Seattle Seahawks: Grading the 2023 Draft Class
Ed Stein
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Ten new players joined the Seattle Seahawks last weekend. How did John Schneider and Pete Carroll do? We grade their 2023 draft picks.
The 2023 NFL Draft wrapped up on Saturday. With four of the top 52 picks and 10 overall, the Seattle Seahawks made positive additions to a team that finished 9-8 last year.
There are a few things I want to explain before giving the grades.
Grades are always subjective, and we don’t know until years after how a draft class panned out.
I don’t have access to the Seattle Seahawks’ draft board.
There will always be disagreements when it comes to drafting for need and drafting the best player available.
Opinions differ on prospects depending on who does the analysis. I encourage readers to check out pre draft scout reports from Pro Football Focus, NFL.com, ESPN, The Ringer, and The Athletic for their comprehensive player evaluations.
First Round
5th overall Devon Witherspoon, cornerback
20th Jaxon Smith-Njigba, wide receiver
Let’s start with both these players are mega talents. If GM John Schneider and Head Coach Pete Carroll say these guys were the top players at their respective positions, I believe them.
I’m not sure how much either man fixes some of the bigger problems Seattle has. Also, their selections raise some interesting questions.
Witherspoon has elite man-coverage skills and isn’t afraid to launch his body like a heat-seeking missile at ball carriers. Size is an issue. At just under 6′ and 175 pounds, how will he fair in press coverage against NFL-sized receivers?
A starting cornerback duo of Tariq Woolen and Witherspoon is tantalizing. Hopefully, with two shutdown corners, the Seahawks can pick up more coverage sacks.
Smith-Njigba is a great complimentary receiver to D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. By midseason, opposing defenses will have a hard time deciding who to double-cover.
Most people see JSN as the successor to Lockett. But Metcalf is only signed through 2025. How committed are the Seattle Seahawks committed to him in the long term?
Grade A-: The talent level is a solid A, but the grade drops because they ignored their needs.