Seattle Seahawks Draft Picks: Results, Analysis and Grades

The 2015 NFL draft ran from Thursday night to Saturday evening, and like every other team, the Seattle Seahawks took the opportunity to add some fresh, young talent to their roster.

Unlike most other teams, however, the Seahawks already had a fairly complete roster.

The Seahawks won the NFL title just two seasons ago and nearly came away with a come-from-behind victory in last year's Super Bowl. 

General manager John Schneider and head coach Pete Carroll know their roster is good enough to return to the Super Bowl for a third consecutive season, and they know they are only a few pieces away from being able to finish their run off strong.

Seattle didn't possess a first-round selection because it traded away the 31st overall pick in order to acquire New Orleans Saints star tight end Jimmy Graham. The good news is that there wasn't exactly a ton of holes to fill, though that trade did result in the loss of starting center Max Unger.

Other offseason movement includes the departure of cornerback Byron Maxwell and the addition of cornerbacks Cary Williams and Will Blackmon.

This ultimately left room for improvement at wide receiver and along the offensive line and for depth in the secondary and on the defensive line. 

Seattle began the draft with 11 overall picks, and made their first selection in Round 2 (63rd overall). That pick was former Michigan defensive end Frank Clark. They added former Kansas State wideout in Round 3. They kicked off Day three by grabbing offensive linemen Terry Poole and Mark Glowinski and then added some nice developmental prospects after.

Over the next few pages, we will examine, analyze and grade every single one of Seattle's 2015 draft selections.

Round 2 (No. 63 Overall)

Frank Clark, DE, Michigan

With their first pick in the 2015 draft, the Seahawks settled on former Michigan pass-rusher Frank Clark.

The addition of Clark adds depth to Seattle's defensive front and should help provide insurance in case the team loses one of its top pass-rushers for a period of time—as was the case in this past Super Bowl.

Eventually, Clark may emerge as a full-time contributor. At 6'3" and 271 pounds, he has the size to compete at the pro level, and he brings a fair amount of past production (9.5 sacks since 2013) to the table. 

The issue with Clark is that he comes with a number of character concerns. He was suspended back in 2012 after facing charges involving a stolen laptop, and he was dismissed from the team in 2014 after being charged with domestic violence.

If not for these concerns, Clark would be a good value here because he does have the talent to make a difference as a rookie. Because of these concerns, however, he is a bit of a risk. Clearly he is a risk the Seahawks are comfortable taking.

Grade: C

Round 3 (No. 69 Overall)

Eric Gay/Associated Press

Tyler Lockett, WR, Kansas State

Apparently, the Seahawks didn't feel like waiting around to address another area of need Friday night.

Moments after Round 2 came to a close, Seattle traded back up to the fifth pick in Round 3 to grab former Kansas State wide receiver Tyler Lockett.

In order to move back up, the Seahawks sent the Washington Redskins their third-round pick and picks in the fourth, fifth and sixth rounds.

"

TRADE! Seahawks get #Pick69 (R3)... Redskins get: #Pick95 (R3) #Pick112 (R4) #Pick167 (R5) #Pick181 (R6) #SeahawksDraft #NFLDraft

— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) May 2, 2015"

This was a wonderful move for Seattle, which had far more draft picks than legitimate openings on its roster. By grabbing Lockett, the Seahawks get a 5'10", 182-pound speedster (ran a 4.40-second 40-yard dash at the combine) who can stretch the field and open up the offense.

Lockett finished the 2014 season with 1,515 yards and 11 touchdowns, and he also brings value as a potential punt returner.

Grade: A+

Round 4 (No. 130 and No. 134 Overall)

The Seahawks grabbed a pair of intriguing guard prospect with their two picks in the fourth round on Saturday.

No. 130: Terry Poole, OG, San Diego State

Former San Diego State offensive tackle Terry Poole is a physical 6'5", 307-pound mauler with enough strength and punch inside to open holes in the running game.

The downside with Poole is that he isn't the most athletically gifted prospect, and he has issues with pass protection. This is why he will most likely move inside to guard at the next level.

Poole does fit what the Seahawks like to do along the offensive line, and he represents solid value in Round 4. He should come in as a primary backup at the very least.

Grade: B-

No. 134: Mark Glowinski, OG, West Virginia

West Virginia product Mark Glowinski moved from tackle to guard in college and is still improving at the position.

Glowinski is a 6'4", 307-pound prospect with the strength to perform at the pro level. The downside with Glowinski is that he is strong but lacks punch and has a tendency to wait for defenders rather than moving out to meet them.

Still, there is a lot of good tape out there on Glowinski, and he represents an even better value here than Poole.

Grade: B+

Round 5 (No. 170 Overall)

Julio Cortez/Associated Press

Tye Smith, CB, Towson

The Seahawks get some depth for their secondary by picking up Towson product Tye Smith.

Smith is a tall (6'0", 195 pounds), rangy pass-defender with good cover skills. These traits fit what the Seahawks like out of their cornerbacks, but Smith does have some issues he will have to overcome in order to become a real factor.

If Smith wants to stick in the NFL, he will likely have to add some bulk to his rail-thin frame. If he wants to stick on the Seahawks roster, he will have to become a more willing and physical tackler.

Overall, Smith feels like a small-school prospect Seattle could have grabbed later in the draft.

Grade: C-

Round 6 (No. 209 and No. 214 Overall)

Julio Cortez/Associated Press

No. 209: Obum Gwacham, DE, Oregon State

Former Oregon State defensive end Obum Gwacham looks like a perfect developmental pass-rusher for Seattle's defense. A former wide receiver, the 6'5", 246-pound prospect has a ton of athleticism to go with great length. He will likely move to linebacker in the NFL.

Gwacham can stand to put on a little weight and is extremely raw, but the potential is off the charts. Gwacham ran a 4.72-second 40-yard dash at the combine and produced an explosive 121" broad jump.

This could be a real steal, if the Seahawks have the patience to work with him for a year or two.

Grade: B+

No. 214: Kristjan Sokoli, DT, Buffalo

Former Buffalo nose tackle Kristjan Sokoli was an underwhelming college player who likely caught the attention of the Seahawks with his standout pro day.

The 6'5", 300-pound defender ran an impressive 4.84-second 40, and he added a 38" vertical jump and 31 reps on the 225-pound bench press.

Sokoli is a guy who can develop into a regular contributor on the defense if Seattle is willing to give him time, but the plan for now seems to be to try him at offensive guard.

Grade: C+

Round 7 (No. 248 Overall)

Eugene Tanner/Associated Press

Ryan Murphy, FS, Oregon State

The Seahawks closed out their draft by adding another depth player for their defense.

At the end of the seventh round, Seattle grabbed Oregon State defensive back Ryan Murphy. Murphy is a guy with the size (6'1", 214 pounds), speed (ran a 4.48-second 40 at his pro day) and range to perform at the pro level.

However, Murphy doesn't currently possess the ball skills of your standard Seahawks defensive back and has a tendency of dropping easy interceptions.

Murphy will almost surely have to excel as a special teams contributor in order to stay on the roster, but he is worth a seventh-round gamble.

Grade: B