Tuesday Round-Up: NFL Draft Grades For The Seahawks 2015 Opponents

Good morning, 12s, and happy Cinco de Mayo. Here's a look at what's "out there" for today - Tuesday, May 5 - about your Seattle Seahawks: We rehashed the Seahawks' mostly-favorable draft grades in Monday's Round-Up, but how did their 2015 opponents fare in this year's selection process? Below, take a look at the picks Seattle will meet on the field this season, coupled with a draft grade for each team from ESPN NFL Insider Mel Kiper Jr. When you're finished, you can take a closer look at each team's first-round pick right here. St. Louis Rams The Picks: Georgia RB Todd Gurley (No. 10 overall), Wisconsin OT Rob Havenstein (No. 57), Louisville OT Jamon Brown (No. 72), Oregon State QB Sean Mannion (No. 89), Iowa OT Andrew Donnal (No. 119), Missouri WR Bud Sasser (No. 201), Fresno State OG Cody Wichmann (No. 215), Baylor LB Bryce Hager (No. 224), Memphis DE Martin Ifedi (No. 227) The Grade (via ESPN.com's Mel Kiper Jr.): C; This was a fascinating draft class, but one that I thought had several reaches on value and didn't address a pair of needs. I don't know if there was a more deliberate approach to improving a single area of a team. The Rams want to be better running the football, which should help take pressure off a passing game we can't expect to be special, and they seemed to emphasize that goal with every pick. Todd Gurley is a special talent and the best running back available in the draft. I don't dislike the value as much as I typically would -- I've said 1,000 times I don't think taking RBs in Round 1 is a good strategy -- because the Rams have the roster to start winning now, and because a star QB isn't walking through that door, they had to go with the run game. If Gurley gets hurt again, it looks terrible; if he's a stud in 2015, it looks great. It's that simple. In Round 2, Robert Havenstein was a blocker I thought would be available into Round 3, and the same goes for Jamon Brown in Round 3. After drafting a depth/developmental addition at QB in Sean Mannion, the Rams again went for another offensive lineman in Andrew Donnal. For me, the big question is whether all this investment up front leads to a better running game right away and why they didn't add a WR aside from Bud Sasser. After so many quality picks in recent years, it's time to win in St. Louis. Green Bay Packers The Picks: Arizona State FS Damarious Randall (No. 30 overall), Miami (Ohio) CB Quinten Rollins (No. 62), Stanford WR Ty Montgomery (No. 94), Michigan LB Jake Ryan (No. 129), UCLA QB Brett Hundley (No. 147), Oklahoma FB Aaron Ripkowski (No. 206), Louisiana-Lafayette DE Christian Ringo (No. 210), UAB TE Kennard Backman (No. 213) The Grade (via ESPN.com's Mel Kiper Jr.): B; I thought the Packers did a good job because they got players I can see helping them right away, and they really didn't have major needs to fill. There was a lot of versatility added. Damarious Randall is just the definition of duct tape in the secondary, as he'll be on the field all the time in subpackages and will be called a safety or a cornerback depending on the look. Quinten Rollins is just total intrigue, with the potential to be a Pro Bowl talent based on the glimpse we got of him after converting from basketball. Ty Montgomery can be used in the passing game and the return game -- and you could even hand the ball off to him. I waxed about Jake Ryan on the broadcast, and I know Bill Polian really likes him too. If he's at 100 percent, I think you have a future starter at one of the inside linebacker spots -- he has a nose for making plays in the backfield.Brett Hundley is a good value that late, a toolsy talent to mold under Aaron Rodgers. Aaron Ripkowski could be a favorite someday, as he reminds me a little bit of John Kuhn. Hard to knock a draft like this, though I would have liked to see them add some depth along the D-line. Chicago Bears The Picks: West Virginia WR Kevin White (No. 7 overall), Florida State DT Eddie Goldman (No. 39), Oregon C Hroniss Grasu (No. 71), Michigan State RB Jeremy Langford (No. 106), Penn State FS Adrian Amos (No. 142), TCU OT Tayo Fabuluje (No. 183) The Grade (via ESPN.com's Mel Kiper Jr.): B-plus; You could feel