By Justin Lester

Looking back at the 2012 NFL Draft, it is easy to see why the Seahawks were 31 seconds away from playing in the NFC Championship Game this season.

Most experts originally felt it was a stretch when Seattle took quarterback Russell Wilson with its third round pick. As a rookie Wilson proved he was worthy of being selected 75th overall, and much more.

When Sports Illustrated's Don Banks did his annual re-draft, a reconstruction of the first round based on each rookie's performance this year, he had Wilson going to the Cleveland Browns as the 3rd overall pick in the first round. Banks essentially rated Wilson as the third best rookie in the NFL this season behind only Andrew Luck of the Colts and Robert Griffin III of Washington.

Wilson was not the only Seahawk to impress in his first year in the league, according to Banks. He also had linebacker Bobby Wagner at No. 9 overall and defensive end Bruce Irvin going to Seattle at No. 15, just as he did in the real draft last April.

Acquiring three of the best 15 players available is an extreme rarity, so the Seahawks' front office must have known what it was doing.

"I've done the redraft eight or nine years. I don't remember anything like that," Banks told 710 ESPN Seattle's Go 2 Guy Friday. "You look back, and you realize they (Seahawks) were kind of ahead of the curve. The top three picks all hit, not just a little, but hit dramatically big in Seattle this year."

Wilson's performance as a rookie solidified the Seahawks' draft class as the best in the league. Banks also said he would rather have Wilson than Colin Kaepernick of the 49ers as his quarterback, and gave Seattle a slight advantage over San Francisco in the division next season.

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  hahanson wrote...

  three of the best 15 players available is an extreme rarity

  February 11, 2013 1:10 pm

  and yet schneider didn't even rank in the top 2 for exec of the year.. go figure....

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  LostLeader wrote...

  That's because the lazy east coast

  February 11, 2013 2:32 pm

  voters took the easy route and went with the #1 pick overall route.

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  O-man wrote...

  Indeed

  February 11, 2013 2:46 pm

  Yeah kinda dumb since anyone would have picked Luck one or maybe 2. Maybe I could win exec of the year. They also say the Colts guy also got it because they changed some coaches. Really the Colts exec got it because had the largest increase in wins but they did only win 2 games last year cmon.

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  str8jaz wrote...

  a complete joke!!!

  February 11, 2013 3:37 pm

  This is just a silly idea. Something to get fans of a team excited. But it means nothing and is complete fantasy!!

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  Hawkin wrote...

  I bet

  February 11, 2013 10:23 pm

  Don Banks would trade 4 of Bruce Irvin's 8 sack for 25 more quarterback hurries or pressures.

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  MainEvent wrote...

  I want to know

  February 12, 2013 9:48 am

  what Mel Kiper has to say now? He is one of the biggest ESPN goons, the guys is a tool when it comes to the draft. He ranked us at the bottom with his grades last year after the draft. If he had any credibility left he lost all of it last year.

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  str8jaz wrote...

  Who cares about Mel Kiper???

  February 13, 2013 12:26 pm

  I thought the hawks had an okay draft last year. Irvin was a reach, but he should do what he was drafted to do... just wish they would've taken an every down player instead. I liked the Wagner & Turbin picks and Wilson surprised so all in all I thought it was a very good draft. Wagner & Wilson started on the only two open positions seattle needed and Lane, Sweezy and even scruggs played a little. Watch out for Jaye Howard this up coming season cause it looks like he may see the field.

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