Seahawks Final Report Card: Assessing 2022 Draft Class After Rookie Seasons
Defying all outside expectations, the Seattle Seahawks managed to post a winning record and make the playoffs in their first season without Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner in large part due to the immense contributions of their heralded 2022 draft class.
Throwing five first-year players into the starting lineup from day one, Seattle's rookie class logged nearly 4,900 total snaps, second behind only Houston. Rookies were especially critical to the team's success on the offensive side of the ball, as per NFL Next Gen Stats, they received the highest percentage of offensive snaps (22.9) from first-year players in the NFL.
With their first seasons officially in the books and the offseason underway, how did each of the Seahawks nine draft picks fare? My final report card:
OT Charles Cross - Round 1, Pick 9
Grade: B-
Immediately thrust into the starting role as Geno Smith's blind side protector, Cross endured plenty of expected bumps in the road as a rookie. Per Pro Football Focus, he allowed 48 quarterback pressures in 17 starts, the third-highest total among tackles in the entire NFL. He also was charged with surrendering seven sacks, tied for seventh most at his position, while committing seven penalties.
With that said, the athletic blocker finished the season on a strong note allowing only four pressures and no quarterback hits against the Rams and 49ers to close out the season. Most notably, after playing in an Air Raid offense at the college level, he was surprisingly steady as a run blocker, consistently winning as a perimeter blocker and at the second level.
He will need to get stronger this offseason to take another step forward in his development, but overall, he had a good first season playing a challenging position and remains on a trajectory to be one of the league's best tackles in time.
DE Boye Mafe - Round 2, Pick 40
Grade: B-
Expected to start the season as a situational rusher, Mafe quickly proved himself more than capable of contributing on early downs, emerging as a far better run defender setting the edge than advertised early in the season. Flashing in every game despite receiving limited playing time behind Uchenna Nwosu, Bruce Irvin, and Darrell Taylor, he finished tied for fourth among rookie edge defenders with 37 tackles and per PFF, he tied for third in stops designated as failed plays for the offense, coming in behind only top five picks Travon Walker and Aidan Hutchinson.
Given few chances to hunt the quarterback, Mafe recorded only 10 pressures on 188 pass rush attempts while posting a mediocre 8.3 percent win rate, but did manage to finish off a trio of sacks. Moving forward, becoming a more consistent factor as a pass rusher will be the key to unlocking his potential and depending on how the team handles offseason roster planning, he could be in line to start in 2023.
Running through and around defenses, Ken Walker III had one of the best rookie seasons in Seahawks history and should be a contender for a rushing title in 2023.
© Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
RB Kenneth Walker III - Round 2, Pick 41
Grade: A-
Bouncing back from hernia surgery, Walker took the backfield reins from an injured Rashaad Penny in Week 5 and immediately gave the Seahawks offense a jolt, ripping off a 69-yard touchdown run in a 39-32 loss to the Saints. Over the next four games, exhibiting a blend of speed, elusiveness, and power, he averaged over 100 rushing yards per contest and scored six touchdowns, quickly solidifying himself as a Rookie of the Year candidate.
While he dealt with a midseason swoon behind a regressing offensive line and suffered a jammed ankle that cost him a game, he rebounded to rush for over 100 yards in each of Seattle's final three games to push past the 1,000-yard mark, making him only the second rookie in franchise history to accomplish the feat.
Pass protection remains an area of improvement, but he did make strides picking up blitzes and looks to be making progress in that aspect of his game, while he should be a bigger factor in the passing game next season.
OT Abraham Lucas - Round 3, Pick 72
Grade: B+
Statistically, Lucas yielded more sacks than Cross, and his nine sacks allowed ranked third among tackles per PFF's charting. That's obviously not ideal and he had his share of issues in the second half while battling through a knee injury. However, a strong argument can be made that the third round pick out of Washington State outplayed his rookie counterpart. In pass protection, he allowed 20 fewer pressures on Smith and was a full percent better than Cross in pass protection efficiency.
