Mike Glennon reaches out to former teammate Russell Wilson

Former NC State QB Mike Glennon, a former teammate of Seahawks QB Russell Wilson, was drafted in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Russell Wilson and Mike Glennon didn’t just play together at North Carolina State, they played the same position until Wilson left to play his senior season at Wisconsin – and was replaced by Glennon.

So when Glennon was selected in the third round of the NFL Draft last week by the Buccaneers, who better to reach out to than Wilson? And that’s exactly what Glennon has done, according to this report at NFL.com.

“I just wanted to pick (Wilson’s) mind before I got (to Tampa) and hear how he handled things,” Glennon said of a recent conversation with the Seahawks’ starter. “He’s a man on a mission, and you can hear it in the way he talks. He just kind of told me to take it one day at a time and try to get better each and every day. Don’t worry about the long run. If you just get better each and every day, eventually good things will happen. I think that was great advice.”

That’s not only good advice, it’s exactly what Wilson did as a rookie last season after being the Seahawks’ third-round draft choice. First, he played his way into a three-way competition for the starting job. Then, he won the starting job. During the season, Wilson tied the league rookie record by throwing 26 touchdown passes and set the franchise record for rushing yards by a QB while leading the team to an 11-5 record and the club’s first road playoff victory since 1983.

Another Seahawk in NFL Network’s Top 100

The Seahawks already have one player in the NFL Network’s Top 100 Players for 2013 and they’re about to get another.

Players No. 90 through No. 81 will be profiled Thursday in the weekly series, which starts at 5 p.m. PT. We know who that player is and where he’s ranked, we just can’t say. But make sure you tune in early to see who it is.

Among the candidates: All-Pro and Pro Bowl free safety Earl Thomas, All-Pro and Pro Bowl running back Marshawn Lynch, All-Pro cornerback Richard Sherman, recently acquired receiver/runner/returner Percy Harvin, Pro Bowl left tackle Russell Okung and Pro Bowl quarterback Russell Wilson.

All-Pro and Pro Bowl center Max Unger? He was at No. 95 when the series kicked off Saturday following the conclusion of the NFL Draft.

Unger was the Seahawks’ second-round draft choice in 2009. He started at right guard that season, becoming the first rookie lineman to start all 16 games for the Seahawks since Ray Roberts in 1992. Unger was back at right guard in 2010, but he got a season-ending toe injury in the opener. He moved to center – the position he had played at the University of Oregon – in 2011 with the arrival of line coach Tom Cable and has only gotten better by the snap.

“I knew Max when he came out of college,” said Cable, who was with the Raiders at the time. “I thought he would be a fine, fine center when he got to this level. … So we put him there from Day One and his development has been second to none on this team.”

Saturday cyber surfing: 2013 NFL Draft 2nd & 3rd round roundup

Good morning, Seahawks fans, and welcome to day three of the 2013 NFL Draft.

Yesterday, the Seahawks took Texas A&M running back Christine Michael with the 62nd overall pick in round two and added Penn State defensive lineman Jordan Hill with the 87th overall pick in round three.

Heading into today, the Seahawks hold 10 draft picks – No. 123 (4th round), No. 138 (5th round), No. 158 (5th round), No. 165 (5th round), No. 194 (6th round), No. 199 (6th round), No. 220 (7th round), No. 231 (7th round), No. 241 (7th round) and No. 242 (7th round).

We’ll get started with all of that beginning at 9 a.m. PT, but in the meantime here’s a look at what’s “out there” about the Seahawks after day one and two of the 2013 NFL Draft.

Jerry Brewer of the Seattle Times has a look at the Seahawks’ unconventional approach to draft day.

Dave Boling of the Tacoma News Tribune details the Seahawks’ selection of Michael in round two.

John Boyle of the Everett Herald recaps day two of the Seahawks’ draft.

Danny O’Neil of 710Sports.com rehashes the Seahawks’ selections of Michael and Hill in the draft’s second and third rounds.

ESPN.com NFC West blogger Mike Sando has his story on the Seahawks’ moves from day two of the draft at Virginia Mason Athletic Center.

Bucky Brooks of NFL.com has his list of the 10 best remaining players in the 2013 draft.

Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com’s Around the League has his take on winners and losers from day two of the draft.

NFL.com has an updated look at every pick made so far in the 2013 draft.

Once again, we’ll be streaming live coverage of rounds 4-7 with Seahawks Insider Tony Ventrella here at Seahawks.com, which is where you can also find Clare Farnsworth’s recap of what transpired on day two of the draft for Seattle.

