Seattle Seahawks’ general manager John Schneider has been running draft rooms for about a million years. But until 2024, he had been doing it with head coach Pete Carroll by his side. Their combined expertise had resulted in some magical hauls in the early 2010s. Names like Thomas and Sherman, Wagner and Wilson, Lockett and Clark.
Those drafts helped Seattle to a 98-45-1 record and a Super Bowl Championship between 2012 and 2020. But eventually the magic wore off. Schneider and Carroll began missing on picks – especially in the early rounds in the second half of the decade and that, as much as anything, led to a period of mediocrity that eventually resulted in Carroll’s departure.
Before he left, he and Schneider appeared to regain their touch. The 2022 and 2023 classes infused the club with a lot of new talent. Things were trending back up. So the big question, entering the 2024 draft, was how John Schneider would fare without his longtime colleague by his side.
A new look at the Seattle Seahawks' 2024 draft class
Now that we’ve had almost two full seasons to evaluate performance, let’s assign some grades to the Seattle Seahawks’ 2024 draft class.
Schneider made four distinct trades that impacted the 2024 selections. Two of his native picks ended up bringing Leonard Williams to town. A clear win. A couple more were involved in the Sam Howell trade. Oh, well. Can’t win ‘em all. You need a PhD in logistics to track the swaps that involved the Day 3 picks.
Suffice to say, he ended up with eight picks – one in Rounds one, three, and five, two in Round four, and three in Round six. They were, in reverse order…
Round six, pick 207: Michael Jerrell, offensive tackle
With his final pick, Schneider took a flyer on a big, athletic developmental tackle from the D2 University of Findlay. Jerrell impressed throughout the summer and made the roster. Injuries forced Seattle into a revolving door at right tackle, and Jerrell took his turn in the middle of the season. He played rather well at first, but that play fell off over the next few games, and he returned to the bench.
Despite showing some promise, Schneider decided he did not have a future in Seattle and dealt him to Atlanta before the start of the 2025 season. He flipped him for a conditional seventh-round pick. All in all, a decent gamble who did actually play and provided some minimal value with his departure.
Grade: C
Round six, pick 192: D.J. James, cornerback
James was a very successful corner at a couple of big-time programs in college and was seen by some as a steal. But he had a very slender frame and ultimately was not able to be physical enough against NFL receivers. He was released in the final cuts before 2024 and was not brought back to the practice squad. He wound up in New England for a while, but as of now, he is not on an NFL roster.
Grade: F
Round six, pick 179: Sataoa Laumea, guard
Schneider went into the draft knowing he needed help on the offensive line. Laumea was the second of three linemen he chose (Jerrell being the third). Laumea, from Utah, arrived with a lot of physical tools but limited technique.
He took a turn at the problematic right guard spot in the second half of the season, vaulting over a higher-profile player to do so. But his play was not deemed acceptable, and he was released before the 2025 season after a new batch of prospects arrived. He was on the New Orleans practice squad earlier this year, but as of now is not on any roster.
Grade: D
Round five, pick 136: Nehemiah Pritchett, cornerback
Like D.J. James, Pritchett was an Auburn cornerback who brought some excellent physical gifts to the pros. He had the length and speed to be a legitimate perimeter corner. He flashed some excellent playmaking ability in the preseason but flamed out early in the regular season.
As such, he remained primarily a special teamer during his rookie year and then had to fend off challenges to retain a roster spot. But he has done so and now has a role as a depth corner and core special teamer.
Grade: C-
Round four, pick 121: AJ Barner, tight end
A home run all the way around. Barner was supposed to be a decent two-way tight end who could primarily help out with his run blocking, while also being an adequate receiving option. He has exceeded expectations in both areas, particularly as a receiver.
As Jaxon Smith-Njigba has become a lethal downfield threat this year, Barner has assumed the role of Sam Darnold’s second choice and primary possession receiver. If 2025 pick Elijah Arroyo shows similar development, Seattle will have an exceptional pair of tight ends in the years to come.
Grade: A
Round four, pick 118: Tyrice Knight, linebacker
Knight looked like a steal during his rookie season. When Mike Macdonald decided he had the wrong linebackers in place for his system, Knight was one of the players he turned to to correct the problem. As a rookie, he performed quite well alongside Ernest Jones IV.
He really did not fall off in his second season, but some injury issues opened the door for Drake Thomas to take over, and Thomas seized the chance. Knight is now contributing more on special teams, but remains a very good option should either Jones or Thomas go out with an injury.
Grade: B
Round three, pick 82: Christian Haynes, guard
During his rookie season, Haynes was the biggest disappointment of the 2024 class. When Anthony Bradford went down with an injury, Haynes should have been the one to step in at right guard. But Laumea, chosen almost 100 picks after him, got the call.
Questions were asked about whether the Connecticut product would ever live up to his third-round pedigree. A change in coaching and run game strategy was seen as an opening this year, but he has still struggled to get on the field.
There are now a lot of prospects vying to take over should Bradford depart via free agency, and Haynes has been taking snaps at center to improve his value. Not quite the disaster he appeared last season, but still an iffy choice.
Grade: D+
Round one, pick 16: Byron Murphy II, defensive lineman
Great teams don’t get that way by finding decent pros in the first round. They find studs. Schneider got his most important pick right in his first solo draft. With Leonard Williams and Jarran Reed on board, Seattle didn’t necessarily need another defensive lineman.
But NFL teams always need defensive linemen when they can play like Murphy. In his second season, he is well on his way to inheriting the mantle from Williams as the team’s most dominant defensive lineman. Having them together for a while is a joy for fans to behold.
Grade: A+
The three sixth-rounders are all gone, and Haynes has underperformed. But Murphy, Barner, and Knight have been very good additions, making Schneider’s first solo draft fairly successful – at least at this juncture.