Analysis: Ranking Every Top 10 Pick in Seahawks' Franchise History

For the first time in more than a decade, Seattle holds a top-10 pick heading into the 2022 NFL Draft courtesy of the Russell Wilson trade. How did the franchise fare in 16 previous opportunities selecting in the first 10 picks?

Thanks to their consistent success over the past decade, the Seahawks have not had a scheduled first-round pick earlier than No. 17 overall dating back to 2013. Reaching the playoffs eight times during that span, they have often picked in the 20s or not made a first-round selection at all.

But coming off the team's worst season in nearly 15 years and a last place finish in the NFC West, Seattle shockingly traded quarterback Russell Wilson to Denver in exchange for two first-round picks, two second-round picks, a fifth-round pick, and three veterans last month. With the deal becoming official on March 16, general manager John Schneider will have a top 10 pick at his disposal for the first time since his first year on the job in 2010. That year, he snagged tackle Russell Okung and safety Earl Thomas in the first 14 picks.

After winning only seven games a year ago and jettisoning both Wilson and perennial All-Pro linebacker Bobby Wagner, it would be an understatement to say Schneider and coach Pete Carroll have a lot riding on this year's draft as they aim to replenish the roster with talent on both sides of the football. In particular, landing a premium talent with the newly-acquired No. 9 overall pick will be critical to the team's chances of returning to contention quickly.

In their 47-year history dating back to 1976, the Seahawks have made 16 selections inside the top 10. In retrospect, from unfortunate draft busts such as Rick Mirer to a trio of Hall of Famers, how have those picks fared for the franchise?

16. Rick Mirer (Pick No. 2, 1993)

Stats: 9,094 passing yards, 41 touchdowns

After whiffing on Dan McGwire with a first-round pick two years earlier, the Seahawks again used a top pick to select Mirer, believing he would be the next great NFL quarterback out of Notre Dame. Unfortunately, despite finishing second in NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year balloting in 1993, he threw 56 interceptions in 55 games and never finished with a completion rate higher than 56 percent in four seasons with the franchise. If there's a silver lining to this draft bust, Seattle somehow swindled Chicago out of a first-round pick by trading him before the 1997 season. Though he never came close to meeting expectations, he managed to stick around in the league with four other teams until retiring in 2003.

15. Aaron Curry (Pick No. 4, 2009)

Stats: 198 tackles, 5.5 sacks

Widely viewed as one of the safest prospects in the 2009 NFL Draft coming out of Wake Forest, Curry signed a six-year, $60 million contract with $34 million guaranteed and immediately became a starter for the Seahawks. But he didn’t come close to living up to his record-breaking rookie deal, failing to produce 200 tackles in 35 games and losing his starting job early in the 2011 season before being dealt to the Raiders. Out of the league entirely by 2013, he failed to make the impact many projected he would. But to his credit, he transitioned into a coaching career and has achieved a bit of redemption as an assistant on Pete Carroll's staff.

14. Steve Niehaus (Pick No. 2, 1976)

Stats: 9.5 sacks, one fumble recovery

After being named an All-American for the Fighting Irish, the Seahawks tabbed Neihaus as their first ever draft pick in the 1976 NFL Draft. He became an immediate starter for the expansion team and earned NFC Defensive Rookie of the Year honors after nearly hitting double-digit sacks, but knee injuries derailed his career over the next couple of seasons. He played only two more years in Seattle and three years total before being forced to retire early.

13. Ray Roberts (Pick No. 10, 1992)

Stats: 46 starts at left tackle

Continuing a multi-year process trying to rebuild its offensive line in the early 90s, Seattle selected Roberts, who had won the Jacobs Trophy as the ACC’s top blocker in each of his final two college seasons at Virginia. A full-time starter at left tackle during his first three seasons with the Seahawks, he helped running back Chris Warren rush for over 1,000 yards in 1993 and 1994. After battling injuries in 1995, he eventually left as a free agent to sign with the Lions where he opened up running lanes for legendary running back Barry Sanders.

