The Reasons Why They Drafted This Way

[Fade]

I am sure most of you guys know already. But I just want to put it out there for those unaware. This is how they are drafting:

BPA that are high character guys. It's how they drafted last year, and how they have started this year so far.

Reasons:

#1 The Malik McDowell experience was so damaging that they don't ever want to go through that again. Thus high character is a priority for them.

#2 L.J. Collier was a pick based solely on need and was an absolute disaster. I've banged the drum on this for years. I hate when "need" is mentioned when it pertains to the draft. In the NFL, roster turnover is so high, every position is a position of need. I'm glad the Seahawks have finally seen the light on this. You have to fit your draft to the talent pool available which is different every draft. Instead of treating it like you're shopping with a grocery list of needs that must be filled.

It does little good to fill "needs" when they're filled with guys like Marquis Blair, Germaine Ifedi, Dee Eskridge, L.J. Collier, etc.


#3 They value the tape more than the measurables now. The guys they are drafting have excellent tape. Some where along the way they got lost in SPARQ scores like your Christine Michael's, and Dee Eskridge's of the world and they would value that over the tape. The scale has been tilted back towards the tape.

#4 Last year's draft was such a resounding success, they are doubling down and keeping it going.


They are sticking to there methodology. The old Hawks would've taken D-Lineman with both picks, and they probably would've busted.

This is a really weird draft. It lacks blue chip talent, so Seattle got creative in the 1st round with Anderson off of the board, and no one willing to offer anything decent with a trade down.

They took a CB which they had a higher grade on than any of the remaining D-Lineman. And they took the best slot receiver in the draft at #20. Both the 1st players off of the board at their respective positions.

These guys can play for sure and will contribute right away. They are not at the desired positions of "need" (there's that word again.) some were hoping for (D-Line/O-Line), but this draft though lacking in blue chip is absolutely ripe for the pluckin' in rounds 2 and 3. This oddball draft is light up top, and thick in the middle, and the Hawks are in a good position to take some very talented players here upcoming.

 

[bigskydoc]

#5 They are building for 2024. 17 more picks, and one more run at free agency, before Pete steps up to the mic at Lumen field, to announce his retirement, following the Super Bowl LIX victory parade.

Or maybe he announces it the following year, after winning his second consecutive, and the first internationally hosted, Super Bowl, in London.

Great post.

 

[Seahawkwalt1967]

I am sure most of you guys know already. But I just want to put it out there for those unaware. This is how they are drafting:

BPA that are high character guys. It's how they drafted last year, and how they have started this year so far.

Reasons:

#1 The Malik McDowell experience was so damaging that they don't ever want to go through that again. Thus high character is a priority for them.

#2 L.J. Collier was a pick based solely on need and was an absolute disaster. I've banged the drum on this for years. I hate when "need" is mentioned when it pertains to the draft. In the NFL, roster turnover is so high, every position is a position of need. I'm glad the Seahawks have finally seen the light on this. You have to fit your draft to the talent pool available which is different every draft. Instead of treating it like you're shopping with a grocery list of needs that must be filled.

It does little good to fill "needs" when they're filled with guys like Marquis Blair, Germaine Ifedi, Dee Eskridge, L.J. Collier, etc.


#3 They value the tape more than the measurables now. The guys they are drafting have excellent tape. Some where along the way they got lost in SPARQ scores like your Christine Michael's, and Dee Eskridge's of the world and they would value that over the tape. The scale has been tilted back towards the tape.

#4 Last year's draft was such a resounding success, they are doubling down and keeping it going.


They are sticking to there methodology. The old Hawks would've taken D-Lineman with both picks, and they probably would've busted.

This is a really weird draft. It lacks blue chip talent, so Seattle got creative in the 1st round with Anderson off of the board, and no one willing to offer anything decent with a trade down.

They took a CB which they had a higher grade on than any of the remaining D-Lineman. And they took the best slot receiver in the draft at #20. Both the 1st players off of the board at their respective positions.

These guys can play for sure and will contribute right away. They are not at the desired positions of "need" (there's that word again.) some were hoping for (D-Line/O-Line), but this draft though lacking in blue chip is absolutely ripe for the pluckin' in rounds 2 and 3. This oddball draft is light up top, and thick in the middle, and the Hawks are in a good position to take some very talented players here upcoming.

