Biggest Draft Steals Based on Rookie Contracts Prove Seahawks Are Master Drafters

During NFL Draft season, fans set their main focus on who teams select in the first round, but we all know it's not about that. The late-round value is where you make out like a bandit.

While not every mid-to-late round pick is successful, there were some real steals in recent years. The main proprietor of said bargains were the Seattle Seahawks.

In terms of rookie contracts, the Seahawks had the biggest steals from 2011-15, according to OvertheCap.com. Three of the top-four largest bargains were Russell Wilson, Richard Sherman and Bobby Wagner.

It's amazing to look back and realize that neither three were first-round picks, considering the high level they play at currently.

In 2011, Wilson was selected in the third round out of Wisconsin, while Sherman was taken in the fifth out of Stanford. The following year, Wagner was taken in the second round out of Utah State.

The Seahawks have absolutely thrived in the draft, as they utilized the modern strategy of building a team around a rookie quarterback. Following the selection of Wagner, it only took one year for the Seahawks to hoist the Lombardi Trophy, after completely drubbing the Denver Broncos.

Sherman was the first to get significantly paid, as he earned a four-year, $46 million deal in 2014. This offseason, Wilson inked a four-year, $140 million contract, while Wagner signed a three-year, $54 million extension.

While it's considered "luck" to find studs beyond the first round of the NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks cemented themselves as master drafters by finding three steals in a two-year span.