In 2023, the Seattle Seahawks once again drafted two top players. Are they collecting corpses or is there some quality?
For the second straight time and third time in four years, the Seattle Seahawks have drafted a cornerback in both the second and fifth rounds. Remember, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.
To summarize, the Seattle Seahawks have been selected.
2020 – 2nd round (48th overall) Darrell Taylor-Tennessee, 5th round (148th overall) Alton Robinson – Syracuse.
2022 – 2nd round (40th overall) Boy Maffe – Minnesota, 5th round (158th overall) Tyreke Smith – Ohio State.
2023 – 2nd round (37th overall) Derrick Hall – Auburn, 5th round (151st overall) Mike Morris – Michigan.
Whether or not the Seahawks used their pick wisely is a discussion for another day. The question we asked our writers is:
Ed Stein
Maybe the Seattle Seahawks don’t have as much quality because there isn’t a game changer in the group. But they definitely have a number. Uchenna Nwosu, Darrell Taylor, Boy Maffe, Alton Robinson, Tyreke Smith, this year’s second-round pick Derrick Hall and fifth-round pick Mike Morris are No. 7.
The quantity is not bad. Every NFL team uses rotation on the interior defensive line to keep their players fresh. Why not do it on the edge too?
If the Seahawks could take advantage of a depleted quarterback offense in the fourth, more power to them. Does it really matter who gets the sacks, as long as they count?
Andrew Elderbaum
I think the Seattle Mariners might have both. Nwosu and Taylor are both capable of double-digit sacks. Maffe should contribute more in Year 2.
Hall should be fine, and if they use fifth-round pick Mike Morris as a situational rusher, he has upside. Dre’Mont Jones can also slide out to the edge.
This year we will see more rotations to keep guys fresh. In a defensive backfield with Julian Love and Quandre Diggs, Jamal Adams will again be used as a rusher, and he excelled in that role two years ago.
If everyone stays healthy, 8-10 sacks from Adams, Nwosu and Taylor is very possible. One game of the other puts Seattle between 45-47. Last year’s total was 45.
To answer the original question, Seattle has a number of quality rushers and I bet they break 50 sacks this year.
Joe Swanson
What works best for the Seahawks, especially with the young talented corners they have right now, is to have high-motor running backs. This is very similar to the Seattle model used from 2012-2015.
Nwosu and Taylor both tied for the top 20 in sacks and both tied for 6th in fumbles forced. The backups are both second-round picks (Maffei in 2022 and Hall, who has elite speed in 2023).
Throw in Alton Robinson, who led the team with 9.5 points per game, as well as 2022 draft wild card Tyreke Smith, and the Seattle Seahawks have bulk but upside and potential.
Getting to the quarterback, stuffing rushers in the backfield or snapping some balls, it makes everyone better on defense.
Chip Clarke
I am still waiting for someone called Uchenna Nwosu to be a consistent factor. None of the Seattle Seahawks’ edge rushers have become players for other teams to account for.
In that sense, Seattle has nothing special in terms of quality. As for quantity, if it’s about bodies that can play the position, then yes, the Seahawks have quantity. I don’t think the amount of talent they have.
Do you think Seattle is on the cusp of quantity or quality?