You can stay connected and up to date with all of the Seahawks’ draft picks by tuning in to our Draft Central page.

And like yesterday’s cyber surfing post, we leave you with several reactions from Seahawks players and coaches as they watched the day’s picks pour in.

Awesome work today by John Schneider & his guys! Pumped for tomorrow! #GoHawks [@rodmarphoto] http://t.co/Ia6mMHciWW—
Pete Carroll (@PeteCarroll) April 27, 2013

@Cmike33 congrats bro! Glad to have u join the family! #GoHawks—
Russell Wilson (@DangeRussWilson) April 27, 2013

Great pick!!!! Another guy from the golden triangle…. #seahawks !!—
Earl Thomas (@Earl_Thomas) April 27, 2013

Who would've thought.. lolRT @Cmike33: Me and Earl Thomas 409 bmt golden triangle … http://t.co/jGIQbEgPqE—
Earl Thomas (@Earl_Thomas) April 27, 2013

@Cmike33 welcome to the fam young buck. Get ya mind right!—
Doug Baldwin Jr (@DougBaldwinJr) April 27, 2013

Congrats to the young fellow, let's go to work.—
Kameron (@Kam_Chancellor) April 27, 2013

That's a nice smart pick. I'm sure he was the best available player in the 2nd round.—
Winston Guy Jr. (@WinstonGuyJr27) April 27, 2013

@Cmike33 calm down young buck! You'll get your opportunity! Welcome to the squad.—
Christopher Clemons (@chrisclemons91) April 27, 2013

Met and spoke to Christine Michael when he came for a visit. GREAT DUDE! #12thman #seahawks—
William (@willblackmon) April 27, 2013

SEAHAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!—
Christine Michael (@Cmike33) April 15, 2013

Huge congrats to fellow @PSU alum @J_Hill_47 on becoming a new @Seahawks #WeAre…PennState—
Michael Robinson (@RealMikeRob) April 27, 2013

On this date: Bobby Wagner and Russell Wilson selected in NFL Draft

A look at some memorable moments in Seahawks history that occurred on April 27:

1982: Jeff Bryant is selected in the first round of the NFL Draft. Bryant would team with fellow defensive end Jacob Green and nose tackle Joe Nash to form what they called “The Diehard.” Why? “Because we always start,” Green explained. And that they did, from 1983 through 1989. In 1990, after selecting tackle Cortez Kennedy in the first round of the draft, coach Chuck Knox switched to a four-man defensive line and Bryant eventually became the only player in franchise history to start at all four spots.

2012: Middle linebacker Bobby Wagner (second round) and quarterback Russell Wilson (third round) are selected in the NFL Draft. Wagner would lead the team in tackles and finish second in voting for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. Wilson not only became the starter, he threw 26 touchdown passes to tie the league’s rookie record that was set by Peyton Manning in 1998, finished third in voting for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and played in the Pro Bowl as an injury replacement.

Russell Wilson opens ESPN’s 2013 NFL Draft coverage

We previewed it earlier this week, and bring it to you now for your viewing pleasure.

Quarterback Russell Wilson kicked off the 2013 NFL Draft on ESPN when he appeared in and voiced over the network’s opening tease.

“Everyone wants to be a part of something big, important,” Wilson says. “But to get there you need to prove yourself. No one is going to hand it to you. You have to take it and make it your own.”

Wilson did exactly that in 2012 when he won the Seahawks’ starting quarterback job as a rookie, beating out 2011 incumbent starter Tarvaris Jackson and the then-newly-signed free-agent Matt Flynn.

He left this year’s crop of rookies and ESPN’s national television audience with one simple message:

“Too small. Too slow. Two words – doesn’t matter. Once you’re chosen, you’re in. Time to step up, stand out, or get lost in the shuffle.”

Video by ESPN / VICTORY PICTURES

NFL Network to begin unveiling Top 100 players for 2013

When we get to the end of the three-day NFL Draft on Saturday and you still haven’t had enough football, the NFL Network will be there.

The network will begin unveiling its Top 100 players of 2013, beginning Saturday at 5 p.m. PT with those ranked 91-100. At least one Seahawk will be included in the opening look at the Top 100, but the network isn’t saying who.

But the Seahawks have several players worthy of consideration at some point during the 11-week countdown: the All-Pro quartet of running back Marshawn Lynch, center Max Unger, cornerback Richard Sherman and free safety Earl Thomas; left guard Russell Okung and quarterback Russell Wilson, who joined Lynch, Unger and Thomas at the Pro Bowl; and perhaps even strong safety Kam Chancellor, nose tackle Brandon Mebane and recently acquired receiver/runner/returner Percy Harvin.

