Seahawks Draft Dustin Ackley, Judy Blume In 6th Round

Continuing a longtime trend of surprising draft picks, the Seattle Seahawks took two unexpected choices in the 6th round of the NFL Draft on Saturday.

After trading down from the 5th round with the Green Bay Packers, the Seahawks used their first 6th round pick (#171 overall) to acquire Dustin Ackley, a former first-round pick of the Seattle Mariners in 2009. Ackley was a promising MLB prospect and joined the Mariners in 2011, but failed to live up to expectations as a #2 overall pick. Struggling to stay above the Mendoza Line in 2013, he was demoted to Triple-A by the Mariners in 2013 and was traded to the Yankees in 2015. “He was the best candidate on our board in the 6th round,” said Seahawks General Manager John Schneider, “and we’re thrilled we didn’t have to trade up to get him.”

Perhaps even more surprisingly, with the second 6th round pick (#181 overall) acquired from the Packers, the Seahawks chose Judy Blume. Blume, aged 82, is a celebrated children’s book author known for Young Adult literature classics including Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret and Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing.

NFL draft analysts were divided on the Seahawks’ 6th round choices. Seattle Times reporter Bob Condotta rated the team’s choices an “A-,” noting that they showed “a willingness to think outside the box and draft for hungry players who have something to prove.” ESPN NFL analyst Mel Kiper rated the Seahawks’ 6th round with a “F—” and cited both the fact that neither person played football as well as Blume’s disappointing 5.84 second 40 yard dash at the NFL Draft Combine in 1959.

The Seahawks’ 7th Round pick (#222 overall) was Aquaman, a fictional DC comics superhero with the power to control fish.