Change your heart or die: Evaluating Seahawks 2023 draft class

It's almost uncanny how quickly the Seattle Seahawks' team-building philosophy changed after trading quarterback Russell Wilson. In years past, head coach Pete Carroll and GM John Schneider put a laser focus on the team they had, taking players they thought could fill very specific weaknesses without affecting what anyone else on the team did. As a result, the team became one of the most predictable in football and often found themselves looking up at other teams as an also-ran.

Last year, the team deviated quite starkly from the formulas of years prior, refusing to trade back for more bites at the proverbial apple. They picked players that outside voices agreed were good fits, such as left tackle Charles Cross, right tackle Abe Lucas, edge rusher Boye Mafe, and cornerback Tariq Woolen. It worked better and faster than most anyone thought it could.

This year marked that change of philosophy official, as the Seattle Seahawks again chose to take chalky, projectable players. They selected the consensus best player available on numerous occasions, forgoing the opportunity to pick the pet projects they often opted for in years past.

Seattle Seahawks seemed to have bounced back to their 2010s days when it comes to NFL drafts

Gone are the Dee Eskridges, Malik McDowells, and Marquise Blairs. Say goodbye to selecting LJ Collier in the first round. This is the version of Pete Carroll, Vice President of Football Operations, and John Schneider, General Manager that we haven't seen since the halcyon days of the early 20-teens.