Aug 24, 2018; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Seattle Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner (54) celebrates in the second quarter against Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium. Brad Rempel-Imagn Images

Legendary Seahawks linebacker hailed as one of 21st century's best draft picks

Originally posted on Seattle Seahawks on SI
By Connor Benintendi | Last updated Jun 25, 2025 5:00 PM ET

The Seattle Seahawks put together some of their best draft classes from 2010-12, bringing in the talent the franchise needed to win Super Bowl XLVIII at the end of the 2013 season. Among them was one of the best defensive player picks in team history.

Seattle selected linebacker Bobby Wagner with the 47th overall pick in 2012, and the six-time First Team All-Pro went on to become the Seahawks' all-time leading tackler (1,566). Wagner earned five straight First Team All-Pro nods from 2016-20, annually leading Seattle's defense regardless of the rest of the team's personnel.

The pick of Wagner was named the 17th best pick of the 21st century by Bleacher Report writer Brad Gagnon, who ranked non-top 10 selections based on the pick used in correlation with the career of the player. Wagner was the only linebacker on the list.

"An integral part of the Seahawks throughout the Russell Wilson/Pete Carroll era, Wagner is a six-time first-team All-Pro with longevity to boot," Gagnon wrote. "Yet he was only the second-best pick in one of the greatest team draft classes in NFL history."

Former Seahawks and current New York Giants quarterback Russell Wilson ranked second, behind only Tom Brady, after being picked one round after Wagner in 2012. They were two of the best picks in franchise history, even before the turn of the century.

Wilson and Wagner are the final two players from Seattle's 2012 class to still be playing in the league. Wagner has now played in more than 200 games and is nearing 2,000 tackles in his career. Very few players have had the combination of talent and longevity that Wagner has, and he was still a Second Team All-Pro with the Washington Commanders in 2024 at 33 years old.

The Seahawks are yet to find a definitive long-term replacement for Wagner, but Ernest Jones IV and Tyrice Knight could be that option in 2025 and beyond.

This article first appeared on Seattle Seahawks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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