Pro Bowl 2011: Why the Seattle Seahawks Have No Pro Bowl Players

The Pro Bowl certainly is not the best measure of who the best players in the NFL are, or else Aaron Rodgers would have been voted in this year (he was only the best quarterback in the NFC).

But five other Packers and three Steelers were named to the All-Star game that will be played today, which goes to show that the Pro Bowl tends to be somewhat a reflection of team performance.

That explains why the Seahawks, who, despite their top eight finish, were really among the eight worst teams, have no Pro Bowl players this year.

In fact, as Mike Sando’s post reminded us, the Seahawks have produced no Pro Bowl players from their last five drafts.

We decided to check it out in detail, and it turns out 57 players drafted since 2006 have been named to the Pro Bowl, and the Seahawks, Rams, Raiders and Bengals are the only teams not to contribute to that number.

It explains why Tim Ruskell, who presided over Seattle’s 2005-09 drafts, is no longer the general manager of the Seahawks.

Everyone already knew that Ruskell did a horrible job with first-round picks in his five drafts, busting with Chris Spencer (2005), Kelly Jennings (2006), Deion Branch (2007) and Lawrence Jackson (2008). Even Aaron Curry, seemingly the surest pick of them all, has not lived up to his No. 4 overall draft spot in two seasons.

At least Ruskell made up for one of those busts by getting an extra first-rounder for 2010, which Pete Carroll and John Schneider used on Earl Thomas.

We’ve previously broken down Ruskell’s moves in detail, but let’s see what he could have done better from 2006 to 2009.

2006: Seattle's Worst Draft Since 2002

Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images

SEATTLE, WA - JANUARY 08: Kelly Jennings #21 of the Seattle Seahawks celebrates the Seahawks 41-36 victory against the New Orleans Saints during the 2011 NFC wild-card playoff game at Qwest Field on January 8, 2011 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto

Seahawks’ picks: (1) Kelly Jennings, (2) Darryl Tapp, (4) Rob Sims, (5) David Kirtman, (7) Ryan Plackemeier, (7) Ben Obomanu.

Pro Bowl draft picks: Twenty-two players from the 2006 draft, plus undrafted Miles Austin, have made the Pro Bowl over the last five years. That includes Leon Washington, who was a Pro Bowl return specialist for the Jets in 2008. Fourteen teams in the league have placed at least one 2006 draftee in the Pro Bowl.

What the Seahawks should have done: In hindsight, they should have taken DeMeco Ryans or Marcus McNeill. But in 2006, they seemed to have their linebacker corps well established with Lofa Tatupu, Julian Peterson and Leroy Hill, and Walter Jones and Sean Locklear looked good at the tackles for a few more years.

This was a prime case of a team late in the first-round drafting for need rather than simply taking the best player available. The Hawks needed a corner, so they took one even though the best players at that point were linebackers.

They also needed an end, and they could have gone with DE Mathias Kiwanuka, who was taken by the Giants right after the Hawks took Jennings. But they ended up drafting Tapp at the end of the second round. (Side note: Charlie Whitehurst went to San Diego 18 picks after the Hawks drafted Tapp.)

Neither Jennings nor Tapp had an impact in what turned out to be Seattle’s worst draft since 2002.

2007: Hawks Chose an Injury-Prone Receiver Over a Pro Bowl Safety

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

INDIANAPOLIS - OCTOBER 04: Deion Branch #83 of the the Seattle Seahawks is pictured during the NFL game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium on October 4, 2009 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Seahawks’ picks: (2) Josh Wilson, (3) Brandon Mebane, (4) Baraka Atkins, (4) Mansfield Wrotto, (5) Will Herring, (6) Courtney Taylor, (6) Jordan Kent, (7) Steve Vallos 

Pro Bowl draft picks: Thirteen players from this draft have made the Pro Bowl, including Marshawn Lynch as a Bill in 2008.

