Seattle moved out of pick No. 26 and received Nos. 31, 95 and…
Seattle moved out of pick No. 26 and received Nos. 31, 95 and 249 from Atlanta. The Seahawks kept moving No. 31, eventually building a branch that included Malik McDowell, while No. 95 became Delano Hill and No. 249 became Chris Carson. Carson delivered two 1,100-yard rushing seasons and 3,502 career rushing yards. Atlanta got Takk McKinley, a productive but short-lived pass rusher before waiving him in 2020.
Atlanta Falcons Received
- pick 2017 1st round pick (26th overall, Takkarist McKinley)
Seattle Seahawks Received
- pick 2017 1st round pick (31st overall subsequently traded, Reuben Foster)
- pick 2017 3rd round pick (95th overall, Lano Hill)
- pick 2017 7th round pick (249th overall, Chris Carson)
Trade Analysis
Atlanta targeted UCLA edge rusher Takk McKinley late in the first round of the 2017 draft and paid Seattle to move from No. 31 to No. 26. The Seahawks received the 31st pick, third-rounder No. 95 and seventh-rounder No. 249. Seattle then continued trading down, moving No. 31 to San Francisco and later moving again before selecting Malik McDowell at No. 35.
That first-round branch was disappointing. McDowell suffered serious injuries before his rookie season and never played a regular-season snap for Seattle. The No. 95 pick became safety Delano Hill, who spent several seasons as a reserve and occasional starter but did not become a major defensive piece.
Pick No. 249 changed the evaluation. Seattle selected Chris Carson, who emerged from the seventh round to become the Seahawks’ starting running back. Carson rushed for 1,151 yards in 2018 and 1,230 in 2019, finishing his Seattle career with 3,502 rushing yards and 24 rushing touchdowns despite injuries eventually forcing an early retirement. Finding that level of production with a pick obtained as the smallest piece of a trade-down package is exceptional.
McKinley gave Atlanta useful pass-rush production. He recorded 13 sacks over his first two seasons and 17.5 sacks overall with the Falcons, but the club declined his fifth-year option and waived him during the 2020 season. That is respectable value from pick No. 26, not a total miss, yet it fell short of the long-term edge presence Atlanta hoped to acquire by moving up.
Seattle earns an A- because Carson’s multi-year starting production outweighs the McDowell miss and Hill’s modest role. Atlanta receives a C+ for several seasons of useful pass rush. The Seahawks win because the return produced the most valuable sustained contributor while also providing multiple swings.