Just how good is this Seahawks rookie class? Historically good. I don’t think it’s a stretch at all to say this group is the best draft in Hawks history. At the least, they’re well on their way.
Yeah, yeah, I know. We’re only five games into a 17-game season. But seriously, good 12s, when was the last time you saw this many rookies playing this well? The Seahawks had some truly outstanding drafts early in the Pete Carroll – John Schneider era, but their record has been pretty spotty over the past few years.
I know, I know. I’m comparing guys that have played a total of five games to absolute legends like Kam Chancellor, Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas, Bobby Wagner, and Russell Wilson. The latter two are locks for the Hall of Fame, and all five deserve to go in eventually. But I think it’s already obvious that no draft ever had so much talent as the group that’s taking the field for the Seahawks right now. Let’s review each draft class before we take a deeper look at the class of 2022.
2022 is the standout class of all Seahawks drafts
It’s usually helpful to begin at the beginning, so let’s do just that. You can review all of Seattle’s drafts all the way back to the nation’s bicentennial right here on pro-football-reference.com. No, the Hawks haven’t been around for a century like the Chicago Bears, but 46 years is still a pretty nice chunk of time. I’ll spare everyone a year-by-year rundown of the entire history of the Seahawks drafts, and just assure you that Carroll and Schneider have had the best in Seattle’s history. Then again…
I was going to hit just a few highlights. If you’ll permit me my own editorial note, that was my original intent. But as I continued writing, it became quite apparent to me that nothing would do other than break down every draft in Seahawks history. I invite you to do the same; I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if some of you value some players more than I did, and others less. The one thing I can’t imagine is concluding that the 2022 draft wasn’t the best in Seahawks history.
Seahawks drafts started off slowly in 1976
The only player of any note in the inaugural draft was RB Sherman Smith. He’s one of the Hawks all-time best, but he’s also the only player out of 25 that anyone remembers for their play. 48 years after he was drafted, he still ranks ninth all-time on the Hawks rushing list. He’s also fifth in rushing touchdowns, an even more remarkable feat. Smith eventually returned to Seattle as their running backs coach from 2010 through 2017. Nice hire, Pete!
Another notable player is Steve Raible, who’s been either the analyst or play-by-play radio voice for the Seahawks for the past 40 years. Yes, four-zero. The only other name that may pop out at you is Andy Reid, but nope, he’s not that Andy Reid. Oh, and I’m sure most of you know this, but the Oilers actually drafted Steve Largent.
That Largent was actually drafted by another organization, yet never played a single regular-season snap with them is a bit incredible, isn’t it? Talk about the heist of the century… but we’re here to talk about the draft, not trades. Undrafted free agents that went on to star for Seattle like Doug Baldwin and Michael Bennett don’t count either. Yes, the Hawks signed Bennett out of college, then waived him in 2009. That’s a different category altogether. Okay, on with the ’70s.
Tackle Steve August was drafted in 1977. Linebacker Keith Butler and safety John Harris joined the Hawks in ’78. Defensive tackle Manu Tuiasosopo was drafted in ’79 and that wraps the ’70s for Seattle’s draft picks. That’s five players that truly made an impact out of 59 total selections.
You may want to add players like center John Yarno or guard Tom Lynch, but I’m talking about players that were widely regarded as among the league’s best. As it is, I think I’m being pretty generous with my selections. Smith and Tuiasosopo are the only Hawks in this group to win any awards in their careers.
Seahawks added a few stars in the ’80s, but not enough
Once we hit the ’80s things begin to look up. One of the all-time great Seahawks, defensive end Jacob Green, was the 10th overall pick in the 1980 draft. Seattle added Hall of Fame safety Kenny Easley the next year, along with guard Edwin Bailey. In 1982 Seattle drafted defensive lineman Jeff Bryant and linebacker Bruce Scholtz.