Additional information is available here.

What’s the best single day in Seahawks draft history?

In past years, we’ve asked you to weigh-in on the best selections by round in the NFL Draft for the Seahawks, and also to vote on the best draft choice in franchise history.

But which was the single best day in the draft for the Seahawks?

The idea for this poll was planted during a hallway conversation at Virginia Mason Athletic Center with one of the team’s scouts, as we discussed what the team was able to accomplish on the second day of the 2012 draft.

That’s when Bobby Wagner and Russell Wilson were selected in the second and third rounds. If you’re not familiar with their contributions to the team going 11-5 during the regular season and winning the franchise’s first road playoff game since 1983, well, you probably have no business voting in this poll.

But as a not-so-subtle reminder: Wagner led the Seahawks’ No. 4-ranked defense in tackles and finished second in balloting for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year; while Wilson tied the NFL rookie record by throwing 26 touchdown passes and finished third in voting for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.

But was that the best single-day draft performance in club history? Here are three others to consider:

1990: The Seahawks began the day by trading up to the No. 3 spot in the first round with the Patriots to select defensive tackle Cortez Kennedy, who became the most-decorated defensive player in franchise history and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame last summer. But before that first day was over, the Seahawks also had added linebacker Terry Wooden and strong safety Robert Blackmon (second round) and eventual Pro Bowl running back Chris Warren (fourth round).

2010: In the first draft under GM John Schneider and coach Pete Carroll, in the first draft where it was expanded to three days and the first round only was conducted on the first day, the Seahawks selected Pro Bowl left tackle Russell Okung with the sixth pick overall and then added All-Pro free safety Earl Thomas with the 14^th pick.

1997: The Seahawks also had two first-round picks this year, and used them to selected Pro Bowl cornerback Shawn Springs (third pick overall) and All-Pro left tackle Walter Jones (sixth pick). While Springs was a solid starter for seven seasons, Jones was voted to more Pro Bowls (nine) than any player in franchise history and already has had his No. 71 retired. The 1-2 punch of Springs and Jones also trumps the other two years when the team had two picks in the first round – 2000 (Shaun Alexander and Chris McIntosh) and 2001 (Koren Robinson and Steve Hutchinson).

But which one day was the best day? You make the call …

The “spine of the Seahawks” built in three drafts under John Schneider & Pete Carroll

NFL.com Around the League editor Gregg Rosenthal recently ranked what he considers to be the five NFL teams that are the best when it comes to finding talent in the NFL Draft.

Rosenthal stresses that his list is in no particular order, but the Seahawks, under the direction of general manager John Schneider and head coach Pete Carroll, are conveniently  Rosenthal’s first mention.

The defending Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens, NFC West rival San Fracisco 49ers, New England Patriots, and New York Giants round out Rosenthal’s top five.

On the Seahawks, Rosenthal writes:

“GM John Schneider and Pete Carroll have only been together three years, but their track record is outstanding. They see players differently than other teams. Last year’s three-pack of Bruce Irvin,

Bobby Wagner and Russell Wilson were all controversial picks that didn’t fit the traditional mold. They were all outstanding.

2011 was a shakier draft, but they found an All-Pro cornerback in Richard Sherman in the fifth round. That’s also the round they found Kam Chancellor in their first draft in 2010. That crop included Earl Thomas and Russell Okung. The spine of the Seahawks were built in three drafts.”

Twenty-two of Schneider and Carroll’s 28 total picks from the last three years remain on the Seahawks’ current roster. Four of their picks have been named to the Pro Bowl (Okung, Thomas, Chancellor, Wilson). Three have been named first-team All-Pro (Okung, Thomas, Sherman). And 10 of their 28 picks were listed as starters on the Seahawks’ depth chart heading into last year’s divisional playoff game against the Atlanta Falcons.

Below is a pick-by-pick rundown of the Seahawks’ drafts guided by Schneider and Carroll.

2010:

2011:

2012:

Seahawks sign free-agent QB Jerrod Johnson

The Seahawks added a fourth quarterback today, signing former Texas A&M passer Jerrod Johnson.

The 6-foot-5, 251-pound Johnson was not selected in the 2011 NFL Draft, but signed with the Eagles in July following the 136-day lockout. He was released on Aug. 18 and signed with the Hartford Colonials of the UFL. He then signed with the Steelers in January of 2012, but was waived on Aug. 31. Johnson then played for the UFL’s Sacramento Mountain Lions.

