Biggest Draft Steals and Busts of the John Schneider Seahawks Era

Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider has won Super Bowls in two head coaching eras since being hired by the franchise in 2010.

Like any GM, some of his best draft picks have been in late rounds and some of his worst picks have been in the early rounds. Schneider, however, had particularly high success in the late rounds early in his tenure, and recently has been able to find more draft gems.

Unsurprisingly, most of Schneider's busts came between 2017-21 when the team was on its decline from the Super Bowl XLVIII title in 2014.

Here's a look at some of the best and worst selections of the Schneider era ahead of the start of the NFL Draft from April 23-25.

Steals

QB Russell Wilson - 3rd round, No. 75 overall (2012)

Wilson toes the line of a steal. But draft steals, by their definition, should include where they were selected, where the position is typically selected and what expectations were when they were picked.

Projected long-term starters are generally picked in the first round, and in Wilson's case, he was not expected to start (the Seahawks had signed Matt Flynn to a lucrative deal that same offseason). He went on to become a 10-time Pro Bowler, All-Pro and Super Bowl champion.

Jan 9, 2022; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) celebrates a touchdown pass against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

S Kam Chancellor - 5th round, No. 133 overall (2010)

Chancellor, although he only played eight seasons, was the enforcer of the Legion of Boom. He earned four Pro Bowl nods and two Second Team All-Pro honors and played his entire career with the Seahawks.

Without Chancellor, the Seahawks might not have won their first Super Bowl. His impact stretched far beyond his statistics and awards.

LB KJ Wright - 4th round, No. 99 overall (2011)

Wright is one of Schneider's more underrated draft picks. Even though he was a Pro Bowler just once, Wright spent 10 of his 11 seasons with the Seahawks and amassed 941 tackles, 66 tackles for loss, 13.5 sacks and six interceptions in his Seattle career.

Bobby Wagner, Wright's linebacker duo, got far more recognition, but they anchored the second level of the Seahawks' defense for a decade.

CB Richard Sherman - 5th round, No. 154 overall (2011)

Like Chancellor, Sherman was a critical piece of the Legion of Boom secondary and was one of the most vocal leaders the franchise has had. Sherman earned four Pro Bowl nods and was a three-time First Team All-Pro in seven seasons with the Seahawks.

To this day, Sherman remains one of the best picks Schneider has made as the Seahawks' GM.

Oct 23, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman (25) celebrates a play against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. The game ended in a 6-6 tie after overtime. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

S Coby Bryant - 4th round, No. 109 overall (2022)

A modern era pick, Bryant became the player he was supposed to be once he moved to safety. He was a major part of the Super Bowl LX-winning defense this past season and was awarded a hefty new contract by the Chicago Bears.

Even if he didn't stick around in Seattle, Bryant's rise and eventual payday with another team proves how good of a pick this was.

Busts

DL Malik McDowell - 2nd round, No. 35 overall (2017)

McDowell was supposed to usher in a new era for Seattle's defensive line after a monster career at Michigan State, but it was over before it started.

An ATV accident prior to his rookie training camp and other off-the-field issues made it so he never appeared in a game for the Seahawks. McDowell was released by the franchise in 2019.

RB Rashaad Penny - 1st round, No. 27 overall (2018)

If Penny were later than a first-round pick, he wouldn't be on this list. He was good when healthy, but that was a rare situation for the former San Diego State star.

Penny proved he was leaving a lot of untapped potential unrealized in 2021 when he rushed for 749 yards and six touchdowns on 6.3 yards per attempt. Unfortunately, he only played 42 games for the Seahawks over five seasons.

Dec 26, 2021; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Rashaad Penny (20) celebrates after rushing for a touchdown against the Chicago Bears during the second quarter at Lumen Field. | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

DL L.J. Collier - 1st round, No. 29 overall (2019)

Collier, who is currently playing for the Arizona Cardinals, has managed to stay in the NFL after leaving the Seahawks, but he only appeared in 45 games for the team in four seasons.

He didn't live up to first-round expectations, especially since they traded Frank Clark to the Kansas City Chiefs in order to pick Collier at No. 29.

EDGE Darrell Taylor - 2nd round, No. 48 overall (2020)

Taylor is another player who fell below expectations for where he was picked. He showed promise in his first two seasons, totaling 16 sacks, but he was inconsistent and appeared to go half-speed much of the time. Taylor also struggled to defend the run, which made him essentially a pass-rush specialist only.

In the end, he couldn't mold into a full-time starter and was traded to Chicago for a sixth-round pick in 2024. Taylor isn't currently on an NFL roster.

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) is forced out of bounds by Seattle Seahawks linebacker Darrell Taylor (52) during the fourth quarter at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on Jan. 7, 2024. | Michael Chow/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

WR Dee Eskridge - 2nd round, No. 56 overall (2021)

Eskridge was also a victim of expectations due to his immense athleticism. Injuries eroded Eskridge's career with the Seahawks, and he ended up only appearing in 24 games over three years and totaling 122 receiving yards on 17 catches.

Off-the-field issues also limited his time on the field, and Eskridge was waived as part of the final roster cuts before the 2024 season.

— Enjoy free coverage of the Super Bowl champions from Seattle Seahawks On SI —

Sign Up For the Seahawks Daily Digest - OnSI’s Free Seattle Seahawks Newsletter

Add us as a preferred source on Google