some suspense in the auditorium among Bears fans before the Jets (at No. 6) were set to pick. Would general manager Ryan Pace, who has major work to do on the defensive side of the ball, have Leonard Williams fall into his lap at No. 7 overall? Well, it didn't happen because the Jets went with Williams at No. 6, but Kevin White was still the star of the night as he got a huge ovation and hit a clear need for the Bears. This wasn't some massive steal on value, but a sensible pick and a good landing spot -- they'll need production from White in Year 1. My favorite pick for the Bears was probablyEddie Goldman early in Round 2. I thought he could have been taken in Round 1, and they needed to add a D-lineman. Hroniss Grasu has a chance to start early at center. He's a great athlete who can get out in front of runners. Jeremy Langford gives them a solid depth option and should get his share of carries next to Matt Forte. Adrian Amos is obviously a favorite of mine (from my alma mater Calvert Hall), and though the Bears helped themselves in free agency at safety, they needed another one. Amos has a chance to help them. If there's a void here, it's a pass-rush addition, but you can't hit every need, and they might have taken Preston Smith for that role if the Redskins hadn't. Pretty good draft overall, with the big question being whether White can transition quickly, as well as the absence of a pretty good tackle prospect, though Tayo Fabuluje will get a good look. Detroit Lions The Picks: Duke G Laken Tomlinson (No. 28 overall), Nebraska RB Ameer Abdullah (No. 54), Stanford CB Alex Carter (No. 80), Auburn DT Gabe Wright (No. 113), Rutgers FB Michael Burton (No. 168), Texas CB Quandre Diggs (No. 200), South Carolina OT Corey Robinson (No. 240) The Grade (via ESPN.com's Mel Kiper Jr.): B; The Lions were involved in one of the few trades we saw in a semi-sleepy Round 1, and the strategy was clear: Fix the offensive line, particularly on the interior. They let the Broncos move up and added Manny Ramirez in pick swap, which landed them a player who has a real shot to start at center, which was a trouble spot for them in 2014. After moving down, they took Laken Tomlinson, a player I had rated as the No. 1 guard in the draft -- again, that's a guy who should start immediately at left guard. Even if Tomlinson is a bit of a reach, you added one starter and potentially two with the value of a single pick. That's not too bad. Reggie Bush is gone, but Ameer Abdullah is now here. This was about where I thought Abdullah would go -- solid pick. Alex Carter gives them some needed depth in the secondary, and the addition of Gabe Wright gives them much-needed depth on the interior of the defensive line. Wright could make some plays as a rotation player. Quadre Diggs is an intriguing physical talent who has the chance to stick, and Corey Robinson is a massive tackle who might end up at guard. The Lions clearly wanted to improve the interior of the offensive line and add useful depth on defense, and they accomplished those things. Abdullah will also be a fun one to watch. Cincinnati Bengals The Picks: Texas A&M OT Cedric Ogbuehi (No. 21 overall), Oregon OT Jake Fisher (No. 53), Rutgers TE Tyler Kroft (No. 85), TCU LB Paul Dawson (No. 99), USC CB Josh Shaw (No. 120), Arizona State DE Marcus Hardison (No. 135), Auburn TE C.J. Uzomah (No. 157), Fresno State FS Derron Smith (No. 197), West Virginia WR Mario Alford (No. 238) The Grade (via ESPN.com's Mel Kiper Jr.): B-Plus; The Bengals had a really interesting draft. They have emerging needs at tackle (on both sides) and went with tackles in each of their first two picks. Cedric Ogbuehi is a top-15 pick if healthy, but he'll be coming off an ACL tear, and you can't expect much, if anything, from him in 2015. Where you could expect something is from second-rounder Jake Fisher, who was a pretty good value at No. 53. In fact, if Ogbuehi felt like a bit of a reach given his injury situation, Fisher balances it out. They added a trio of tight ends, and you get the impression that'll practically be a highly-competitive camp situation, with the hope that someone breaks through. A couple picks that could become a lot more useful than the slot indicates: one