How Kevin Norwood Fits with the Seattle Seahawks

With the 122nd pick of the 2014 draft, the Seattle Seahawks selected wide receiver Kevin Norwood out of Alabama. Norwood is the second receiver selected in Seattle's first four picks in this draft. 

Norwood's selection creates a tremendous amount of depth at what was the thinnest position on the roster prior to the draft. Norwood joins Percy Harvin, Doug Baldwin, Sidney Rice and second-round pick Paul Richardson as highly regarded players at wide receiver for Seattle. 

Norwood is a smart player who already has his masters degree in sports management. He came off as very mature and self-aware in his interview with local media. 

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Norwood: "My one weakness, maybe and it's not really a weakness for me, is getting off the line against press."

— Jayson Jenks (@JaysonJenks) May 10, 2014"

Norwood isn't an explosive athlete like second-round pick Paul Richardson. Instead, he's a precise route-runner with soft hands who looks like he will be a reliable third-down receiver. Norwood's game will remind many Seattle fans of former-Seahawks receiver Bobby Engram. 

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WR Kevin Norwood fits the #Seahawks to a T: He turned 79.1 percent of his receptions into first downs over the past two seasons.

— Chris Cluff (@CHawksExaminer) May 10, 2014"

This pick provides the Seahawks insurance in case Sidney Rice's knee is worse than expected, and also provides some long-term security since Rice only has a one-year contract. 

Perhaps the player most affected by this selection is wide receiver Jermaine Kearse. Kearse took advantage of the Rice and Harvin injuries last year and carved out a role as the team's third wide receiver.

Now Harvin and Rice are back, and the Seahawks have added who additional players to the roster that will likely be above Kearse on the depth chart. Kearse will have gone from being a major contributor on a Super Bowl team to just fighting for a roster spot. 

There is also some concern that Richardson needs some time to develop and learn before he'll be ready to contribute in the NFL. Norwood is polished and might be the most NFL-ready of the receivers in the 2014 draft. 

Ultimately, this pick shows a commitment by the Seahawks to improve the quality of the weapons surrounding quarterback Russell Wilson. There were far too many plays last year where none of his receiver were able to get open, which led to a major drop in efficiency for the offense. 

The Seahawks needed an infusion of talent at receiver, and have done that this year through the draft. The Seahawks now have both talent and depth at a position that was once the weakest link on Seattle's roster.