The Seattle Seahawks have gotten a full season from their first rookie class under new head coach Mike Macdonald, and although the team performed well, the first-year pros didn't have smooth sailing.
NFL.com writer Gennaro Filice graded all 32 rookie classes from this past season and gave the Seahawks a "C+" for their efforts.
"[Byron] Murphy played a big part in Seattle’s substantial improvement as a run defense, and his ability to eat double teams undoubtedly helped fuel Leonard Williams’ career year. It wasn’t a poor season for the No. 16 overall pick, but he didn’t deliver the kind of splash plays that made him a trendy preseason choice for Defensive Rookie of the Year," Filice writes.
"While the Seahawks’ first-rounder fell short of expectations, their two fourth-rounders exceeded them. Macdonald spent the first couple months of the season trying to find the right mix at linebacker. Trading for Ernest Jones IV certainly helped, but don’t overlook the impact Tyrice Knight made as a tackling machine in the second half of the season. AJ Barner was overshadowed in his one year at Michigan by Colston Loveland -- a projected first-round pick in this April’s draft -- but he developed a nice rapport with Geno Smith in Seattle, hauling in four touchdown grabs."
The Seahawks ranked No. 19 in the league in Filice's rankings, but that doesn't mean there cannot be improvements down the line.
Seattle will need its 2024 class to make another step in 2025 while they compete against the new rookies for playing time and attention.
This article first appeared on Seattle Seahawks on SI and was syndicated with permission.