is Paul Dawson, a player his own coaches describe as a "knucklehead" -- not in a criminal way but in a "get focused" kind of way -- but who is also a really instinctive player who I think could rise quickly on the depth chart; the second one is Josh Shaw, who fell on character concerns following his bizarre suspension from USC last year but has the kind of talent you'd expect of a top-60 pick. Marvin Lewis likes to take chances on these kinds of kids, and I wouldn't be at all surprised if he hits a couple home runs. Though Derron Smith had a reputation that surpassed what he showed on tape, that's a good need fit in Round 6. The big void? I don't think a bad pass rush got any better, and I would have liked more upside out of a pass-catcher.Carolina Panthers The Picks: Washington LB Shaq Thompson (No. 25 overall), Michigan WR Devin Funchess (No. 41), Oklahoma OG Daryl Williams (No. 102), Texas State LB David Mayo (No. 169), Auburn RB Cameron Artis-Payne (No. 174) The Grade (via ESPN.com's Mel Kiper Jr.): C; The Panthers had one of the more surprising picks in the early portion of the draft, when they took Shaq Thompson at No. 25. My sense is when Arizona picked D.J. Humphries at No. 24, Carolina didn't like the value at tackle and had to shift gears, taking Thompson with the assumption he could compete to start immediately or at least become the eventual replacement for Thomas Davis. Good player, but sure looked like a reach to me. Thompson sees himself as a future Lavonte David, but those guys are available in Round 2, and Thompson could have been taken there as well. The Panthers again passed on an O-lineman -- and I repeat, they really need some O-lineman, any O-lineman -- in Round 2 and added Devin Funchess, who is a size matchup problem but struggles to gain separation. I think Trent Dilfer made a great point during the broadcast, which was that when you can't block, you should look for a couple guys who create immediate separation. With Funchess and Kelvin Benjamin, the Panthers have big bodies, but they don't separate much at all. Daryl Williams is a decent tackle value at No. 102, and he could push for a starting role at one of the tackle spots, though that's wishful thinking in 2015. The David Mayo pick was a bit of a puzzler, and then they got a depth RB in Cameron Artis-Payne. The Panthers added some useful pieces, but the O-line still looks scary from where I sit (the questions about whether Michael Oher will be able to do his job well are going to persist until he proves he can) and probably from where Cam Newton sits too. San Francisco 49ers The Picks: Oregon DT Arik Armstead (No. 17 overall), Samford SS Jaquiski Tartt (No. 46), Virginia LB Eli Harold (No. 79), Oklahoma TE Blake Bell (No. 117), South Carolina RB Mike Davis (No. 126), Georgia Tech WR DeAndre Smelter (No. 132), Clemson P Bradley Pinion (No. 165), Boston College OG Ian Silberman (No. 190), Florida OG Trenton Brown (No. 244), South Carolina TE Rory Anderson (No. 254) The Grade (via ESPN.com's Mel Kiper Jr.): C-Plus; Since Trent Baalke has been running the show, I think I've liked every 49ers draft -- usually a lot. This one wasn't bad by any measures, but there's a lot of projection here, and I'm concerned they didn't do enough at a couple need positions. Arik Armstead is the definition of potential over polish, as he has all the physical talent and size you want, but he really needs to go to school (Justin Smith should open an academy just for Armstead) if he wants to become great. Jaquiski Tartt will come downhill and is something of a hybrid, a guy who can cover but won't weaken you against the run. Eli Harold is also a lot of projection because he has shot-out-of-a-cannon explosiveness but isn't yet a complete player. They hit a home run last year with Aaron Lynch, and Harold has the chance to be a disruptor too. If he stayed in school for another year, we could've been talking about him as a first-rounder in 2016. Blake Bell is another projection play, as he's starting to figure tight end out -- he's also an interesting guy to have, depending what the 2-point conversion rules gives us. DeAndre Smelter is a scratch-off ticket with million-dollar upside. If there's a theme here, it's that