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Combine reaction — where does it leave the Seahawks?
March 4th, 2019 | Written by Rob Staton
Juan Thornhill and the safety's put on a show on day four
The combine is in the books. So what did we learn?
Safety's end the combine with a flourish
Coming into the combine it's fair to say there wasn't a lot of buzz about the safety class. That's going to change after today.
Eleven players ran a 4.4 or faster. Two even ran in the 4.3's with Ole Miss' Zedrick Woods nailing the fastest time by anyone this year with a 4.29.
It's worth noting that speed doesn't necessarily translate to success at the next level. Here are the top-15 forty time by safety's at the combine between 2010-2018:
Troy Apke — 4.34
T.J. Green — 4.34
Justin Cox — 4.36
Natrell Jamerson — 4.40
Obi Melifownu — 4.40
Justin Reid — 4.40
Dane Cruikshank — 4.41
Josh Jones — 4.41
Terrence Brooks — 4.42
Montae Nicholson — 4.42
Shamarko Thomas — 4.42
Taylor Mays — 4.43
Godwin Igwebuike — 4.44
Earl Wolff — 4.44
Budda Baker — 4.45
There's not a lot of stars among the group. So although the 2019 safety class can run, it doesn't mean they're destined to succeed.
Even so, today was a big positive. Many players exceeded expectations. Here's what stands out:
— Earlier today I suggested USC's Marvell Tell could be a safety/corner convert for the Seahawks. He's 6-2, 198lbs and he has 33 1/8 inch arms. He didn't run a forty yard dash but the rest of his workout was incredible. He jumped a 42 inch vertical and an 11-4 broad. He ran a superb 6.63 in the three cone and a 4.01 in the short shuttle. He's a player who warrants serious consideration for the Seahawks at safety or corner.
— Juan Thornill ran a 4.42 forty and jumped a 44 inch vertical plus an 11-9 broad. He didn't do any of the agility tests. This combination of speed and explosive power doesn't necessarily show up on tape where Thornhill looks a little stiff. However, he did have six interceptions in 2018 and the Seahawks need some playmaking ability in the secondary.
— Will Harris has been compared to Bradley McDougald in terms of playing style by Lance Zierlein. He ran a 4.41 which is significantly faster than McDougald. He added a 36.5 vertical, a 6.91 three cone and a 4.12 short shuttle. He's tough, physical and has special teams value.
— Darnell Savage ran a blistering 4.36 and then jumped a 39.5 inch vertical. He also ran a 4.14 short shuttle but his 7.03 three cone was a little slower than some of the other safety's. Even so, he's a player I will go back and take another look at. He's an excellent cover safety and clearly has the speed to play with range.
There are other names I could add to the list. I didn't expect to see the kind of speed we witnessed today and the testing in the broad/vertical and short shuttle/three cone simply added to the quality of the workout. I want to go back and watch certain players and see what I missed. Why didn't they look as fast as this on the first watch through? Did I miss something?
Either way, it seems more likely now than it was previously that the Seahawks will draft one of these safety's. There are traits to work with here.
Cornerbacks lacking in round one
While the safety's put on a show, the cornerbacks certainly didn't. It's difficult to look at this class and identify first round picks. Greedy Williams was supposed to be the guy and he ran a 4.37 forty. He then struggled badly with his back-pedal and transition, fell over a couple of times during drills and promptly ended his day citing 'cramps'.
Byron Murphy had a much better performance in drills but is undersized and ran a 4.55. Can you justify taking his physical profile in round one? Joejuan Williams (4.64) surely didn't run well enough to justify the recent first round buzz.
The good news for the Seahawks is there are plenty of long, lean cornerbacks who might be available in the range they take their DB's. There were 16 corners with +32 inch arms at the combine.
Of today's group, Lonnie Johnson and Michael Jackson impressed with their forty times and workouts. Derrek Thomas looks the part of a Seahawks corner.
Some will go too early. Justin Layne might've performed well enough to move into the top-50 range. Daniel Jeremiah also suggested Isaiah Johnson could be a second round pick.
Jordan Miller, Joejuan Williams and Jamal Peters might last into range.
For a team like Seattle that gets its cornerbacks later on, this class isn't a problem. If your biggest need is cornerback and you were hoping to get one in the first frame, you're out of luck.
Overall assessment of the combine
Depth is not a problem in 2019
This is a deep looking draft class. The O-liners set the ball rolling with a fantastic Friday and the tight ends and receivers continued the momentum on Saturday. We already knew there were a ton of defensive linemen. Then the safety's joined the party. There's going to be depth and quality stretching into day three this year.
The Seahawks have to get more picks
Anyone writing a mock draft in the next few days might have a hard time filling picks 20-32. This isn't a class with a thick base of legit first round prospects. There are a lot of guys you'll feel more comfortable projecting at #45 than #25.
As soon as you get into the second, third and fourth round however — that's where you're going to find the riches. In particular, there will be plenty of offensive linemen, tight ends, receivers and defensive linemen available in this range.
Seattle's most pressing need is to retain their core players in free agency then add depth and competition to what is already a playoff roster. They need to find a way to turn their four picks into eight. That likely means trading down from #21 multiple times.
They have to find a solution at linebacker
The Seahawks have consistently drafted outstanding athletes at linebacker. This draft class has two outstanding athletes — Devin White and Devin Bush. Both will go early in the first round. Most of the other prospects are a mash-up of likely special teams contributors and backups.
If you were hoping there'd be a ready-made linebacker to come in as a rookie and start, it's not looking promising. Will this increase their desire to retain K.J. Wright? Will they move quickly to sign Mychal Kendricks if he avoids jail? Do they sign another veteran free agent? At the very least they'll need to add a hedge. One way or another this seems like it'll be a priority position for the Seahawks when free agency begins.
Beware the hype
Montez Sweat and D.K. Metcalf made headlines at the combine. So did Brian Burns to a slightly lesser extent. You'll likely see all three promoted high into the first round in mock drafts this week.
It won't be a shock if all three go in the top-20. As mentioned earlier, it's not a great looking first round. Players with massive upside and unique traits have a chance to move up boards. Yet there are question marks with all three to go with the insane combine hype.
Sweat ran a superb 4.41 forty and his straight line speed is not in doubt. However, he looked stiff and awkward during drills working in space. He's a pure EDGE and not really an option for 3-4 teams at outside linebacker. He also has some character questions to answer following his departure from Michigan State.
Metcalf ran a blistering 4.33 forty at 228lbs and looked incredible. However, there are legit concerns that he's just too big. A 4.50 short shuttle and a 7.38 three cone are times you'd expect to see from an athletic defensive tackle. On tape he separates running go-routes and the 4.33 speed is very evident. Yet he struggles to separate on quicker, shorter routes and those shuttle and cone times will add to concerns that he's simply too big and stiff to be a threat as anything other than a downfield receiver. There are also medical concerns about a serious neck injury that ended his 2018 season and he has a few too many concentration drops.
Burns reportedly played at about 227lbs during the 2018 season. Any concerns about his size were addressed at the combine. He showed up at 249lbs and had a fantastic workout. It was particularly impressive to see how smooth he looked running linebacker drills in space and unlike Sweat he's very much an option for teams who run a 3-4 scheme. However, can he keep this weight on? And are 4-3 teams prepared to draft a 240-250lbs EDGE in the first round? He's still undersized even if he sticks at about 250lbs.
By all means celebrate what all three achieved at the combine. As per usual, however, there's another side of the story to consider.
Frank Clark franchise tag could be problematic
There's still time to get a long term deal done and maybe giving Clark the tag will act as a catalyst to conclude a contract. However, as things stand the Seahawks have four key players entering the final year of their contracts — Clark, Russell Wilson, Bobby Wagner and Jarran Reed. They cannot go into the next off-season with all four unsigned and only one franchise tag available. This is probably the #1 problem to solve this off-season.
Position by position combine analysis with a Seahawks slant
The O-liners put on a show. It was a more explosive class than previous years. Andre Dillard likely secured a place in the top-15 as the most athletic prospect and by far the best pass-protector in the draft. Garrett Bradbury is very likely to go in round one after he excelled in drills and put on an explosive testing performance. Chris Lindstrom is very much in play to be a top-50 pick after he ran a superb forty and had an explosive workout. Two center's — Elgton Jenkins and Erik McCoy — further enhanced their stock after a strong Senior Bowl. Washington's Kaleb McGary looked sensational with a fantastic, muscular frame. The league is desperate for quality offensive tackles and after he showed well in drills and had an explosive workout — I wouldn't be surprised if he found his way into the top-40. Two Ohio State players — Isaiah Prince and Michael Jordan — also performed well in drills and looked highly athletic. They bolstered their stock in Indianapolis.
What could the Seahawks do?
Pete Carroll stated at the combine it was a priority to keep the O-line together. It's likely they'll re-sign J.R. Sweezy and D.J. Fluker. One player in particular stood out as an alternative though. Chris Lindstrom ran a 4.91 forty, a 4.54 short shuttle, he was explosive in the vertical and broad and he has ideal size at 308lbs and 34 1/8 inch arms. If the Seahawks don't re-sign Sweezy, Lindstrom looks like a strong candidate as an option at left guard. There weren't any massive, beastly right guards that look like they could fill a D.J. Fluker sized hole. I suspect Fluker will be re-signed as a priority. There are options throughout this class and it won't be a surprise if they add some depth even if the 2018 starters are retained.
The 2018 draft was the year of the running back. 2019 is be the opposite. The only likely first round runner — Josh Jacobs — didn't perform at the combine. The rest of the group failed to dazzle. It won't be a surprise if Jacobs is the only running back taken in the first two rounds. There will be some possible value in the middle rounds. Overall though — if you like your running backs, last year was the year to get one.
Having spent a first round pick on Rashaad Penny a year ago and with Chris Carson developing into one of the best in the league, they're left looking for a possible third wheel. With the way the backs tested they might be more inclined to try and keep Mike Davis. If they do draft a new runner keep an eye on Alexander Mattison, Alex Barnes and Miles Sanders. I suspect the Seahawks are more likely to draft a full back than a running back this year. Wisconsin's Alec Ingold could be the guy.
