Predicting which Seahawks rookies will have the greatest impact

The Seahawks are trying to retool or rebuild quickly. But which of Seattle’s 2022 draftees will have the biggest immediate impact?

Seattle’s draft class appears to be a good one. And it felt a bit like a breath of fresh air that the Seahawks didn’t move around the draft too much. Instead, general manager John Schneider and head coach Pete Carroll chose to stay where they were slotted. Seattle seemed to find fixes for many needs in 2022.

I don’t even have Abe Lucas on this list. He could be a Week 1 starter at right tackle. Edge rusher Boye Mafe might have an immediate impact with pass rush, something Seattle struggled with quite a bit last year especially early in the season.

And of Seattle’s nine 2022 draftees, at least five could play early this coming season and do a good job as well. There is a lot of raw talent in the Seahawks draft class. Now they just need to prove it on the field.

Three Seahawks rookies who could have the most impact in 2022

Number 3: Seahawks cornerback Coby Bryant

One of the reasons for the greatness of the Seahawks’ defenses in the early 2010s is that Seattle had a number of players that played with the proverbial chip on their shoulders. Richard Sherman certainly did that. He was an overlooked fifth-round choice that made his way into a potential Hall of Famer.

The same can be said for Kam Chancellor, another fifth-round pick that far exceeded expectations. And this could easily also be the type of player Coby Bryant is. He was great in college and won the Jim Thorpe Award for the best defensive back in college in 2021. That he fell to the fourth round is almost a crime. Or in Seattle’s case, a huge bit of luck.

Bryant is 6’1″ so he has good size. His ball skills are fantastic. He had 9 interceptions in college. The only question is about his downfield speed but he can learn the technique that helps overcome that. Plus, Bryant has the desire to be great. And in a wide-open battle for starter at cornerback for the Seahawks, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Bryant become a starter early this season and stay that way for years to come.