3 first-round mistakes that continue to haunt Seattle Seahawks

L.J. Collier, defensive tackle - 2019 draft, pick 29

Seattle could have had Dalton Risner, offensive lineman

Collier is one of Seattle's worst first-round picks in franchise history. Seattle did need defensive line help in 2019, but taking Collier was still a bit like choosing Penny the year before. Collier also was more of a tweener who the Seahawks must have seen some Michael Bennett-type qualities in. The difference between Bennett, who went undrafted out of college in 2009, and Collier was that once they were in the league Bennett worked hard and Collier did not.

Collier somehow found his way to starting 16 games in 2020. Those would be the only games he would ever start with the team. He also had 3 sacks that season and those would be the only sacks he ever had. But make no mistake that Collier was not good in 2020 either. He underperformed in terms of pass rush and stopping the run and by 2021 and 2022 he was a healthier scratch than an active player on game days.

It would be too easy to say Seattle could have taken A.J. Brown instead of Collier (Brown went in the second round) or possibly Deebo Samuel. But the Seahawks did take DK Metcalf in the second round of that draft so arguing that Seattle could have had a receiver instead of Collier would have meant no Metcalf. But Dalton Risner has been a solid interior lineman. He would have been in his second season in 2020 when the Seahawks took Damien Lewis. In theory, Seattle's starting guards the last four years could have been Lewis and Risner and that would have been excellent.

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