12. Keith Simpson (Pick No. 9, 1978)

Stats: 19 interceptions, 10.0 sacks

The third defender chosen in the 1978 NFL Draft, the Seahawks started Simpson at cornerback before moving him to safety in 1979. Despite intercepting seven passes in his first two seasons at the position, the arrival of Kenny Easley in 1981 forced him back to cornerback for the next five seasons. He finished his stellar tenure in Seattle with 19 interceptions - including three separate seasons with four picks apiece - and three defensive touchdowns in 108 games before hanging up his cleats at the conclusion of the 1985 campaign.

11. Koren Robinson (Pick No. 9, 2001)

Stats: 3,567 yards, 14 touchdowns

At one point early in his career, Robinson looked poised for stardom in coach Mike Holmgren's West Coast offensive attack. He exploded onto the scene in 2002, producing 1,240 receiving yards and five touchdowns while developing a rapport with quarterback Matt Hasselbeck. But he never could replicate that production and struggled mightily with drops over the next two seasons, leading to his departure in 2005. After three seasons with the Packers and Vikings, he returned for a one-year encore with the Seahawks in 2008, reeling in the longest touchdown reception in franchise history and finished with 400 yards in 12 games.

10. Sam Adams (Pick No. 8, 1994)

Stats: 214 tackles, 23.0 sacks

Forming a formidable one-two punch with Cortez Kennedy in the trenches, Adams performed at a high level in six seasons with the Seahawks and earned a Pro Bowl alternate selection in 1997. But the massive 350-pound defender didn't rise to national prominence until he departed for Baltimore and Buffalo, as earned All-Pro recognition in 2000 and 2001 with the Ravens and appeared in his third Pro Bowl with the Bills in 2004. It's worth wondering if Adams would have stayed in Seattle if the team proved to be more competitive during his time with the franchise.

9. Russell Okung (Pick No. 6, 2010)

Stats: 72 starts at left tackle

The first of two first-round picks made by Schneider in his first season at the helm, Okung became an instant starter protecting Matt Hasselbeck's blind side as a rookie but missed extensive time with high ankle sprains. Though injuries were a persistent problem for him in six seasons with the Seahawks and may have held him back from reaching his full potential, he played at a high level when healthy, starting 72 regular season games, earning a Pro Bowl selection in 2012, and helping the franchise win Super Bowl XLVIII. He went on to play in five more seasons with the Broncos, Chargers, and Panthers.

8. Jeff Bryant (Pick No. 6, 1982)

Stats: 63.0 sacks, 11 fumble recoveries

Starring alongside Jeff Green and Joe Nash on one of the NFL's best defensive lines and serving as a foundational piece for the franchise's first playoff teams, Bryant enjoyed several stellar seasons chasing down opposing quarterbacks in Seattle, including recording a career-best 14.5 sacks in 1984. His production dipped substantially over his final nine seasons with the team as a pass rusher, but he still remained a stout run defender and wrapped up his career with more than 60.0 sacks while starting a remarkable 167 games in 12 seasons with the Seahawks.

7. Shawn Springs (Pick No. 3, 1997)

Stats: 20 interceptions, 55 passes defensed

Desperate for an upgrade in the secondary, Seattle used the first of two first-round selections on Springs, who had emerged as a superstar at Ohio State and was widely viewed by draft experts as the best defensive back in his draft class. After missing six games as a rookie, he broke out with seven interceptions in 1998, earning his first and only Pro Bowl selection. He followed up with five picks the following season, but with his confidence seeming to wane, he produced two or fewer picks in three of the next four seasons. While he didn't become the shutdown All-Pro-caliber cornerback many envisioned he would, he still had an excellent 13-year career with three teams.

