The Seahawks Figured Out Draft Boring, and It's Built a Super Bowl Team

While the Los Angeles Rams were busy making headlines Thursday night by drafting Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson with the 13th overall pick, the Seattle Seahawks did something way more important: they stayed the course. No fireworks. No head-scratching reaches. Just filling needs with discipline and execution. And it's working.

The contrast is stark. The Rams, Super Bowl contenders who went all-in during free agency, used their opening pick on a quarterback despite having reigning NFL MVP Matthew Stafford under center. It's the kind of splashy move that gets talked about for years, either as genius or disaster.

The Seahawks? They're generating chalk, not ink. And frankly, that's exactly what you want to see from a team that just won the Super Bowl.

The Pattern Is Impossible to Ignore

Look at what Seattle has done in the 2026 draft so far. A month and a half after losing running back Kenneth Walker III to free agency, they selected running back Jadarian Price with the 32nd pick. Lost a safety in Coby Bryant? They picked safety Bud Clark with the 64th pick. Lost cornerback Riq Woolen? In came cornerback Julian Neal with the 99th pick.

Every pick fills a hole. Every pick makes sense. There's no guessing what the front office is thinking because the thinking is transparent: figure out what you need and get it done.

GM John Schneider Learned His Lessons

Schneider remembers the mistakes. In 2021, the Seahawks used the 56th pick on a receiver despite already having depth at the position. Seven picks later, the Chiefs grabbed center Creed Humphrey, who has since made four Pro Bowls and two first-team All-Pro teams. That's the kind of miss that sticks with you.

Since then, the approach has been locked in. In 2022, they went left tackle, linebacker, and running back. In 2023, cornerback and receiver. In 2024, defensive lineman. Last year, guard and defensive back. Need after need after need, filled with players who became integral to a championship run.

"I know the mistakes that I've made personally in the past and what that looks like, and we've learned from those things and don't want to repeat it," Schneider said Friday. The easy pick is often the best pick. And there's something to be said about having the discipline to not go too far off-script.

The Rams are banking on a moonshot. The Seahawks are banking on consistency. Right now, who'd you rather be?

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