NFL: Seahawks Sky High About Draft

By Allen Miller

After making several moves to improve their team’s salary cap situation, the Seattle Seahawks came into the 2001 NFL draft with one mission… to get better. If the reports being thrown around the Internet are any indication, they improved their team in almost every facet of the game.

The Seahawks began their day by selecting North Carolina State wide receiver Koren Robinson with the #9 pick. Robinson was at one time considered a top five pick, however he ran poor 40-yard times at the NFL combine. However, Coach Mike Holmgren said that Robinson is the player that Seattle from day one and that they are very happy to have him in a Seattle uniform.

“Koren is an unbelievable talent,” stated Holmgren. “He is physically talented, explosive, and he can score from anywhere on the field. He is very similar to a Terrell Owens type. He is tall and can make greet catches in traffic. He is tough and go over the middle. He also has great breakaway speed and can score in a variety of ways. He is going to be impressive with the ball in his hands next season.”

The Seahawks then used their second first round pick (#17) on Michigan guard Steve Hutchinson. Many draft experts projected Hutchinson to be a top ten pick. After sliding beyond the top ten, he fell six more picks before Seattle grabbed him. Holmgren stated that the Michigan graduate would be a key cog in Seattle’s 2001 plans on offense.

“He will contribute for us right away,” Holmgren said. “There is absolutely no reason that he shouldn’t have been a top ten pick. Steve is physically strong, a great pass and run blocker, and probably the second best offensive lineman in the draft. When we saw him at #17, we knew we had to take him. He has all the tools to be a starter and that is where we plan to have him.”

The Seahawks finished out their first day of the draft by taking Mississippi cornerback Ken Lucas (2nd round) and Auburn fullback Heath Evans (3rd round). Lucas was seen as a top five cornerback, while Evans was seen as the best fullback in the draft. Holmgren said that both would have a chance to earn a starting spot next season.

“We feel that both have the talent to be starters,” Holmgren said. “In Ken you get a very talented corner with great physical tools and in Heath you get a great fullback who can give a real boost to our running game. We took both players with the intention of them competing for starting jobs. They will get a great opportunity to prove themselves in camp.”

The Seahawks then had a stellar second day. Their selections included Mississippi State guard Floyd Womack, Eastern Kentucky wide receiver Alex Bannister, and LSU quarterback Josh Booty. It is a second day that Holmgren said the entire organization should be proud of.

“You look at the talent we got on the second day and it’s unbelievable,” he said. “Our scouting department should pat themselves on the back for the job that they did in this draft. We managed to get some good skills players; we also got some great offensive and defensive talent. We think that there are a lot of starters that we got on day two. We feel very confident about it.”

Holmgren estimates that every pick could eventually start for the Seahawks. He also stated that everyone in the organization is thrilled about the draft they had. “Everyone is happy with it,” he said. “We feel we had one of the best drafts in the NFL and we feel very good about all the talent we were able to get. It is a great collection and we feel that all of them will contribute to us during the coming season. They are a very special group.”

At least that is what everyone is saying.