6. Joey Galloway (Pick No. 8, 1995)

Stats: 4,457 yards, 42 total touchdowns

Despite playing with mediocre quarterbacks such as Rick Mirer and John Friesz for most of his time in the Pacific Northwest, the electric Galloway surpassed 1,000 receiving yards in three of his five seasons with the Seahawks and caught 37 touchdowns. He also produced 378 yards as a rusher and emerged as one of the league’s most dangerous punt returners thanks to his blazing speed, taking four punts back to the house for six points during that span. Prior to the 2000 season, Seattle shipped him to Dallas for two first-round picks, which netted Shaun Alexander and Chris McIntosh in the draft.

5. Curt Warner (Pick No. 3, 1983)

Stats: 6,705 rushing yards, 56 touchdowns

Becoming Seattle’s first star running back from the outset, the elusive Warner vaulted to the top of the AFC with 1,449 rushing yards and scored 14 combined touchdowns as a rookie, earning Second-Team All-Pro honors as a result. A torn ACL cost him most of the following season, but he rebounded to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark three more times with the Seahawks and earned his second AFC Offensive Player of the Year award in 1986. While knee injuries sapped him of his speed later in his career, he earned All-Pro honors three times, played in three Pro Bowls, and was inducted in the Ring of Honor in 1994.

4. Jacob Green (Pick No. 10, 1980)

© RVR Photos-USA TODAY Sports

Stats: 115.5 sacks, 17 fumble recoveries, three interceptions

Arguably the most underrated player in franchise history, Green immediately started upon his arrival from Texas A&M and reached double-digit sacks five times, made two All-Pro squads, and played in a pair Pro Bowls during 12 seasons with the Seahawks. He wrapped up his illustrious career with 97.5 sacks, which ranked third all-time at the time of his retirement, though he’s unofficially been credit with 115.5. He also scored four defensive touchdowns in his career, quite a feat for a defensive lineman. One of the most consistent pass rushers of his era starring for a small market team, he was inducted into Seattle's Ring of Honor in 1995 and may be the franchise's biggest Hall of Fame snub to date.

3. Kenny Easley (Pick No. 4, 1981)

Stats: 32 interceptions, 8.0 sacks, 11 fumble recoveries

One year after selecting Green, Seattle struck gold once again when it landed Easley, one of the most dominant safeties of his generation. "The Enforcer" started off with a bang, earning four consecutive First-Team All-Pro selections between 1982 and 1985. His best season - which stands out as one of the best by a safety in NFL history - came in 1984, when he picked off 10 passes and was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Finishing his career with 32 interceptions in an injury-shortened seven-year career, the hard-hitting, ball-hawking defender became the fourth Seahawk in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2017.

2. Cortez Kennedy (Pick No. 3, 1990)

Stats: 668 tackles, 58.0 sacks

One of the most dominant defensive tackles to ever wear an NFL uniform, the 305-pound Kennedy tortured opposing guards and centers immediately upon his entrance into the league in 1990. He wound up appearing in eight Pro Bowls, earned five All-Pro selections, and in his most notable accomplishment, after registering a career-high 14.0 sacks, he garnered NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors in 1992 while playing for a dreadful 2-14 team. After wrapping up his 11-year career in 2001, he was named to the 1990s All-Decade Team, added to Seattle’s Ring of Honor in 2006, and inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2012.

1. Walter Jones (Pick No. 6, 1997)

Stats: 180 starts, six All-Pro selections

One of the best players to suit up in the NFL regardless of position, Jones quickly found his way into the starting lineup at left tackle and started all 180 games he played in over the next 12 seasons. A four-time First-Team All-Pro selection and a nine-time Pro Bowler, "Big Walt” yielded only 23 quarterback sacks locking down the blind side on more than 5,500 pass protection reps in his career. Even more astonishingly, he was flagged for holding just nine times. Also an elite run blocker who could maul opponents and make blocks on the perimeter, he helped pave running lanes for Ricky Watters and Shaun Alexander to surpass 1,000 rushing yards for eight consecutive seasons. All in all, that’s greatness that few, if any, players can match at any position.