#3 absolutely! Great point

 

[Smellyman]

Great post. Agree totally.

reaching for DL and especially DT in the first round would've been a big mistake. The depth of DTs (even edges) was going to be after the 1st especially 2nd and 3rd. reaching on a pick leads to a mediocre pick. They just got two dogs who are difference makers immediately, not sit and hope they can contribute in the future type players.

 

[Kingdome3]

I am sure most of you guys know already. But I just want to put it out there for those unaware. This is how they are drafting:

BPA that are high character guys. It's how they drafted last year, and how they have started this year so far.

Reasons:

#1 The Malik McDowell experience was so damaging that they don't ever want to go through that again. Thus high character is a priority for them.

#2 L.J. Collier was a pick based solely on need and was an absolute disaster. I've banged the drum on this for years. I hate when "need" is mentioned when it pertains to the draft. In the NFL, roster turnover is so high, every position is a position of need. I'm glad the Seahawks have finally seen the light on this. You have to fit your draft to the talent pool available which is different every draft. Instead of treating it like you're shopping with a grocery list of needs that must be filled.

It does little good to fill "needs" when they're filled with guys like Marquis Blair, Germaine Ifedi, Dee Eskridge, L.J. Collier, etc.


#3 They value the tape more than the measurables now. The guys they are drafting have excellent tape. Some where along the way they got lost in SPARQ scores like your Christine Michael's, and Dee Eskridge's of the world and they would value that over the tape. The scale has been tilted back towards the tape.

#4 Last year's draft was such a resounding success, they are doubling down and keeping it going.


They are sticking to there methodology. The old Hawks would've taken D-Lineman with both picks, and they probably would've busted.

This is a really weird draft. It lacks blue chip talent, so Seattle got creative in the 1st round with Anderson off of the board, and no one willing to offer anything decent with a trade down.

They took a CB which they had a higher grade on than any of the remaining D-Lineman. And they took the best slot receiver in the draft at #20. Both the 1st players off of the board at their respective positions.

These guys can play for sure and will contribute right away. They are not at the desired positions of "need" (there's that word again.) some were hoping for (D-Line/O-Line), but this draft though lacking in blue chip is absolutely ripe for the pluckin' in rounds 2 and 3. This oddball draft is light up top, and thick in the middle, and the Hawks are in a good position to take some very talented players here upcoming.

Man you did an outstanding job explaining hopefully our Seahawks new way of Drafting brother!!! THANKS brother!!!

GoSEAHAWKS!!!

 

[keasley45]

Great post. Agree totally.

reaching for DL and especially DT in the first round would've been a big mistake. The depth of DTs (even edges) was going to be after the 1st especially 2nd and 3rd. reaching on a pick leads to a mediocre pick. They just got two dogs who are difference makers immediately, not sit and hope they can contribute in the future type players.

Yup.

Coburn is still on the board and Tuipulotu is there as well and possesses the fast twitch ability and inside / outside flexibility they like. Coburn would be a nice, stout, run stopping rotational piece to spell Woods, assuming we resign him.

Both can be had later than our next two picks. Neither is 'elite' but both are examples of the talent and high end potential that will be around likely into the 3rd and 4th rounds.

All this means they can afford to look at o-line and qb / other bpa selections in round 2 if they choose to.

I too expected them to go Dline in rd 1, but after resetting expectations and seeing how theyre approaching things, i see where theyre going and like it.

 

[sutz]

That and Pete builds his defense from the back end forward anyway.

The first ever defensive player he selected was ETIII at 14 (after Russell Okung at 6)
In that 2010 draft he selected two DBs (Thomas and Thurmond, 111) before any DL (EJ Wilson, DE, 127) and 3 DBs over 1 DL and 1 LB (Dexter Davis, 236? )

Pete does love him some DBs.

 

[Yxes1122]

At the end of the day, we don't need to do mental gymnastics to see how these players are going to be good.

Witherspoon starts day 1 on the Left Side. JSN starts day 1 in the slot. And the only surprise is that Seattle picked a corner, not that Witherspoon didn't deserve his draft slot. Barring injury, Seattle just got 2 more players that will take a ton of snaps in their rookie year.

After drafts like 2016-2019, this is a good feeling.

I still remember trying to justify LJ Collier and Marquise Blair the last time Seattle started a draft with 2 1st rounders.

 

[rjdriver]

Solid post...

Think about this..

With the success we have had the last decade, we haven't sniffed the opportunity to take any consensus #1 player at their respective position, offense or defense (punter excluded). Even Charles Cross was seen as the third best tackle last year when we picked at #9.

