Accounting For UDFA Signings, Seahawks Hit Home Run With 2021 Rookie Class Under Unique Circumstances
The Seahawks journeyed into the unknown at the end of April. Uncertainty shrouding many aspects of the 2021 NFL Draft, no team could offer a definitive answer as to how the event would all unfold. Lacking general access to prospects, including private medical evaluations, draft boards across the league varied more than ever.
At the very bottom of the pecking order stood Seattle, having traded four of its seven allotted selections to help boost its 2020 roster. To head coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider, the trio of Jamal Adams, Quinton Dunbar, and Carlos Dunlap were equally seen as part of their draft class as any prospect they'd go on to select.
Given Schneider's notoriety for working the trade lines in previous years, however, it was assumed he would find a way to exit the draft with more than three players in tow. But due to the unusual nature of this year's iteration, greatly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Seahawks opted to stand pat.
While their activity that weekend was less straightforward than it may sound, it was inarguably the most uneventful draft the Seahawks have had in the Carroll-Schneider era. And that was on purpose.
When they traded for Adams last July, they made a decision. Still unsure of what would happen with the college football season, Schneider and company banked on the uncertainty that eventually came. Trading their next two first-round picks and a 2021 third-rounder to the Jets, they chose a surefire All-Pro talent over at least two prospects they wouldn't be able to fully evaluate.
They made another key decision during the draft as their first selection at pick No. 56 fast approached. When a potential trade back fell through for the second year in a row, the Seahawks used their best asset on the player they liked the most: Western Michigan receiver D'Wayne Eskridge.
"We thought we were close [to trading down], but then we lost something right at the end," said Schneider following the conclusion of the second and third rounds. "It just kind of fell apart and we just moved forward, and we're excited to take our guy."
This significantly altered their outlook for the rest of the draft, further limiting the capital they could use to beef up their haul. The possibility of dipping into their bag of 2022 assets was always there, but the increasingly high likelihood of a more normal college season and subsequent draft process made them hold off.
Having to wait nearly 100 picks before their next choice, they moved back eight spots from No. 129 to 137 in a deal with the Buccaneers. Reeling in an additional sixth-round selection in the process, the Seahawks took 5'9" outside cornerback Tre Brown out of Oklahoma—yet another deviation from a previously held philosophy, but one that was reflective of past successes.
The added pick, however, was merely ammunition to get their prize near the end of day three: Florida offensive tackle Stone Forsythe, the possible future heir apparent to Duane Brown. Trading up from No. 217 to 208, the Seahawks sent their seventh-round selection - slotted at No. 250 - to the Bears as well and thus, their draft was over. So even after two trades were made, the Seahawks still managed to hand in just three picks: Eskridge, Brown, and Forsythe.
But because of the vast differences in opinion league-wide, they felt confident in their ability to land a few draft-worthy players who fell through the cracks. Coming away with just three players in the event, the Seahawks had a favorable sales pitch to undrafted free agents given the breadth of available spots on their roster.
Their confidence was valid. From receivers Cade Johnson and Tamorrion Terry to cornerback Bryan Mills and others, the Seahawks didn't just land bottom-of-the-board talent with draftable grades. They inked several prospects who had early day three/late day two buzz.
And quite a few have a legitimate chance at cracking the team's 53-man roster this summer. Some may even be considered 'frontrunners' at certain spots given the roster's current construction. That's a massive win for a team that was more or less 'in and out' of the draft.
Though much has been made of the Seahawks' lack of picks and near forfeiture of the draft in its entirety, their front office doesn't care what the outside thinks. Alas, their player evaluations have often been met with criticism—almost on a yearly basis. Such is the case again with the trio headlined by Eskridge, earning them relatively negative grades from various major media outlets.
Whether they defy critical analysis once more remains to be seen, but there's a conciseness to be found in their overall draft strategy. Players that particularly fit new philosophies and schemes being implemented in their 2021 plans, and a clear understanding of the situation they put themselves in.
Almost everything seemed to fall into place for the Seahawks. Under the unique circumstances, it's hard to say how much better they could have done. Add any of their big-name UDFA signings to their three-man class and you're looking at a pretty strong haul. With a healthy balance of need and upside, this feels like a home run of a performance by Schneider, Carroll, and their staff.
