Re-grading the Seahawks first round draft picks under Pete Carroll

2011, 25th overall – James Carpenter: B-

Carpenter’s issues in Seattle weren’t that he didn’t have the physical ability to perform at a good level in the NFL. His problems were because he couldn’t stay healthy. Carpenter played in Seattle for four years but only had one season where he played all 16 games. The shame (for the Seahawks at least) is that after leaving Seattle, Carpenter didn’t miss a game for the Jets from 2015 through 2017.

Carpenter never made a Pro Bowl but was a solid pick who ended up having his best days in the NFL with other teams. He actually got a bit better, especially in pass protection every year in Seattle and Pro Football Focus gave him an elite pass-blocking grade (83.7) when he was with the Jets in 2016.

2012, 15th overall – Bruce Irvin: B

Irvin, like Carpenter, played his first four seasons in the NFL with Seattle and then left as a free agent. Irvin was a bit of an underrated player with the Seahawks because he had the ability to do so many things. Need him to get to the quarterback? He could do that. Irvin had 6.5 sacks in 2014. Need him to cover tight ends? Irvin could do that, too, and was part of the group that shut down Jimmy Graham every time Seattle played the Saints.

Other teams figured out a different and possibly more productive way to use Irvin. That is, making him more of a pure pass rusher. After leaving Seattle for the Raiders in 2016, Irvin had 7 sacks. In 2017, Irvin had 8 sacks. In 2019 with the Panthers, Irvin had 8.5 sacks. Seattle could have used that kind of pressure in 2020 and 2021 and did bring Irvin back in 2020 but Irvin got hurt and only played in 2 games.