This year we took the DB that EVERYONE had at number one on their board. Then we follow it up with the WR most had rated at #1. Both these guys were gone in the first 10 picks of almost every mock. We just drafted the best WR and the best DB the 2023 draft had to offer.

Even if you wanted the Hawks to go in a different direction (like I did), I don't know how you can't see the silver lining in round one of this draft.

 

[HoldYourHawk]

Way to many fans convince themselves prior to the draft that player X will be a bonified day one starter and solid draft pick, then when their team drafts player Y, their built up reality is shattered and they are pissed. Sometimes the fans are right, more often than not they are wrong.

"Tilt the field" Starters in the NFL aren't guaranteed, but if you nail just a few of them through the draft, you've struck gold. After reflecting on yesterday's draft I can't help but feel that's what Seattle got in both Spoon and JSN.

 

[irfuben32]

"This is a really weird draft. It lacks blue chip talent, so Seattle got creative in the 1st round with Anderson off of the board, and no one willing to offer anything decent with a trade down."


I was underwhelmed by what teams were getting to trade back. I guess the Mock Draft Sim spoiled me.

 

[jammerhawk]

Excellent post Fade, must say I completely agree. Spot on assessments for sure, especially about the trades.

We do have to acknowledge the team ‘needed’ that guy at LCB and a quality WR to challenge for the #3 slot. Both players were positionally the #1 players for their positions so there is that as well.

To me it was pretty clear that desired high character will now be essential to the choice and drafting purely for need is not going to occur this draft.

Not unhappy at all so far.

 

[James in PA]

The Hawks Nest on Youtube made a good point about last year's draft versus this year's draft (so far). This year we have drafted with the same philosophy as last year (BPA). But last year, "value" and "need" lined up perfectly. This year, not as much (at least so far). No, Carter wasn't a good value at 5 because of all the red flags, so they took the BPA with no red flags.

 

[justafan]

Good post. BPA was the way to go.

This wasn't a win now move, it will have positive salary cap implications 3 or 4 years down the road. We can reallocate money spent on safeties to CBs which have higher positional value.

I love big uglies over WRs but this gives us options with Locketts contract when the sad day comes we have to let him go. We can allocate money to OTs.


If the next BPA was someone like Mayer at TE or a S, I would be disappointed but again it sets the table to dump high dollar contracts to get the salary cap repositioned for more valuable positions.

I think they are looking at the whole team in a long term view.

 

[warden]

In this draft The Seahawks drafted the top player in two different positions

To put that into Perspective, in the previous 13 drafts by Pete and John, they only managed to draft one player considered to be the best at his position and that was punter Dixon

 

[hgwellz12]

Anyone else hearing that Jalen Carter's (former) coaches are pretty much just dogging him/not giving him anything CLOSE to a ringing endorsement in, I guess, the media and NFL front offices? Is that real deal?
if so, my earlier assertion that he might have been a pretty shitty pick for us/is likely in the best situation in PHI rings even more true.

 

[irfuben32]

Collier wasn't just bad because he was a need pick. They just picked the wrong guy. They wanted someone who could play inside and outside, Dremont Jones was taken in the the third round.

 

[GGotskill]

Anyone else hearing that Jalen Carter's (former) coaches are pretty much just dogging him/not giving him anything CLOSE to a ringing endorsement in, I guess, the media and NFL front offices? Is that real deal?
if so, my earlier assertion that he might have been a pretty shitty pick for us/is likely in the best situation in PHI rings even more true.

Jalen Carter overcame not-great feedback from Georgia coaches to stay in top 10

College coaches who are asked about their former players often face a dilemma.

profootballtalk.nbcsports.com

 

[hgwellz12]

Jalen Carter overcame not-great feedback from Georgia coaches to stay in top 10

College coaches who are asked about their former players often face a dilemma.

profootballtalk.nbcsports.com

Yeah that's where I heard it (Florio & Simms). I can't wait to hear the specifics.

 

[chris98251]

With where we picked you want payoff not risk, these two guys fill need and upgrade us to a good group of CB's AND WR's to potentially great in those groups. Also remember we have a history of asking our guys to play physical, having good depth with little or no drop off, able to put a variety of packages on the field, match up with almost any combination of opponents. Our DB's playing as physical as they do get dinged a lot. this helps that issue. At WR this kid will take pressure off Lockett especially, when we need a go to 1st down teams look to take away Lockett, this kid in a 3 set will take that option away or pay a price.