Ranking the Seattle Seahawks top draft picks of all time
By Andy Excell
Seahawks 20 through 11
20. John L. Williams – full back – round 1 – pick 15 – 1986
A fullback taken with the fifteenth overall pick? How times have changed!
Williams eight years in Seattle saw two pro bowl appearances as a reward for 8740 scrimmage yards and 33 touchdowns. Back in the late eighties and early nineties they would have been hard-earned yards too.
19. D.K.Metcalf – wide receiver – round 2 – pick 64 – 2019
Some may think it too early to laud Metcalf after just two seasons, but as a second round pick, the Seahawks could not have asked any more of D.K to date. 2214 scrimmage yards and 17 touchdowns and a second season pro bowl nomination are just a portent of what Metcalf can deliver in years to come.
The record books appear to be at his mercy, so getting him as the ninth WR selected in 2019 after Marquise Brown, N’Kela Harry, Deebo Samuel, A.J Brown, Mecole Hardman, JJ Arrecega-Whiteside, Parris Campbell and Andy Isabella was a fine piece of work.
18. Brian Blades – wide receiver – round 2 – pick 49 – 1988
Compared to Metcalf, Blades was a mere mortal. But 7776 scrimmage yards and 34 touchdowns in a much less receiver-friendly era over the course of eleven seasons in a Seahawks uniform are highly meritorious. One Pro Bowl appearance is indicative of your archetypal career pro who spent his entire NFL career in Seattle and just produced time and time again.
17. Darrell Jackson – wide receiver – round 3 – pick 80 – 2000
Jackson is the highest-rated wideout in this list. 7 years, 96 games. 6463 scrimmage yards and 47 touchdowns have earned him that position.
Considering the other NFL teams felt there were fourteen better WR’s in that draft, this tells us that the Seahawks did really well to select Jackson with this pick. A third round draft pick that is in the top five in receiving yards, touchdowns and receptions in franchise history says it all really.
16. Curt Warner – running back – round 1 – pick 3 – 1983
No, not that one, that is Kurt with a K anyhow. And this guy deserves to be talked about in his own right, 8172 scrimmage yards and 62 touchdowns from 93 games over the course of 7 years make him the third-highest running back on this list.
He would be higher, but a third overall pick is expected to achieve big numbers. Warner certainly delivered though.
15. Jacob Green – defensive end – round 1 – pick 10 – 1980
Green is the joint longest-tenured Seahawks on this list, having served 12 years as a Seahawk. 178 games, 97.5 sacks, 17 fumble recoveries and 2 touchdowns are what Green produced over the course of that lengthy career.
Two Pro Bowls and place on the Seattle ring of honor are justified rewards for this Seahawk legend.
14. Max Unger – center – round 2 – pick 49 – 2009
Unger had 3 career Pro Bowl appearances, 2 as a Seahawk and also won a Super Bowl ring during his six seasons in Seattle.
Center is never the easiest position to evaluate, but his recognition by his peers and how good Russell Wilson and subsequently Drew Brees in New Orleans have performed is a testament to Unger’s worth. Ask Wilson or Brees how good Unger was and I am sure they will be delighted to tell you.
13. Michael Sinclair – defensive end – round 6 – pick 155 – 1992
Two very good reasons why Sinclair is this high on the list are that he was drafted in the sixth round and spent ten years producing for the Seahawks as a result.
Like others mentioned before on this list, 144 games and 73.5 sacks are a great return from a late-round pick. Add to that, he holds the single-season record for sacks a Seahawk with 16.5 and went to three pro bowls.
12. Chris Warren – running back – round 4 – pick 89 – 1990
8 seasons, 8048 scrimmage yards, 47 touchdowns plus 1794 yards as a kick returner, 3 pro bowls and nominated to the pro bowl in 2018.
He was not inducted then, but let’s hope he gets that recognition as he thoroughly deserves it, so getting a place of this caliber in round 4 was tremendous for the Seahawks. Warren was the guy that benefitted from having Kevin Mawae to block for him.
11. Steve Hutchinson – guard – round 1 – pick 17 – 2001
Selected for seven consecutive pro bowls, 3 as a Seahawk, in the 2000s All-Decade NFL team and inducted to the Hall of Fame last year, Hutchinson’s section at 17 thoroughly paid odd for the Seahawks, even if he only spent five of his twelve-year NFL career in Seattle.