The Best 7th-Round Draft Pick in Seattle Seahawks History

The Seattle Seahawks are possibly the best of all NFL teams when it comes to drafting value picks in the late rounds. In the seventh round alone, they grabbed running back Chris Carson and wide reciever David Moore in 2017, and guard JR Sweezy in 2012. But their best seventh-round pick ever? That came in 2011 when they drafted future Super Bowl XLVIII MVP Malcolm Smith.

Coming out of USC, Smith was not regarded as any kind of top prospect. He was not invited to that year's NFL Combine, and was projected to be picked at the end of the final day. Right on cue, he was taken by the Seattle Seahawks in the seventh round with the No. 242 overall pick. Seattle was the perfect place for Smith to land, as it reunited him with head coach Pete Carroll, who had once coached Smith at USC prior to making the NFL jump.

After two seasons in Seattle, Malcolm Smith truly broke through in 2013. He started eight games, deflected four passes, and caught two interceptions for 67 yards.

In that postseason, Smith was a dominant defensive force. In the NFC Championship against the San Fancisco 49ers, he intercepted a pass from Colin Kapernick to Michael Crabtree, sealing a win for the Seahawks. In the subsequent Super Bowl, Smith turned the intensity up even higher. The HAwks tore apart the Denver Broncos 43-8, bringing their No.1-rated offense to a absolute halt. Smith was a huge performer for the Seattle D, totaling nine total tackles, one fumble recovered, and a huge pick-six off Peyton Manning.

Smith is one of just seven defensive players ever to win Super Bowl MVP, and his performance has made him an all-time fan favorite in Seattle. Without him, the Seahawks wouldn't have won Super Bowl XLVIII.

Not bad for a seventh-rounder.