Another all-time Seattle great, Curt Warner, joined the team in 1983. Linebacker Fredd Young was the Hawks third pick in 1984. Not many 12s remember Young, but he made the Pro Bowl in each of his first four seasons. Halfway through the decade, we see seven players of note out of 57 draftees. That’s not exactly a great rate of return, folks.
1985 added no one particularly notable. We’d have to wait till ’86 to get our next top Seahawks star, fullback John Williams. He never gained 1,000 yards, but not many fullbacks do. He was one heck of a receiver, though, with 546 catches in his career. He did break 1,000 yards from scrimmage four times and was a devastating blocker. Just ask Curt Warner about that.
In 1987 the Hawks added defensive end, Tony Woods. They also picked up a guy with a huge rep in the supplemental draft, Brian Bosworth. He’s most notable for his haircut and getting demolished by Bo Jackson. Suffice to say, the Boz didn’t pan out. Things picked up in ’88 with wide receiver Brian Blades, who hauled in 581 passes for 7,620 yards, both ranking second all-time for the Seahawks.
In ’89 Seattle welcomed Andy Heck to the squad. And that was it. That rounds out the ’80s with a grand total of 11 high-impact players out of 118 selections. Things got better, but it would be quite a while before the Hawks really started maximizing their picks.
Two legends join the Seahawks in the first half of the decade
The ’90s kicked off with one of the best to ever step into a pair of cleats. Any pair, not just the Hawks. I’m talking about the great Cortez Kennedy, of course. You know what this man did, but let me just emphasize the Hawks got 58 sacks from a defensive tackle. He routinely appears on all-time top ten lists, so that was a pretty tasty pick, to be sure. The Hawks struck gold again with their fourth pick, Chris Warren. I mean, he was only the second-leading rusher in Hawks history.
’91 wasn’t quite as productive as the previous year. By that I mean, it was practically a disaster. Seattle took Dan McGwire with their first pick. Yeesh. They did score with later picks in kicker John Kasay and defensive end Michael Sinclair. ’92 was even worse, as the only player remotely decent was offensive tackle, Ray Roberts. Even then, he was traded to Detroit after just four years. ’93 was basically a replay of the previous washout.
This time the Seahawks decided that quarterback Rick Mirer was the future. Not for long, he wasn’t, but at least he was miles better than McGwire. Seattle did grab DE Michael McCrary in the seventh round. He didn’t even start until his fourth season, then was traded to Baltimore. He didn’t achieve much with Seattle, but this is about the talent drafted, not about how they did with the Hawks.
Seattle only had five picks in 1994, but they maximized their draft with another gem. Unfortunately, the Seahawks traded future HOF center Kevin Mawae to the Jets after just four years. Yeah, sounds familiar, right? They drafted DT Sam Adams just before Mawae. He wasn’t exactly Cortez Kennedy, but he was one of the top tackles in the game, making the Pro Bowl three times. Sadly, all of those were after he left Seattle. The first half of the ’90s saw seven top picks out of 43 picks.
Seahawks drafted several great players, but only kept one
’95 kicked off with a good one, as the Hawks took Joey Galloway with the eighth overall pick. As with more than a few of the 90’s draftees, Galloway hit his peak after he left Seattle. Had he stayed with the Seahawks and posted the same stats, he’d trail only Steve Largent in catches, yards, and touchdowns. in ’96 Seattle added a pair of stout linemen, guard Pete Kendall and defensive end Phillip Daniels. Again, both played the majority of their careers outside the Emerald City.
’97 was a sweet year, as the Hawks selected cornerback Shawn Springs with the third pick of the draft. His 33 career interceptions would rank fourth all-time in Seattle had he stayed with the team. With 111 pass defenses, he’d rank just one short of the Hawks career leader. We’ll get to Seattle’s all-time leader soon, don’t worry. While the Seahawks let Springs go, they were smart enough to recognize a monumental talent with their next pick.
The real prize of the 1997 draft was the next player the Hawks got, the number six overall pick. The true 12s already know who I’m talking about – the great Walter Jones. The nine-time Pro Bowler played his entire career in Seattle and remains a great part of the community. He is, of course, one of the greatest tackles in league history. Like Kennedy, you’ll find Jones on multiple top-ten lists in league history.
