NFL Draft grades: Seattle Seahawks continue building around Geno Smith
Overall Seattle Seahawks grade: B+
Geno Smith might be the biggest winner of the 2023 draft. He avoided his successor being drafted and got premium investments in weapons that will make his life easier. It was pretty cool to see the Seahawks invest in Smith beyond the contract that he earned from the team this offseason. Fifth overall pick Devon Witherspoon means the Seahawks have two young aces at cornerback with Tariq Woolen already on the squad. This class gives them more foundation pieces as they try to find their first playoff win of the post-Russell Wilson era.
Favorite pick: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State (20th overall)
The Seahawks added some real juice to their offense with Jaxon Smith-Njigba manning the slot this season for what should be a talented three-headed monster of receivers this year. He also fits well next to DK Metcalf for the foreseeable future as a potentially dominant slot receiver combined with what Metcalf does on the outside. Smith-Njigba locked in his first-round stock by having a productive workout season and will be a starter in a high-volume passing game.
Least favorite pick: Zach Charbonnet, RB, UCLA (52nd overall)
Peak Seahawks. Charbonnet is a solid running back prospect, but how necessary was this with Kenneth Walker already on the roster? Pretty strange pick, especially since they ended up adding a great spell back in Georgia's Kenny McIntosh later. Walker, Charbonnet and McIntosh does give the Seahawks three talented backs at the end of the day.
Full Seahawks draft
Illinois CB Devon Witherspoon (R1, 5th overall)
Ohio State WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba (R1, 20th)
Auburn edge Derick Hall (R2, 37th)
UCLA RB Zach Charbonnet (R2, 52nd)
LSU OG Anthony Bradford (R4, 108th)
Mississippi State DT Cameron Young (R4, 123rd)
Michigan DE Mike Morris (R5, 151st)
Michigan C Olu Oluwatimi (R5, 154th)
New Mexico S Jerrick Reed II (R6, 198th)
Georgia RB Kenny McIntosh (R7, 237th)