you really need to believe in your ability to coach these guys up. The other thing I wonder about is the lack of a true inside linebacker or cornerback. I'm fascinated to see what this class becomes because it's short on guarantees. Dallas Cowboys The Picks: UCONN CB Byron Jones (No. 27 overall), Nebraska LB Randy Gregory (No. 60), Florida OT Chaz Green (No. 91), Minnesota LB Damien Wilson (No. 127), Purdue DE Ryan Russell (No. 163), Wyoming LB Mark Nzeocha (No. 236), Virginia Tech OT Laurence Gibson (No. 243), Texas TE Geoff Swaim (No. 246) The Grade (via ESPN.com's Mel Kiper Jr.): C-Plus; It's now two straight years we've seen the Cowboys drive the suspense factor and end up not picking a player at the position everyone is talking about. Last year, it was passing on a QB and Johnny Manziel. This year, it was passing on a running back after the departure of Demarco Murray. They again targeted a player in Round 1 who they think can help make them better in a need area right away. Last year, it was Zack Martin on the O-line; this year, it was Byron Jones in the secondary. The versatile, athletic freak from Connecticut could play all over for them. He helps. Randy Gregory is the big story. Gregory is a gifted pass-rusher with top-5 ability, but Dallas is rolling the dice at No. 60 and believing Rod Marinelli can help a kid who has off-field issues that threaten to derail his career. If it works out, that's an impact player. Chaz Green was a pretty massive reach on my board, but I did like Damien Wilson in Round 4. If health issues again hurt them in the linebacking corps, Wilson is great insurance. As to the big question mark, which was not selecting a running back, my sense is the Cowboys know there are many backs who will run effectively behind their offensive line, and you can add one on the cheap pretty easily. The depth chart there just really isn't that bad. Jones is the safe bet, and Gregory the potential home run. From there, we'll see. Arizona Cardinals The Picks: Florida OT D.J. Humphries (No. 24 overall), Missouri DE Markus Golden (No. 58), Northern Iowa RB David Johnson (No. 86), Delaware State DT Rodney Gunter (No. 116), West Virginia DE Shaquille Riddick (No. 158), UAB WR J.J. Nelson (No. 159), Louisville TE Gerald Christian (No. 256) The Grade (via ESPN.com's Mel Kiper Jr.): C-Plus; The Cardinals were a team many of us saw taking Melvin Gordonif the Wisconsin RB were available at No. 24, in part because the roster really doesn't have any gaping holes in spots you typically target with premium picks. Turns out, it was never even close with Gordon. D.J. Humphries was a bit of a reach on my board, but I can understand the pick as they look for competition at right tackle. General manager Steve Keim has made improving the O-line a priority from Day 1, and he wants to continue improving there. They needed to add a pass-rusher, and they got Markus Golden in Round 2, then Shaq Riddickin Round 5. I don't see quite the same ability in Golden, but the need there was certainly addressed. David Johnson has a chance to help them right away at running back. He has good size and also offers good hands. I wouldn't be at all surprised if he breaks out in one of the next two seasons. J.J. Nelson is a miniature burner and could be someone to watch in the return game -- he'll run under 4.3, which he needs to since he's under 160 pounds. It was going to be hard to add a player who was sure to be an immediate starter, which is a credit to the state of the roster, but I didn't like the value too much with either of the top two picks.Pittsburgh Steelers The Picks: Kentucky LB Bud Dupree (No. 22 overall), Mississippi CB Senquez Golson (No. 56), Auburn WR Sammie Coates (No. 87), Ohio State CB Doran Grant (No. 121), Penn State TE Jesse James (No. 160), Central Michigan DT Leterrius Walton (No. 199), Miami DE Anthony Chickillo (No. 212), Louisville FS Gerod Holliman (No. 239) The Grade (via ESPN.com's Mel Kiper Jr.): A-Minus; The Steelers had a really good draft. I think they needed help at every level of their defense, and they not only added a pass-rusher, but they also went hard after secondary talent, which was needed because of how depleted they were in that area. Bud Dupree felt