The NFL is desperate for quality tight ends and this is a class rich in depth. T.J. Hockenson almost certainly secured his place in the top-11 with a terrific combine. Iowa team mate Noah Fant performed as expected and will be at worst a second round pick. Irv Smith Jr ran solidly but didn't do as well in the agility tests. His NFL bloodlines and ability to act as a 'big slot' could make him an option for teams in the 20's or 30's. The best thing about this class though is what follows. We could see an army of TE's drafted between rounds 2-4. Josh Oliver, Dawson Knox, Drew Sample, Kaden Smith, Trevon Wesco, Foster Moreau and several others all impressed. If you want to draft a tight end you'll be able to find one you like this year.
The Seahawks are likely to take a long look at this group. Nick Vannett is entering the last year of his contract, Will Dissly is recovering from injury and Ed Dickson is a veteran stop-gap. They're more likely to look at the Y-TE's than the joker's or move TE's. Drew Sample would be a fine option but he's possibly moved his stock into round three after a great Senior Bowl and combine. Trevon Wesco is a bad dude and could be added to act as a blocking TE and possible full back. Kaden Smith tested well in terms of agility and is a well-balanced tight end who could be dropping. If he's there on day three he could be a value pick. Foster Moreau had a brilliant combine and also has some FB/TE crossover potential.
This is a very similar group to the tight end class. There aren't many first round prospects. The likes of D.K. Metcalf and Parris Campbell possibly pushed themselves into that range but it's not a lock. Deebo Samuel and Marquise Brown also have a chance to go in the first frame. It's the depth that really makes this class. You'll be able to take a receiver in rounds 2-4 that you really like. It's a really fast group with bigger and smaller wide outs. The big guys are Metcalf, Miles Boykin or Hakeem Butler. N'Keal Harry also had a faster forty time than expected at 4.53. If you want a burner the options include Terry McLaurin and Emanuel Hall. Gary Jennings at West Virginia tested well. Deebo Samuel and A.J. Brown both ran in the late 4.4's. Parris Campbell is the definition of a modern day playmaker.
The inconsistency of David Moore has opened the door for a possible addition of a third target. Tyler Lockett is locked in for the long term and Doug Baldwin still has two years remaining on his contract. Given the sheer depth of options it's very possible the Seahawks will draft a receiver at some stage. They've drafted nine receivers in the Pete Carroll era. All but two ran a 4.4 forty (and one was seventh round flier Kenny Lawler). There were 18 receivers who ran a 4.4 or faster in Indianapolis — so they should be able to find some players they like.
It was difficult to analyse the quarterbacks at the combine. The constantly changing camera angles destroyed any concept of depth and velocity on throws and it wasn't always clear who was actually throwing the football. From what little I was able to gather — Drew Lock and Dwayne Haskins both showed off plenty of arm talent (although Haskins appeared to be inconsistent with his accuracy) and Jarrett Stidham looked very comfortable too. Kyler Murray didn't throw but all of the talk is that he'll be the #1 pick to Arizona — a suggestion we discussed a couple of months ago.
We've talked a lot about the possibility of a long and frustrating contract saga with Russell Wilson. If he intends to play on the franchise tag and resist signing a long-term extension, the Seahawks have to prepare and plan accordingly. They have to consider drafting a quarterback. If nothing else you might end up with a cheap developmental player and a solid backup. The best case scenario is you prepare for the worst — an ugly and hopefully avoidable divorce from your franchise quarterback. That said, you still need to rate the options available. I suspect the NFL likes Will Grier a lot more than the media. Here's one of the reasons why. Here's another. Grier has been the best deep-ball passer for the last two years in college football. The Seahawks love downfield and explosive completions in the passing game. I'm not sure what kind of range they might be comfortable taking him but Grier is the name I think might interest them the most within this class. If that isn't the case or he's taken too early — there's not much you can do about it.
Defensive tackle and inside/out rusher
The expectation was this would be the group to set the combine alight. It didn't quite live up to expectations. A number of key players either didn't run the forty or didn't do drills. Dexter Lawrence ran a fantastic 5.05 at 342lbs but got injured while running. Christian Wilkins wasn't as athletic or explosive as I expected. Rashan Gary stood out and looked every bit a top-10 lock. Quinnen Williams ran a fantastic forty. Ed Oliver didn't run but tested well in the broad and vertical. The others to impress included a really athletic performance from Jerry Tillery, Zach Allen recovered some of his lost stock from the Senior Bowl and Renell Wren, as expected, had a great workout. The best options could be in the middle rounds though. UCF's Trysten Hill had an excellent performance during drills and could be a value starter at defensive tackle. Daniel Wise is a dynamic interior rusher. Charles Omenihu has incredible 36-inch arms and had a good workout. Keke Kinglsey's tape is average but he had a great Senior Bowl and followed it up with a good combine. L.J. Collier lacks quickness and agility but has good length and is very explosive.
It's hard to say. They drafted Rasheem Green a year ago to play inside/out and presumably they still believe he can develop into a starter. They've regularly preferred to sign cheap veteran defensive tackles instead of using high draft picks (with the one exception being Jarran Reed). They really need to add a strong run defender at some point this off-season. Adding some extra pass rush is also important and it's always possible they seek to use Green as more of an orthodox defensive end. History tells us they value the short shuttle at the two positions and a cluster of players tested well there. Zach Allen (4.36) could be a second-round target to play as a big end who kicks inside. Jerry Tillery (4.33) can play inside and five-technique. Charles Omenihu (4.36) has fantastic size, length and quickness. Daniel Wise (4.36) could be added as a specialist interior rusher. Trysten Hill (4.38) screams value pick and a possible starting defensive tackle. Kingsley Keke (4.46) has the kind of sparky character they seem to like. Dre'Mont Jones (4.53) is a dynamic pass rusher. Renell Wren (4.53) is inconsistent and played without control at Arizona State but he has the traits they like and the quickness.
Montez Sweat made headlines with his record-breaking 4.41 forty. Brian Burns also impressed — especially considering he'd added approximately 20lbs. Both players leave the combine with their stock trending upwards. It's no surprise Nick Bosa tested very well and he's likely a top-three pick. Josh Allen worked out with the linebackers but he's an EDGE and had a solid workout, running a decent forty and testing well in terms of agility. Ben Banogu had an amazing workout. He's the most explosive TEF tester we've ever recorded with the exception of one player — Myles Garrett. Chase Winovich is bigger, faster and more explosive than a lot of us expected. Justin Hollins had a solid workout. There were some disappointments too. Jachai Polite ran poorly then pulled out with an injury. Clelin Ferrell didn't run a forty. Christian Miller and D'Andre Walker are still recovering from injuries suffered at the end of the college football season. Is it a particularly deep EDGE class? Not really.
The Dion Jordan project didn't really work out. Assuming he isn't retained, the greater need in Seattle is for an EDGE rather than a SAM/LEO or inside/out rusher. If they trade down and Montez Sweat or Brian Burns are available, they could be the first pick. After their combine performances, they're less likely to be available. Christian Miller is a nice alternative with his length, explosive power and college production. I'm going to study Ben Banogu this week after his great combine. Overall though there's not a great deal of depth. For that reason, they might need to see what's available in free agency. Adding one of the available pass rushers to play across from Frank Clark might be important — even as a hedge. Is Anthony Barr affordable? What other options are there? It's something to keep in mind when the market opens. It's not obvious Seattle will be able to find a solution in the draft.
Several positions flashed great depth and quality at this combine. Linebacker was not one of them. Devin White and Devin Bush ran a 4.42 and a 4.43 respectively. Both jumped around the 40 inch mark in the vertical. Bob McGinn's sources indicated both players were being graded similarly going into the combine. It seems likely both will leave the board in round one — possibly in the top-20. Mack Wilson, another possible high pick, didn't work out due to injury. Apart from that — this looks like a class rich in backup-level talent.
Assuming White and Bush will both be gone, there's not much they can do. There's not an obvious 'Seahawks' linebacker in this class. Certainly there's nobody you'd feel very confident in coming in to start at WILL as a rookie. They need a plan in free agency. Re-sign K.J. Wright, re-sign Mychal Kendricks or sign another veteran.
This isn't a good cornerback class in terms of early round picks. In terms of role players and long, lean cornerbacks? There are options later on. Greedy Williams was seen as the corner most likely to be drafted first. He ran a decent 4.37 forty but did not look good during drills. His back pedal was slow, he was too upright and he was flat-footed. His transitions were sluggish. He bailed half way through the on-field work complaining about cramps. If Williams goes in round one — and it's not a lock — he might be the only one. This is not a good year if you want an elite round one corner.
It might not be a good draft for early round cornerbacks but there are plenty of options for Seattle in the middle or later rounds. There were 16 corners with +32 inch arms at the combine. Depth and competition at the position is vital and it's very likely the Seahawks will draft at least one cornerback. Justin Layne and Isaiah Johnson might go a bit too early for Seattle. Lonnie Johnson and Jamal Peters, however, might be available in their preferred day-three range. Derrek Thomas looked incredibly long and lean. He ran a quick forty and has 34 inch arms and an 82 inch wingspan. He's very much a name to remember. Washington's Jordan Miller also ran well and Miami's Michael Jackson had an excellent workout during drills. Jackson is a big, physical looking corner who flashed quick transitions and a smooth back pedal.
The safety class put on a show today and wowed with an unexpected level of speed, explosion and agility. There might not be a safety worthy of a first round pick (although Johnathan Abram running a 4.45 puts him in contention) but the depth between rounds 2-4 looks a lot stronger than it did 24 hours ago. The receiver, tight end, O-line and safety positions are all very similar. Minimal options in round one, good depth from day two onwards.
