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2017 NFL Draft analysis: Seattle Seahawks

By Curtis Crabtree, The Sports Xchange
Seahawks fans will have plenty of good stories to hear about their top draft picks this year. File photo by Phil Skinner/UPI
Seahawks fans will have plenty of good stories to hear about their top draft picks this year. File photo by Phil Skinner/UPI | License Photo

RENTON, Wash. -- Three Seattle Seahawks draftees have particularly interesting background stories.

Central Florida cornerback Shaquill Griffin's brother, Shaquem, won AAC Defensive Player of the Year honors last season at Central Florida despite having his left hand amputated at 4 years old.

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North Carolina defensive tackle Nazair Jones suffered from Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) while he was 16-years old, which left him unable to move and without a diagnosis for months.

Michigan wide receiver Amara Darboh fled Sierra Leone in West Africa and relocated to Des Moines, Iowa, after both of his parents were killed during the civil war in the country.

Now all are members of the Seahawks.

How the Seahawks drafted:

Round 2/35 -- Malik McDowell, DT, 6-6, 299, Michigan State

An interior pass rusher that Seattle has been searching for in the draft for years. McDowell gives Seattle a moveable pass rusher that compares to Calais Campbell from a size and build standpoint.

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Round 2/58 -- Ethan Pocic, C, 6-6, 317, Louisiana State

A center at LSU, Pocic projects as a guard or tackle with Seattle. Adds some needed depth and competition on the right side of the offensive line.

Round 3/90 -- Shaquill Griffin, CB, 6-0, 198, Central Florida

Prototypical Seahawks cornerback in measurables. Griffin will have a chance to earn early playing time with the Seahawks a bit light on depth at cornerback.

Round 3/95 -- Delano Hill, S, 6-1, 216, Michigan

Hill was a more productive college player than Cleveland Browns first-round pick Jabrill Peppers at Michigan. Hill is a safety comfortable playing closer to the line of scrimmage and could possibly be a long-term replacement for Kam Chancellor if he pops with the Seahawks.

Round 3/102 -- Nazair Jones, DT, 6-5, 304, North Carolina

Battled Complex Regional Pain Syndrome as a teenager that left him temporarily unable to move and took months to diagnose and years to regain his full strength. Jones pencils in as a 3-technique tackle or 5-technique end in Seattle's front.

Round 3/106 -- Amara Darboh, WR, 6-2, 216, Michigan

A receiver with good size and speed that is a capable blocker. Will have to compete for a roster spot, but should give Seattle a consistent bigger receiver in their arsenal.

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Round 4/111 -- Tedric Thompson, S, 6-0, 204, Colorado

Thompson will start out as a free safety for Seattle. He had seven interceptions and tied for the FBS lead with 23 passes defended as a senior.

Round 6/187 -- Mike Tyson, CB, 6-1, 207, Cincinnati

A nickel safety in Cincinnati's 4-2-5 defense, Tyson will be a cornerback with the Seahawks. Seattle feels comfortable with his skills in the slot as a defender and will initially try him on the perimeter.

Round 6/210 -- Justin Senior, T, 6-5, 331, Mississippi State

Senior was more productive as a junior than during his senior season when he added significant weight and lost effectiveness. The Seahawks believe he can play on both ends of the line, but they want him to get lighter.

Round 7/226 -- David Moore, WR, 6-1, 219, East Central Oklahoma

A Division II athlete, Moore ran a 4.43 40-yard dash at nearly 220 pounds. The combination of size and speed intrigued the Seahawks despite the level of competition he played.

Round 7/249 -- Chris Carson, RB, 6-0, 218, Oklahoma State

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A bruising running back that only saw limited playing time at Oklahoma State partially due to injuries. He didn't have a single fumble in over 200 carries during his two seasons in Stillwater. Like Eddie Lacy, Carson's selection indicates Seattle's commitment to get back to a ground-first attack.

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