2012 Seattle Seahawks Among Best 21st-Century Draft Classes

The Seattle Seahawks are being recognized for their historic 2012 NFL Draft.

Green Bay Packers outside linebacker Rashan Gary (52) sacks Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) during the first quarter of their game Sunday, November 14, 2021 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. The Green Bay Packers beat the Seattle Seahawks 17-0. Packers15 17 | MARK HOFFMAN/MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL

The Seattle Seahawks are still celebrated in the Pacific Northwest for their teams in the mid-2010's, especially the two that went to the Super Bowl in 2013 and 2014.

The Seahawks wouldn't have made either Super Bowl without their 2012 NFL Draft class, which was highlighted by ESPN as the fifth-best draft class in the 21st century.

Dec 18, 2023; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner (54) exits the locker room before pregame warmups against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports | Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

"Here's an interesting draft where the Seahawks might have selected two Hall of Famers, but neither came in the first round," ESPN writes. "There's an interesting debate to be had about what quarterback Russell Wilson's late-career struggles in Denver -- and what he does in Pittsburgh this year will mean for his Hall of Fame case. But that doesn't change the fact the Seahawks got a signal-caller in the third round who made nine Pro Bowls for them in 10 years and led them to two Super Bowls, winning one. Second-round linebacker Bobby Wagner will likely make it to Canton; he has been a first-team All-Pro six times."

The only teams higher on this list are the 2008 Atlanta Falcons, 2004 Arizona Cardinals, 2004 San Diego Chargers, and 2006 New Orleans Saints.

Aside from finding diamonds in Wagner and Wilson on day two, the Seahawks also selected several other players who had successful careers in first-round pick Bruce Irvin, Robert Turbin, Jeremy Lane, and J.R. Sweezy, who spent two different stints with the team as a former defensive linemen who converted to guard and started in both Super Bowls.

Any draft classes that has the ability to immediately change the fortunes of a franchise overnight deserve to be on the list, and with the Seahawks nabbing two potential Hall of Fame players in Wilson and Wagner, the placement on the list is more than earned.

Had the team handed it off to Marshawn Lynch and won a second straight Super Bowl, it's possible that this Seahawks team ends up even higher on the list, but fifth still ain't too shabby.