Seattle Seahawks draft grades have been hit or miss in the past, but the 2017 NFL Draft now presents a prime opportunity for the analysts to give new opinions. Seahawks general manager John Schneider was quite busy on the first day of the draft, though he didn’t wind up making any picks. As previously reported by the Inquisitr, two Seahawks trades moved the team from having seven picks up to 10 total selections in the 2017 NFL Draft. That included six players who were selected on Friday, April 28, who now appear in these Seahawks draft grades.
A report by CBS Sports sought to break down the picks as each team made them on Day 2. The Seahawks made the third selection of the day, going with Michigan State defensive tackle Malik McDowell as the No. 35 overall selection in the 2017 NFL Draft. He got the Seattle Seahawks draft grades off to a nice start, as NFL expert Pete Prisco graded the selection with an “A” for the team. Stating that McDowell has “top-10 talent” this year, Prisco noted that he was a good fit for the Seahawks. It was a good way for the team to start out the day.
With the No. 58 overall selection, the Seahawks drafted LSU center Ethan Pocic. Fans had been clamoring for Schneider to draft an offensive lineman and it finally happened near the end of the second round. Pocic was a huge lineman for LSU, who was on the national stage for most of the 2016 college football season. There are early rumors that he could get moved to a tackle or guard slot on the line, but the Seahawks could end up playing him at any of the positions heading into the 2017 NFL season.
I’m excited to be apart of one of the best teams in the NFL! And to be able to play in front of the GREATEST FAN BASE! S/O to the 12s!!???????? pic.twitter.com/mVYPienOGb
— Malik McDowell (@MSU_LEEK4) April 29, 2017
There are four players receiving Seattle Seahawks draft grades from the third round. The team already had its own selection during the round, but also received two compensation picks and then the fourth pick from the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday night, April 27. The Seahawks drafted UCF cornerback Shaquill Griffin (B-), Michigan free safety Delano Hill (B-), North Carolina defensive tackle Nazair Jones (B-), and Michigan wide receiver Amara Darboh (B+).
Another report by Sports Illustrated was also breaking down the picks as they came in on Friday night. Below is the full list of Seattle Seahawks draft grades from the site. They are very similar to what Pete Prisco went with for CBS Sports , with some of the grades actually better. As a team, the overall NFL draft grade for John Schneider was quite high, as he added several players to the roster who could be key contributors during the 2017 NFL season.
CONGRATS to Delano Hill!! Pick No. 95 to the @Seahawks !! #GoBlue #ProBlue #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/OSSkO2JFfa
— Michigan Football (@UMichFootball) April 29, 2017
Full Seattle Seahawks Draft Grades – 2017 NFL Draft ( CBS / Sports Illustrated )
No. 35 – Malik McDowell, DE, Michigan State [A / B]
No. 58 – Ethan Pocic, C, LSU [B / B]
No. 90 – Shaquill Griffin, CB, UCF [B- / B]
No. 95 – Delano Hill, FS, Michigan [B- / B+]
No. 102 – Nazair Jones, DT, North Carolina [B- / A-]
No. 106 – Amara Darboh, WR, Michigan [B+ / B+]
The Seahawks still have five more selections to make on Day 3 of the 2017 NFL Draft. The selections of Michigan free safety Delano Hill and Michigan wide receiver Amara Darboh might be difficult to top, though, as many of the experts were impressed that the Seahawks were able to land them. There are still some key holes on the roster, including on the offensive line, that the team needs to address on Saturday, April 29, but if the early Seattle Seahawks draft grades are any indication of what’s to come, fans will be very happy with the end results.
[Featured Image by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images]