Seahawks 2024 draft class

A mix of what Fans wanted and what Mike Macdonald needed: Seaside Joe 1883

I expected the Seattle Seahawks to focus on defense in the 2024 draft and they ended up making four picks on that side of the ball, including top pick Byron Murphy II in the first round. Though I felt the Seahawks would try to trade down from 16 if they could, Murphy was one prospect who stood out to me as a “stick and pick option” if he made it out of the top-15, but a lack of major activity on day one also suggests that Seattle didn’t get any good offers.

For example, the Philadelphia Eagles drafted two defensive backs who were expected to go much earlier with Quinyon Mitchell at pick 22 and trading up for Cooper DeJean at pick 40. If the Eagles could get two secondary prospects who they would have coveted in the first 20 picks if they could have done it earlier, it says that teams were not eager to move up in this class.

The Seahawks also managed to find good value relative to pre-draft expectations, including Murphy at 16 (instead of going in the top-10), Christian Haynes at pick 81, and several day three picks who wouldn’t have stood out had they been day two picks.

Four defensive picks, three offensive linemen, and one tight end expected to be more of an extra offensive lineman than a receiver. This was a combination of the picks that Mike Macdonald wanted and the picks that Seahawks fans wanted for the offensive line.

As I post this, the 2024 draft is not actually over. But the Seahawks don’t have any seventh round picks, so they would need to trade a future pick for a seventh, a move I find highly unlikely because they’d have to give up a 2025 sixth for a prospect who they might just be able to sign in a few hours.

Seahawks 2024 draft class

1.16 - DT Byron Murphy, Texas (Sizing up Byron Murphy)

3.81 - G Christian Haynes, UConn (Pick announced here)

4.118 - LB Tyrice Knight, UTEP

4.121 - TE A.J. Barner, Michigan

5.136 - CB Nehemiah Pritchett, Auburn

6.179 - G Sataoua Laumea, Utah

6.192 - CB D.J. James, Auburn

6.207 - OL Michael Jerrell, Findlay

LB Tyrice Knight, UTEP (draft phone call)

The Seahawks were connected to Knight early in the draft process so he was a popular mock draft pick for Seattle after that. He was The Athletic Dane Brugler’s 14th-ranked linebacker with a 5th-6th round grade because of “coverage limitations”, but also “he is a rabid dog against the run” so that explains the pick, if nothing else does.

On Seahawks: Knight should immediately compete to be next-man-up at linebacker behind Tyrel Dodson and Jerome Baker.

TE A.J. Barner, Michigan (draft phone call)

The tight end class was so hard to judge this year, there was a run on the position in the fourth round and the Seahawks got involved by taking Barner with the 121st pick. Dane Brugler had Barner as his ninth-ranked tight end and noted he is “lighter than ideal to be an every down Y tight end and doesn’t have resume of a playmaking receiver, but he is a solid athlete with pass catching upside and play personality to handle run-blocking duties. He can provide depth on an NFL roster,” which he is now doing on the Seahawks.

Of all the Seahawks fourth round picks under Schneider, two to pan out were tight ends Will Dissly and Colby Parkinson. Barner might not be that much worse off as a prospect than Dissly, who did have more pass catching abilities in the NFL than people expected coming out of Washington.

On Seahawks: Barner should be in the mix with free agent Pharoah Brown to be TE2 behind and next to Noah Fant. Perhaps a reunion with special teams coordinator Jay Harbaugh also.

CB Nehemiah Pritchett, Auburn (draft phone call)

If length and speed were everything, Nehemiah Pritchett would be a first round pick. He’s 6’, 190 with 31.5” arms and a 4.36 40-yard dash at the combine to go with a 1.55 10-yard split. He missed three games in 2023 with an ankle injury and had just three career interceptions over 40 career starts. Pritchett is Dane Brugler’s 16th-ranked cornerback prospect and had a fourth round grade. Said Brugler: “Needs to improve his tackling and downfield judgment skills but his length, speed, and character are traits NFL teams want to bring into the building.”

