2015 NFC West Draft Grades

Seattle Seahawks

Grade: B-

Best Pick: N/A

Last season the Seattle Seahawks were less than one yard away from winning consecutive Super Bowls and they were even further off from succeeding at the 2015 National Football League Draft. It’s tough to question the recent success that the Seahawks have had under general manager John Schneider and head coach Pete Carroll which means that they’ll find a way to make this draft class work for them.

After acquiring tight end Jimmy Graham from the New Orleans Saints this off-season, the Seahawks were without a first-round pick in the draft. The Seahawks were able to get on the board late in the second round when they selected Michigan defensive end Frank Clark. Clark was kicked off of Michigan’s team last year following his arrest for domestic violence, but the Seahawks love his ability to rush the passer. Bringing in Clark also gives the Seahawks options as they declined to pick up the fifth-year option on the rookie contract of outside linebacker Bruce Irvin.

The Seahawks used their third round pick on Kansas State wide receiver Tyler Lockett who is as shifty as they come. The fourth round saw the Seahawks select West Virginia offensive guard Mark Glowinski who is familiar with blocking in the spread offense from his time in college and now he’ll be charged with opening holes for running back Marshawn Lynch and quarterback Russell Wilson.

This draft by the Seahawks won’t jump out and bite you, but Carroll and Schneider know how to get the guys that fit their system.

Arizona Cardinals

Grade: C

Best Pick: Round One-D.J. Humphries-Offensive Tackle-Florida

The 2015 NFL Draft was okay for the Arizona Cardinals, but it could have been much better. The Cardinals were expected to take a running back early in the NFL Draft, but they missed out on that. With running backs Todd Gurley and Melvin Gordon off of the board by the time that the Cards picked in the first round, they set their sights on offensive tackle D.J. Humphries. Humphries does have the potential to become a good offensive tackle in the NFL and it is important for the Cardinals to protect quarterback Carson Palmer as he is set to return from suffering a torn ACL last season. Aside from Humphries, the Cardinals failed to draft any potential impact players; especially in the secondary where they lost starting cornerback Antonio Cromartie in free agency as it will be a little bit tougher for them to compete in the NFC West this upcoming season.

San Francisco 49ers

Grade: B

Best Pick: Round Four-Mike Davis-Running Back-South Carolina

It’s a new era for the San Francisco 49ers under head coach Jim Tomsula, but with Trent Baalke still in place as the team’s general manager, it was business as usual at the NFL Draft. The Niners had several needs defensively and Baalke set out to address them.

In the first round, the 49ers selected Oregon defensive lineman Arik Armstead who is expected to play defensive end in San Francisco’s 3-4 defensive scheme. The Niners secondary has had coverage issues and they hope that they addressed that in the second round when they selected Stanford safety Jaquiski Tartt. The 49ers had a pair of picks in the fourth round. Their first was used on tight end Blake Bell. Bell initially went to the University of Oklahoma to be a quarterback where he was a runner more than an a passer and he developed the nickname of the “Belldozer”. Bell spent the second part of his college career at Oklahoma learning how to play tight end, and for the Niners, he’ll be the equivalent to having an extra offensive lineman in the formation. The Niners also selected running back Mike Davis in the fourth round and he should add to the team’s recent tradition of smash mouth football.

Tomsula is a blue-collar kind of guy and this was blue-collar type of draft for the 49ers.

St. Louis Rams

Grade: B

Best Pick: Round One-Todd Gurley-Running Back-Georgia

Although they picked in the top ten of the 2015 NFL Draft, the St. Louis Rams were in the unique position where they were able to select the best athlete available due to the current depth that they have on their team. The Rams rolled the dice in the first round on running back Todd Gurley. Gurley tore his ACL last November while at the University of Georgia which put a cloud of doubt over his ability to get drafted extremely early. But the Rams are sold on Gurley’s overall talent. The Rams drafted quarterback Sean Mannion in the third round after he set numerous passing records in college at Oregon State. And Mannion will be someone that Rams head coach Jeff Fisher can entrust to run his offense.

Since Fisher joined the Rams in 2012, his drafts haven’t jumped off of the charts at first. But he is stockpiling his type of players and the Rams could be on the verge of turning things around.