When Pete Carroll and John Schneider made Russell Okung the first pick of their tenure with the Seattle Seahawks, they did so with the hope that he’d become the best left tackle in the NFL. Back when rookie deals were negotiable and first-year players could often become among the highest-paid at their positions, Okung signed a six-year, $48 million deal, and he went on to have an above-decent career with the Seahawks.
Okung’s career in Seattle was marred by injuries (24 games missed) and penalties, albeit while being very good at blocking. What was clear from the beginning and is undeniable now is that he’s nowhere near the class of Trent Williams, the Washington Redskins tackle who went two picks ahead of Okung in 2010.