Comparing Jets vs. Seahawks Draft Classes
When the dust settled on the NFL Draft, most analysts were impressed with the haul of top-flight picks by the Jets and how well they did in adding talent to their roster. In fact, the analysts at NFL.com gave them an A or A- on all three days of the draft, citing the moves up to get Jermaine Johnson and Breece Hall particularly savvy.
Seattle, on the other hand, was not given such high marks for its nine picks at the 2022 Draft. They only had one first-rounder, Charles Cross, who was given a C as a top-10 pick. And there was an open question about the pick of Kenneth Walker III in the second round and with the 41st overall pick.
Now, seven weeks into the season, both of these classes are considered the two best in the league.
New York Jets
Using the Fitzgerald-Spielberger NFL Draft Value Chart, the Jets seven picks had an overall value of 7,553, which are numbers used to calculate the worth of picks when it comes to trade compensation and rookie contract value. As an example, the No. 4 overall pick, which was used to select Sauce Gardner, has a value of 2297. Comparable value would be to combine the 10th overall pick (1833) with the 149th overall pick (464).
It’s hard to deny that the Jets got great value with their pick of Gardner. He has outperformed every other defensive rookie, including all three players that were selected in front of him. The Jets rank eighth in Defensive Real Quarterback Rating and sixth in Defensive Passer Rating, as tabulated by Cold, Hard Football Facts. Last year those rankings were 29th and 31st.
Offensively the Jets are also very happy with the growth of No. 10 overall pick Garrett Wilson and No. 36 overall pick Breece Hall. The running back from Iowa State is now done for the season, but it’s clear that he is going to be a star in New York.
Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks had nine picks in the draft, as compared to just seven for the Jets, but their overall value was just 6,961. That’s because outside of their first pick – No. 9 overall, used to select left tackle Charles Cross, they didn’t have a second pick until No. 40. By pick No. 40, the Jets had already made four picks.
Cross is a stud, and he’s going to lock down the left tackle position for years to come. But they also drafted right tackle Abraham Lucas in the third round at No. 72, and he’s actually graded higher than Cross. With these two anchors, the line in Seattle is first overall in Cold, Hard Football Facts’ Offensive Hog Index.
Kenneth Walker III was taken with the No. 41 overall pick, and in his two weeks as a starter, he has 265 yards, three touchdowns, and 15 broken tackles. And as great as Sauce Gardner has been, it is Tariq Woolen, taken with the 153rd overall pick, that is leading the NFL in interceptions.
For its value, no team had a better 2022 Draft than Seattle.
