The problem with rating any draft pick is the absence of scheme and need as determined by the club itself. Irvin could be considered a reach absent of knowing the scheme, design and intent behind his pick. Every pick in the NFL can be looked at that way. Usually their are picks so obvious, like Luck and Indy, that everyone knows the need. Without specifically understanding what Seattle wanted scheme with Irvin, it can be seen as a reach. In fact, I would bet Irvin would have looked like a reach on quite a few teams because they would have been unwilling to make him fit. That to me is where PC/JS made a great pick in Irvin because weren't picking him based on trying to fit him in there, they had a scheme and needed a player with the required skill set to go along with what they were already going to do. Their belief that they couldn't pass on him in the first round means they felt by the time they would pick next, he would be gone. Sure, maybe Irvin really rated a second round pick by a draft grade in a generic sense, but PC/JS probably didn't look at it as whether he was worth a first round pick per say, rather that he wouldn't survive the draft long enough to be their on their next pick in the draft. That is really all anyone has going into the draft, whether someone(s) with the skill set they want, will be there the next time they pick. Reality isn't they valued Irvin so highly as much as it was his skills were valued that highly for what they wanted to do and they didn't see where anyone with his skill set would be available later on.
This happen with Wilson. JS was reportedly wanting to pull the trigger on Wilson in the second round, but was talked out of it. Enter Wagner because they believed Wilson was going to be available by the time they picked next, and I bet they felt that Wagner wouldn't be. JS probably was scare Wilson wouldn't be available later, but being talked out of it included a little bit of how they scouted the other teams need on the board. I think here they probably believed Wilson was valued, but the value placed on him was less then their own evaluation, so took the risk because they had a need in the Line Backer Position. I really have no belief Flynn was much of a factor in them believing they had a safety net if JS was so hyped to pull the trigger in the second round. I think QB was still an issue they knew they needed to handle, but had to evaluate when to pull the trigger.
I think after the 3rd round you simply have a situation where it was less about who they wanted and who was left, and if anyone on their wanted list was left. Enter Turbin. I am pretty sure they had him strong on their board, but addressing a need for more RBs was way down the list behind the needs how the Hawks drafted in the first 3 rounds. There is a lot of internal drama in those first 3 rounds, Turbin though was probably the best available option that fit in the 4th round, and I think we have hardly discovered his value to this team yet because we have the luxury of Lynch in the backfield.
To be honest, I am in the camp that Wilson has hardly had his say yet in how underrated he was in the draft. I think that if the draft took place again he would be a top 3 pick overall, and the more he plays, the more that is going to be said about him. I don't care that folks think its too soon to say how great Wilson is, Me I love having the fantasy notion spinning tales about the legend he is yet to be and wondering what his HOF speech will be. I will be that sold out fan, illogical conclussions and all because I love the boy in me that saw Largent and Easely play without ever the concept of over analysis.
To be fair, I also remember my disapointment in the Boz and was approaching the era of being adult and is one of those things that help my adult responsible side argue for cautious declarations. But the kid in me wins out and I am all about screaming dynasty at this point and nobody's logic is going to stop me. Forget kool aid, I am in a hardcore acid induced delusion that I think the world will see over the next 10 years or so.