Seattle nabbed RB Ahman Green the next year, but as with so many of these late ’90s picks, he did most of his damage with other teams. Had he achieved the same stats in Seattle, he’d be the second-leading rusher in Hawks history. ’99 brought a whole lot of nothing to the team. At least they got a solid football analyst in Brock Huard. That brings the ’90s to a total of 14 impact players out of 77 picks. Better than the ’80s, to be sure, but still not great.
Two Hall of Famers join the Seahawks in the early ’90s
Seattle launched the new millennium with a terrific receiver in Darrell Jackson. He ranks sixth in receptions, fifth in yards, and fourth in touchdowns. I’d say that’s pretty significant. Listen, no one is going to catch Steve Largent, but it’s a shame that his career has been overshadowed over the past few years. No, he didn’t have a Hall of Fame career, but he was a great player for the Hawks.
Still, he pales in comparison to the Seahawks first-round pick that year, the incomparable Shaun Alexander. I find it hilarious that 18 players were picked ahead of him. All 12s, even the newest members of the club, understand his greatness. If you need a reminder, just check my argument for his induction into the Hall of Fame.
In 2001, the Hawks added a player who already punched his ticket to the Hall of Fame, guard Steve Hutchinson. Only three of his seven Pro Bowl appearances came with Seattle, but he’s still a legend for the Seahawks. Putting him together with Walter Jones, the Hawks offensive line was devastating. Make no mistake, Shaun Alexander was one of the league’s best ever, but he didn’t get all those yards running behind a Swiss cheese line. Jones and Hutchinson were absolute terrors on the O-line.
2002 added no one of major consequence, but 2003 saw Seattle add one of the top Seahawks ever in corner Marcus Trufant. That’s right, we’ve found the man who leads Hawks in pass defenses, with 112. He also ranks seventh in interceptions and solo tackles, and his two defensive TDs tie him for sixth with about a million other Hawks. Imagine how nasty the Legion of Boom would have been if Trufant had come into the league ten years later. Seattle didn’t pick up much in 2004, which leaves us with only four top players in 47 picks. Those four included two Hall of Famers, but the depth was abysmal.
Linemen were the Seahawks theme for the second half of the decade
The second half of the decade started pretty quietly, as linebacker Lofa Tatupu was Seattle’s only true impact player. His three Pro Bowl selections attest to that. 2006 saw the Hawks pick up guard Rob Sims, while 2007 brought a monster defensive tackle, Brandon Mebane.
Blowing up opposing linemen, Mebane was a key factor in the Legion of Boom’s dominance, one of the few not drafted by Carroll and Schneider. Seattle added a bookend tackle the following year in defensive tackle Red Bryant. Together, the pair destroyed the middle of the line.
In 2009 Seattle added their equal on the offensive side of the ball, center Max Unger. After two Pro Bowl seasons, injuries limited him to just six games in 2014. Seattle made one of their worst decisions ever and traded him to New Orleans for Jimmy Graham.
Graham was never going to replicate his numbers with the Saints; why Pete Carroll thought that could happen is beyond me. But I’m here to talk about the draft, so – the Hawks closed out the aughts with nine good to great picks out of 84 selections. That’s a definite drop from the production of the ’90s.
Carroll & Schneider kicked off their Seahawks drafts in style
Hey, we made it to the Pete Carroll – John Schneider era! They kicked off their tenure with four solid picks – make that one solid pick and three great ones. Their first selection was the sixth pick in the 2010 draft, left tackle Russell Okung. He anchored the Hawks line for six stellar seasons. With the 14th pick, Pete and John hit the jackpot with free safety Earl Thomas. He didn’t exactly leave Seattle on the – ahem – best of terms, but he is a seven-time Pro Bowler and one of the prime architects of the LOB.
