The 2024 NFL Draft is now in the rearview mirror. After a flurry of selections from April 25 to April 27, 257 players were selected to join the NFL.
With that, we give you our full recap of the Seattle Seahawks‘ draft, with analysis on every selection the team made during the weekend and an in-depth look at their top pick.
For more information on the players your favorite team drafted, it’s not too late to get the 2024 NFL Draft Guide, which includes expanded scouting reports, draft grades, offseason reports, unique advanced data, PFF grades and much more.
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2024 Draft Picks
- 1 (16): DI Byron Murphy II, Texas
- 3 (81): G Christian Haynes, UConn
- 4 (118): LB Tyrice Knight, UTEP
- 4 (121): TE AJ Barner, Michigan
- 5 (136): CB Nehemiah Pritchett, Auburn
- 6 (179): T Sataoa Laumea, Utah
- 6 (192): CB D.J. James, Auburn
- 6 (207): T Mike Jerrell, Findlay
Murphy — The Seahawks opt to improve a position where they already have some pieces in place with one of the best defensive players in the draft. Since 2021, Murphy’s 12.5% pressure rate ranks third among defensive tackles with at least 500 pass-rushing snaps, trailing only 2023 first-round picks Jalen Carter and Calijah Kancey. A Murphy and Leonard Williams tandem on the interior creates a clear strength for Seattle heading into 2024.
Haynes — An elite athlete for the guard position, Haynes has the nastiness to be a solid pull-blocker in a gap scheme but really thrives in wide zone, where he posted an 89.2 run-blocking grade in 2023. Haynes is also solid as a pass-blocker and should push for a starting gig from day one in Ryan Grubb’s offense.
Knight — Knight wasn’t on the PFF big board but ranked just inside the top 200 of the consensus board. He recorded 75 defensive stops and earned a 74.0-plus PFF grade in each of his four college seasons.
Barner — Seattle adds more in-line blocking ability. His 82.2 PFF grade in 2023 ranked third among all draft-eligible tight ends, and he also recorded a fantastic 81.4 run-blocking grade this past season.
Pritchett — A lean cornerback with long arms and great long speed, Pritchett allowed just 12 catches in 2023, which ranked first among SEC cornerbacks. He offers a solid floor as a contributor on special teams with developmental upside as an outside cornerback.
Laumea — Laumea played 1,726 snaps at right tackle over the past two seasons and did not allow a single sack in 2023, but he projects to move back to guard, where he played 903 snaps in 2021.
James — The Seahawks add their second defensive back from Auburn in this draft in James. His 91.8 PFF coverage grade over the past two seasons ranks third among Power Five cornerbacks while his 24 forced incompletions in that span are fourth among cornerbacks in the SEC.
Jerell — Findlay’s Jerrell is the rare prospect who doesn’t have any PFF data, and he wasn’t on either the PFF big board or the consensus big board. He did test well with a 4.94-second 40-yard dash and 32.5-inch vertical at 309 pounds, bringing some athleticism to the Seahawks’ offensive line.
DRAFT GRADE: B+
Rookie Spotlight: DI Byron Murphy II, Texas
Scouting summary
The 6-foot-1, 305-pounder brings elite-level strength and athletic ability to trench play and notably earned a spot on Bruce Feldman's 2023 “Freaks List.”
Murphy's punch and press are violent and strong, allowing him to utilize his lower leverage to dictate run-defense battles. Teams may think they can run at him due to his measurables, but he has great lower-body strength and doesn't yield much ground versus combo blocks.
Perhaps nothing better sums up Murphy’s strength than that he played nose tackle despite 360-pound T’Vondre Sweat's presence along Texas’ defensive line. His strength and explosiveness led to excellent pass-rush grades and win rates.
Wins above average
WAA represents the number of wins a player is worth over an average college football player and is a metric evaluators can utilize to assess performance.
It combines how well a player performed in each facet of play (using PFF grades) and how valuable each facet is to winning football games. The result is a first-of-its-kind metric that allows for cross-positional valuation and predicts future value at the player and team levels.
How Murphy ranks in the stable metrics
Murphy possesses a unique skill set as an interior pass-rusher. His burst is unmatched, and it causes problems for slower offensive linemen. He produced a 28% pass-rush win rate on true pass rushes, a top-15 mark at the position since 2021.
The bottom line
Murphy is a gifted defensive lineman in both the strength and speed categories. He is a versatile three-down player who brings plus abilities as a run defender and a pass rusher, projecting as a first-round impact starter for any front.
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