Before today I thought this could be a position they passed on. They seem to like their existing safety's more than the fans and media. However, after such an impressive combine showing they'll likely be tempted to add some speed and competition to the position. A year ago they drafted a safety (Tre Flowers) and moved him to corner. Going into today, I thought Marvell Tell could be a similar project. He's 6-2, 198lbs and has 33 1/8 inch arms and had an incredible performance. Whether they consider him at cornerback or safety — he has to be on the radar. Juan Thornhill had six picks in 2018 and runs in the 4.4's. Could they bring him in to push Tedric Thompson? Will they have interest in the coverage ability of Darnell Savage or the rounded game of Will Harris? There are other names to mention. With so much speed and athleticism within this group, I'll spending a lot more time studying the available options.
219 Responses to "Combine reaction — where does it leave the Seahawks?"
Eburgz says:
Are 32 inch arms necessary for a slot corner? If we get priced out of Coleman's services (I think it's likley) slot corner quickly becomes a top need. Don't think guys like Burley/Coleman met the 32 inch mark but I also understand they weren't drafted by the hawks.
Who are some of your favorite prospects who could step in day 1 and man the slot? Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, Rock Ya-Sin and Julian Love are some guys I have checked out that I like in that slot role.
32 inch arms are not necessary for a slot — Justin Coleman had sub-32 inch arms.
Based on the way they tested today I think they might draft one of these safety's to play nickel. If you're running in the 4.4's or quicker you can play there. Something about Marvell Tell just says 'Seahawks' to me.
Dang! if we don't get Marvell Tell from this draft I'm going to be disappointed now after reading what you had to say about him.
LLLOGOSSS says:
My impression was that teams will stick a sudden and agile CB who doesn't necessarily have the size or strength to play outside at nickelback. Is that untrue? If Marvel Tell is 6'3" wouldn't he be an outside CB?
I think the difference is we traded for Coleman after he already had NFL tape. For guys who don't have NFL tape there might be a difference.
Awesome recap Rob and thanks for your amazing combine coverage this year!
Zxvo3 says:
After the combine today Rob, what round do you think Marvell Tell would go in? Also what round do you think Charles Omenihu would go in as well? I think both could very well be targets for the Seahawks.
I'm not sure to be honest. I need to have a think about that with both players. The only problem with such a deep draft for an amateur blogger is it's harder to distinguish who goes where in those middle rounds. I think Omenihu is probably solidly in the middle rounds. Tell might go earlier than people think.
SamL says:
You're to modest Rob. At this point you are anything but an amateur. Your coverage and understanding of the Seahawks is unmatched in todays world of twitter.
Hawksince77 says:
No doubt. Calling the Murray to Arizona months ago – prescient. I am also marveling at the calling out of Parris Campbell – now has me concerned Seattle even has a chance of drafting him.
And not the first time. I recall several times in the past few years your calling out talent way ahead of the talking heads in the NFL. And you were right – they went earlier than originally expected by the talking industry.
Kenny Sloth says:
Rob was way out in front on Aaron Donald.
Thank you, appreciate it
True enough Rob, Ive had my battles with you over Cable, Beavell and a few other issues, but at the end of the day, you are usually way ahead of the curve and no means an amateur. Would really be interesting to see what you could live and with the inside interview knowledge.
Darnell Savage is a guy many of us on the blog have liked all year. He plays with his hair on fire and seemed to play his best against the elite teams like Ohio St.
He is a good coverage FS as Rob points out but he also brings some thump.
The physical comp between Earl Thomas and Savage is almost identical with Earl being slightly stingers and Savage being slightly more explosive.
No one is Earl as he had incredible instincts and his play speed was ridiculous but Savage is a guy qho looks like he could be a legit option to play and ET type FS in Pete's scheme and that is very valuable IMO.
Anyone who has not checked out his tape should as he is a nice player who just seems like a good fit for the Hawks
SoCal12 says:
I'm curious what round he'll go in. I think Pete's defense really misses having a speedy single-high/center-fielder FS like Earl. Obviously no one will replace ETIII exactly, but it can't hurt to try and build a solid replacement. McDougald, Hill, and Tedric are solid but they seem more like flexible Strong Safeties to me. I think it'd be smart to add a mid-round guy like Savage, Zed Woods, or Marvell Tell to try and fill that hole.
I agree completely. What I like about Savage is the speed shows up on film. Plus he has had to overcome some adversity etc.
I have no idea where he will get drafted but if I had to guess late 2nd or early 3rd. He had a great Senior Bowl and combine so his stock is definitely rising.
AlaskaHawk says:
What the Seahawks miss are secondary players that can make interceptions. They are good at coverage and tackling, but they are lacking in game changing plays.
2018 they had 12 interceptions
2017 it was 14
2016 it was 9??
vs 2013 there were 17 interceptions
If Seahawks are going to rely on defense to keep the game close = they need those game changing turnovers.
It would be great if someone could actually do the study, but my hunch is that the INTs depend as much on the pass rush moving the QB off the spot as on the secondary.
Of course, it didn't hurt to have Sherman in his prime either…
Sherman was a big part of the tally with 8 in 2012 and 8 in 2013. More recently he had 4 in 2016. What I really appreciated about Sherman was that most QBs were afraid to throw to his side, and that he was strong enough to disrupt running plays that came around the end. Not many cornerbacks can shed a blocker and tackle the running back the way he could.
Pete Carroll had great things to say about Jacob Martin's finish to the season as the man opposite of Clark on passing downs. I thought he was truly explosive coming off the edge even though he doesn't have the length the Hawks like at that spot. Could it be that the Hawks already have their edge in Martin and their base end/inside rusher in Green?
I think that's unlikely. Martin to me seems more likely your nickel rusher type. I think they need to upgrade Dion Jordan. It's a hard sell to think they'll try and support Clark with Martin/Green when in the past they loaded up with Bennett/Avril/Clarke.
Love the analysis! I also like the podcasts you've been doing. Are you and Brandon going to be doing weekly podcasts? I like Brandon's analysis. Brandon>>>>>>>>>Kenny
We're not going to do a weekly podcast because Brandan already does the Seahawkers pod and also the new Field Gulls pod. However, I've told him if they ever want to talk draft I'm very happy to come on any time. I'm sure we'll do another one before the draft in April.
So you are saying they need a starting base end (5 tech)? Quinton Jefferson's position? When you write "edge" doesn't that mean a LEO? Clark's position? Sweat or Burns are LEOs or nickel pass rushers like Martin. They are too light to be 5 techs.
I mean we need a Dion Jordan upgrade.
jujus says:
Collier/Omeninhu/Nelson direct competition
SJVHawk says:
Yes we need a Dion Jordan upgrade but I'm not convinced we can do it in round 2 in the draft. The main issue with Jordan is his health. We might be better off fixing it in FA &/or waiting to see which veteran DE's are available for trade over the summer. The good news should be that it won't cost much to resign Jordan, no matter which way we go about it by the time September games start we have it fixed with Jordan on the 53 or cutting him after camp. On the other hand; for some reason I feel like we can load up on DT because we rotate them in so much during the game so we don't necessarily need 3 down DT's. I agree one could make the exact argument for DE's but I'm leaning my way because we drafted DE last year, Seahawks draft for following year's FA's, Seahawks should be placing a higher priority on inside pressure, DT's always get hurt youth should counter it, we desperately need to stop the run, Jarran Reed can play 3 Tech and 1 tech, Ford can play 1 tech, I see both DT types in this draft that I like vs not so impressed with do it all DT's.
DJ 1/2 Way (Sea/PDX) says:
Wow! What an excellent piece. All bow down to Rob.
My humble reminder is that the Seahawks often draft a year in advance. They also try to put together a complete roster before the draft. LB is my big concern, along with a WR3.
This week has been a fun ride. I am so proud of Rob totally nailing the first pick hype of Kyler Murphy.
I walked away loving some Paris Campell and Myles Boykin as their 1st pick somewhere at the top of the second round. Give me O-line and D-line next. Then get into that dB class and pull out a couple studs. Can't wait for the pro days. That's another layer for sure when thinking about the late round picks.
Excellent work Rob. Top notch. Thank you
Thanks Josh
millhouse-serbia says:
First of all big thank you!
And one question: If you could choose what trade you would take?
1. 21st for 54,55,87 from HOU
2. 21st for 32,74,135 from NE
icb12 says:
54, 55, & 87
King_Rajesh says:
21st pick is worth 800 points.
Houston would give us 865 points in this scenario.
New England would give us 864 points in this scenario.
We'd be fleecing both teams. I'd take NE because you can always trade 32 again for a team that wants to get the 5th year option.
By Rich Hill
21st – 260.82
54+55+87 – 252.45
32+74+135 – 264.77
Wall Up says:
King is right. Perhaps Rich has a poor, or unrealistic value chart that he is going by.
I'll take the Houston deal and probably trade down again from 54 or 55
Bobcat says:
Really appreciate all time and energy you've put into this. You're the first place I look for Hawks coverage.
On the topic of acquiring more picks, I know it's out of character but what is the likelyhood they shop some of their existing roster for more picks and who would you put on the trade block?
There's nobody to trade. They already have a large number RFA, URFA, ERFAs, and no backups that anybody will trade anything for. Factor in a few potential cap casualties and this roster is low in numbers. Trading a starter just creates a massive hole.
I think they will struggle to shop their existing players. The ones with value they can't afford to lose, the ones they can afford to deal won't have much trade value.
How about Evan Worthington and Malik Gant in the safety class? Did they participate?
Saxon says:
Superb Combine coverage, Rob.
How badly is Gerrald Willis III hurt by not working out? He had several brilliant games for the Canes this year and seems like he can become a legit penetrating DT. Have you had a chance to scout him? I still think he goes no later than 2nd round.
I have watched a lot of Willis III. He's an impact player who makes a lot of plays in the backfield. I'm wary of his size and consistency as a full time DT. Might be best served as an interior rush specialist. He was hurt at the end of the season.
C-Dog says:
Post Combine Mock
Seattle trades back multiple times, adding addition picks in R3, R4, and R6.
R2; Marvell Tell, Safety, USC. Seahawks Twitter rejoices that Seattle takes a safety to replace T2. Then PC makes them nervous by suggesting that he might convert to corner.
R3; Ben Banogu, Edge, TCU. Seattle needs to add pass rush, and they are attracted to explosive athletes. They also might likely need a hedge for Clark if they can't get a deal done with him in 2019 and they don't reach a deal with Russell Wilson.
