Seahawks do something they haven’t done in the NFL Draft since 1997

Three positions were nowhere to be found in Seattle’s 2024 draft class.

The Seattle Seahawks’ first NFL Draft of the post-Pete Carroll era was certainly different. As in, “hasn’t happened in nearly 30 years” different.

Seattle allocated half of its eight picks to the offensive and defensive lines, two more to the cornerback position, one more to inside linebacker, and one to tight end.

Notice what’s missing? Despite another year of speculation (if not a bit of anticipation), the Seahawks did not take a quarterback. They were well out of the running for the top names, but they bypassed Spencer Rattler (New Orleans Saints), Jordan Travis (Florida State), Joe Milton (New England Patriots), and Michael Pratt (Green Bay Packers) on Day 3. In the John Schneider era, the Seahawks have traded for more quarterbacks (Charlie Whitehurst, Drew Lock, Sam Howell) pre-draft than actually drafted quarterbacks (Russell Wilson and Alex McGough).

Also absent? Running back and wide receiver. Those are a lot rarer than skipping out on a QB. This is only the second time since 2010 that Seattle did not draft a wide receiver—I think the 2012 draft worked out just fine without a WR—and the fifth time they did not select a running back. Given recent drafts and the current depth chart, neither position was a dire “need” per se for 2024, but that hasn’t stopped Seattle before.

This is only the third time in franchise history that the Seahawks have gone an entire draft without taking a quarterback, running back, or wide receiver. Seattle eschewed those positions in 1996 and 1997, with distinctly different outcomes. The 1996 class was uh… not great, but 1997? Different story at the top.

With only five selections following a blockbuster pick swap with the Atlanta Falcons, the Seahawks took cornerback Shawn Springs at No. 3, then some left tackle named Walter Jones at No. 6. They didn’t pick again until the fifth round, when they chose cornerback Eric Stokes, followed by tight end Itula Mili in the next round, and defensive back Carlos Jones in the seventh.

Time will tell whether the 2024 draft will be closer to 1997 than ‘96. There was great demand for the Seahawks to invest in the trenches, and that was the general theme of this year’s class.