The Seahawks made it through day one of the 2015 NFL Draft by playing spectator.
Seattle, without a first-round pick after dealing the No. 31 overall choice to the New Orleans Saints as part of the trade for three-time Pro Bowl tight end Jimmy Graham, saw 32 players drop off its draft board as Round 1 came to a close on Thursday night. Rounds 2 and 3 will take place on Friday, May 1 starting at 4 p.m. PT, when the Seahawks are slated to make their first picks of this year's event at Nos. 63 and 95 overall.
While the Seahawks sat on their League-high 11 picks, nine of which will come on Saturday in Rounds 4-7, their 2015 opponents were busy securing new faces of the franchise.
Below, take a closer look at the players Seattle's regular-season opposition took with its first-round picks. You'll notice we excluded the Seahawks' NFC West foes - the Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, and St. Louis Rams. That's because Seahawks.com guest contributor Scott Engel broke down the division rivals' picks in a separate story you can find right here.
Chicago Bears
The Pick: No. 7 overall
The Player: WR Kevin White, West Virginia
What He's Done
During his senior season with the Mountaineers, White made 109 catches for 1,447 yards, the third- and sixth-best totals, respectively, in college football. His 2014 campaign started with a West Virginia-record seven-straight 100-plus yard games. A junior college transfer from Lackawanna, White ran a 4.35-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine this past February. He started 22 of 24 games over two seasons at WVU.
What It Means
The Bears add one of the top receivers in this year's draft class, with White being the second player taken at his position after Alabama wideout Amari Cooper went No. 4 overall to the Oakland Raiders. White will replace veteran wide receiver Brandon Marshall, who was traded to the New York Jets this past March, and should provide a potent target for Chicago quarterback Jay Cutler while working opposite Pro Bowl Bears wideout Alshon Jeffery.
When He'll Meet The Seahawks: Week 3 - Sunday, Sept. 27, 1:25 p.m. PT, CenturyLink Field
Minnesota Vikings
The Pick: No. 11 overall
The Player: CB Trae Waynes, Michigan St.
What He's Done
At 6-foot and 186 pounds, Wayne is a long, rangy, and athletic cover man who started 27-of-36 games played for the Spartans. He had three picks, eight passes defensed, and 46 tackles as a junior in 2014 and allowed just two touchdowns over the past two seasons. He excelled at the NFL Combine earlier this year, posting a 4.31-second 40-yard dash.
What It Means
The Vikings add a physical defensive back who excels in man-to-man coverage. Waynes, the first cornerback taken in 2015's draft, should compete for starting time opposite Vikings 2013 first-round draft pick, cornerback Xavier Rhodes. Waynes will be tested often in a pass-happy NFC North that includes the Bears' Cutler, Detroit Lions' Matthew Stafford, and Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers.
When He'll Meet The Seahawks: Week 13 - Sunday, Dec. 6, 10 a.m. PT, TCF Bank Stadium
Cleveland Browns
The Pick(s): Nos. 12 & 19 overall
The Player(s): DT Danny Shelton (No. 12), Washington; T Cameron Erving, Florida St.
What They've Done
Shelton, an Auburn native who attended nearby University of Washington, racked up 93 tackles for the Huskies last year while also leading the nation in tackles for loss (16) and fumble recoveries (five). At 6-foot-2 and 339 pounds, Shelton started 40-of-53 games played at nose tackle.
Erving, who switched to the offensive side of the football after spending two years as a defensive tackle, started 14 games at left tackle in 2012, 13 games at left tackle in 2013, and made the switch to center toward the end of his 2014 season.
https://twitter.com/SInow/status/593953401605627904
What It Means
Shelton gives the Browns a massive interior presence that brings a rare combination of strength, power, an deceptive speed to the football. He played all three downs in college and even at nearly 340 pounds rarely came off the field for a breather. With veteran defensive tackle Ahtyba Rubin moving from the Browns to the Seahawks in free agency, Shelton should be tasked with putting a stop to some of the League's top running backs, including Seattle's Marshawn Lynch toward the end of the season at CenturyLink Field.
Erving has the ability to play all five offensive line positions and he'll offer the Browns an option at center should veteran lineman Alex Mack opt out of his contract after the 2015 season. It's also worth noting Mack broke his leg last year and was lost for the season in mid-October.
When They'll Meet The Seahawks: Week 15 - Sunday, Dec. 20, 1:05 p.m. PT, CenturyLink Field
Cincinnati Bengals
The Pick: No. 21 overall
The Player: Cedric Ogbuehi, Texas A&M
What He's Done
Ogbuehi started 13 games for the Aggies in 2014, 11 at left tackle and two at right tackle, but tore his ACL in the team's bowl game against West Virginia. He started all 13 games at right tackle in 2013 and saw action in 13 games at right guard the year prior, helping clear the way for eventual Hesiman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel.
What It Means
Ogbuehi, the fifth offensive lineman drafted in 2015, doesn't need to start right away for the Bengals and he likely won't as he comes back from reconstructive knee surgery. Ogbuehi should add depth to Cincinnati's O-line and command a larger role next season, possibly as a replacement for 10-year veteran left tackle Andrew Whitworth.
