Top 15 Misses of First Three Rounds in 2017 NFL Draft
player. 36. . Safety. Michigan Wolverines. Delano Hill. 12
Michigan Wolverines safety Delano Hill had a breakout season in 2016, and it got him drafted well ahead of schedule. However, it doesn’t really fill an immediate need for the Seattle Seahawks. With safeties Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas in the secondary, Hill’s contributions may need be immediate.
Again, the Seattle Seahawks traded out of the first round twice. This pick is the aftermath of one of those trades. Hill had a good senior season, with 50 tackles (37 solo, 13 assisted), 4.5 tackles for loss, three interceptions and three pass break ups.
He earned second-team All-Big Ten honors for his play, despite playing in a secondary with Jabrill Peppers and Jourdan Lewis. He also had an interception return for a touchdown.
At the NFL Combine, he ran a 4.47 in the 40-yard dash, showing his explosive speed. However, many scouts predicted Hill to be drafted in the fourth or fifth round. The Seahawks could have waited to choose him and fill other needs such as linebacker, where Zach Cunningham out of Vanderbilt may have been a good fit.