Seahawks 2013 Draft Picks: Results, Analysis and Grades

The Seattle Seahawks don't have a first-round pick in the 2013 NFL draft, which is set to start in a few hours. 

While this is true, general manager John Schneider got his top pick when he traded for Percy Harvin last month. Seattle will be sitting back Thursday watching film of the talented wide receiver as other NFL teams take chances on less proven talent. It will also check to see how the board plays out and consider moving up to the end of the initial round if one of its players should fall. 

Don't expect much movement on that front. 

Even as one of the best young teams in the league, Seattle does have certain areas of concerns. It will likely look to fill holes along the offensive line, at defensive tackle and even at outside linebacker. 

Through the draft, I will focus on updating this slideshow with newly minted members of the Seahawks organization and give you draft grades on each pick. 

Meanwhile, take a gander at a few players Seattle may target with its day-two picks and one it could reasonably look to move up for. 

2nd Round, 62nd Pick (from Baltimore Ravens)

Christine Michael, Running Back, Texas A&M 

Trade Alert: Seattle deals the 56th pick to the Baltimore Ravens for the 62nd pick, a fifth-round pick (165) and sixth-round pick (199). 

Baltimore picked Arthur Brown with Seattle’s original selection.  I had a first-round grade on the talented Kansas State linebacker and he seemed to fit a position of need for the Seahawks with LeRoy Hill set to move on.

That being said, Seattle did acquire two valuable picks to move down.

Unfortunately, the selection here doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. Seattle picked up Texas A&M running back Christine Michael with the last pick in the second round. While extremely talented, Michael comes with baggage and doesn’t necessarily fill a position of need for Seattle.

Where does he fit in as a rookie in 2013 behind both Marshawn Lynch and Robert Turbin? Even as a Super Bowl contender, Seattle needed to get someone that could make an immediate impact. As of right now, Michael is its third-string running back.

Moving forward, the selection of Michael could possibly signal that John Schneider and Pete Carroll are planning for life after Lynch. This pick also indicates that Seattle isn't going away from its strategy of selecting superior athletes early on. 

Bleacher Report's Sigmund Bloom had this to say about Michael earlier in April: 

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Like David Wilson with the Giants last year, Michael will need to work on his pass blocking to get on the field as a rookie. He may never be an ideal back on third downs, but he will likely be the most physically talented back on his roster from day one. 

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Again, Michael has a tremendous amount of upside. I just question the fit and need here. 

Grade: B-

3rd Round, 87th Pick

Jordan Hill, Defensive Tackle, Penn State

After going upside over need with their first selection in the 2013 NFL draft, the Seattle Seahawks have selected a player that figures to replace the recently departed Alan Branch. 

Hill is one of the most underrated interior line prospects in the entire draft. He had a productive career at Penn State and seems to fit Seattle'e multi-front defensive scheme to a T. 

He can penetrate the line and hold down the gap at the point of contact. Two things that I know Seattle looks for in an interior pass rusher. In addition, Hill has the raw skill that few defensive line prospects possess in the mid rounds. 

While Hill will struggle against the run to an extent, he has the time to add to a 296-pound frame. 

Bleacher Report's Dan Hope had the following to say about the Penn State product: 

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Hill’s best fit is as a 3-technique under tackle in a 4-3 defense, where he could be a solid complement as a penetrator next to a bigger, more powerful nose tackle. That said, he could also be used in a four-man front on passing downs as a 1-technique nose tackle, allowing the team to have a quick presence at that position who can bring pressure, but adding in a more athletic and explosive rusher alongside him.

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With Cliff Avril, Michael Bennett and Bruce Irvin there to hold down the exterior pass rush; Hill should shine along the interior of Seattle's defensive front. This is a great pick. 

Grade: A

4th Round, 123rd Pick

Chris Harper, Wide Receiver, Kansas State

While Da'Rick Rogers and Quinton Patton were both rated higher on my big board than Harper, I love what this physical receiver brings to the table. He fits that presence that Seattle had to be looking for against stout defenses in the NFC West. 

Sigmund Bloom had the following to say about Harper earlier in April: 

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Harper is thickly-built, strong, stubborn receiver with surprising speed. He will bang in the air and during routes to get position for the catch, and Harper is difficult to bring down after the catch. His speed grants him a bigger cushion that he can turn into separation on shorter routes. 

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As a physical possession receiver, a lot of comparisons will be drawn to Anquan Boldin. I do see a lot of the current San Francisco 49ers receiver in Harper, especially with his ability to be a consistent threat on the outside. 

This is a high upside selection in the fourth round for Seattle. You can't blame John Schneider for going in that direction. 

Grade: A

5th Round, 137th Pick

Jesse Williams, Defensive Tackle, Alabama

Note: Seahawks traded up with the Detroit Lions to acquire this selection. 

Williams was a second-round talent that fell to the final day due to concerns about injuries. He injured his knee in the BCS National Championship Game and this caused the stout run defender to fall a great deal in the draft. 

He is a plug-and-play interior defensive lineman who will be able to come in and spell Brandon Mebane in certain situations as a rookie. 

In addition, Williams could also fill the Red Bryant role moving forward. That is as a run-stuffing defensive end on the outside. 