The Hawks doubled down in the fifth round and picked up the Enforcer, Kam Chancellor. Kam may not have gotten quite the same accolades as his partner in the defensive backfield, but for most 12s, he was the better of the two. I can’t omit that Seattle added a solid receiver in Golden Tate right after they drafted Thomas. Not a bad way to kick off your draft record.
Seattle didn’t exactly strike the same vein of gold in 2011, but it was still a great draft. They selected O-lineman James Carpenter with the third overall pick, then landed two of their biggest steals ever. The vastly underrated K.J. Wright landed in their collective laps in the fourth round.
People outside of Seattle might not know, but all 12s are well aware of just how good number 50 was. The Hawks then picked up one of their top players ever in the fifth round, Richard Sherman. The man talked an incredible amount of trash, but he ranks fourth in interceptions and second in pass defenses. He earned the right to speak his mind.
2012 saw another jackpot draft by Seattle, as they landed two no-doubt Hall of Fame players. They bookended those picks with their first selection, linebacker Bruce Irvin. Had he stayed in Seattle, his 52 sacks would place him fifth all-time, and his 120 QB hits would be first. The next-to-last player they picked up was guard J.R. Sweezy.
The real story, though, was what they did with their second and third picks. Spoiler alert: I’m talking about the great Bobby Wagner and the DangeRuss one, Russell Wilson. If you need Cliff Notes on these guys, you’re on the wrong website. This was certainly the draft that cemented the reputations of Pete Carroll and John Schneider as draft gurus.
Then 2013 arrived. Seattle had 11 picks, and the best player they found was TE Luke Willson. Now, I love the Techno Tuesday king as much as anyone, but no one will ever mistake him for Travis Kelce. 2014 was a small improvement, but all they really picked up was offensive lineman Justin Britt.
After starting out with inarguably three of the best drafts in Seahawks history, the momentum crashed. They picked up several of their best ever, but overall they picked up 11 solid contributors out of 48. No, I’m not counting Willson or Britt among the 11. That’s after they had 11 top picks out of 28 in their first three years. That uncomfortable pattern would sadly continue.
Seahawks drafts studs, but can’t match the depth of the early ’10s
We’re now well into the territory of players that are still active. Well, the good ones, anyway. Bear with me as I indulge in a few career projections. Nothing mathy, just my gut feeling, largely based on their performance so far. 2015 brought three good ones to the Hawks.
Their first pick (in the second round) was defensive end Frank Clark. As with so many players that left the Seahawks, his asking price was too rich for Seattle. He’s still crushing it – literally – with the Chiefs. He has 55 sacks and counting. I know the Hawks couldn’t afford to keep him, but the pass rush would look a lot better with him here. His sacks would place him fifth all-time in Seattle.
Even better was their next pick, the amazing Tyler Lockett. He’ll likely pass Doug Baldwin for third all-time in receiving yards in his next game – he only needs 74 yards – and he’s already tied for third in touchdowns. He’s having the quietest great career I’ve ever seen. The Hawks rounded out their excellent draft with guard Mark Glowinski, still opening holes for the surprising New York Giants.
2016 saw another dropoff for the Seahawks brain trust. Guard Germain Ifedi is about done, and DT Jarran Reed has never come close to his spectacular 10.5 sacks 2018 season. Quinton Jefferson has been serviceable, but he’s definitely a rotational player. He’s a good one, but not a star by any means. Let’s move on to 2017, one of the Hawks oddest drafts ever.
Their first-round pick, Malik McDowell, never played a down for Seattle. He finally made it to the league last year in Cleveland, but is currently without a job in the NFL. That tends to happen when you’re arrested for assault for the second time in three years. The picture got a little brighter with Seattle’s second pick, offensive line jack-of-all-trades Ethan Pocic. After five years with the Seahawks, he’s started all six games at center for the Browns this year. He’s been decent, but I don’t think he’ll pan out to warrant inclusion as a major success.
