2022 Seahawks Draft Pick Review
Now that the regular season is over, it’s time to look back at my thoughts about the Seahawks rookie class and see how right (or wrong) I was.
Here’s the link to the article I wrote prior to the regular season opener about this rookie class.
We’ll review that along with some thoughts about the future outlook of each player in this class – plus one addition that deserves recognition. The paragraphs in italics are the excerpts from the previous article.
*2022 stats only reflect the regular season
Charles Cross
This was an easy prediction, so I can’t pat myself on the back too hard. Cross took first-team reps at LT all throughout training camp and passed the first test as a future cornerstone protecting the QB’s blind side. Outside of his penalty-filled second game against the Chicago Bears, Cross was excellent – especially in pass protection. He still looks every bit of the stalwart LT for the next decade.
2022 Stats: 17 games started, 7 sacks allowed, 9 penalties
Cross started all 17 games at the all-important LT position and continued to look like he’ll lock that spot down for the foreseeable future. As was expected, he had some bumpy moments allowing 7 sacks according to Pro Football Focus (PFF) and committing 9 penalties per Pro Football Reference (PFR). Still, Cross should only improve and showed some growth in his run blocking which was seen as a weakness coming out of a spread system in college. He’s going to be a very good Seahawks LT for a very long time and is looking like a home run pick so far.
Boye Mafe
Mafe looked very much like I predicted during the preseason. He had 2.0 sacks and a forced fumble in the preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, showing his wicked athleticism. In the second game, Mafe disappeared and also sustained a shoulder injury which caused him to miss the third preseason game. He will win some reps solely based on his athleticism alone, but Mafe has a lot of work to do to become a consistent pass rusher. There’s also this…
2022 Stats: 17 games played, 41 tackles, 3.0 sacks, 4 QB hits
Mafe was always seen as raw prospect with a tantalizing athletic profile. That played out pretty true during the season, but he was much better than advertised against the run showing good strength at the point of attack to set the edge. The coaching staff mentioned that they would’ve liked to get him more snaps during the season, particularly in pass rushing situations, but those roles were mostly filled by Uchenna Nwosu and Darrell Taylor with both of them recording 9.5 sacks to lead the team. Mafe still has a bright future and is the type of player who can make a huge jump during his 2nd season after offseason training.
Ken Walker III
Walker only played in the first preseason game and didn’t blow anyone’s skirt up with his production – amassing 30 total yards rushing and receiving along with 22 yards on his lone kick return. He had surgery to repair a hernia and missed the rest of the preseason. Walker is still rehabbing and might miss the first few games of the season. Even though he didn’t go off in the preseason like I was hoping, I still have the same expectations for him. He’s going to be a stud.
2022 Stats: 15 games played, 228 rushes for 1050 yards, 9 rushing TDs, 27 receptions for 165 yards
Guess what? Ken Walker III is a stud already. Despite beginning the season behind Rashaad Penny – and dealing with injuries during the season – Walker finished with over 1,000 yards rushing and is one of the finalists for AP Offensive Rookie of the Year. His boom-or-bust running style was very evident throughout most of the season, but Walker was more consistent hitting the hole quickly the last 4 weeks of the regular season finishing averaging 104 yards per game over those 4 contests. Walker is already one of the best running backs in the NFL.
Abraham Lucas
I feel pretty good about this one too, and Lucas seized control of the RT job faster than I anticipated. He started out in training camp with the second string behind incumbent RT Jake Curhan but quickly worked his way into the starting lineup. Lucas performed well in pass protection and showed his physicality in the run game with multiple pancake blocks. He looks like a multi-year starter and anchor on the right side of the line.
2022 Stats: 16 games started, 9 sacks allowed, 7 penalties
Another offensive tackle pick that looks like a homerun for John Schneider. Lucas missed one game due to injury but locked down the RT position opposite his rookie LT counterpart Charles Cross. He looks to be even further along than Cross in run blocking and plays with a nasty attitude at times which is a celebrated trait for the offensive line. Lucas is going to be a very good Seahawks RT for a very long time.
Coby Bryant
Coby switched to slot corner late in training camp and held his own despite never playing that position in college with the University of Cincinnati. He will probably start out behind Justin Coleman there, but I still expect him to start at some point during the regular season. Bryant got beat a few times in preseason but made enough plays on the ball to show that he belongs. Coby always seems to be in good position and has a nose for the football. That plays well on any level.
2022 Stats: 17 games played, 70 tackles, 4 passes defensed, 4 forced fumbles, 2.0 sacks
Bryant had a rude awakening as an NFL nickel corner giving up a long TD in the first game against Denver on his 2nd snap and didn’t see the field for the rest of the game. That didn’t affect him thankfully as he received the lion’s share of the snaps at nickel for the remainder of the season. Bryant didn’t play that position in college and that showed at times. Yet, he made plenty of plays and had a few interceptions called back by penalties on teammates. Bryant definitely has a future with the Seahawks and is a likely starter next year as well, but I’m not sure it should be in the slot. I’d like to see him get a shot at the outside where he played his entire career with the option of moving him back to nickel if need be.
