Training camp preview: Assessing present value of every remaining Seahawks draft class
Seaside Joe 1227: A year-by-year review of the Seahawks picks that remain on the roster
Chapters never really close in the NFL. Though it is easy to say that the departures of Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner is the end of an era—and in some way, yes, this is true—the concept of a “franchise” is much more like an organism than it is like a book.
We can’t say goodbye to the 2013 era Seattle Seahawks while Pete Carroll is the head coach, for example. And even when Carroll is not the head coach, all the players, coaches, and fans that he connected with and brought in will mean that a piece of the “Legion of Boom” Seahawks will remain in place in some form for many more decades to come.
Why else does it seem like so many franchises never change? The first example that comes to the mind is the Pittsburgh Steelers, a franchise that has fought hard to keep the same identity in place over the last 53 years…by only make two head coaching changes in that time.
Another would be the Chicago Bears, a team that has been known for great defense since the 1920’s. Even if it’s not always what they do well anymore, it will always be expected to be something that the Bears should do well.
In a much more tangible way than metaphors, the release of Wagner officially ended the tenure of the last remaining Seahawk to be drafted prior to 2015. And it would only take two more departures—one of which is expected—to mean that no Seattle draftee earlier than the 2018 class has remained on the team for his entire contract.
The Seahawks drafted Quinton Jefferson in the fifth round in 2016, but only returned to Seattle this offseason after two years on other teams. Chris Carson, a seventh round pick in 2017, could be released midway through his two-year second contract because of a neck injury.
Tyler Lockett is the only one standing between Rashaad Penny, Will Dissly, and Michael Dickson being the longest-tenured Seahawks draftees.
How heavily will the Seattle Seahawks be leaning on each of Pete and John’s draft classes for this training camp and hopefully for all the players, the regular season? This review of the remaining players from each draft class is of drafted players only. I didn’t do all undrafted free agents. I just did drafted players, with three notable exceptions.
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2012 Draft Class
Even though the Seahawks don’t have any players remaining from the 2012 class, I do think that we make an exception: Seattle was able to trade their 2012 third round draft pick for some considerable roster value in 2022.
Russell Wilson =
Charles Cross
Kenneth Walker III
Noah Fant
Shelby Harris
Drew Lock
We’ll get to Cross and Walker during the 2022 write-up. The Seahawks managed to turn Wilson into at least two veteran starters. Harris should be one of Seattle’s most heavily-used defensive linemen in 2022. Fant may not beat Dissly for TE1, but we expect Shane Waldron to target the tight ends heavily in his scheme this season. Fant seems to be a superior receiving tight end to anyone else who could challenge him.
Lock might also become the starting quarterback.
2015 Draft Class
WR Tyler Lockett
Tyler Lockett is stepping into the role of being the most veteran Seahawk on the Seahawks this season. He could also be the most valuable.
A footnote is that the remaining pieces of the Frank Clark trade are L.J. Collier, Damien Lewis, Alton Robinson, and Cody Barton. Despite Collier being a disappointment, the rest is not bad for third and fifth round picks.
2016 Draft Class
None
We were all excited by C.J. Prosise back then.
2017 Draft Class
RB Chris Carson
I hope that Chris Carson makes the team, that would be such an exciting running backs room.
Carson was the last of 11 Seahawks picks in 2017, and he outlasted them all, with Shaquill Griffin (71 games), Ethan Pocic (57), David Moore (50), and Lano Hill (42) making the most appearances of that class.
2018 Draft Class
RB Rashaad Penny, TE Will Dissly, P Michael Dickson, Signed: NT Poona Ford
Four years later, it is fair to say that Dickson is the 2018 draft pick that the franchise has most prioritized, signing him to a four-year, $14.7 million extension before taking care of Dissly and Penny in 2022 free agency.
Seattle made six other selections in 2018, with Rasheem Green and Jamarco Jones being the latest to leave without making the impact that fans had hoped for on draft day.
At this point in the exercise, it is not difficult to see why the Seahawks are stuck re-tooling after so many straight winning seasons. Between 2013 and 2018, Pete and John made 58 draft selections but only five of those picks remain and not a single one of them is on defense. Outside of one second round selection, like Lockett, Penny, Carson, and Dissly, another offensive selection, the 2019 class did not get any better.
