The Seahawks Are Loaded, But Schneider's Draft Class Just Became the Whole Season

John Schneider has won two Super Bowls and three NFC championships as the Seahawks general manager. His recent work, especially since Pete Carroll left, has been nearly flawless. The trades (Ernest Jones IV), the free-agent signings (Sam Darnold), the draft picks (Grey Zabel, Nick Emmanwori) , all masterful. The guy is Canton-bound, period.

But here's the thing: we've seen this movie before.

When the Draft Pipeline Dried Up

A little over a decade ago, everyone was saying the same things about Schneider. In a three-year span he drafted the core of a dynasty: Hall of Famers, Pro Bowlers, the whole nine. He traded for Marshawn Lynch. He signed Doug Baldwin as an undrafted free agent. The 2013 Seahawks were 1 yard from becoming a dynasty.

Then the draft hit a wall.

From 2013-18, the Seahawks stopped landing Pro Bowl-caliber position players in the draft. Some productive guys, sure. But nobody who moved the needle like the early Schneider years. And what happened next? Seattle slipped into mediocrity. First-round playoff exits piled up. The window didn't close all at once. It slowly leaked air.

This Draft Class Is About Preservation, Not Renovation

The Seahawks are the envy of the NFL right now. The roster is loaded. The core, particularly on defense, is returning. But they're picking 32nd overall and hold just four total picks: 64th (second round), 96th (third round), and 188th (sixth round). Their fourth and fifth-round picks went to the Saints for Rashid Shaheed. Their seventh-rounder went to the Browns for Nick Harris.

This is where championship windows live or die.

"No matter what draft you're in, what year, it's our responsibility to the organization to be able to find true Seahawks all the way through it," Schneider said Monday. "You still feel that same level of pressure to be able to bring the best people you can."

Schneider seemed to hint Seattle would trade down to accumulate more picks, as they've done before. The scouting department has a track record of finding diamonds in the later rounds. Last year, they upgraded the secondary with Emmanwori at 35. In 2022, right tackle Abe Lucas at 72 helped solidify the line. That same year, cornerback Riq Woolen went 153rd overall and co-led the NFL in interceptions.

You don't need a complete rebuild when you're loaded. You need exactly the right complementary pieces. And for Schneider, this draft class is about making sure the window stays open, not closing it like it did 13 years ago.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.