SEATTLE — When the quarterbacks started to slide, the No. 32 pick in the NFL draft owned by the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks became a desired landing spot.
For a franchise with just six selections heading into the draft and wanting more picks, the first round could not have played out better for the Seahawks leading to a trade that came as little surprise.
For the second straight year, Seattle’s first-round pick ended up in the hands of Minnesota. Last year it was as part of the trade that brought Percy Harvin to Seattle. This time, the trade landed the Seahawks an additional fourth-round selection, now giving the Seahawks seven picks in the draft.
Seattle sent the No. 32 pick to the Vikings in exchange for the 40th overall pick in the second round and the 108th overall pick coming in the fourth round. The trade allowed Minnesota to jump back into the first round and select Louisville quarterback Teddy Bridgewater.
“We were blessed. That’s exactly what we were hoping for. We were talking to a number of teams down there at the end and Minnesota stayed with it so we stayed with them,” Seattle general manager John Schneider said.
The desire to get additional picks was at the forefront for the Seahawks, but they were willing to make a pick. Schneider said the Seahawks had a name ready to go in New York, but instead decided to make the deal.
The decision to trade down continued Seattle’s trend during past drafts with Schneider and coach Pete Carroll in charge. It was the eighth time since 2010 that Seattle has made a trade during the draft. Schneider and Carroll have made no fewer than nine picks in any of their previous drafts in charge and ended up making 11 selections last year.
“We have a number of players that (were) suitable for that pick at 32 that we feel will be suitable at 40, too,” Schneider said. “There are several guys that we hope will be there tomorrow but if somebody comes tomorrow with something that we can’t turn down we’ll look at that as well.”
Seattle will now go into Friday with two second-round selections and none in the third round. Seattle could certainly use help on both the offensive and defensive lines with a number of top prospects still available. The Seahawks could also look at a wide receiver, but as Schneider’s history has shown, Seattle is not afraid to take anyone.
“Like I told everyone in the room before we started, there is a reason this is going to be hard tonight,” Schneider said about having the final pick of the first round. “But it’s great. We accomplished a lot this last year and we hope to be picking late every year.”
