Before heading to the NFL combine next week in Indianapolis, Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider sounded encouraged about the talent level entering the 2015 draft.
"This draft looks like it's going to be pretty cool," Schneider said Tuesday on 710 ESPN Seattle radio. "It looks like it has some good balance to it."
The Seahawks have the 31st pick in the first round. Last year when they had the 32nd and final pick on the first round, the Seahawks traded down. Of course, Schneider would never reveal their plans, but he did say something about the team's draft strategy.
"We never go into this thing saying we have to have this or we have to have that," Schneider said about the draft process. "That's when you get in trouble in terms of overpaying. We have to learn from previous lessons."
The Seahawks were widely criticized for the 2012 draft that produced starters Russell Wilson, Bobby Wagner, Bruce Irvin and J.R. Sweezy. Schneider said they tend to do things in an unconventional manner, including the draft, which is OK with team owner Paul Allen.
"He's very much outside the box himself," Schneider said of Allen. "And I think he likes that about Pete [Carroll] and I, that we want to push the boundaries in every direction. We're going to be cutting edge."