Seahawks 2023 draft picks projected: Week 12

Seattle is set for unprecedented draft capital in 2023

When the Seattle Seahawks traded Russell Wilson in March, they completely flipped over their draft wealth for two years from a single transaction. From having zero picks in the first round and only one in the top-70, to owning picks nine, 40, 41, and 72 on the first two days of the draft.

Only a year earlier, the Seahawks made just three picks total: 56, 137, and 208.

The draft capital that Seattle possessed this year surpassed any other class in franchise history until you go all the way back to 1976 and 1977, the first two Seahawks’ drafts ever. In ‘76, Seattle picked second overall (Steve Niehaus, the first pick in Seahawks history), plus 29, 58, 59 (Steve Raible), 62, 89, 92, and 93.

Leave it up to NFL scouts that Steve Largent and Jim Zorn were undrafted free agents who the Seahawks were extremely fortunate to land in ‘76 after the Oilers and Cowboys let them go, respectively. The two would connect on passes for the next eight years with the Seahawks.

Then in ‘77, Seattle picked 14th overall, followed by 30th, 41st, 51st, 58th, and 87, giving the Seahawks six picks in the top-90 selections. In ‘81, the Seahawks chose Kenny Easley fourth overall and had four of the top-90 picks. The 1984 draft featured four of the top-90 picks, as well as the unique 1984 supplemental draft that included the likes of Steve Young and Reggie White going to other teams.

In 1990, Seattle picked Cortez Kennedy third overall and Chris Warren 89th overall, two of their four picks in the top-90. In 2000, the Seahawks had four of the top-80 choices, landing Shaun Alexander and Darrell Jackson. They practically did that again in 2001, drafting Steve Hutchinson, as well as Koren Robinson, Ken Lucas, and Heath Evans all in the first 82 picks.

But with four picks in the top-75 choices of the 2022 NFL Draft, including ninth overall, Pete Carroll truly did have his best ever opportunity as a head coach to come away rich with prospects. Now read this:

The Seahawks will have WAY more draft capital in 2023!

Carroll and John Schneider’s scouting department secured the likes of Charles Cross, Boye Mafe, Kenneth Walker III, Abe Lucas with day one and two selections, then Coby Bryant, Tariq Woolen, Tyreke Smith, Bo Melton, and Dareke Young on day three.

That was in large thanks to having four picks in the top-75. Well, based on today’s standings and a projected 2023 draft order, Seattle is set to have a top-five pick for the first time since 2009, two first round picks for the first time since 2010, four of the top-55 picks overall, five picks in the top-85, and for the first time in franchise history the Seahawks could have multiple first and second round picks in the same year.

Does that paragraph need an exclamation point? You’re damn right it does!

The Denver Broncos are all but out of the postseason race, meaning we will get their final draft order at the conclusion of Week 18, which is seven weeks away. Right now, the Broncos are projected for picks five and 35, but an important distinction will happen after all 32 teams have played the same number of games; Denver’s actual draft order could be as high second overall, but the Panthers and Bears have played an extra game and lost an extra game.

The final bye weeks are in Week 14.

The Seahawks remain in the NFC playoff hunt. If they reach the postseason, we won’t know their draft order until they are eliminated. This projection is based on a presumption of Seattle reaching the playoffs and losing in the wild card round. Of course, we hope this does not happen, it’s just a Week 12 projection.

This is the current projection of the Seahawks 2023 draft order, including projections for the compensatory picks that will push Seattle’s picks in rounds 4 and later down slightly.

1st round

5th overall (via DEN)

21st overall (wild card exit)

2nd round

35th overall (via DEN)

54th overall

3rd round

85th overall

4th round

125th overall

5th round

146th overall (via PIT)

165th overall

6th round

200th overall

For now, the Seahawks do not possess any other picks.

Notes about Seahawks draft/draft order:

• The Seahawks are not projected to have any 2023 compensatory picks.

• When teams that miss the playoffs have the same record, the tiebreaker is Strength of Schedule aka opponent winning percentage; the team with the easier schedule gets the higher pick. If SOS is tied, the league then goes to division and conference tiebreakers, followed by head-to-head record, common games, and then strength of victory.

• Once tiebreakers are determined, the NFL then cycles each team with a tied record. For example, if the Steelers, Dolphins, Raiders, and Vikings were all 7-10, and picked in that order in the first round, then in the second round the order would be Dolphins, Raiders, Vikings, then Steelers. In the third round, the Dolphins move to the back and the order is Raiders, Vikings, Steelers, Dolphins. And so on.

• If a minority candidate from the Seahawks is hired to be a head coach or general manager of another team, Seattle will receive third round compensatory picks in 2023 and 2024.

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