=== 1 Aaron Curry, LB ===

There are draft picks that are thrilling on draft day -- say, Mark Sanchez -- and there are draft picks that get more exciting as the preseason goes on.

The Curry pick is the kind that looks better once the games begin.  Personally didn't expect Curry to necessarily be as much of a big-play type as an assignments guy ... sort of an outside Lofa Tatupu.  But early on, he looks like the whole package -- sacks, big hits, solid containment, and the charisma.

The Hawks were #30 in yards last year, but their LB's get ranked top-5 by everybody.  That's a nucleus of hitters you can build around.

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=== 7 Nick Reed, LB/DE ===

With a big linebacking crew but a suspect D-Line, Mora has come up with an intriguing strategy.  He kept 11 (IIRC) defensive linemen, explaining that he's more interested in keeping the best football players than in filling out a chart.  Now that's the kind of outside-the-box thinking that will win Dr. D over.

Reed is a small DE who, however, has the nonstop motor.   Mora thinks that DL is the most physically taxing position on the field, so he's going to carousel these guys in and out constantly.

The problem?  Lightweight hustlers like Reed can get engulfed, no matter how hard they work.  The answer?   Go get Colin Cole.   Tsunami problem solved.

Mora also apparently thinks that he has 11 different quality defensive linemen.  Whew.

Gotta love this pick, too.

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=== 6 QB Mike Teel ===

Exhibits a level of genius entirely beyond my perception.  The man wasn't even on a lot of teams' draft boards and (to my eye) has zero chance of replacing Mike Hasselbeck.

So you're drafting an eternal backup?  Why, there aren't Trent Dilfers around when you need them?

Huh.

The Seahawks think they have a bit of a Joe Montana discovery here, a guy who played extremely well during his senior season 2H, and if the guy can play that well in spurts, then you can teach him to play that well all the time, right?

hokay.  Will believe it when I see it.

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=== 2 C Max Unger ===

The Hawks are given a lot of credit for drafting a guy who should be a quality NFL starter for years.   Personally, I remember Chuck Knox's first impact trade being to go get a Pac-10 center (Blair Bush) who squared away the offensive line in his rebuild.   But it's easy to draft OL's high, like Chris Spence and Chris McIntosh, and misevaluate them.

Unger is tall and intelligent, with long arms, and rather middle-of-the-pack strength and speed.  Report is that he's neither overwhelming enough to star at guard nor fast enough to even play tackle, but Russkell apparently wanted the college lineman most likely to help in 2009 and 2010.

Here is a superb analysis from the Field Gulls website.  Wow.  These amigos bring it, don't they?

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=== 3 WR Deon Butler ===

Is slated for playing time early on, so already the pick looks respectable.  Comes in with a rep for the Deion Branch template:  quick, small, very reliable possession guy.

Leaving Nate Burleson to handle ALL of the deep work, I guess.

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=== OVERALL ===

The mere fact that they had a #4 and got the best overall player makes it a quality draft, not in terms of drafting skill per se, but in terms of net profit.

I'm not as high on the 2-7 as most people are, but if they get one starter (Unger) and two role players (Reed and Butler) to go with Curry, they did fine.

With Reed surprising and Unger contributing immediately at guard, it's a draft that looks better on Opening Day than on draft day.

Grade B.

My $0.02,

Dr D