Tariq Woolen
Tariq, or “Avatar” as his teammates are calling him, is way ahead of the schedule I was expecting. He got consistent reps in training camp with the first team defense following injuries to Sidney Jones and Artie Burns. While he struggled in the first preseason game, Woolen came back in the final two games and played very well. He held his own in battles with DK Metcalf during training camp practices as well which is a great sign. It’s trending towards Tariq being a starter at some point this season – and possibly much earlier than anticipated.
2022 Stats: 17 games started, 63 tackles, 16 passes defensed, 6 INTs, 1 TD, 3 fumble recoveries
Anything I write here will still probably not give enough credit to Tariq Woolen. He was seen as a physical freak that would need a few years to tap into his potential – if he ever could. All Woolen did was start every game, lead the league with 6 INTs, make the Pro Bowl, and be a candidate for AP Defensive Rookie of the Year. He’s legitimately one of the best CBs in the league as a rookie. The combination of length, size, and speed is unmatched, but it might be his ability to process the mental side of the game that’s so surprising since Woolen has only been playing CB for 3 years. Let that sink in. The sky is the limit for Woolen.
Tyreke Smith
That first sentence above was prescient since Smith started on the PUP list and was only able to participate in a few practices before his hip injury flared up again. He showed good pass rush ability in his limited time on the field, so there is still hope for the future. That will have to wait until next year as he was placed on IR prior to the 53-man roster announcement and must miss the entire 2022 season. Hopefully he can heal up and be ready for next year.
2022 Stats: Placed in IR prior to the season and missed all of 2022
Not much to add here. Seattle can still use a rotational pass rusher and Smith will have every chance to earn a role next season, but he’ll need to put his injury issues behind him and be available.
Bo Melton
Bo did not make the team but is on the practice squad. He started off slow in training camp and dropped a handful of passes during the preseason games. Melton made enough plays for the Seahawks to keep him around the team, so there’s still a chance he can emerge in the future.
2022 Stats: Spent the first 16 weeks of the season on the Seahawks practice squad before the Green Bay Packers added him to their active roster for the final 2 weeks of the season
Melton was never able to crack the gameday roster for Seattle and was passed up by other WRs like Laquon Treadwell and Cade Johnson. He was poached by the Packers, so maybe he’ll get a chance there.
Dareke Young
If I would’ve flipped my expectations for Melton and Young around, I would seem pretty darn smart. Young showcased tantalizing potential with his unique size/speed combo and surprisingly advanced route running despite coming from Division 2 Lenoir-Rhyne University. He’s still a developmental prospect and had some drops along with missed assignments but showed enough to be excited about his future with the Seahawks.
2022 Stats: 2 receptions for 24 yards, 7 tackles
Dareke, like Tariq, is an athletic freak…see what I did there? Young became a core part on special teams, logging 209 snaps and contributing 7 tackles. His offensive stats won’t wow anyone, but his 2 catches in the regular season finale were a reward for his hard work as he began receiving more offensive snaps the last 2 games – both because of the coaches’ growing trust in him and opportunities created by injuries. Young offers a unique skillset and background having played running back in college. The Seahawks took advantage of his diversity towards the end of the year lining him up at fullback and running a pop-pass to him out of jet sweep motion. Seattle has an opening for a 3rd WR option, and Young will have as good of a chance as any to lock that down next season.
UDFA Bonus: Joey Blount
2022 Stats: 11 games played, 8 tackles, 1 fumble recovery
Here’s the addition the review as Blount was the only undrafted free agent rookie to make the Seahawks 53-man roster after proving himself on special teams in the preseason. Blount, a free safety from the University of Virginia, played in 11 games exclusively on special teams logging 175 snaps and producing 8 tackles and a fumble recovery. He was routinely one of the first guys down the field on kickoff coverage and has the look of a core special teams player for years to come. Even if that’s the only role Blount fills during his time in Seattle, it’s still a great asset for the Seahawks since it comes in the form of a cheap UDFA contract.
The 2022 draft class for the Seahawks outperformed any reasonable expectations that I had for them. The fact that they found two probable franchise offensive tackles in the same draft class – and yet Cross and Lucas are probably behind Woolen and Walker in most fan’s minds – is evidence enough of how incredible this haul was. Most players make the biggest jump between their 1st and 2nd years so buckle up. Last year’s draft class has the makings of something special. Be excited, Seahawks fans…and know that the rest of the NFL will be less than enthused!
