5 of the best draft classes of the last 10 years

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap300000 ... t-10-years

Back-to-back Super Bowl appearances were made possible by the significant draft hauls starting in 2010, when four players who were starters for that Super Bowl-winning team were selected.

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That's pretty much the draft class that started our current dominance, not really a surprise to see it on a list like this.

The Hawks 2012 draft was better than 2010. I guess I shouldn't complain about only having one entry on the list.

It's hilarious that they have the 2012 Colts draft on there, though.

I actually expected both 2012 and 2010 to be on there amazed it wasn't at least an honorable mention.

randomation":13gm30pa said:

I actually expected both 2012 and 2010 to be on there amazed it wasn't at least an honorable mention.

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They kind of cheated by combining all three classes into one pick. ("You could make a strong case that any one of those three draft classes is deserving of the top spot on this list.")

It is actually kind of hard to choose between the two:

2010 class produced five starters, four Pro Bowlers, and two future HoFers, including 2/3 members of the Legion of Boom.

2012 class also produced five starters, along with two Pro Bowlers. Getting a franchise QB in the 3rd Round kind of puts this class over the top. The Sweezy pick is also underrated. It's not often that teams find a four-year starter in the 7th Round. The Sweezy pick also created the mold for future draft picks for the offensive line, after a couple failed attempts at reaching higher in the draft for poorer athletes.

Poor choice on their part (laziness?) not to include UDFAs and draft capital should be a factor as well. Earl was a fantastic pick in 2010 but we had two picks in the top half of the first round, and as good as Kam/Baldwin were for value we had even better value out of other drafts. 2012 was Irvin, Wagner, Russell, Lane, Sweezy, Scruggs, and Kearse. That's far and away the best draft in our franchise history.

AgentDib":25plkwzt said:

Poor choice on their part (laziness?) not to include UDFAs and draft capital should be a factor as well. Earl was a fantastic pick in 2010 but we had two picks in the top half of the first round, and as good as Kam/Baldwin were for value we had even better value out of other drafts. 2012 was Irvin, Wagner, Russell, Lane, Sweezy, Scruggs, and Kearse. That's far and away the best draft in our franchise history.

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I don't think it should matter that much where you draft players, as long as you get great players. While I agree that the 2012 class should have received the edge because of Wilson, it's not that clear cut.

Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor are future HoFers, the greatest safety tandem in NFL history, and the heart of one of the best defenses in NFL history that has led the league in scoring defense for three consecutive seasons.

The selections of Wilson and Wagner are essentially tied with Thomas/Chancellor. They may not yet be sure-fire HoFers, but they certainly have a good chance to approach that level in the next several years of their respective careers. Getting a franchise QB in the 3rd Round is extremely rare.

When you compare the top selection in 2010 vs. 2012, they appear to be of almost equal value. Okung, at his best, has been a Pro Bowler. Even though he has has dealt with several injuries, he also plays one of the more critical positions at LT, while Irvin plays a less prestigious position of OLB in a 4-3. However, Irvin was selected nine picks lower than Okung and has dealt with fewer injuries (although he did face a PED suspension). On balance, I would say they are pretty much selections of equivalent value. Both are poised for big contract years. I will be interested to see which player, if either, the team elects to re-sign.

If everything above is about equal, that essentially leaves us to compare the following:

(1) Golden Tate vs. J.R. Sweezy - Tate was only a three-year starter and has done his best work away from the Seahawks, earning Pro Bowl recognition with Detroit. Both were high ceiling players who played inconsistently in their first three seasons as Seahawk starters. As a 7th Round pick, I am actually tempted to put Sweezy ahead, but I think this is also close.

(2) Walter Thurmond vs. Jeremy Lane - pretty damn equal (8 starts in four years vs. 4 starts in three), with both coming off serious injuries and maybe a slight edge to Lane in terms of overall ability.

(3) Anthony McCoy vs. Greg Scruggs - also pretty equal, as both have had multiple injuries and an outside chance to make the 53-man roster this year. Maybe slight edge to McCoy with his 14 starts.

Robert Turbin doesn't have an equal in the 2010 class. Or maybe it would be better to compare Tate with Turbin, giving Tate the clear edge, and then leaving Sweezy to put the 2012 class over the top.