The Seattle Seahawks ended up with 11 draft picks in 2017, certainly one of the more sizeable hauls in the NFL. But how are those players doing heading into their second year in the league?
Round 2, 35th Pick- Malik McDowell, DT, Michigan State
McDowell can now safely be considered a bust after reports surfaced that the Seahawks will release him this offseason. He was hurt in a terrible ATV accident before playing a down in Seattle and likely will not play football again.
Round 2, 58th Pick- Ethan Pocic, OL, Louisiana State
Pocic did not start until week seven but he stuck himself in the lineup and did not come out for the rest of the year. He was so impressive that he was named to the NFL’s All-Rookie Team. That is the most promise an offensive linemen has shown for the Seahawks in years. Pocic has reportedly bulked up by about 20 pounds this offseason. This could help him become more of a drive blocker and help him anchor against bigger defenders, which he struggled with at times last year.
Round 3, 90th Pick- Shaquill Griffin, CB, Central Florida
Saying Griffin exceeded expectations is an understatement. He was very impressive in his rookie campaign. Griffin locked up the cornerback spot opposite Richard Sherman in training camp and then took over Sherman’s spot when he was injured. He got a pick, a sack and almost 60 tackles in 15 games last year. His stellar play was a large part in the decision to let Sherman go, or it at least eased the transition. He brings size, speed and a knack for being in the right place to the defense and I can only see him getting better.
Round 3, 95th Pick- Delano Hill, S, Michigan
Hill got 5 tackles in his rookie year, most of them came on special teams. When he was drafted he was seen as a possible starter down the road since Seattle still had Earl Thomas, Kam Chancellor and Bradley McDougald. He ended up sticking to the bench but he flashed on special teams and has gotten positive reviews this offseason. If the Seahawks start using more three safety looks he could be the guy they bring in this year.
Round 3, 102nd Pick- Nazair Jones, DT, North Carolina
Jones was great in the preseason and he looked like he could step into the rotation immediately. He had a good burst with his pass rush and showed good awareness, but injuries limited him to just 11 games last year. He ended the year with 19 total tackles, 2 sacks, a pick and a fumble recovery in his limited action. Jones has shown he can contribute for the Seahawks and they expect him to up his production in 2018.
Round 3, 106th Pick- Amara Darboh, WR, Michigan
Darboh was a good player on special teams as a rookie, and he performed well when he was a wide receiver. His stat line for the year was only 8 catches for 71 yards but he was asked to block and run decoy routes more than anything else. Seattle is hoping he can make a step forward this year and maybe push for the third or fourth receiver role. Darboh has good size and speed, at 6’2” and 220 pounds and clocking a forty time of 4.45 seconds, his football intelligence is steadily increasing as well. His sophomore campaign should see him catching the first few touchdown passes of his career.
Round 4, 111th Pick- Tedric Thompson, S, Colorado
Thompson’s story is much like Hill’s, safeties with a lot of potential coming into an already stacked position for Seattle. He made two tackles in his playing time last year, which mostly came on special teams. Thompson was an excellent pass defender in college and Seattle is hoping he can become their free safety if Earl Thomas is gone in the near future. He will most likely suit up for more than the nine games he appeared in last year.
Round 6, 187th Pick- Mike Tyson, S, Cincinnati
Tyson was the third safety the Seahawks chose in 2017, so it was already an uphill battle for him to make an impact. He has been tried out as a corner as well as at the safety position he played in college, so that could have slowed his development since he was splitting duties. Tyson did not get any tackles or stats of any kind last year, but that was somewhat expected with the swollen defensive backfield last year. This year he has a full offseason under his belt and a clearer path to playing time. If he beats out Thompson and Hill he could definitely see the field in some sub packages and as a rotation player.
Round 6, 210th Pick- Justin Senior, OL, Mississippi State
Senior has already been cut by the Seahawks so he is one of the picks that has already not worked out.
Round 7, 226th Pick- David Moore, WR, East Central
Moore is a 6’2” 220-pound ball of potential. He appeared in just one game last year for Seattle and did not register a catch. Moore was dominant in college though and the Seahawks are hoping he brings some of the skills that allowed him to score 35 touchdowns at East Central to the team. The Seahawks thought so much of him last year that they signed him off their practice squad in November because they were scared another team was going to make a move first. I think he is one of the receivers on the bubble this year and might not make the team unless he shows a lot of improvement in training camp.
Round 7, 249th Pick- Chris Carson, RB, Oklahoma State
Carson was probably the best pick in this draft for Seattle. They got a starting running back in the seventh round! He was flashing his skills as soon as he was on the field with the team and people were raving about him. I know a few sports reporters who thought he should be the starter when they first saw him in training camp, and they were right. Seattle needed to give him the rock, not Eddie Lacy or Thomas Rawls. Unfortunately, Carson was injured in his fourth game and lost for the year. He gained more than 200 yards in those games and averaged more than four yards a carry. He has given the whole team confidence that he can produce, but they wanted to hedge their bets so they picked up Rashaad Penny in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft. I think they will be slitting time unless one of them really separates himself from the rest of the backs.