R3; Drew Sample, TE, Washington. Seattle drafts Husky tight ends in back to back years. Special note, through the 1980's and 1990's, UW was kind of known as Tight End U. Looks like they could be picking up that tradition again.
R4 Jordan Ta'amu, QB, Ole Miss. Bigger names fall off the board, but Seattle stays patient and drafts an athletic developmental QB who throws a great deep pass.
R4 Jazz Ferguson, WR, Northwestern State. Seattle drafts a tall fast receiver who can box out defenders, and is a physical blocker in the run game.
R5 Jordan Miller, CB, Washington. Miller fits the Seahawk profile and was well coached in college. Seattle plays the Rams twice a year. Enough said.
R6 John Cominsky, DL, Charleston. Former QB, built himself into a run stopping elephant with freakish 4.69 speed at 6-5 286 lbs. 33 vertical and 22 reps on the bench suggest he's got some interesting tools to mold as an inside/out pass rusher.
Not drafted is RB, OL, LB, or DT. Seattle is probably going to play the UDFA game hard to fill out the roster. I think veterans could be brought in to help at DL and LB. Brandon Marshall, Bruce Irvin, Bennie Logan could all be realistic options in the front seven. Wouldn't shock me if they bring Jermaine Kearse back, maybe then OL and DT becomes a bigger draft target.
Spenny Dunks says:
Love this draft. If we sign Barr and Irvin to one-year provie it deals, get Kendricks back if he avoids jail, and sign a cheap veteran run pluggers (McDaniels type) to shore up the front 7. That plus this draft leaves us with delth and competition everywhere and enough money to start locking up some of our guys.
GoHawksDani says:
I like some part of this draft….but I don't think Banogu will be available in the 3rd, especially if it's a mid-late 3rd pick.
I like Tell, but if Carroll wants him to use as a convert CB I think a second round pick is really high for him. Especially with Shaq, Flowers and hopefully Coleman.
I'm not sure the reason for Ta'amu pick. I doubt he can be used as leverage in the Russ contract talks. I don't think we can develop him and get a 2nd/3rd/4th round pick in a trade. He can back up Russ, but for that, we could pick someone in the 5th, 6th rounds or UDFA.
If Tell would be our new FS, we can get Banogu in the 3rd, we can get Sample then I like the first 3 picks.
I'm not sure we need a mediocre-developmental-questionable QB or another CB (if Tell would be a convert). I like Cominsky and I'm OKwith Ferguson (although I like other WRs more)
I watched a game of Banogu's yesterday and the first watch-through was not good. I wouldn't assume he will go that early.
So do you think he's not good, or just not THAT good, but worth picking up in the late 3rd for example?
This EDGE class seems weaker day by day :-/
I need to watch more of his tape. But so far he seems more of a great athlete than a good player.
In terms of Ta'amu, there's some belief out there that he has better starter potential than some of the more touted quarterbacks in this class but needs to be developed by a patient team.
Hate to be that guy, but the top of your safety 40s list should say Troy Apke rather than Akpe.
Lovin the amazing content. 1000s of words a day gotta be a load. Don't know anyone who churns content like you do bro
Michael Matherne says:
Rob, are you still a fan of Damien Harris, or has something happened that has lessened your opinion of him?
Yes I like Harris. I think he will go in rounds 2-3. A bit too early to consider for Seattle.
charlietheunicorn says:
I still can't believe Sweat put up a 4.41 40 time. That is a big person moving very fast.
Of course, I still marvel at a 350 lb human running down the track around 5.0 seconds.
Wowza. These are truly freaks.
McZ says:
PC when asked about his draft success…
"Well, y'know there is this fantastic group, and we have that Staton-guy – a brit! – filtering out all the nonsense for us. Very good, very good."
Great job, Sir. Always a pleasure to read your content.
ulsterman says:
I was thinking exactly the same thing Dan, with Clark playing one end they may look for a bigger end on the other side who's stronger against the run but can also pass rush a bit too. another edge would be a third down rusher and Clark back-up, which still would have value.
Rob, the coverage has again been outstandimy the last few days, and other seahawks sites haven't even come close to matching it even with more writers.
So…if you'd have to create a strategy (that has multiple outcomes) then this would be it?
Try to re-sign Fluker and Sweezy. If you cannot re-sign both, sign Fluker and try to draft Lindstrom with the first pick (early second round)
Sign Kendricks or maybe KJ if the price is right. If you cannot sign these two try to find someone in FA.
RB is not really a need, try to keep Mike Davis for the right price. Try to sign Ingold for FB in late rounds
We need a TE (my comment: read that PC said that Dissly most likely won't be 100% at the start of the season, might miss some early games). We need a value pick in the mid-rounds. Wesco, Moreau and Kaden Smith are the names to remember.
You're not as forward with the WR group here. But based on previous articles/posts I think you'd be fine them taking McLaurin or Campbell with the first pick (early second round). Deebo might be an option there too, but he's probably a level below the previous two guys. Boykin, Hall, Jennings might be 3rd/4th round options?
I feel you're set on either taking Grier or waiting for next year to take a QB. I think he'll be a first rounder, so QB is probably next year's task.
Interior and inside out: I feel there are two groups:
Second round guys: Allen, Wren, Tillery, Omenihu
Maybe third/fourth round guys: Jones, Keke, Wise, Hill
For EDGE if I understand you right, you wouldn't mind signing Barr in FA. If the price is not right, or he's not available then maybe go for Miller or Banogu with the first pick (early 2nd)
For CB, there are guys who could be taken in the 4th round (maybe 5th): Peters, Lonnie Johnson, Jordan Miller, Michael Jackson and Derrek Thomas (I feel the last two could be the most value-pick type of selection)
As for safeties: Tell could be a convert (but with potential depth with this years CB class and not being a huge need I'm not sure how much they want another guy like this). Other potential players in round 3 or 4: Thornhill, Savage, Harris.
So..this was all an interpretation by me about what you wrote. If I'm not mistaken an action and draft plan could look something like this:
Trade back a couple of times, try to get at least 8 picks. 8 pick could be: 2nd, 3rd, 3rd, 4th, 4th, 5th, 5th, 6th
(first trade to end of the 1st round for 3rd and 6th rounds. Then trade from end of the first to early-mid second and get a 4th and 5th)
Re-sign Sweezy and Fluker. If you cannot re-sign Sweezy might try to start Simmons? 2nd round pick is too valuable and we have some needs.
Get an LB from FA
Re-sign Mike Davis
Select an EDGE in the 2nd round: Christian Miller
Select a WR in the 3rd round: Gary Jennings
Select an S in the 3rd round: Darnell Savage
Select a DT in the 4th round: Trysten Hill
Select a CB in the 4th: Derrek Thomas
Select a TE in the 5th round: Trevon Wesco
Select OL in the 5th round: ??? (somebody as a project player)
Select a fullback in the 6th round: Alec Ingold
I'd be fine with this. Obviously, EDGE could go to Barr and we could go WR in the 2nd, but this would be fine with me.
Nice post! You make a ton of great points I agree lock up Fluker, Sweezy and I would add
Coleman then move on from there.
I have listened PC at Jon Clayton and he didin't say that about Dissly. He said Dissly will be ready for start of the season if no setbacks.
Yeah, probably a bit less serious, but on FG they wrote he'll be "limited".
#9 in this article: https://www.fieldgulls.com/2019/3/1/18245918/nfl-combine-2019-nfl-draft-john-schneider-pete-carroll-seattle-seahawks-press-conference-takeaways
This is the quote from Pete from the article: "There's nothing that's really in question other than the timeline for Will Dissly, we've just got to wait him out," and "he's going to take a little longer than the other guys" Carroll surmised.
Other guys will be ready at the start of the season, so I guessed Dissly probably not. But he may only be limited in his reps
Oooops …
Thornhill is an intriguing prospect who had an excellent 2018 season. He has hard to find free safety skills with the ability to cover downfield. At the combine, Thornhill did well in the workout with good jumps and a fast 40 time. However, team sources say that his interview was bad, leaving them very disappointed. Thornhill needs to interview much better during his pro day and on pre-draft visits.
Read more at http://walterfootball.com/draft2019stock_24.php#mZw3dkBVmHRjLxRC.99
Excellent prospect. If his teammate Bryce Hall had declared we'd be talking about him as CB1.
The athleticism from Thornhill was always there. Literally a video of him jumping outta the gym in HS playing basketball. That stuff just doesn't go away.
The final combine podcast has now been added at the top of the article.
Matt Miller draft from today.
Pick no 21:
The Pick: Taylor Rapp, S, Washington
The best safety in the draft falls to the perfect team for him.
Taylor Rapp is a Minkah Fitzpatrick-type player who can line up at multiple spots in the secondary. With the Seattle Seahawks likely to move on from Earl Thomas, Rapp can take his place.
Rapp's tape was by far the best of any safety in the 2019 draft class. He's a hitter with range and instincts. He's also a great athlete, which was on display at the combine with his 6.82-second three-cone time and a blistering 3.99 seconds in the short shuttle.
Combined with two years of great tape, those times could push Rapp higher than No. 21 overall.
I am shocked. I think Rapp can't replace Earl. He is not that type of safety.
Not happening
Look Who's Hawkin? says:
This isn't a shot at Miller or any of the national draft guys, but I pretty much disregard what they have to say about the Hawks. They have 32 teams to evaluate, so they don't have the time to get into the weeds and break down tendencies for every single one the way Rob does for the Hawks. They just look at what they think is the biggest need and slot the player who fits that range. Half the mocks I've read over the past few years have Seattle drafting a CB, when we all know that isn't happening. 10 years is enough of a sample size to make a reasonable conclusion about PC/JS draft preferences. So from a national perspective, they look at Seattle's needs – what is the most high profile departure? Earl Thomas. Which is why we keep seeing safety mocked to them. Not only will they not pick at 21, but it won't be a safety. I still enjoy mocks to get a read on the range for a player, which I know Rob speaks a lot about, but as far as trying to determine what Seattle will do, it is pretty useless. Their FO frequently has a much different read on a draft than the masses, but they know their scheme better than anyone. Why they continuously get panned for their draft classes, when they actually know what they are doing.