What the Seahawks should have done: They didn’t have a first-round pick because they traded it for Deion Branch. (The trade wasn’t a bad move, but the $39 million contract was.) Of course, if they had kept the pick, the Hawks could have had Brandon Meriweather, who is now a two-time Pro Bowl safety for the Patriots, or tight end Greg Olsen, who killed Seattle in the playoffs this year.

Although Wilson was not a bad choice in the second round, we wanted center Ryan Kalil, who seemed a better option than Chris Spencer to replace Robbie Tobeck. One Pro Bowl later, it looks like we were right.

2008: The Wrong Jackson

Nick Laham/Getty Images

MINNEAPOLIS - NOVEMBER 22: Lawrence Jackson #95 of the Seattle Seahawks sits on the bench against the Minnesota Vikings at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome on November 22, 2009 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images)

Seahawks’ picks: (1) Lawrence Jackson, (2) John Carlson, (4) Red Bryant, (5) Owen Schmitt, (6) Tyler Schmitt, (7) Justin Forsett, (7) Brandon Coutu 

Pro Bowl draft picks: A dozen players from this draft year have made the Pro Bowl, including Mike Jenkins, whom the Cowboys drafted after trading up three spots in the first round with Seattle. The Seahawks also gave Baltimore a third-round pick to trade up in the second round for Carlson, and the Ravens took Ray Rice with the Seahawks’ original second-rounder.

What the Seahawks should have done: So if we've got this straight, the Seahawks could have had two Pro Bowl players. Instead, they drafted a defensive end who made everyone say, “Who?” and a good tight end they still refuse to use properly.

The Hawks also could have taken tackle Duane Brown at No. 25 or tight end Dustin Keller at No. 28. The latter move would have saved them their third-round pick, since they wouldn’t have traded up for Carlson.

Oh, yeah, and the Seahawks could have had DeSean Jackson, too—twice. Basically, they picked the wrong Jackson. 

2009: Aaron Curry or Clay Matthews? Let Me See ...

Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images

SEATTLE, WA - JANUARY 08: Linebacker Aaron Curry #59 of the Seattle Seahawks reacts after the Seahawks force a turnover in the second quarter against the New Orleans Saints during the 2011 NFC wild-card playoff game at Qwest Field on January 8, 2011 in S

Seahawks’ picks: (1) Aaron Curry, (2) Max Unger, (3) Deon Butler, (6) Mike Teel, (7) Courtney Greene, (7) Nick Reed, (7) Cameron Morrah 

Pro Bowl draft picks: Six players made the Pro Bowl as rookies, including two linebackers not named Aaron Curry. Clay Matthews of Green Bay is already a two-time Pro Bowl selection and is a leading candidate for defensive player of the year.

What the Seahawks should have done: It’s hard to say the Seahawks should have done anything differently, since they picked the player most people considered the surest thing in the draft and Curry still could turn into a Pro Bowl player. But the Hawks knew the Jets wanted Mark Sanchez, whom they traded up to get a pick later anyway, so Seattle conceivably could have swapped with the Jets and been in position to draft Alex Mack, Michael Oher or Matthews.

2010: Two on the Way?

Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images

SEATTLE - AUGUST 14: Tackle Russell Okung #76 of the Seattle Seahawks pass blocks during the preseason game against the Tennessee Titans at Qwest Field on August 14, 2010 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)

Seahawks’ picks: (1) Russell Okung, (1) Earl Thomas, (2) Golden Tate, (4) Walter Thurmond, (4) E.J. Wilson, (5) Kam Chancellor, (6) Anthony McCoy, (7) Dexter Davis, (7) Jameson Konz.

Pro Bowl draft picks: Four rookies are in this year’s Pro Bowl, and the Seahawks have a couple who could be there soon.

What the Seahawks should have done: They seemingly struck gold with Okung and Thomas, who both could be in the Pro Bowl as soon as next year. The big mistake the Seahawks made was giving up too much (a third-rounder this year) for Charlie Whitehurst.