The 12th Man needs to appreciate this next sentence: the Seattle Seahawks are in near-uncharted territory with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Seattle drafting this high is, thankfully, not a common occurrence. Even taking out the three Super Bowl years (2005, 2013, 2014) the Seahawks have been among one of the most consistently winning teams in the 21st Century.
Even their No. 5 position this year was not due to their play, but rather the abysmal season the Denver Broncos suffered.
The last time Seattle had a draft pick this high, or higher, was in the 2009 NFL Draft. The Seahawks had one of the worst seasons in franchise history, finishing 4-12 in Mike Holmgren’s final year in the Pacific Northwest. For this draft, Seattle had “earned” the No. 4 overall pick.
The Seahawks drafted linebacker Aaron Curry, who many argue became the biggest draft bust Seattle ever had.
Curry was widely expected to be a franchise altering, “can’t-miss” prospect. However, Curry did not live up to the lofty expectations that came with being a 4th overall draft selection. By his third year, Curry had lost his starting spot to K.J. Wright, who obviously became one of the best linebackers to ever wear a Seahawks uniform.
In truth, Curry was not an abysmal player, he simply wasn’t a difference maker at an important position. Here’s hoping whomever Seattle drafts this spring makes more of an immediate impact for the fall.
