NFL
2022 NFL Draft: Grades for Charles Cross and Every Other Seattle Seahawks Pick
Luke Norris began his sportswriting career in 2013 and joined Sportscasting in 2020. The former Section Editor of the NFL and Motorsports sections, he now spends his time here in the role of Senior Writer-Programmer. His well-rounded sports knowledge allows him to cover the NFL, NBA, PGA Tour, MLB, boxing, WWE, and NASCAR for Sportscasting. Luke is an avid golfer who finds inspiration in the way sports can bring people together and provide a distraction from the real world. He hopes to provide a little entertainment or an escape from the real world with every article he writes, even if only for a few minutes. In addition to his work here at Sportscasting, Luke's work has appeared on The Sportster, Inquisitr, GiveMeSport, FanSided, Yahoo! Fox Sports, and Sports Illustrated.
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The 2021 season certainly didn’t go the way the Seattle Seahawks would have liked. After a 12-4 campaign in 2020 that resulted in an NFC West title, the Seahawks went 7-10 in 2021 and missed the postseason for just the second time in the last 10 years.
And speaking of the last 10 years, that’s precisely how long Russell Wilson took the snaps in Seattle, but that’s not the case any longer as the nine-time Pro Bowler was traded to the Denver Broncos in March, ushering in a new era for Pete Carroll.
The Seahawks have done a solid-enough job filling some gaps during the offseason, and filled a few more in the 2022 NFL Draft, where they made nine selections. Their biggest need was easily on the offensive line, specifically at tackle, and they took care of that need immediately by selecting Charles Cross at No. 9.
2022 NFL Draft picks by Seattle Seahawks
- No. 9 Overall: Charles Cross, OT, Mississippi State
- No. 40 Overall: Boye Mafe, LB, Minnesota
- No. 41 Overall: Kenneth Walker III, RB, Michigan State
- No. 72 Overall: Abraham Lucas, OT, Washington State
- No. 109 Overall: Coby Bryant, CB, Cincinnati
- No. 153 Overall: Tariq Woolen, CB, Texas-San Antonio
- No. 158 Overall: Tyreke Smith, DE, Ohio State
- No. 229 Overall: Bo Melton, WR, Rutgers
- No. 233 Overall: Dareke Young, WR, Lenoir-Rhyne
No. 9 Overall: Charles Cross, OT, Mississippi State
The Seattle Seahawks needed an offensive lineman and they may have gotten the best one in this draft in Charles Cross. While some think Evan Neal may fit that bill, a lot of people had Cross in that spot, so for him to be there at No. 9 was an easy call for Pete Carroll.
Grade: A
No. 40 Overall: Boye Mafe, LB, Minnesota
This pick may end up becoming a B-minus before this draft is over, but we’ll go with a B for now for Boye Mafe. He’s a solid player and the Seahawks’ pass rush is dreadful, so he’ll at least be an upgrade.
Grade: B
No. 41 Overall: Kenneth Walker III, RB, Michigan State
The consensus seems to be that the Seahawks should have gone quarterback here, but as I’m still not sold on really any of the QBs in this draft as true long-term options, Kenneth Walker III is a solid pick and may be the best running back in this class.
Grade: B+
No. 72 Overall: Abraham Lucas, OT, Washington State
Still no quarterback for the Seahawks but they went with the home state pick here with Washington State offensive tackle Abraham Lucas, who is extremely athletic and should fit in nicely in Seattle.
Grade: B
Day 3 Picks
No. 109 Overall: Coby Bryant, CB, Cincinnati
Coby Bryant is a fourth-round talent and the Seahawks filled a need at cornerback. Seems like a nice fit.
Grade: B
No. 153 Overall: Tariq Woolen, CB, Texas-San Antonio
l actually see more value with Woolen at No. 153 than I do with Bryant at No. 142. Both are solid additions and I like these picks in the later rounds for Pete Carroll.
Grade: A-
No. 158 Overall: Tyreke Smith, DE, Ohio State
The Seahawks’ dynamite Day 3 continued at No. 158 with Ohio State’s Tyreke Smith. He’s obviously not as talented as Boye Mafe, but getting him at No. 158 is more than acceptable to further help with the pass rush.
Grade: B
No. 229 Overall: Bo Melton, WR, Rutgers
At 5’11” and 195 pounds, Bo Melton isn’t the biggest guy, but he’s explosive and is a nice addition for the Seahawks this late in the draft.
Grade: B
No. 233 Overall: Dareke Young, WR, Lenoir-Rhyne
Dareke Young doesn’t have quite as much upside as Melton, but he’s another low-risk, high-reward wideout for Seattle in the seventh.
Grade: C+
Stats courtesy of Sports Reference
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