Thursday Round-Up: NFL.com's Bucky Brooks Grades Seattle Seahawks 2016 NFL Draft Class Best In NFC West

Good morning, 12s. Here's a look at what's "out there" for today - Thursday, May 5 - about your Seattle Seahawks: NFC West Draft Grades We passed along several national media draft grades in Monday's Round-Up, but today we bring you one more, this one coming from Bucky Brooks, a former NFL defensive back and scout turned media analyst at NFL.com. Brooks doles out a draft grade for each team in the NFC West and the Seahawks earn the division's top mark with a 'B.' The Los Angeles Rams, who took quarterback Jared Goff No. 1 overall, are next with a 'B-minus,' followed by the Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers, teams that Brooks gives a 'C-Plus.' Here's what Brooks had to say about Seattle's 2016 class: The Seahawks have assembled one of the most talented rosters in football through shrewd draft-day moves and superb player development. The team has traditionally knocked it out of the park in the later rounds, but the Seahawks also scored well on their early-round selections in 2016. Germain Ifedi and Rees Odhiambo will anchor a revamped offensive line with their collective size, strength and athleticism. Position coach Tom Cable should quickly whip them into shape and insert the young duo into the lineup.Nick Vannett could make key contributions as a TE3 behind Luke Willson and Jimmy Graham. At running back, the Seahawks grabbed three players (C.J. Prosise, Alex Collins and Zac Brooks) to fill the void created by Marshawn Lynch's retirement. Prosise and Collins should push Thomas Rawls for playing time as role players in a deep and talented backfield. Keep an eye on receiver Kenny Lawler as a red-zone playmaker with excellent potential. The 6-foot-2, 203-pounder is a terrific jump-ball specialist with outstanding hands and ball skills. And, as documented [below], Jarran Reed was an absolute steal in Round 2. The "absolute steal" Brooks mentions is defensive tackle Jarran Reed, who the Seahawks traded up to select in the second round (No. 49). Brooks labels Reed as the best pick in the division, writing:It's hard to find big-bodied defenders with non-stop motors and excellent hand skills in Round 2. Yet, the Seahawks were able to grab the standout interior defender on Day 2 to fill the void created by Brandon Mebane's departure. Reed not only steps into the lineup as a rugged nose tackle on early downs, but he could create bigger "run-through" lanes for linebacker Bobby Wagner by occupying multiple blockers at the point of attack.* Tweet Of The DayToday's "Tweet of the Day" comes from Seattle wideout Jermaine Kearse, who shares his favorite 'Star Wars' character in honor of 'Star Wars Day,' May 4. Check out the photo gallery at the bottom of this page for a look at Seattle's 2016 draft class with a 'Star Wars' twist. More From Around The WebHere at Seahawks.com, digital media reporter John Boyle answers questions about the offensive line, the competition at running back, and more in this week's Twitter Q&A with 12s. Boyle also shares news that Seattle waived five players yesterday to make room on its 90-man roster for players selected in this past weekend's draft and those added in undrafted free agency. Here's 24 questions that should help you get to know new Seahawks running back Zac Brooks, selected No. 247 overall this past Saturday. Seahawks defensive end Cliff Avril recaps his recent humanitarian trip to Haiti. Retired running back Marshawn Lynch is addressing Seattle-area youth at a hiring fair today. Bob Condotta at the Seattle Times looks at how the Seahawks got two players - offensive lineman Germain Ifedi and defensive tackle Jarran Reed - that they considered first rounders. Condotta also names five Seahawks whose roles could be impacted by the players Seattle took in the draft. Sheil Kapadia at ESPN.com says the Seahawks drafting three running backs shouldn't impact Thomas Rawls' fantasy outlook. And Stephen Cohen at SeattlePI.com looks at how the Seahawks used the draft to answer some of the team's offseason questions.

Thursday Round-Up: NFL.com's Bucky Brooks Grades Seattle Seahawks 2016 NFL Draft Class Best In NFC West

A daily link round-up of what's "out there" about the Seattle Seahawks.