When He'll Meet The Seahawks: Week 5 - Sunday, Oct. 11, 10 a.m. PT, Paul Brown Stadium
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pick: No. 22 overall
The Player: LB Bud Dupree, Kentucky
What He's Done
Dupree capped his senior season for the Wildcats with 7.5 sacks, bringing his career-total to 23.5 quarterback takedowns. He finished 2014 with 74 tackles, good for second-most on the team, and started 38 straight games to close his collegiate campaign, posting 36 tackles for loss through 45 games played.
What It Means
It marks the third straight year the Steelers have selected a linebacker in round one. Dupree adds a needed body at the linebacker position after the team saw Jason Worilds unexpectedly walk away from football this offseason. The Steelers did re-sign linebacker James Harrison this offseason, but he turns 37 in May, meaning Dupree could be looked at as a possible bridge to the future once Harrison decides to call it a career.
When He'll Meet The Seahawks: Week 12 - Sunday, Nov. 29, 1:25 p.m. PT, CenturyLink Field
Carolina Panthers
The Pick: No. 25 overall
The Player: LB/S Shaq Thompson, Washington
What He's Done
He was the nation's most versatile player in 2014, scoring two touchdowns as a running back and four on the defensive side of the football - one interception return and three fumble recoveries. He finished his three-year career for the Huskies with 3.5 sacks, 15 tackles for loss, 16 passes defensed, and five fumble recoveries.
What It Means
Behind defensive tackle Danny Shelton (No. 12 to the Cleveland Browns) and cornerback Marcus Peters (No. 18 to the Kansas City Chiefs), Thompson is the third former Washington Husky to go in the first round of this year's draft. How the Panthers will use Thompson remains to be seen, as he projects as both a safety and linebacker at the pro level. At Washington's Pro Day earlier this month, Thompson made it clear that his running back days are behind him.
When He'll Meet The Seahawks: Week 6 - Sunday, Oct. 18, 1:05 p.m. PT, CenturyLink Field
Baltimore Ravens
The Pick: No. 26 overall
The Player: WR Breshad Perriman, Central Florida
What He's Done
He finished his 2014 season with a 20.9 yards-per-catch average, scoring nine touchdowns on 50 catches. Perriman was the first Central Florida wideout with 1,000-plus yards since Mike Sims-Walker did so in 2006 and his 2,243 receiving yards rank ninth in school history.
What It Means
Perriman, the fifth first-round wideout taken in the 2015 draft, joins a Ravens team that lost wide receiver Torrey Smith to the 49ers in free agency. The 6-foot-2, 212-pound Perriman, who ran sub-4.3-second 40-yard dashes at his Pro Day workout, should provide a big, fast, and athletic replacement for Smith, whose 767 receiving yards were second-most on the team this past season.
When He'll Meet The Seahawks: Week 14 - Sunday, Dec. 13, 5:30 p.m. PT, M&T Bank Stadium
Dallas Cowboys
The Pick: No. 27 overall
The Player: CB Byron Jones, UCONN
What He's Done
He moved from safety to cornerback following the 2012 season and started all 12 games at the spot with three interceptions. He was at standout at February's NFL Combine, setting a broad jump record of 12 feet, three inches.
What It Means
The 6-foot-1, 199-pound Jones fills a need in the secondary for the Cowboys, who have defensive back Morris Claiborne still recovering from a knee injury he suffered last season.
When He'll Meet The Seahawks: Week 8 - Sunday, Nov. 1, 1:25 p.m. PT, AT&T Stadium
Detroit Lions
The Pick: No. 28 overall
The Player: G Laken Tomlinson, Duke
What He's Done
Tomlinson started every game at right guard for Duke following his redshirt season in 2010, earning first-team All-American and first-team All-ACC this past year and second-team All-ACC in 2013.
What It Means
The Lions traded down with the Denver Broncos from No. 23 to No. 28 and netted two offensive guards in the process. On top of Tomlinson, Detroit's draft-day deal landed Manny Ramirez from Denver, a player entering his ninth NFL season. Tomlinson and Ramirez should compete for the starting left guard spot in 2015.
When He'll Meet The Seahawks: Week 4 - Monday, Oct. 5, 5:30 p.m. PT, CenturyLink Field
Green Bay Packers
The Pick: No. 30 overall
The Player: FS Damarious Randall, Arizona State
What He's Done
A first-team All-Pac-12 selection in 2014 who finished with 106 tackles for the Sun Devils. He snagged six interceptions, recorded 15 tackles for loss, and tallied four forced fumbles through two seasons at Arizona State after transferring from Mesa Community College in 2013.
https://twitter.com/RandallTime/status/593973520629108736
What It Means
NFL Media draft analyst Mike Mayock called Randall "by far the best cover safety in college football," which could be why NFL Network's Ian Rapoport has been told Green Bay sees Randall as a cornerback - the position he played in junior college. Regardless of where he lines up, Randall represents one of the top defensive backs in this year's draft class.
When He'll Meet The Seahawks: Week 2 - Sunday, Sept. 20, 5:30 p.m. PT, Lambeau Field
