The Ten Best Seattle Seahawks First Round Draft Picks of All Time
By Ben Renner
4. Earl Thomas
Earl Thomas is a scary player because he’s still playing his best football. Drafted at age 20 from the University of Texas with the 14th overall pick in the 2010 draft, Thomas has been shutting down the middle of the field for the Seattle Seahawks for the past six seasons. Thomas was the Legion of Boom before it was the Legion of Boom. Anchoring the nasty Seahawks defense for years has made him the most irreplaceable player on that side of the ball.
Thomas is the reason why head coach Pete Carroll and his various defensive coordinators can play all that man coverage on the outside. With Thomas roaming the deep middle of the field, cornerback Richard Sherman can focus on his man and play with his normal fierce attention, knowing Thomas will bail him out if he makes a mistake.
Earl Thomas is a five-time Pro Bowler, a three-time All-Pro, and a two-time second team All-Pro, most recently in 2015. In six seasons, he’s made 21 interceptions, forced ten fumbles, recovered four, and made 383 tackles. He was last seen deflecting a career-high four passes against the Panthers in the Seahawks’ Divisional Round loss.
Thomas was hampered by a serious injury in the Super Bowl That Must Not Be Named at the beginning of last year, yet he still matched a career-high with five interceptions in 2015. He’s the anchor of the Legion of Boom and might just be the best player on the team right now.
Next: Number 3