2019 Draft Class
DE L.J. Collier, DB Marquise Blair, WR DK Metcalf, LB Cody Barton, G Phil Haynes, DB Ugo Amadi, LB Ben Burr-Kirven, RB Travis Homer, Signed: DT Bryan Mone
It’s only been three seasons, and Metcalf is the only real “get” here, but after going over every year before this one it is almost a relief to have a class with eight names remaining. There’s even a chance that they all make the final 53-man roster, but to be fair that might not be the case if Seattle had a better and deeper roster this year.
How many of these players would make Seattle’s final 53-man roster if it was 2014? Two? I’m not sure.
DK is DK. The rest of this class could potentially be gone in 2023.
That’s maybe the most concerning sentence I’ve written about the Seahawks all year.
Barton, Amadi, and Homer were three of the most consistent players on special teams last season. Barton is competing to start at inside linebacker. I would imagine that even if Haynes doesn’t win a starting job, he will start at some point in the year. If Collier appears to be the same player in camp that he’s been over his first three years, I would think it better to give that roster spot to someone younger who may have potential. The position wouldn’t really matter, Collier’s role doesn’t seem to be that important.
“I am sure you were a great lady. RIP.”
2020 Draft Class
ILB Jordyn Brooks, OLB Darrell Taylor, G Damien Lewis, TE Colby Parkinson, RB DeeJay Dallas, DE Alton Robinson, WR Freddie Swain
So the only players gone from the 2019-2020 draft classes are Gary Jennings Jr., Demarcus Christmas, John Ursua, and Stephen Sullivan, and three of those players were drafted outside the top-200.
I would say that so far it is just an okay class. This isn’t meant to disregard the excitement that you probably feel for at least one of these prospects, if not three or four. But if I say that this draft class is “good” then what am I supposed to say about teams that draft early-career Pro Bowl stars? Players who aren’t really “prospects” anymore?
Relatively speaking to what the Seahawks did over the previous seven draft classes, this is GREAT. Relative to other NFL teams, it’s okay with a chance to be very good.
Taylor is the one who fans can reasonably expect to be the breakout superstar of the group. It’s not that Brooks can’t be one of the best at his position, it’s just a fact that pass rushers get much more attention than inside or off-ball linebackers.
Parkinson is only 23 and he plays the position that seems to most-often yield results after several years of unproductive development. Which is a compliment, I guess? But by the end of the season, it is possible that the Seahawks can call it a great class because at least three of these players will be starting, if not four or five.
2021 Draft Class
WR Dee Eskridge, CB Tre Brown, OL Stone Forsythe, Signed: RT Jake Curhan
It would be a lot better if Eskridge was the starting number three receiver instead of Swain. But I understand why fans would hesitate after suffering through injury-riddled career setbacks with players like Penny, Prosise, Paul Richardson, and many more.
I know Charles Cross, Abe Lucas, and Jake Curhan will make the team. Is Forsythe a lock too? What if Greg Eiland or Liam Ryan have a great camp?
Brown’s status for the start of training camp is in doubt. Same for Blair, Burr-Kirven, and Jon Rhattigan.
There is going to be a lot of pressure on Eskridge to save Seattle’s 2021 class from being another that yields no long-term answers.
2022 Draft Class
LT Charles Cross, OLB Boye Mafe, RB Kenneth Walker, RT Abe Lucas, CB Coby Bryant, CB Tariq Woolen, DE Tyreke Smith, WR Bo Melton, WR Dareke Young
Of course the class is still intact, but the rookie class also represents 33% of all the players on the Seahawks’ current roster who were drafted by the Seahawks.
If eight or all nine of these prospects make the roster, then it will surely be an even higher percentage. Cross will start from day one, while Mafe and Walker should see the field every week.
Bryant could be the next most-likely to start, because he comes into a situation with practically three starters and the type of experience that should allow him to contribute right away. Bryant isn’t considered the “high ceiling” corner that Cincinnati teammate Sauce Gardner is credited as, but the veteran competition he’s facing isn’t too threatening and there are already injuries involved with several.
Lucas could start at right tackle, meaning there’s a chance that we see all five of Seattle’s first five picks starting in a game at some point. If not at some point soon.
"I am sure you were a great lady. RIP." < this got me good.
I've been watching our dumpster fire drafts and wondering if those amazing early PCJS drafts were primarily down to Scott McLaughlin's eye for talent? Seems like our good drafts coincided with his time in our front office/scouting dept.
“the concept of a “franchise” is much more like an organism than it is like a book!”
True in the college ranks also; you probably could name Quarterback U, Linebacker U, etc.