Seattle Seahawks: Recent first round draft picks have disappointed
By Samuel Teets
Recently, the Seattle Seahawks haven’t had many first-round picks. When they do, the front office chooses poorly and sets the team back.
From 2010, the first year under Pete Carroll, until now, the Seattle Seahawks have only made six first-round selections. That 2010 draft class was absolutely loaded with talent that eventually morphed into four Pro Bowlers. In that class, the Seahawks made two great first-round selections.
The team took Russell Okung sixth overall and Earl Thomas 14th overall. Okung made a Pro Bowl in 2012 and was the team’s left tackle for six seasons. Thomas became the best safety in the NFL and served as the X-factor in the Legion of Boom. Seattle also drafted Golden Tate (60th overall) and Kam Chancellor (133rd overall). Tate made a Pro Bowl after leaving Seattle and Chancellor took up the role as enforcer in the secondary.
Since that initial class though, Carroll’s team have struggled to find talented players in the first round. Most of the team’s best players have been taken in other rounds, which isn’t usually what you’d expect.
For instance, in 2011, the Seahawks got K.J. Wright in the fourth round and Richard Sherman in the fifth. One year later, the team took Bobby Wagner in the second round and Russell Wilson in the third. Do you know who the team took in the first round both of those years? Two average players who should have been mid-round selections.
The Seahawks made the playoffs in 2018 as a Wild Card team but were eliminated in the first round. From the past, we know that the team won’t make splashy free agency signings, which means they need to build through the draft. When the Seahawks miss on first rounders, they not only give up the chance to have a new starter, they also miss the opportunity to select other talented players.
At this point, the team’s needs are obvious. They need a star defensive back, more offensive linemen, a pass-catching tight end, and maybe a defensive end. The Seahawks cannot afford to whiff with their first round pick this year. That could set the organization back years.