Analysis: Win vs. Dolphins illustrates how well Seahawks did in 2023 draft

SEATTLE – After fending off a tight end and a tackle, Derick Hall pivoted and saw the same thing that 68,658 others sitting in the stands at Lumen Field did – Miami quarterback Skylar Thompson still had the ball and no idea Hall was approaching from behind.

“Huge,” Hall said of how wide his eyes got as he barreled toward Thompson, who was standing near the sideline waiting for someone to come open deep on a Hail Mary play as the first half ended.

With the crowd roar steadily rising with each step, Hall finally got to Thompson, leveling him with a blindside hit to put a fitting capper on a dominant defensive first half in a 24-3 win for the Seahawks.

“I turned around and I’m just like, ‘He still has the ball,’ ” Hall said. “And then taking that bee line and just that extra effort to go chase him down there at the end.”

It was a breakout game for Hall, who had a career-high two sacks and has three in three games in his second season with the Seahawks after not getting any last year.

It was something of a breakout game for the Seahawks’ 2023 rookie draft class.

Running back Zach Charbonnet had a career high with 91 rushing yards and two touchdowns. The Seahawks also got their usual contributions from cornerback Devon Witherspoon and receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, a full game out of Anthony Bradford at right guard, and significant snaps from defensive lineman Mike Morris and running back Kenny McIntosh.

The seven members of the 2023 draft class who saw action Sunday played a combined 292 snaps, the type of overall contribution Seahawks president of football operations John Schneider and his staff surely envisioned when they assembled the group in April 2023.

They knew then it was a class that would prove pivotal to the future of the organization as the Seahawks had extra picks in the first and second rounds thanks to the Russell Wilson trade, the last picks they were due from that deal.

That added pressure to further maximize the haul of picks and players they got from Denver, which included left tackle Charles Cross and rush end Boye Mafe from the 2022 draft.

In the moment, most felt the Seahawks did their job well.

Football analyst Rene Bugner compiled 29 grades for the 2023 draft and produced a consensus GPA for each game based on a regular grading scale. The Seahawks came in fourth of 32 teams with a consensus grade of 3.61.

A lot was expected of the 2023 draft class. Sunday offered additional evidence a lot may be produced.

Here’s a look at the season so far for each 2023 draftee.

Cornerback Devon Witherspoon (first round, fifth overall): After making the Pro Bowl a year ago, Witherspoon may be on his way to another, keying a secondary that ranks first in fewest passing yards allowed (397) and second in touchdowns (one). Coach Mike Macdonald promised to use Witherspoon all over the field, and indeed he has. Via Pro Football Focus, Witherspoon has lined up at five spots – defensive line (nine, when coming on a blitz), linebacker, or in the box (12), slot corner (95), wide corner, typically on the left (75) and free safety (two). He is fourth on the team in tackles with 17 and has the fourth-best run defense grade from PFF of any corner.

Receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (first, 20th): Smith-Njigba had a career-high 12 receptions for 117 yards two weeks ago against the Patriots and he’s on pace for 96 receptions for 992 yards, a hefty increase from the 63 and 628 of 2023.

Outside linebacker Derick Hall (second, 37th): Hall had 30 tackles, five quarterback hits and no sacks as a rookie in 2023 in 307 snaps. He’s surpassed the latter two stats with three sacks and seven QB hits in 116 snaps, starting all three games in place of the injured Uchenna Nwosu. He earned a game ball after his performance Sunday.

Running back Zach Charbonnet (second, 52nd): Charbonnet has started the past two weeks in place of the injured Kenneth Walker III and has given the Seahawks exactly the type of production they envisioned when they took him in the second round. Some questioned selecting another RB in the second round a year after drafting Walker. But Schneider places a high value on being deep at that spot and it’s paid off the last two weeks as Charbonnet has rushed for 119 yards on 32 carries with three TDs in wins over the Patriots and Dolphins along with eight receptions for 47 yards. He also caught a 30-yard TD to seal the season-opening win over Denver.

Guard Anthony Bradford (fourth, 108th): Bradford has started all three games at right guard and played all but 16 snaps. True, he’s had some struggles, called for six penalties, and ranking 61st of 65 guards in pass blocking this week from PFF (he’s 33rd run blocking). He’s going to have to continue to fend off 2024 third-round pick Christian Haynes to keep his job. After starting 13 games in his career he has compiled a weighted career approximate value from Pro Football Reference that is higher than all but three players drafted after him.

Nose tackle Cameron Young (fourth, 123rd): Young remains on the physically unable to perform list while recovering from what the team has said only is a lower-body injury. He is eligible to come off the PUP list next week, although it’s unclear what his ETA may be. Young played in 16 games as a rookie working in the team’s interior defensive line rotation, making 18 tackles.

Defensive lineman Mike Morris (fifth, 152nd): Morris played just 16 snaps in one game last season before being sidelined with a shoulder injury. Healthy this year, he has played 25 snaps, 14 Sunday when Leonard Williams and Byron Murphy II were sidelined. He finished with one tackle.

Center Olu Oluwatimi (fifth, 154th): Oluwatimi spent much of camp as the starting center before being relegated to backup duty when they signed veteran free agent Connor Williams. He played Week 1 on special teams but has been inactive the past two games as they have gone with Jalen Sundell as the backup center, in part because he can also play tackle if needed. Still, there’s no reason to think Oluwatimi isn’t part of the team’s long-range thinking on the offensive line.

Safety Jerrick Reed II (sixth, 198th): Like Young, Reed remains on the PUP list while continuing to rehab from an ACL tear suffered last November. Like Young, he is eligible to come off the PUP list next week. He was a key member of special teams before his injury and had nine special teams tackles.

Running back Kenny McIntosh (seventh, 327th): After playing just three games last season because of injury, McIntosh has played in all three this season, backing up Charbonnet the past two games. He got his first carries Sunday with three for 11 yards on the last series.