All this to say, I don't think national draft analysts are lazy, or not good at what they do (maybe the ESPN guys) but they just don't have anywhere close to a read on what type of players Seattle prefers compared to local coverage, SDB and Rob specifically. Which is why I come here!
That Darnell Savage absolutely flies to the football and is a violent hitter. I only saw highlights, but he seemed to be more than just a cover guy (though that's quite nice, as well). Had X-Factor appeal, to me.
Running in the 4.3's I'm dreaming about playing single-high again…
I don't see Savage as a single high type personally. Better downfield.
I did notice that many of his highlights were breaking downhill, or in very tight coverage; not really tracking the big picture and covering the field sideline to sideline. Though his instincts and reads looked very sharp and he moves very well once he sees something
Rob, do you plan on taking a closer look at him post-combine?
Yes definitely
Looking forward to that, I think he could certainly play deep, had a watch today and he had some excellent plays breaking down on the ball from a deeper position like Earl did. Not a pure free safety coming out like Earl or someone like Hooker for the Colts, but with his skill set I could totally see that as his role in the pros. His pro comp on NFL.com is LaMarcus Joyner, I see that a lot.
Wow! I know quite a few of your faithful have already mentioned it, but awesome job on this piece!! There's nowhere else to get this kind of comprehensive coverage of the Hawks, not even close actually. Like others, I find myself eagerly waiting for your next article at the same time I'm finishing the current one. Amazing!
Can't wait for free agency now that the combine is over, as this should begin to frame the Hawks spring plan. No surprise Frank was tagged, but still hope they can negotiate a long-term deal that works for player and team. JS is a master at finding bargain bin dline options that usually plug in well, hopefully he works his magic again. Gonna be interesting to see what happens with the other key free agents, KJ, Coleman, Fluker/Sweezy, Kendricks, Davis, etc.
Keep up the great work Rob, this is an exciting time!
Thank you, means a lot that.
Spread the word if possible!
As always great article Rob, I sincerely hope that we are able to trade back and all 3-4 more picks. I would not even be upset if we didn't pick until the end of the 2nd round if that is where the best value is. I just read an interesting article on field gulls that said since 2020 is the last year of the CBA the Seahawks could use both a franchise tag and the transition tag. Any thoughts?
https://www.fieldgulls.com/2019/3/5/18251429/impact-seattle-seahawks-franchise-tag-frank-clark-extend-beyond-russell-wilson-reed-wagner-2020
Maybe. But reports in the last few days from John Clayton suggested a new CBA could actually be signed this year and quite soon. Jason La Canfora added they might extend the current CBA before 2020. So all the signs are pointing towards a new deal and it happening quite quickly with a continuation of the current deal.
Marc Edge says:
I don't care how fast a safety runs. I care how well he plays. Remember the year San Francisco took Taylor Mays in the first round? He ran about a 4.4. How did he turn out? We took a guy in the fifth round that year who ran about a 4.6. His name was Kam Bam. How did he turn out? I rest my case. I have quit paying attention to this track meet and now trust completely in JS/PC.
Ok, but Kam was 6032, 231 when he ran a 4.59 at his pro day. That's actually a really good time for a guy of his size. In other words, it's not a good example you chose because Kam did run quite fast considering his size.
The heaviest S at the combine this year weighed 213.
You're right that the 40 time is not the be all end all or a guarantee of future success, but to say you don't care about it at all is pretty crazy IMO.
Coleslaw says:
I believe that if you're looking for the next Kam, you oughtta just find a guy who's 6'3+ and 220+ who has great athleticism for that size, and just move him to safety. It would probably be a big WR, a small TE, a freaky LB, maybe a big corner. Jamal Peters might be a poor man's Kam Chancellor.
Duceyq says:
Chase Hansen fits the bill…Kam was a LB/SS tweener…Seattle should look at the same mold.
Chase Hansen, LB Utah
Joejuan Williams, CB Vandy
4.64 40 dash
Chase Hansen is nothing like Kam. He reads the game well, but just isn't a fit for our current setup. Dude blitzed and spied all season.
Glorified LB.
Mays was almost the same size — 6031 – – 230, but he couldn't play like Kam could. "Very tight hips. Does not have the quick twitch that the good cover safeties have in space. Does not seem to do well in short area, too stiff." https://www.sbnation.com/2010/4/7/1410021/taylor-mays-nfl-draft-scouting
Burns is going round 1 and always was going round 1. Best pass rusher in this class behind Bosa, by far the most flexible, and the way he moved was special. Moved like a DB.
He wasn't going in R1 at 227lbs.
He answered some questions at the combine. That's the reality.
I don't see how 20 lbs of added muscle *wouldn't* make a difference.
You can't naturally add 20 pounds of muscle in 3 months or however long it's been since the season. That's why rob was so sure he wouldn't show up close to 250. Dont care what workouts he was doing or what shakes he was drinking. He likley added a couple pounds of muscle, a couple pounds of fat, and loaded up on water weight before he hit the scales. It isn't that hard to add 10+ pounds of water weight and shed it before you need to workout and you can bet a bunch of guys did that for combine. Or, he wasn't as light as reported before combine training. They should weigh them after the 40 if they want more accurate numbers.
I agree he's going R1 and always was but converting speed to power and his weight/play-strength is still a concern if you want him to be a 3 down DE. Still one of my favorite prospects.
So so flexible. One of the smoothest movers in this DL class.
Definitely almost said he moves like a safety on tape the other day, but deleted that comment
Kevin Johnson, former 1st round pick of the Texans, released. Long CB, any chance we give him a look?
Sure there's always a chance, but I kind of doubt it with the long list of CBs who fit our profile available in this draft.
Why pay a 26 year old to start late learning our technique when you can get a cheap rookie for much cheaper?
On top of all that, Johnson only has 31 inch arms, 73.5 inch wingspan and has been constantly injured:
A talented corner, Johnson has struggled to stay healthy the past three seasons. He played just six games in 2016, 12 in 2017 and participated in just one tilt in 2018 before going on injured reserve after multiple concussions. Johnson has started only eight games since his rookie campaign.
Look how similar these 2 tested.
Justin Hollins, EDGE, Oregon: 6'5, 248 lbs., 33″ arms
1.55 10 yd
36″ vert
10'5″ broad jump
7.06 3 cone
4.4 SS
25 BP reps
Anthony Barr, EDGE, UCLA: 6'5, 255 lbs, 33″ arms
4.19 SS
Pretty significant gap between their SS and 3 cone times – but I still really like Hollins.
Similar in every way except the agility testing. Barr has a big advantage there.
He caught my eye as well. There really are so many options in this draft. It's going to be Interesting to see where and what positions the hawks tap into.
Love Hollins…hope we get him in the 3rd, after trading back a few times of course. My comp for Hollins is closer for KJ than Barr. Hollins is like an Irvin/KJ hybrid and that's why I think he's a perfect fit for Seattle! Seattle may already have there edge rusher on 3rd downs in Martin….Hollins may be a 3 down Edge/OLB for Seattle.
KJ Wright 6'3, 246, 34 7/8
32" vert
120" broad jump 3
Daniel Jeremiah mock 2.0
Ed Oliver – DT
School: Houston | Year: Junior
It's tough to identify the right landing spot for Oliver, but the Seahawks have had a front-row seat to see how an undersized pass rusher can take over a game when they've lined up against Aaron Donald twice a year. Oliver would be a nice player to pair with DT Jarran Reed.
Don't see him lasting that long, and certainly not after the trade down. But yeah, I'd be elated, if there's a coach out there that can figure out how to use him…
I think Pete is trying to figure it out! How good is Oliver? If we draft him our DT's will be lacking in size but that won't be an issue because we're rotating 4 DT's. I liked DT Simmons but it was reported he's not that strong so I doubt Hawks would be interested.
Pro days today!
These are my jam.
Keep us posted on any standouts!
Trying to find info for Purdue's. I always feel they have underrated players similar to Temple or Iowa. Just from what I've gathered over the years
Im only seeing quotes no numbers out thus far
DD says:
I was checking FA lists and came across a familiar name- Eli Harold! Wasn't he touted as a potential target back then? didn't have a tone of production, but still only 25. I'm very keen to know your thoughts on potential FA pass rushers! I suppose they can't afford the top guys, right?
Thanks Rob! I read your blog everyday
Go get Stephen Gostkowski. Wouldn't hate Sam Acho either.
Gostkowski reaching FA is tantalising
How much would it take?
Can this team afford to pay $5 million for a kicker?
Can they afford not to?
They need to nip this in the bud one way or another. Can't keep going year to year on kickers.
No we can't! Utah kicker is under rated watch out if we don't get one in FA.
If the Pats consider picking in this dense K class, we should, too.
astro.domine says:
Ben Banogu is my post-combine crush right now. His movement skills and length flash on tape- seems like a great LEO project. In interviews he comes off as grounded. Would love to have him in the 4th or 5th.
Oh, and this doesn't hurt:
He led the Big 12 in pressures in both 2018 & 2017, according to PFF.
With a profile like that I could see him going in the 2nd.
I thought LJ Collier was the much more impressive prospect from the tape I saw.
Banogu does a lot of cleanup work and doesnt transition speed to power at all. His burst is really only noticeable in the open field. He has great eyes and plays the QB rather than just zipping around the corner, but you'd like to see a better speed move out of a player like that.
2nd? Seriously doubt it. Late fifth or early sixth. Maybe someone reaches in the fourth I guess.
I haven't watched Banogu tape yet. I watched a highlights video though. And I came away thinking… is that it? Those are the highlights?? We'll see what the tape shows but either he didn't make many plays in 2018 or the guy who made the video needs to do a better edit.
I'm looking forward to hearing your in-depth take!
If Nazair Jones and Quinton Jefferson are playing 5tech…. Who starts inside with Jarran Reed? Would love for Pete to get his hands on Rennell Wren
Rowlandice says:
Meder?
