Eliminated from the playoffs Sunday with a 26-24 loss to Arizona (as well as Atlanta’s 22-10 win over Carolina), the Seahawks (9-7) will have the 18th pick in the first round of the NFL draft, the league announced Monday. Due to a run of five consecutive years in the postseason as well as numerous trades, Seattle has not had a top 20 pick since 2012 when it selected DE Bruce Irvin of West Virginia at No. 15.
Seattle’s only other high picks in the Pete Carroll era were in 2010: OT Russell Okung, selected sixth from Oklahoma State, and FS Earl Thomas, 14th from Texas.
The Seahawks have made a first-round pick once in the past five years, taking OT Germain Ifedi of Texas A&M 31st in 2016. Last year, Seattle took DL Malik McDowell of Michigan State in the second round, 35th overall. He didn’t play after injuring himself in an ATV accident. In 2015, the Seahawks selected DE Frank Clark of Michigan in the second round, 63rd overall.
Seattle has held the 18th pick twice in franchise history, in 1979 when the Seahawks selected DT Manu Tuiasosopo of UCLA, and in 1987 when they picked DE Tony Woods of Pittsburgh.
The draft is April 26-28 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX., home of the Dallas Cowboys.
In addition to announcing the draft order for the 20 teams not involved in the playoffs (the 0-16 Cleveland Browns hold the first pick), the NFL determined the home and away matchups for each franchise.
At home, the Seahawks will play NFC rivals Arizona, the L.A. Rams and San Francisco 49ers, as well as the Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers and Minnesota Vikings.
On the road, Seattle will play the Cardinals, Rams and 49ers as well as the Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions and Oakland Raiders.
The complete schedule, with playing dates and times, will be announced in the spring. The season starts Thursday, Sept. 6 and will conclude Sunday, Dec. 30. Super Bowl LIII will be played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta Sunday, Feb. 3, 2019.
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="2238085 https://sportspressnw.wpengine.com/?p=2238085">2 Comments
Trade up for Penn State running back Saquon Barkley.
Seahawks may have to play the Raiders game in London.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/the-seahawks-could-face-the-raiders-in-london-in-2018/ar-BBIaGlf