That’s not the case for the Hawks third-round pick, cornerback Shaquill Griffin. After four solid years in Seattle – including a Pro Bowl selection – he’s playing his trade in Jacksonville. While I don’t see him ever becoming a player of the stature of Trufant or Sherman – um, not ever – I do believe he rates as a success story. The Hawks whiffed with their next six picks until they found an absolute gem in running back Chris Carson.
Yeah, yeah, I shouldn’t rate a player on potential – they all have potential, or they wouldn’t be drafted, right? But Carson is a special case. Even with all the injuries, he still ranks eighth in rushing yardage and sixth in touchdowns. Everyone ahead of him was a first-round pick, with the exception of Sherman Smith, second round, and Chris Warren, fourth. If Carson wasn’t a great success story, please tell me what is.
Beginning with 2018, we need to do some major projections. Entering the fifth year for these players, it’s clear that none are bonafide stars. Running back Rashaad Penny is the closest by far, but another injury has set him back for the entire season. If he can return to full health, he promises to be a major threat again with the ball in his hands. But that’s a major “if”.
At this point, TE Will Dissly looks like a better bet to be a major contributor. He’s battled his share of injuries too, but he already has three touchdowns on the year, just one shy of his career best. The one player from the 2018 draft that is a lock for stardom is punter Michael Dickson. He made the Pro Bowl as a rookie but somehow hasn’t made it back. Even if Penny makes it back, Dickson is the star of this draft.
I know it’s early, but there’s no doubt that 2019 further tarnished the reputation of Carroll and Schneider. Second-round pick DK Metcalf is clearly a generational talent. He’s only six games into his fourth season, and he already ranks ninth in receiving yards and eighth in scoring. If he continues this season even at his reduced pace – read that as the Hawks didn’t trust Geno Smith to air it out – Metcalf will climb another rung in the ladder for yardage.
Other than DK, it looks pretty grim. After starting all 16 games in 2020, first-round pick L.J. Collier had almost as many healthy scratches in 2021 as appearances. He has yet to get a snap this year, as he’s been on injured reserve all year. Safety Marquise Blair showed equal amounts of game-breaking play and game-killing penalties.
Despite the loss of safety Jamal Adams, the Seahawks have not invited Blair to return. Linebacker Cody Barton looked great in the last two games of 2021, subbing for the injured Bobby Wagner. This year, he’s been completely lost. Travis Homer is the only other player of note from the 2019 draft. While he’s been terrific on special teams and some third-down duty, it’s clear he’s strictly a role player. An important one to be sure, but not a standout.
That gives the latter half of the decade nine winners – and I’m being very generous there- out of 49 picks. The problem is that I’m really reaching on most of those players. Only Clark, Lockett, Dickson, and Metcalf are safe bets to continue their stardom. Overall, the past decade saw the Seahawks hit on 22 of their 97 picks. That’s by far the best decade in Hawks history, but half of those picks came in the first three years of the Carroll-Schneider brain trust. Add that five or even six of those could eventually enter the Hall of Fame, and it’s clear there’s been a major dropoff in their draft.
The new decade started with just a few promising new Seahawks
Fear not, good 12s, we’re nearing the end. Seattle kicked off the new decade with a big splash, drafting linebacker Jordyn Brooks in the first round. He looked like the future of the Hawks defense as a rookie, and more than fulfilled that promise last season. This season, he’s been lost, much like most of the Seahawks defense. He and his cohorts finally turned that around in week 6 versus the Cardinals. Hopefully, that trend continues.
Guard Damien Lewis has been solid on the line. Through the first six games of 2022, Pro Football Focus shows he’s tied for eighth-best in the league for both penalties (three) and sacks allowed (two). He appears to be well on the way to justifying his third-round selection. As for the rest of the rookie class of 2020, it doesn’t look too promising yet.
After a great 2021 debut, linebacker Darrell Taylor has been so lost, he can’t even see the map. Like Brooks, he bounced back in week 6, so we’ll see if he can recapture that early promise. TE Colby Parkinson, RB Deejay Dallas, LB/DE Alton Robinson have all come up with some big plays, but I think it’s clear they’re destined to be role players at best. Robinson has missed all of 2022 on IR so far but may return soon.