Playing with a mean streak and cooking up pancakes, particularly on zone schemes, Lucas was the more consistent run blocker as well, holding his own in the trenches as well as on the perimeter and at the second level. While his run blocking faded down the stretch due to playing well below 100 percent, he looks the part of a foundational piece for Seattle's offensive line and could be a Pro Bowler in the future.
DB Coby Bryant - Round 4, Pick 109
Grade: B-
Playing in the slot for the first time in his football career, Bryant dealt with growing pains early on, allowing a long touchdown in his NFL debut against the Broncos and struggling with missed tackles out of the gate. Coverage stands out as an area where the former Jim Thorpe Award winner will have to make a big leap next season, as he allowed 483 yards, two touchdowns, and a 110.2 passer rating out of the slot.
But there was a lot to be excited about with Bryant's play, as he didn't miss a single tackle in the final eight regular season games and produced a pair of sacks on well-executed nickel blitzes, showing off his versatility. Most notably, he surfaced as the second coming of Charles "Peanut" Tillman with four forced fumbles, showing off a knack for punching the ball out and creating turnovers.
With another offseason to grow at his new position, or potentially compete again at left cornerback, he should be a fixture on the defense in 2023 and beyond.
An immediate starter, Tariq Woolen led all cornerbacks with six interceptions in a fantastic rookie season.
© Gary A. Vasquez, USA TODAY
CB Tariq Woolen - Round 5, Pick 153
Grade: A
With only two years of experience at cornerback at the college level, despite having an never-seen-before mix of size and speed, Woolen fell to the fifth round projected as a long-term project. Luckily for the Seahawks, that couldn't have been further from reality as 'Riq the Freak took the NFL by storm, intercepting passes in four consecutive games from Week 3 to Week 6, including picking off Jared Goff and returning it for a touchdown in a win over the Lions.
Though he wasn't perfect and allowed a couple of touchdowns on busted coverages, he wound up leading all corners with six interceptions and became the first defender since 2016 to record at least six picks and three fumble recoveries in the same season. While he has room to continue improving, he made strides as a tackler, finishing with 63 combined tackles and a forced fumble.
In addition, he blocked a field goal that resulted in a touchdown return for teammate Mike Jackson, stacking up impact play after impact play. Still scratching the surface of his potential, he should be one of the faces of the NFL for years to come.
LB Tyreke Smith - Round 5, Pick 158
Grade: N/A
Dealing with a hip injury, Smith only lasted a couple of training camp practices before being placed on season-ending injured reserve, so the Seahawks didn't get a chance to see where he may fit into their plans. Offering positional and schematic versatility, the organization still thinks he could be a factor returning healthy in 2023.
WR Bo Melton - Round 7, Pick 229
Grade: D
Battling a case of the drops in training camp and the preseason, Melton failed to make Seattle's initial 53-man roster and re-signed with the practice squad. Before receiving a chance to dress in a regular season game, Green Bay signed him to its active roster in late December, only for him not to play there either.
After largely playing special teams most of his rookie season, Dareke Young saw more action on offense in the final month and could see an expanded role moving into 2023.
USA TODAY
WR Dareke Young - Round 7, Pick 233
Grade: B
Attempting the jump from Division II to the NFL, Young faced a steep learning curve upon his arrival for Seattle's rookie minicamp, but the athletic, versatile receiver never seemed to be shaken by his new surroundings. In fact, he impressed throughout training camp on offense and special teams, earning himself a spot on the opening roster.
Though he didn't record a catch until Week 18, he saw an uptick in snaps on offense in the second half, including making several nice blocks as a fullback out of the backfield. He also stood out on kick and punt coverage units, making five tackles and downing a couple of punts inside the opposing 10-yard line.
With a year under his belt, no player from this class may be better equipped to take a huge leap forward than Young rolling into 2023 and he could be in the mix for the No. 3 receiver role behind DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett.
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