While at Texas A&M, Johnson completed 242 consecutive passes without an interception, and in 2009 passed for 3,579 yards and 30 touchdowns.

With the Seahawks, Johnson joins a QB situation where Russell Wilson is entrenched as the starter after his impressive rookie season; Brady Quinn was signed in free agency this month to be the backup, replacing Matt Flynn after he was traded to the Raiders; and Josh Portis, the team’s No. 3 QB in 2011, was recently re-signed.

Johnson tweeted the following earlier this afternoon, coupled with the picture below from his Instagram account:

Seattle it is. #Seahawks instagram.com/p/YgSblhmQmf/—
Jerrod Johnson (@JerrodJohnson1) April 24, 2013

Weighing in on the NFC West

Mike Sando, the NFC West blogger at ESPN.com, has turned Matt Williamson’s positional rankings for the division’s four teams into a series of informational and entertaining “conversations” with the website’s resident scout.

Williamson ranks the Seahawks as the second-best team in the NFC West behind the conference champion 49ers, but the Seahawks come out No. 1 at quarterback, running back, defensive line, cornerback and safety. They are No. 2 at wide receiver, offensive line, linebackers and head coach, and No. 3 at tight end.

It’s worth checking out the rankings and the dialogue on each:

Quarterback

Williamson: “If I were starting a team, (Colin) Kaepernick and (Russell) Wilson would rank among my top five picks. The upside for Kaepernick is so great. I don’t expect him to take a step back. I just don’t think he is as far along as Wilson in the fundamentals of quarterback play. Wilson coming into the league was ahead of Kaepernick in terms of being a pocket passer, reading defenses, not relying on his physical gifts so much and just in the mental side of things.”

Running back

Williamson: “Seattle has the best back in the division in Marshawn Lynch, and Robert Turbin is a heckuva backup. It’s not a knock on (Frank) Gore. I like LaMichael James and like Kendall Hunter, too. So, the 49ers have three guys to talk about instead of two for Seattle.”

Wide receivers

Williamson: “I’ll take (Percy) Harvin every day over (Michael) Crabtree and that is not a knock on Crabtree. Harvin is more dynamic, more versatile. He frightens defenses way more. You can do so much more with him. He has big-play ability and is just a better football player. When I rank the wide receivers in this division, it goes Larry (Fitzgerald), Harvin and Crabtree, but Harvin is closer to Fitz than Crabtree is to Harvin.”

Tight ends

Sando: “The Cardinals were the only NFL team without a touchdown reception from a tight end last season. Bad quarterback play had quite a bit to do with that, of course.”

Offensive line

Williamson: “Breno (Giacomini) has been serviceable. Marshawn Lynch has room to run. I think they have two good players (Max Unger and Russell Okung) and then a bunch of guys. I do think the whole is greater than sum of the parts. There is some truth to that in Seattle, which goes to coaching (by Tom Cable).”

Defensive line

Williamson: “They have a wide skill set, which I like, too. (Bruce) Irvin and (Red) Bryant are totally different players at defensive end. Irvin, (Chris) Clemons, (Cliff) Avril and Bryant give you versatility. For the Rams, (William) Hayes is an important part of that equation. He had seven sacks last year. (Robert) Quinn and (Chris) Long are questionable against the run. Hayes can be a base run defensive end. Plus, he moves inside and can be a quality rusher there.”

Linebackers

Sando: “The Seahawks found one starter in the second round (Bobby Wagner) and another in the fourth (K.J. Wright). They plan to use Cliff Avril at strong-side linebacker in some situations. But with Leroy Hill apparently having run his course in Seattle, the team figures to draft a weak-side linebacker to compete with Malcolm Smith.”

Safeties

Sando: “Seattle is really the only team in the division appearing set at safety for now. I could still see the Seahawks drafting one for insurance in case they have a hard time re-signing Kam Chancellor. In the meantime, Earl Thomas might be the best safety in the league. At least I’m assuming you’d agree in saying he’s moved past Troy Polamalu and Ed Reed, who were long considered the standards.”

Cornerbacks

Williamson: “Seattle to me has the best set of corners in the league, clearly (in Richard Sherman and Brandon Browner). And then (Antoine) Winfield might be the best slot corner in the league. It’s almost unfair.”

Head coach

Williamson: “(The Rams’ Jeff) Fisher is a heckuva coach, but he is behind two of the top five in the league (Jim Harbaugh and Pete Carroll) when it comes to ranking head coaches in the NFC West.”