Seattle received value and need with this selection. 

Matt Miller had the Alabama product as the 27th ranked player in the draft. Again, it's all about injury concerns. That's the primary reason he fell here. 

Grade: A+ 

5th Round, 138th Pick

Tharold Simon, Cornerback, Louisiana State

Interestingly enough, I mocked Simon to the Seahawks in an article early this morning. The physical cornerback fits Seattle's defensive scheme to a T. At 6'2" and 208 pounds, he will get in the face of the receiver at the line and throw him off his route. 

That's the type of player John Schneider looks for. 

Simon comes with some baggage. He was arrested Thursday night on charges of public intimidation, resisting an officer and unnecessary noise violations in his home state of Louisiana (via katc.com). 

Check out my mock draft from this morning for more information on this arrest and what Simon brings to the table in Seattle. 

Grade: A

5th Round, 158th Pick

Luke Willson, Tight End, Rice

Imagine that. Both the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks pick up tight end prospects from Rice. While San Francisco acquired the "more talented"  player in the second round (Vance McDonald) it appears that Seattle got itself an athletic player with tremendous upside. 

The need was obviously here as it relates to depth. Seattle was looking to find competition for Anthony McCoy behind Zach Miller. 

That's pretty much what this pick does. 

I still wonder the value here. There were "sexier" tight end options from larger schools on the board. Mychal Rivera from Tennessee and Joseph Fauria from UCLA come to mind. 

That being said, we are splitting hairs when talking about value this late in the draft. 

Grade: B

6th Round, 194th Pick

Spencer Ware, Running Back, Louisiana State

Seattle goes back to the running back position here with an ultra-physical grinder in the form of Ware. The LSU product wasn't among Matt Miller's top 300 players in the draft, but does possess some type of upside for Seattle late in the draft. 

He is one of those running backs that takes the field looking for contact. By this I mean he will not shy away from larger linebackers. Instead, he thrives in short-yardage situations between the hashes. 

Remind you of someone? Yes, Skittles are flowing all over my keyboard as I type this. 

At this point in the draft, Seattle is selecting for depth on the practice squad and training camp fodder. It will likely give Ware a chance to earn one of those scout team spots, but considering the selection of Christine Michael in the second round; I am not sure Ware has a chance to earn the No. 3 running back duties. 

Grade: B

7th Round, 220th Pick

Ryan Seymour, Guard, Vanderbilt

Seattle finally addressed the offensive line with the first of four seventh-round selections. Seymour is a project special teams player, but it's impossible to expect anything more when a contending team is picking in the final round. 

That being said, Seattle needs to find depth along the interior of its offensive line. Why not go out there and bring in training camp competition for the likes of Mike Person and John Moffitt? 

Seymour played both tackle and guard at Vanderbilt, so he could come in and be a swing offensive lineman for Seattle in the future. We already know how NFC West teams love to utilize jumbo sets, this isn't going to change in 2013. 

Bleacher Report's Barrett Sallee filed this report on Seymour last April:

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..Seymour is a very versatile offensive lineman that has played tackle and guard. He made the switch to guard mid-way through the 2011 season and was named SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week vs. Army.

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Versatility is a key for a contending team selecting in the seventh round. This is what Seattle got. 

Grade: B+ 

7th Round, 231st Pick

Ty Powell, Defensive End/Outside Linebacker, Harding

This is why I love the NFL draft. I had the pleasure of coming across some tape on Ty Powell a few weeks ago and came away incredibly impressed with the small-school prospect. 

So did the Seattle Seahawks. 

They made him their second of four seventh-round picks and received both value and upside here. 

Bleacher Report's Scott Carasik filed the following scouting report on Powell earlier this month: 

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If Powell's pass rush can fully translate from the Division II ranks to the pro game, he could possibly be a first-year starter for a team that is weak at outside linebacker, like the Jets.

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I fully understand that the difference in talent between the Jets and Seattle is completely off the board, but that's mighty high praise for a seventh-round pick. 

Powell should be able to play with his hands down if he bulks up from that 249-pound frame. Great pick here. 

Grade: A

7th Round, 241st Pick

Jared Smith, Guard/Defensive Tackle, New Hampshire

Put this selection in the category of me not knowing exactly what's going on. Mike Mayock over at NFL Network just indicated that Seattle plans on playing Smith at guard despite the fact that he played defensive tackle in college. 

Seahawks owner Paul Allen suggested on Twitter immediately after the selection that Smith will be moving to the offensive line. 

The small-school product was productive on the defensive side of the ball at New Hampshire, but his 6'3, 302-pound frame suggests that he could slide inside along the offensive line. 

Grade: N/A

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7th Round, 242nd Pick

Michael Bowie, Offensive Tackle, NE Oklahoma State

Bowie transferred from Oklahoma State prior to the 2012 season due to a violation of team rules. He was slated to be their starting left tackle at the time (via Pro Football Talk). 

Getting away from the off-field incident for a second, Optimum Scouting had a fourth-round grade on Bowie prior to his transfer from Oklahoma State. 

Couple that with the fact that he was capable of starting at left tackle for a major college football program and you have to like the upside he brings to the table. 

Grade: A