockett neither does one Pro Bowl appearance, but all Seahawks fans will know just how good Trufant was.
22. Dwayne Harper – cornerback – round 11 – pick 299 – 1988
Yes, that does say round 11! 94 productive games over 6 seasons in Seattle before moving on the San Diego is a really good return for the 299th pick that year.
21. Chris Carson – running back – round 7 – pick 249 – 2017
It is easy to forget that the current lead running back of the Seahawks was a seventh round draft pick. His production in his four seasons to date is superb for such a late draft pick. 45 games, 4045 scrimmage yards and 28 touchdowns are the numbers to date, and here’s hoping there’s plenty more to come in 2021 and beyond.