[jwplayer 6Q40ShvH-ThvAeFxT]
Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider has proven to be excellent at finding high-quality NFL players in the later rounds of the draft, and his recent trades have paid off handsomely as well.
However, if there is one area of weakness for Schneider and his staff, it is in the first round.
Earl Thomas and Bruce Irvin were two of Schneider’s earliest first-round picks, and while both of them were extremely successful, the first round has not gone well for Schneider and company since then.
The Seahawks have only made three picks in the first round since Irvin: tackle Germain Ifedi (2016), running back Rashaad Penny (2018) and defensive end L.J. Collier (2019). In 2017, they traded their first-round selection to the Falcons in a draft-pick swap.
While Ifedi has gradually improved, his issues with penalties and struggles in pass protection have been well documented over the past few years. The team declined to give him a fifth-year option, potentially bringing an end to his Seahawks tenure after this season.
Penny is in his second NFL season, and he has already fallen out of favor in Seattle’s run game. Chris Carson dominated the last two seasons, and Penny has struggled to find his footing in the league. He has carried the ball just 36 times for 167 yards and one touchdown on the year, and got benched in Week 10 against the 49ers after just three snaps, one of which included a fumble.
As long as Carson is in tow, Penny’s role will likely be limited to a change-of-pace back — not what you want out of a first-round pick.
Lastly, Collier was selected late in the first round of the 2019 draft. He suffered an ankle injury during training camp, which caused him to miss the entire preseason and has slowed his development.
Collier has been a healthy inactive for a handful of games and has only played a total of 69 defensive snaps, recording two solo tackles.
While there’s still time for Collier, and potentially Penny, to develop into big-time contributors, it’s clear Schneider excels at finding great players in the later rounds and not as often in Round 1.
[lawrence-related id=51132]