On the Seahawks: Anything other than special teams would be a surprise in 2024, with the chance to compete for a starting or rotational role by 2025. Seattle’s outside corners right now should be Riq Woolen, Mike Jackson, Tre Brown, and Artie Burns. Not even fifth round standout Richard Sherman started in Week 1 as a rookie, but Woolen did.

G Sataoua Laumea, Utah

Dane Brugler’s 9th-ranked guard prospect—ahead of Michigan’s Zak Zinter, a third round pick—the Seahawks picked Laumea in the sixth round. He started at right guard in 2020 and 2021, then right tackle in 2022 and 2023 with 44 career starts. He is 6’4, 319 lbs with 33” arms, but didn’t do much testing at his pro day because of a calf strain. He played in a zone-based run scheme at Utah and Brugler thinks he needs to improve his pass blocking before a team will throw him into the fire. Laumeau might play tackle in an emergency but is projected as a guard.

On the Seahawks: With Christian Haynes already drafted, would think Laumeau provides depth at the guard positions. The Seahawks have Laken Tomlinson (new), Tremayne Anchrum (new), George Fant (back), Anthony Bradford (2023 draft), McClendon Curtis (2023 UDFA), Raiqwon O’Neal (2023 UDFA), Nick Harris (new), Haynes (new), and Laumea (new) to find two—yes just two—guards…plus the depth obviously.

CB D.J. James, Auburn

He was Chris Simms THIRD-ranked cornerback in the entire class. Dane Brugler’s 12th-ranked cornerback prospect, right behind second round pick Max Melton, but the Seahawks get James in the sixth round. He is 5’11, 175 lbs, ran a 4.42 and 1.56, with 31” arms. He had five interceptions in the past three seasons and Brugler says that “if he can handle big slots and improve his consistency as a tackler, James will compete for a starting nickel role in the NFL.”

On the Seahawks: The Seahawks have plenty of options at nickel behind Devon Witherspoon, including James, Burns, Coby Bryant, and more. James should be a contributor on special teams.

OL Michael Jerrell, Findlay

NFL.com had Jerrell projected as a priority free agent and said he is “nowhere near ready to take an NFL snap” but could get drafted because of traits and athleticism. Jerrell is 6’4, 309 lbs and at his pro day he ran a 4.94 40-yard dash with 1.69 10-yard split and 26 reps on the bench. Dane Brugler said that Jerrell has a “steep learning curve” but is light on his feet and will make a good developmental project for an NFL team. On the ESPN broadcast, they mentioned Jerrell might move to guard in the NFL.

On the Seahawks: Add Jerrell to that guard mix too. His odds of making the roster are maybe only 50/50, Seattle may work him onto the practice squad because of the expected development curve.

Day 3 reality check

May all of these players be Richard Sherman and Kam Chancellor, but most likely the Saturday picks are for depth, practice squad, special teams, development, and a dose of “anything can happen”. Here are the Seahawks day three picks from 2018-2022:

Fourth round: Will Dissly, Gary Jennings, Phil Haynes, Ugo Amadi, Colby Parkinson, DeeJay Dallas, Tre Brown, Coby Bryant

Fifth round: Shaquem Griffin, Tre Flowers, Michael Dickson, Jamarco Jones, Ben Burr-Kirven, Alton Robinson, Riq Woolen, Tyreke Smith

Sixth round: Jacob Martin, Travis Homer, Demarcus Christmas, Freddie Swain, Stone Forsythe

Seventh round: Alex McGough, John Ursua, Stephen Sullivan, Bo Melton, Dareke Young

What’s the hit rate on a non-special teamer picked after the fourth round? Maybe it’s one-in-15 or so for players to actually be multiple year starters who aren’t liabilities, and I’m using Woolen as the example here even though he likely needs to compete to start for Macdonald in 2024.

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