like a steal at No. 22 overall. Given the off-field issues that affected the pass-rushing group, to have him available at that point was a surprise to me. I thought he could have gone as high as No. 8 overall.Senquez Golson is one of my favorite players in the draft, an INT machine at Ole Miss who plays bigger than his size and has the hands I wish more wide receivers had. Elsewhere in the secondary, the Steelers added a steady college performer in Doran Grant out of Ohio State, and then the nation's leader in INTs last year, Gerod Holliman. You think they wanted to find answers in the secondary? Yep, those guys will be green, but at least the depth chart looks better. The fun one to watch will be Sammie Coates, not only because every wide receiver the Steelers take in this range seems to turn into Superman, but also because he truly is one of the physical freaks in this draft. If he can catch it better and add some refinement, you never know what can happen. They looked for some D-line help late (like I said, needs at every level) with L.T. Walton and Anthony Chickillo. Good week for the Steelers. Minnesota Vikings The Picks: Michigan State CB Trae Waynes (No. 11 overall), UCLA LB Eric Kendricks (No. 45), LSU DE Danielle Hunter (No. 88), Pittsburgh OT T.J. Clemmings (No. 110), Southern Illinois TE MyCole Pruitt (No. 143), Maryland WR Stefon Diggs (No. 146), Oklahoma OT Tyrus Thompson (No. 185), Louisville DE B.J. Dubose (No. 193), Alabama OT Austin Shepherd (No. 228), Newberry LB Edmond Robinson (No. 232) The Grade (via ESPN.com's Mel Kiper Jr.): B; Trae Waynes brings about a lot of debate among my colleagues on the draft. We know he can cover in a straight line, and I love the speed, but the detractors point out Waynes really struggles when wide receivers aren't running in a straight line. As well, Jon Gruden is concerned Waynes isn't good in run support. I had him at No. 22 on my final Big Board, but my sense is the Vikings felt he was a clear need fit at No. 11, and they wouldn't be able to get a CB at his level later on. If it were me, I'm going with DeVante Parker right there, reuniting him with college teammate Teddy Bridgewater. They had one of the best picks in Round 2 when they added a potential immediate starter in Eric Kendricks. This kid can really run sideline to sideline and is the best cover linebacker in the draft. He doesn't just cover -- he actually makes plays. Danielle Hunter is a good developmental pick as a pass-rusher with great physical tools -- he was quietly more productive than people think. T.J. Clemmings has a foot issue that threatens his long-term potential, but that's a reasonable value bet in Round 4, especially after the disastrous situation the Vikings saw at left tackle the past season. Stefon Diggs was a good addition late because he's a guy who can turn short passes into big plays, though I would have liked a wide receiver pick a bit earlier. Mycole Pruitt and Tyrus Thompson both have the potential to stick -- I once saw Thompson as a potential Round 2 guy. The Vikes hit needs pretty well, and if Waynes cleans up aspects of his game, they might have really helped the defense with him and Kendricks. Good draft, but Waynes still has some "we'll see" aspects. Baltimore Ravens The Picks: Central Florida WR Breshad Perriman (No. 26 overall), Minnesota TE Maxx Williams (No. 55), Iowa DT Carl Davis (No. 90), Kentucky DE Za'Darius Smith (No. 122), USC RB Javorius Allen (No. 125), Texas Southern CB Tray Walker (No. 136), Delaware TE Nick Boyle (No. 171), Tennessee State OG Robert Myers (No. 176), Georgia Tech WR Darren Waller (No. 204) The Grade (via ESPN.com's Mel Kiper Jr.): A-Minus; The guys will rib me as a Baltimore homer, but I call them as I see them, and I know McShay, Polian, Riddick and the rest like this draft too. They Ravens needed new weapons in the passing game at both wide receiver and tight end, and they got them. Breshad Perriman could have been off the board by No. 14, and I wouldn't have blinked. To get a big (218 pounds), fast (sub-4.3 speed) big-play threat such as this at No. 26 is a great get. You bet Perriman needs to be more consistent with his hands, but there's some Dez Bryant to his game. Maxx Williams was a player