Seattle Seahawks: Revisiting the botched 2016 NFL Draft

Fifth Round

Quinton Jefferson

The Seahawks first pick in the fifth round was Quinton Jefferson out of Maryland, taken with the 147th overall pick. He entered the league as a defensive tackle, but Seattle utilized him as a defensive end in 2018. Jefferson only saw action in a combined nine games through the first two seasons of his NFL career, but those two years were rocky.

In October 2016, Seattle placed him on IR. Then in September 2017, the Los Angeles Rams acquired him off of waivers before waiving him themselves. On Sept. 14, the Rams added Jefferson to their practice squad. Then Seattle stepped back in and signed him in early October of the same year. The craziness ended with the Seahawks signing Jefferson to a one-year deal, which expires when the 2018 season is officially over.

The Maryland product will become a restricted free agent. It’s hard to say whether he’ll be back for 2019 or not. He did start 12 games at defensive end in 2018, but he only recorded 25 combined tackles, five tackles for loss and three sacks. Those aren’t exactly starting numbers.

Jefferson was an attractive fifth-round selection. He had some production in his sophomore year at Maryland, but it wasn’t anything that jumped off the page. Jefferson then only played in three games his junior season, but he showed up big time as a senior.

In 11 games, he recorded 39 combined tackles, 12.5 tackles per loss and 6.5 sacks. So, despite the mostly missed season, Jefferson had solid production and showed growth during his time in school. While I’m personally not sold on him as a long-term starter on the Seahawks defense, he’s already surpassed expectations as a fifth-round selection. If not Seattle, someone will give him a shot this coming season.

Alex Collins

Collins was taken out of Arkansas with the 171st overall selection. Using a fifth-round pick on a potential hit or miss player isn’t a bad move and that’s what I think the Seahawks were doing. Collins had outstanding production at Arkansas. He rushed for over 1,000 yards in each of his three collegiate seasons, including 1,577 in 2015 to go along with 20 touchdowns. In many ways, he was the opposite of Prosise. Collins had almost no receiving yards in college and was a traditional ground and pound type back.

Collins did end up making the Seahawks roster, but only carried the ball 31 times for 125 yards and a touchdown in his rookie season. It was a season to forget and, in September 2017, the team cut Collins. Then the Baltimore Ravens swooped in and signed him to their practice squad. Within two weeks he was brought up to the active roster.

Collins carried the ball 212 times for 973 yards and six touchdowns with the Ravens in 2017. He failed to follow up though, and his injury-riddled 2018 season ended when he was placed on IR. Still, Collins has shown he can be an effective runner in the NFL. While moving on from him worked out in the end, Seattle didn’t give him enough time or reps to show his true abilities.