Jaime Meder – Hawks signed him after the season from the Browns. 6-3, 309LBS
Must have missed that news!
PFF had him as thr second best run stuffer through six weeks back in 2017 fwiw.
I really like the way we scout pros. So not saying he's not the answer, but he's an unknown at this point. Stephen is only 28 also, so I guess it's not as important to address the position in the draft.
I'm just drooling over this DT class tbh
lil'stink says:
Poona. He was always making plays or was around the ball
I thought the starters were Reed and Stephen. Poona behind Stephen I believe.
Stephens had a nice year! We got what we paid for. I don't think Nazir has a strong chance to make the 53 next year. DE Jefferson is right on track in his development. DE Jordan (injuries) and Nazir Jones under performed. Jordan is the most interesting situation because he can play big time football but I can't figure out why he can't get on the field. Look at Jordan's measurements and what he can do on the field. Besides Bosa I don't see 1 DE in this draft that has Jordan's potential, so as long as he doesn't take up cap space I see no reason to cut him. We paid Jordan 2 million guaranteed last year anything less than that is worth it for a DE in my opinion.
Completely forgot about Poona!!!!
But I'm not putting all my eggs in that 5'11 basket.
I think QJeff is closer to the bubble than Naz. Imo
Ford has really long arms so his 5'11 height is an advantage not a disadvantage. Everybody blew it by not drafting Ford, the Seahawks capitalized on the NFL's disfuntion. QJeff played half the snaps last year, averaged 1 solo tackle per game, had 3 sacks on the season, 15 QB hits, and God knows how many QB pressures. Naz had 1 good snap all season.
I like Poona Ford has the inside track. I think there's a chance that they see more out of him than a rotational talent.
Btw Rob, you really should get serious about remodeling this website. It's not doing the *fantastic* content and subsequent community participation justice.
It takes several minutes for my comments to process, if they show up at all. It's 2019 Rob, it doesn't take a king's ransom to have a functional, responsive blog site.
Yes, the site is struggling. Sadly it's 10 years old and has 10 years worth of data on it.
I've been extremely serious about remodelling the site but the price of a new site is astronomical if you're just an independent blogger. Web designers charge you business prices. Nobody wants to do the small job of designing this site for two reasons — it's too small and won't make them any proper money and it doesn't require me to pay them anything for maintenance. So for now we'll have to make do unfortunately.
Should put a call out to any web designers out there! I guess that is what I am doing now haha.
With the amount of traffic this site sees, in the days of the tech age, one of the readers has got to be in the business!
***Somebody help Rob out with some pro bono (or extremely discounted) work here***
Somebody offer to do a great and professional job pro bono. This is the thread, make it happen people.
Agreed. Someone has the skills. Or knows a fellow 12 who knows another 12 with the skills that will give Rob a fair deal.
Hell I'd do it, but that skill set is so far from my own that you'd be better off asking me to build a spaceship out of junkyard parts.
I have figured out a workaround for the comment delay. It may also be a clue that could help any half-decent web designer with knowledge of WordPress to fix the current site.
The workaround is to post a comment that requires moderation (for example, with two links in it). This then gives a URL like the following:
http://seahawksdraftblog.com/combine-reaction-where-does-it-leave-the-seahawks?unapproved=427942&moderation-hash=de65da5bfd7ae19bfb1e2c3e3b4f508c#comment-427942
When I refresh that link, even after the comment has been approved, there is no more comment delay.
If, however, I go to a normal link after commenting, such as:
http://seahawksdraftblog.com/combine-reaction-where-does-it-leave-the-seahawks#comment-427780
the comments from the last hour or so are delayed from loading, including my own comments.
So what I have been doing is:
1. Comment once with 2 links
2. Each comment I make after that, I navigate "back" in the web browser and then refresh the page.
If I may throw in my 2 cents, I honestly doubt this situation has anything to do with the site having accumulated too much data. Most of your content is just text, which takes up minimal space, plus a few embedded pics. The theme is also pretty basic. Besides, I am not loading the entire site of data anyway, but just one page, so even if size were somehow the issue, that would reflect more on your hosting service than on the website itself. I think it has to do with some plugins or other elements that might need updating/optimization in order to work with WordPress 5.1.
If it helps, I have searched around a bit and, while most WP services want to charge you monthly and upkeep your site (this one does too for $39/month, which is the cheapest I found. Not sure if we could cover something like that for you with Patreon…), this one also offers one-off services:
https://www.thewpbutler.com/product-category/one-off-services/
Hopefully those prices (or that of another freelancer) would be more reasonable than a full-on re-design and maybe Patreon could help cover that cost too.
You know I love your site and just want to help you to find a solution so you can continue to focus on the amazing content (like this piece, for example) and not have to worry about the back end.
P.S. This is open source and might be worth a go as well!
https://wordpress.org/plugins/simple-comment-editing/
Thanks for this info
You're very welcome. Thanks for this blog!
Hey, I think I just found an even better option, exactly what you need, and it's in the UK too!
https://fixed.net/pricing
Oooh. And you can get £25 credit if someone refers you with a link, (plus 10% for them):
https://fixed.net/affiliates
I bet if you fished around for a freelance developer you could find the right man & price for the job.
Also, even if you just made a simple WordPress for the new content while leaving this site to act as an archive, it would be a huge upgrade. Just a thought. I'll be eagerly & gratefully gobbling up all your articles either way 🙂
I don't have the skills but I have a question. How often do you need to access old data? What if you kept (just for example) the current year and two previous years. Store the older data at another site where you could get to it if you need it.
Wouldn't the site perform better if it only had a maximum of three years' data? Each new year the oldest year would roll off to the old data home. Would the cost of doing something like that be prohibitive?
I don't really know WP in depth that much, but it shouldn't be slow because you have a lot of data in it.
Content should only be loaded either in the background or as requested.
The issue can be with your hosting service provider or more likely with the WP plugins you use.
Not sure about the problems with the site. Is it just with the comments?
If the comments are the problem then it might be either a database issue or issue with the service that gets the data from the database and shows it on the site. Either way, it's probably the issue of the plugin you use for this comment section. You could try to use another plugin (like Disqus or another system).
Any big changes you do, first backing up the database is the most important thing. This way if anything goes south you won't lose any data (comments, articles).
It would probably better to create a new site and try out different things there so you can't compromise the live site.
Unfortunately, I'm not better at WordPress or PHP or with DBs than most of you guys as I'm more a frontend (javascript – Angular, React) developer (with some backend knowledge but that's mostly C# and APIs), so I could only create a standard site for you, not a CMS, and it would be hell for you to put up posts on that (unless you're solid with HTML, CSS).
But if you have some questions you can ask me here, or you have my e-mail (at least I guess based on the comment form), and I try to answer those (or ask some of my colleagues they might know more about these stuff)
If memory serves, the delay issue is possibly linked to when the Patreon option was added to the website. Is it possible to disable/remove that to see if the problem corrects? Anyone with knowledge know if that add on could be the cause?
I'm of the opinion that there is a hidden command that adds an hour delay for Rob to edit or delete a post.
Volume 12: Did you see were the Patroits are letting Trey Flowers go. Trey Flowers might have been their best defensive player. It's amazing how Bill Belichick keeps losing his best players(Not named Tom Brady) and they still keep winning. BTW: Trent Brown is also a free agent.
And they keep collecting 3rd round comp picks for those guys or higher picks in trades. The Master, no question.
Whit21 says:
Its a tactic they use a lot. They let FAs test the market and they can either match or let them walk and get most likely a 3rd rd comp pick. Kinda like what the hawks are gonna do with KJ..
I'd bring in Flowers if the price was right. Can we even afford 10m??
If we replace Coleman and/or Sweezy and backload some of the upcoming extensions, sure it's possible.
Rob have you watched any tape on Blake Chashman LB out of Minnesota? He ran a 4.5 and seems to play fast and smart.
Robert Las Vegas says:
I have been thinking about this lately and I am thinking that New England might be a trade partner on draft day they have 11 picks . Include I first 2 second's and 3 third round picks.i f there is a pass rusher or tight end they could easily move up.they let Jamie Collins walk remember Chandler Jones . And now Trey Flowers walk and guess what they will receive a third round comp next year.
.Rob my question is Danny Shelton is a upcoming free agent do take a flyer on him.
My pats coworker had me thinkin the same thing.
But BB is probably going to want to be moving down. Unless someone they really want falls to our pick, we'll be competing for good deals moving down
Tranquil is also someone I'm wondering if anyone has watched and has a take on him.
LB Mark Barron anyone??? Pending cut by the Rams.
SebA says:
I was going to mention this too – he's got the speed for a Seahawks LB and I doubt he'd be too expensive.
Is he any good?
Legitimate question, I really don't know. I remember there was some smoke about the Seahawks liking him in college (Alabama?) when he was a Safety, but it's been not much fanfare since then. What does he do really well?
That's a very good question. I think the idea of him as a hard-hitting safety-to-LB convert was that he could cover and still stop the run, but I think the practicality never reached the attractiveness of the idea. Still, on a cheap contract might be worth a shot as depth.
Can't help myself.
Oakland trades up to #21 for picks #35 & #66. April 25th is renamed "Gruden Day".
Buffalo trades up to #35 for picks #40, #147 & #158.
Cincinnati trades up to #66 for picks #72 & #149.
R2 #40 Jerry Tillery, DL, Notre Dame
R3 #72 Hakeem Butler, WR, Iowa St
R3 #84 Tyler Roemer, OT, SDSU
R4 #124 Justin Hollins, EDGE/OLB, Oregon
R5 #147 Isaiah Johnson, CB, Houston
R5 #149 Andy Isabella, WR, UMASS
R5 #158 Drew Sample, TE, Washington
R5 #159 Sheldrick Redwine, DB, The U
Hawktalker#1 says:
I like hat Butler can do, but have really had my fill of contested catch WRs.
We need a WR that get can get great separation.
I'm kind of leaning towards a guy who is quick, more than fast. Shifty more than brawny.
I would love a 6'3+ WR like the next guy, but I would much rather have a bunch of midgets that can take a top off a defense or make 3rd and 5 catches. I don't care what level they played in CFB, just that they are sudden and have great hands.
