Note how many 2nd 3rd, up to 7th round draft choices he brought in helped the team... ..They made playoffs in 88, then didn't go again until 99...2003 10-6 and playoffs, 2004 9-7 and playoffs...They will make the playoffs this year too...With more then a handful of players he brought in...
Overseeing Seattle's draft board from 2000 through '04, Thompson selected players that accounted for 51.7 percent of the Seahawks' starts in 2004, when the 9-7 club captured the NFC West championship.
Furthermore, after his five Seattle drafts, 30 of 47 selected players have started at least one Seahawks game, and only three of those 47 did not make Seattle's 53-man roster. And, 31 remained on the roster at the end of the '04 campaign.
Overall, eight of those players have earned all-rookie, All-Pro or Pro Bowl honors.
8 out of 47 players made all pro or all rookie...Tell me that isnt a nice stat??
The Seahawks advanced to the playoffs each of the past two seasons with many players Thompson acquired through the draft, including 11 of 22 starters in the team's 2004 first-round game.
RB Shaun Alexander (first round, 19th overall, 2000). Thompson's first selection, now a two-time Pro Bowler; supplanted established starter Ricky Watters and over the last two seasons (2003-04) leads the league in rushing yards (3,131), helping Seattle to the NFC's fourth-best record in that span. Fell 1 yard shy of 2004 NFL rushing title.
WR Alex Bannister (fifth round, 140th overall, 2002). Pro Bowl selection as special teams player in 2003.
K Josh Brown (seventh round, 222nd overall, 2003). Nailed 45 of first 55 NFL field-goal attempts (81.8 percent), including an NFC-best 92.0 percent (23 of 25) in 2004.
G Steve Hutchinson (first round, 17th overall, 2001). Two-time Pro Bowl selection. Started first 20 games before breaking leg in 2002. Started all 32 contests since his return, garnering first-team All-Pro honors from the Associated Press in 2003.
WR Darrell Jackson (third round, 80th overall, 2000). All-rookie selection, has started 61 of 80 Seahawks games in five years. Posted franchise-record 87 receptions in 2004.
DT Rashad Moore (sixth round, 183rd overall, 2003). In two years, has arguably outplayed 16 of the 18 tackles taken ahead of him, including first-round picks Johnathan Sullivan and Jimmy Kennedy.
The Seahawks' starting secondary at the end of the '04 season: Cornerbacks Marcus Trufant (first round, 11th overall, 2003) and Ken Lucas (second round, 40th overall, 2001), and safeties Ken Hamlin (second round, 42nd overall, 2003) and Michael Boulware (second round, 53rd overall, 2004). Boulware earned all-rookie honors in 2004.
Additionally, Seattle's 2003 playoff team included five non-drafted free agents signed during Thompson's time at the personnel helm: running back Kerry Carter, long-snapper J.P. Darche, linebacker D.D. Lewis, wide receiver Jerheme Urban and linebacker Tracy White.