The 2021 draft class was the smallest in Seahawks history, with just three players. All the wheeling and dealing finally caught up to Seattle. It’s hard to tell just what they got with their three picks, as the top two players, receiver Dee Eskridge and cornerback Tre Brown, have missed a total of 25 games. Eskridge missed the final seven games of his rookie campaign with a concussion and has yet to really work his way into the Hawks rotation this season.
Despite the raves of the coaching staff about his versatility, he only has 21 touches in 16 games so far. Brown looked solid as a rookie, only allowing a 50 percent completion rate, and a passer rating of 63.3. A knee injury ended his season and has kept him on injured reserve throughout the first six games of 2022. Tackle Stone Forsythe has only seen the field on special teams. Of the three, I believe only Brown will find his way to being a major player.
Seahawks land their best draft class ever
We’re here, dear 12s. You’re still there, right, all three of you that made it this far? I do believe the payoff will be worth it. We’re hardly the only ones to say that the 2022 Seahawks draft class was a great one. Not the only ones, no, but we proclaimed it loudly, and often. Practically the moment the draft was over, I said the Hawks pulled off the biggest steals of the draft. I hang my head in shame, 12s. I undersold it.
Bookend tackles Charles Cross and Abe Lucas have both had a few growing pains with untimely penalties. They also look every inch a pair of Pro Bowl tackles for at least the next decade. Yes, we expected greatness from Cross – our own Matthew Holm certainly did – but I don’t think we expected it now. Matthew also saw Lucas as a future anchor for the Hawks. But both of these guys are playing with the savvy of 10-year veterans.
Sandwiched between their tackles, Seattle selected defensive end Boye Mafe and running back Ken Walker III. Both got off to slow starts, slotted behind starters Uchenna Nwosu and Rashaad Penny. Mafe has seen his snaps increase in every game, reaching 51 percent in Seattle’s dominant defensive performance in week 6 versus the Cardinals.
Mafe has speed to burn, and will only get better with each game. Speaking of speed, Walker flashed his with his first start, as he burned the same Cardinals for 97 yards and the Hawks lone touchdown. Pardon me while I remind the doubters exactly why Walker was a great pick in the second round.
Okay, that’s the first four picks, and every one of them looks like a winner. We haven’t even gotten to the real jewels of the Seahawks great draft heist of 2022. Of course, I’m talking about cornerbacks Coby Bryant and Tariq Woolen. Fifth-round pick Woolen may have started out faster, but Jim Thorpe Award winner Bryant has caught up quickly. Not as quickly as Tariq the Friq’s blinding 4.26 speed, but quick enough.
Woolen’s stats were crazy enough after four weeks, but he’s since doubled his interceptions to four and leads the league. As for Bryant, he wasted no time overcoming his miscue on a deep ball in week one. He may not have any picks, but he’s already forced four fumbles, which also happens to lead the league. He’s also thrown in a sack and two QB pressures. Of the 10 turnovers Seattle has forced, their rookie corners have eight.
The jury is still out on defensive end Tyreke Smith and wide receivers Bo Melton and Darekee Young. Smith has been on injured reserve, while Melton is on the practice squad. Young has gotten into two games, splitting snaps between offense and special teams. They certainly haven’t had the same impact as their fellow rookies, but we’re only six weeks into their rookie seasons. It’s far too soon to write them off. Bear in mind we’re talking about a fifth and two seventh-round picks.
Yes, I know, I know, I already acknowledged we’ve only passed week six. But from what you’ve seen so far, do you have any doubt that the bookend tackles and twin corners will be Pro Bowlers for years to come? Mafe looks like the real deal, too. Way to get your mojo back, Pete and John. We’ll revisit this in, oh, fifteen years. I’m confident that this will prove to be the Seahawks best draft class ever. Perhaps even the best in league history.