the Ravens coveted, and to get him at No. 55 overall was good value. Both he and Perriman could be impact players from the rookie class, which is rare on a good team. Carl Davis provides needed rotation depth on the D-line and again looks like good value -- he was my No. 34 player on the Big Board, and Baltimore got him at No. 90. Za'Darius Smith can rush the passer, and Tray Walker is an interesting, 6-foot-2 CB prospect who could emerge with seasoning. Buck Allen provides needed RB depth, and Nick Boyle is a tight end who can stick because he'll actually block people, which isn't that common anymore at tight end. If there's a big question mark, it's whether the secondary got enough help a year after it was the downfall of the team. The Ravens will count on health in that department, it's clear. Cleveland Browns The Picks: Washington DT Danny Shelton (No. 12 overall), Florida State C Cameron Erving (No. 19), Utah DE Nate Orchard (No. 51), Miami RB Duke Johnson (No. 77), Washington State DT Xavier Cooper (No. 96), Northwestern SS Ibraheim Campbell (No. 115), Washington State WR Vince Mayle (No. 123), Louisville CB Charles Gaines (No. 189), Mississippi State TE Malcolm Johnson (No. 195) The Grade (via ESPN.com's Mel Kiper Jr.): B; Last year, Browns fans waited and hoped for the team to take a wide receiver, but Cleveland never found one it liked enough at each pick slot. This year, we saw more of the same. The Browns made a predictable and smart pick with Danny Shelton at No. 12, and I think he helps them shore up a leaky run defense immediately. The really curious selection was Cameron Erving at No. 19. Although I agree with some that he's among the best O-lineman in the draft -- and easily the best center -- he might end up at guard right away. The pick did make me think the Browns remember how much the run game fell apart when Alex Mack got hurt last year, and they aren't about to let that happen again. Still, a surprising pick. I liked the addition of the productive Nate Orchard. They no longer have Jabaal Sheard around, and Orchard gives them some juice off the edge as they wait for Barkevious Mingo to put it all together.Duke Johnson was a nice get in Round 3 as arguably the best pass-catching RB in the draft. If he's healthy, he's a stud. Xavier Cooper provides immediate depth on the defensive interior, and he's sneaky disruptive because of great quickness for his size. Vince Mayle had a ton of production in the WSU offense, but the speed is a major issue, and the hands can be inconsistent. I liked the additions of both Ibraheim Campbell (they need safety depth) and Charles Gaines. Hayes Pullard has a lot better tape than you'd expect for a guy taken so late. He'll see the field if healthy. Ifo Ekpre-Olomu could be a steal because he's essentially a redshirt and could really help the Browns in 2016. If there's a big question for me, it's whether they added enough help in the passing game. The QB situation is obviously a mystery -- I liked the idea of adding Bryce Petty in Round 3 here -- and based on what I can see, the Browns think the best use of the QBs they have right now is to keep them handing off. Tweet Of The DayToday's "Tweet of the Day" comes from @ESPNNFL, which shares the League's top two draft classes according to ESPN NFL Insiders Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay. More From Around The WebHere at Seahawks.com, the team announced dates for its rookie minicamp, set for this weekend at Renton's Virginia Mason Athletic Center. In case you missed it, here's a look at the entire Seahawks 2015 NFL Draft class. Here's how Seahawks players reacted on social media to day three of the 2015 NFL Draft. Guest contributor Frank McDonald shares a fun story of a Seahawks season-ticket holder who won a trip to this past weekend's draft. Terry Blount at ESPN.com rounds up coach Pete Carroll's comments on the Seahawks 2015 draft class. And Dave Boling at the Tacoma News Tribune says the Seahawks addressed key areas of need in the draft. Did I miss anything you think is worthy of inclusion? Let me know on Twitter@TonyDrovetto*

Tuesday Round-Up: NFL Draft Grades For The Seahawks 2015 Opponents

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