The biggest misconception with fans is that the draft is a talent ranking. That first round is more talented than the second and they will quote evidence over the years that “proves” this. It doesn’t. The draft is generally about risk management and opportunity. For example, if a team is investing millions of dollars (including jerseys and marketing etc) into a first round pick, they want lower risk players. This is why a guy like Daniel Jones goes number six. Talent-wise I think he was a terrible QB, but the media loved him and he says the right things and he looks the part. So Gettleman can go to his owner when/if it blows up and say “Look no one saw this coming. He was a consensus first rounder.”
Secondly, first and second round picks get more reps, get more chances to fail etc. A great example is Dion Jordan. Would anyone care about Dion Jordan given his past if he wasn’t the #3 overall pick? What about Luke Joekal? Or Trent Richardson? This happens all the time. Draft slot gives more opportunity. Not only because jobs are usually on the line if they don’t succeed, but also because teams trading for them or signing them later can easily justify the investment to management.
One of the reasons John and Pete do well in later rounds is they aren’t held to a standard of “Your first pick needs to be a star that we can market and make money on.” They can look at a guy they like and take him. And Pete’s philosophy opens the door for more later round guys to succeed.
Whining about a draft (and believe me I’ve been there) is wasted effort. So long as a team is showing consistent vision (which Seattle lost when the roster was stacked with talent) it’s a better draft than most teams. Seattle’s last two drafts have shown consistent vision. Doesn’t mean it will work, it just means there’s a plan. And that’s what’s important.