DC, I think Sample might go a bit earlier than the late 5th round. I'm thinking mid 4th onward. He is a guy I would to see play for Seattle.
I don't know if Butler has the attitude we are looking for. The phantom pick 6 in their bowl game was entirely on him not completing his route which I dislike, and his body language was bad at the combine. Like he didn't care.
Have read great things about Roemer as a football player, have also read some less than promising things regarding his personality and his removal from the SDSU roster
Murray seems destined for Arizona, with evidence emerging that Rosen is being shopped. For Seahawk fans, that should be just fine. Murray has bust written all over him. The QB has to play both sides of the ball — read the defense, direct the offense, and apparently Murray can't do either well. From Casserly:
"Well, he better hope Kingsbury takes him No. 1 because this was not good," Casserly said. "This was the worst comments I ever got on a high-rated quarterback, and I've been doing this a long time. I've probably been doing it longer than you're alive.
"Anyway, leadership — not good. Study habits — not good. The board work — below not good. Not good at all in any of those areas and raising major concerns about what this guy is going to do. Now, people say, we're going to compare him to [Patrick] Mahomes, we're going to run an offense like Mahomes, we're going to run an offense like Baker Mayfield. Well, you can't. … Those guys are much different. Those guys, you never question about their ability on the board, you never question about their leadership ability, their work habits, they were outstanding in those areas. This guy is not outstanding in those areas. It showed up in the interview."
The QB needs to be one of the most intelligent, hard-working players on the team in order to experience success. He may flash like an RG3 or a Kapernick did in part of their careers, but faced with a competent defense, they will struggle.
Good for Arizona. Perhaps I am wrong. But I am happy now that Murray will not be a Seahawk.
Georgia Hawk says:
For every rumor there were bad interviews, there is one that says he nailed it.
https://clutchpoints.com/cardinals-rumors-kyler-murray-impressive-in-interview-with-arizona/
This one is from Rappaport, who doesn't have to tell you his credentials. (personal pet peeve when people feel they need to tell you their credentials to validate their opinion).
Either way, thats the name of the game at this point. One team says he bombed trying to get his value to go down a bit, the other counters with he aced, trying to push the value back up. It will porpoise like this all the way through the draft.
So which is it? Casserly's take seems consistent with what we have seen for ourselves. It's also consistent with the lukewarm praise given by his coach concerning his intellect (if memory serves). And what else is Arizona going to say? He sucked at his interview but we are drafting him number 1 anyway?
It doesn't matter to me one way or another. I'm not a Cardinal fan. But this goes to one of the most important, and one of the most difficult things for us to determine about a prospect – their character. Prior to the NFL (high school, college) some players can excel by their athletic ability alone. In the NFL they need to be committed to their craft (I recall reading how Jerry Rice was the hardest working player on his team), and they need to master the nuance of the game (film study, coaching), especially at QB.
Does anyone else have any insight into Murray's character?
We also need to be careful not to conflate a discomfort with speaking live on TV/radio and in a high pressure interview situation where you're being grilled with a level of intellect or commitment to ones craft.
dylanlep says:
Well, imo, Casserly is an old crank. So I am skeptical.
DL is the strength of this draft more importantly inside pass rush and nose tackle. TE is great, OL late 2nd thru 3rd is good. Sprinkled throughout are potential Coleman replacements. I think we should pass on drafting a safety to play safety. CB, LB, RB, & WR if a Seahawky guy is there middle to late rounds do what it takes to get him. As for DE lots of NFL caliber DE's but I don't see anyone that resembles Dion Jordan but I don't which of these DE prospects have the body & mental capacity to add the muscle that Jordan currently has. QB could be our bail out pick if things go sour on draft day so even though we don't have the valuable 2nd this year things are not a complete mess.
Folks. This could be a nightmare senario for the Seahawks next. There is the possibility Russell Wilson, Frank Clark, Bobby Wagner, and Jarran Reed could all be free agents at the same time. Those are possibly the four best players on team. You can't franchise everyone. I would say there is a good chance we could lose either Frank Clark or Jarran Reed.
Going into free agency I'll be looking for a few things.
-Lock up Sweezy and Fluker right away. Why wait? Shore up 40% of your starting line for less than $10M. No Brainer.
– Resign David Moore and tender George Fant. 2 promising players who will be cheap, another no brainer.
– Go get Gostkowski!!! Just do it. Kickers are so cheap, why not pay $5M for a *top scoring player*. No brainer.
– Let KJ walk, Resign Kendricks or dont sign a LB at all unless it wont effect our top comp picks. Earl and KJ could potentially net us 2 3rds next year. Justin Coleman might get us a later rd pick too, I dont want to mess with the the 3rds.
If we could somehow sign someone like Kwon Alexander and only wipe out Coleman's comp pick, I think that would be a solid move.
All reasonable points you made, but I might add to or change a couple things.
-By all means resign both Fluker and Sweezy, but only if they are affordable. Remember Sweezy priced himself out of town once already. Simmons could be a decent starting option opposite Fluker if it comes to that, or another veteran free agent at the right price.
-I agree resigning Moore and Fant seem like no brainers, unless Fant commands a sizable offer from another team.
-I think its doubtful Pete/John go all in on Gostkowski. It just doesn't seem like their style or their top priority for limited cap space. Agree they need a more reliable option at kicker though, not sure Ficken is the answer!
-I hate to just let KJ walk without trying to resign him, unless he is just to costly. He is the ying to Bobby's yang, an outstanding complementary LB in our system. Also, there's no guarantees with Kendricks right now, he could be in jail or command a big free agent deal as well. I'm less concerned with our ability to replace Coleman, although he has been pretty good in the slot. Pete always seems to find reliable CB's to plug in, so I'm in favor of going that way.
-If we can upgrade at LB (perhaps with a Kwon Alexander or Anthony Barr) for less than or equal to resigning KJ, then by all means let's do it.
Realize comp picks are nice, but Pete/John have to fill a bunch of holes/openings on this team just to reach the 53 man roster, so can't stress about comps yet. They don't have enough draft picks this year (even after trading down) to fill all the holes, so probably gonna be scouring the UDFA group really hard. They can also look hard at all the veterans who are cut in the coming weeks, since they don't factor in the comp pick formula.
It's gonna be an exciting few weeks of free agency ahead right up to draft day. Pete and John have to do their best work this year since they have limited ammunition.
Wanted to add the Hawks full list of free agents to help shape the issue. How many of these 27 total free agents will likely be resigned? It's entirely possible that only about half of these guys are retained for one reason or another, which is quite a few openings to fill with limited draft capital. Obviously some of these guys will be easy and cheap to retain if Pete/John want to, but not so with all of them. So we'll likely be shopping the free agent bargain bin and UDFA group for able bodies.
Frank Clark, DE (Franchise tag)
K.J. Wright, OLB
Earl Thomas, FS
Justin Coleman, CB
Shamar Stephen, DT
Dion Jordan, DE
Sebastian Janikowski, K
D.J. Fluker, G
J.R. Sweezy, G
Mike Davis, RB
Neiko Thorpe, ST
Mychal Kendricks, OLB
Maurice Alexander, S
RFA's
Tyler Ott, LS
Quinton Jefferson, DE
Branden Jackson, DE
Akeem King, DB
George Fant, T
Tre Madden, FB
ERFA's
David Moore, WR
J.D. McKissic, RB/WR
Joey Hunt, C
Austin Calitro, LB
Emmanuel Ellerbe, LB
Jordan Simmons, G
Shalom Luani, S
I'm willing to risk durability issues with Fluker due to his dominating rub blocking but I'm not willing to do the same for Sweezy. I don't like the idea of giving Sweezy any guaranteed money or the idea of Sweezy taking up 2 million or more in cap space. I'd rather use a draft pick to fill Sweezy's spot when there will be prospects available in the 3rd round and we have 2 players Fant & the former Purdue Gaurd that can play LG.
I'd snap there hands off for Sweezy at $2m next season.
It's $2m. You barely sign any veterans for $2m.
They finally had a settled line in 2018. The last rookie LG they went with was Ethan Pocic.
OK but not more than 3 million Eagles pay their LG 3 million and he's played center before. I guess we both agree on the guarantee $$. Rob while I have your attention I've been meaning to bring up an issue that has not been addressed and it could change your perspective on what the Seahawks needs are in this draft. The issue is Safety Marwin Evans 5'11 1/2, 208lbs, 42 inch vertical, low 4.42 average 4.47 they say he is blazing fast & hits like a truck, never been injured and has run head on into 300lb OL without any hesitation causing massive collisions. Nobody in this draft compares to him. Seahawks signed him 2 years ago, cut him, he was picked up by GB but cut last year due to loaded Safety group and Schneider signed him again. Keep in mind Seahawks have been loaded with veteran safety's but none of them are currently on the roster and this guy is. On paper and with the statements NFL personal have made Evans seems like the best sleeper prospect Seahawks have ever had. Do I have my head screwed on straight or is it crooked?
I don't even seen guaranteed money as a talking point with Sweezy. And to be honest, I wouldn't even mind a guaranteed contract if it's as small as the money you're mentioning. I think people are overthinking Sweezy and Fluker a bit here. We had a decent O-line performance for the first time in years with these guys at the heart of it. I'm not risking anything there.
I hereby rescind my crush on Ben Banogu. His tape against OU abysmal- serious lack of physicality or strength at the point of attack.
Anybody else curious what Eric Weddle has left in the tank?
I honestly think he would make the team better. He's a veteran stopgap at but McDougald and Weddle could be a great duo.
How much $$ is he going to command?
Not sure on the money but just think Seattle will stick by their own and/or add one of these young safety's rather than going for a guy who's 34.
Imo, Seattle will add FS who can play slot corner. JS won't re sign Coleman (he will demand to much money), starting safety duo next year will be Hill/Mcdougal and that player from draft will play Coleman role next year. And then eventually take mcdougal role in year or two.
Add via draft.
I think you're probably right.
Could T2 slide over and play the slot CB position? Does he have the skill set for that?
