NFL Open Thread: It’s 2012 again edition

I’m not quite as optimistic about the Seahawks as Ben Solak — although they’re certainly miles better than I expected — but there’s no question that after way too many galaxy-brained picks of unimpressive players at non-premieum positions, Carroll and Schneider have their draft mojo back again:

It is heresy to compare any rookie class to the 2012 class that brought Bruce Irvin, Bobby Wagner, and Russell Wilson to Seattle and defined Seahawks football for a decade. Or the 2011 class, which brought in K.J. Wright, Richard Sherman, and Byron Maxwell—all on day three. Or even the year before that, when the team got Russell Okung, Earl Thomas, Golden Tate, and Kam Chancellor. That run of unbelievable drafts sent Seattle to multiple Super Bowls, and placing such an expectation on any other Seattle draft class would be unreasonable.

OK. With that said. Man, the Seahawks 2022 draft looks special. No team has gotten more snaps out of their rookie class this season, and the Seahawks have two who have started every game: Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas. Those aren’t just two random ol’ rookies—they’re the Seahawks’ starting tackle duo!

[…]

Cross, Lucas, Walker—already a prime class, and we haven’t gotten to perhaps the best pick of the lot. The pick most reminiscent of those early 2010s drafts that John Schneider dominated: fifth-round cornerback Tariq Woolen.

Woolen looks … I mean, he just looks awesome, man. He was billed as a massive project coming out of UTSA, but one worthy of investment given his elite measurables—and I mean elite measurables.

But despite that day-three draft capital and project label, the Seahawks started Woolen in Week 1 and haven’t taken him off the field. That’s a credit to Woolen’s work in the preseason, but more importantly, it highlights a note for all of these Seahawks rookies: Seattle got them playing time right away. The initial plan was just developmental reps: Get some young players out on a rebuilding team and let them grow. But when your rookies hit the ground running, those developmental reps suddenly become quality reps, and they lift the floor of your team altogether. Seattle is much better than they thought they’d be, and the play of Woolen (and fellow rookie CB Coby Bryant, who stepped into the starting nickel job following an injury to Justin Coleman) is a big reason why. 

The on-ball production from both Woolen and Bryant was the saving grace of the Seahawks defense early. Seattle’s 12 forced turnovers are tied for the third-best mark of the season, and of those 12 turnovers, seven have seen the rookies involved: four interceptions from Woolen and three fumbles forced by Byrant that were recovered by Seattle. (Bryant has forced four fumbles on the year, more than any other player in the league.)

If Geno can be even 85% as good as he’s been they should make the playoffs, which would be pretty impressive considering.