No I don't think so. He's only a 4.6 runner. They tried Delano in some different positions but he's a 4.47 guy.
I think there's at least a decent chance they'll draft one of the safety's to play nickel if they lose Coleman.
Sounds a lot like Darnell Savage to me. That guy is sticky, I think he'd excell at man coverage.
Vol said Sam Acho. That might be it chief
Maybe. They have to look at the EDGE options. And it'll probably be someone who's available at a cheap price.
I'm still keeping my fingers crossed, probably in vain, that Anthony Barr won't receive a mega offer somewhere.
Tyler Lockett:
ARMS: 30″
HANDS: 8 3/8″
40 Yard Dash: 4.4 Secs.
3 Cone Drill-6.89 secs.
Vertical Jump: 35.5 inches.
20 Yard Shuttle: 4.07 secs.
Broad Jump: 121.0 inches
Terry McLaurin:
HEIGHT: 6′ 0″
ARMS: 31 1/2"
HANDS: 9 1/8"
40 Yard Dash: 4.35 secs.
3 Cone Drill: 7.01 secs.
20 Yd Shuttle: 4.15 secs.
Broad Jump: 125.0 inches.
Terry McLaurin: 6001, 208, 31 4/8 arm, 9 7/8 hand, 4.35 40yd, 37.5 VJ, 10'5″ BJ, 4.15 SS, 7.01 3C, 18 BP
Chris Godwin..: 6010, 209, 31 5/8 arm, 9 1/8 hand, 4.42 40yd, 36.o" VJ, 10'6″ BJ, 4.00 SS, 7.01 3C, 19 BP
Doesn't get much closer than that, folks. Godwin was one of my draft crushes in 2017, now McLaurin is in 2019.
Plus, McLaurin has slightly larger hands, is significantly faster, a high-effort blocker, and ace gunner.
FWIW, those of you hoping to sign Gostkowski are likely to be very disappointed.
I can't find the link now, but Pete came out and said anything they add at Kicker would be ONLY for competition. they won't be signing a high profile guy to come in and take the job.
He'll probably re-sign in New England, just not for the $5m he would've got on the tag.
Oh well. its frustrating that they take such a "devil may care" attitude with it. Whether it is washed out vets or young guys that haven't done anything/were not good at previous stops, it just seems to be a position they don't put a lot of value in…despite the number of games won or lost by a FG over the last few years.
Rob, what do you think the chances are of Dexter lawrence falling in a similar way as Jaran Reed? If he fell to the late first or early second he would be a great player to grab to bolster our run defense.
I think it's very unlikely. Lawrence is a completely different athlete to Reed. For example, Jarran Reed ran a 5.21 forty at 307lbs. Dexter Lawrence just ran a 5.05 at 342lbs.
Anyone stand out? I can't see it.
https://purdue.rivals.com/news/purdue-boilermakers-football-pro-day
teejmo says:
Just a wide receiver who ran a 4.32 – production (fourth on team in both receptions and receiving yards) suggests he'll probably be an undrafted free agent. Only two other players are under consideration for draftable grades – an offensive lineman with short arms and their QB, Blough. All together not too interesting.
I was pretty shocked to see that Purdue has had a player drafted every year for 21 years.
Seahawks were there
Only 2 teams weren't…
DCD2 says:
Is there any chance that we stay out of FA until after the period where signings count VS the comp pick formula (2nd Tuesday after the draft per my reading)?
Last year we lost Graham, Sheldon and PRich to FA, but offset those immediately with the likes of Joeckel, Mingo, etc. Those would likely have been 4th round picks. The Pats and Rams meanwhile just 'earned' 4 comp picks for this draft with 2 each in the 3rd round.
This year, Earl is gone, KJ and Coleman might be as well. Fluker/Sweezey/Jordan/Stephen could all theoretically get contracts as well, but no sure thing.
Just wondering if we think that they will "have' to be a player early in FA as there are too many issues to risk waiting and back-filling, or if we might actually get compensation for guys leaving.
Each year we are playing catch up with picks due to trades, but even if we had all of our natural picks, I don't think JS would be happy with 'just' 4 picks and would feel the need to trade down. If we went into a draft with 11 picks as a starting point, we would have the option to choose to trade down, rather than need to trade down each year.
It's possible but I think they have to be active at a couple of positions. They might be willing to prioritise. For example, let Coleman depart in order to ensure they get a pick for ET and KJ but then sign a FA at LB or EDGE.
I don't think there is a chance that they could be a little more active than last year but will wait until the first wave passes. I could maybe see them moving fast on Mark Barron if the Rams cut him and he is interested in playing for Pete. I think Seattle was high on him coming out of college.
Timmy Jernigan could be interesting if his back checks out.
Frank Clark appears to be trying to recruit Landon Collins via Twitter. Not sure Seattle would be a serious contender for his service but it would be cool if they were.
GauxGaux says:
Hoping to get your thoughts here… anyway the board can provide these riches (Plan B)?
P1 Renell Wren (Greg Gaines)
P2 Terry McLaurin (Emanuel Hall)
P3 Ben Banogu (Christian Miller)
P4 Marvell Tell (Darnell Savage)
P5 Lonnie Johnson (Derrek Thomas)
P6 Trevon Wesco (Foster Moreau)
– A nasty combo of inside(/outside) youth in Reed, Ford, Wren, Jones, Jefferson, and Green.
– McLaurin and Moore compete for WR3.
– Banogu develops behind FC.
– Tell develops behind T2 and competes with K. Reed for the slot.
– Johnson adds youth and competes with Flowers, Griffin, King (and S. Thomas).
– Wesco adds depth to TE and competes for FB/HB (What happened to Khalil Hill).
Add Barr (per your request) to EDGE
Tip the Scales of Justice in our favor for LB
Add a big guy to the iOL via UFA
Again, really appreciate the content and forum!!
I think it's a good haul. I have some reservations about Renell Wren and Ben Banogu. To me, Banogu is more of an athlete than a football player. Doesn't mean he can't be honed and developed but watching one game post-combine (I will watch more) I came away underwhelmed. Wren is a massive enigma. He is completely dominant on some snaps and totally out of control on others. You see him blast center's and dump them on their back and also see him easily handled, off-balance and looking lost. The Seahawks, at defensive tackle, need gap-control and discipline. The ideal is someone who can do that and still have the game-wrecking ability to be a pass rusher. Wren is feast or famine and will need major work to become a controlled, effective pro.
Was never impressed with Banogu. If you remember back during SR bowl week, when we were discussing LJ Collier, he was the guy that jumped off the screen when watching Banogu.
I think they might like Banogu if he's there's day 3 and every one else they like is off the board, but I can't see him as a target.
In my opinion McLaurin wont last to our 2nd pick, we'd have to take him in the mid-high 2nd, which I'm 100% okay with. To me, he's one of the safest players in this range and the most likely to fit the value of the board when the Seahawks pick, as well. It's a crapshoot, but if I had to bet it's not unlikely he's Seattle's 1st pick.
On the other hand I could see Wren lasting into the 3rd or 4th, so still possible to get the same haul, which I'd be happy about.
Instead of Banogu, what are the chances that LJ Collier's underwhelming combine puts him in round 3-4 territory, Rob?
Have seen 2 trade-back possibilities at Field Gulls recently, and in either one, would still trade back again in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th to finally wind up with 10+ picks in this deep draft.
First one "Seattle sends picks 1:21 to CLE for picks 2.17, 3.16, 3.31 and 4.17."
So we have picks 2.17, 3.16, 3.21, 3.31, 4.17, 4.21 and 5.21.
https://www.fieldgulls.com/2019/2/26/18241341/2019-nfl-draft-seahawks-mock-7-round-seattle-scouting-combine-results-prospects
In the other trade-back, "Seattle sends picks 1:21 to CAR for picks 2.15, 3.13, 3.36 and 4.13
That is 800 draft points to 799 draft points, so a very even trade."
https://www.fieldgulls.com/2019/3/5/18251581/2019-nfl-draft-seattle-seahawks-7-round-mock-draft-first-post-nfl-combine-edition
Looking at both, I now think the Carolina trade is better than the Cleveland trade, in that you only drop 5 picks at the end of the 3rd with Car., but have higher picks in the middle of rounds 2, 3 and 4. Then trade back with KC from 2.15 for their 2.29 and 3.29. With the 3rds, trade back from 3.13 with the Jets for 3.30 and 4.6. With our 3.21, trade back with Cleveland for 3.32 and 4.17. With the 4.6, trade back with the Broncos for 4.22 and 5.10. With the 4.13, trade with the Giants for 4.29 and 5.33.
So our draft picks would be 2.29, 3.29, 3.30, 3.32, 3.36, 4.17, 4.21, 4.22, 4.29, 5.10, 5.21 and 5.33. 12 picks – a low 2nd, 4 low 3rds, 4 4ths and 3 5ths. Nice to dream after the combine of turning 4 picks into 12. Could happen only if these teams and JS want to do that many trades and that's a big if. Got the values from this 2018 trade value chart – http://www.drafttek.com/NFL-Trade-Value-Chart.asp
May try to slot players into those picks early AM Thursday, have to go to work soon.
Thanks so much for all you do, Rob. Have been following you over 3 years, and the recent extensive detailed coverage is the best you've ever done. Have been reading all the daily combine recap pages and listening to each podcast with Brandon – FANTASTIC! As someone said recently, you put out more excellent material alone than several writers on other sites combined. You're the best by far, no one or site is even close.
Thanks man, it really means a lot that. I looked at the word count for the combine coverage and I wrote 18,456 words over the four days which is twice as long as my University thesis 🙂 — plus there was four hours of podcasting. Every year I take four days off work to do this and I always wonder afterwards whether people want this level of coverage and what kind of reach we have. The platform of an independent blog is still somewhat small without broader publicity. So hearing that people got something out of the combine stuff is a relief. Thanks for letting me know.
So, so good, and extremely well received.
ducey, I saw you compare KJ Wright to Justtin Hollins.
Wait until you see KJ Wright and Bobby Okereke's comps.
Nah, we already have a KJ comp on the roster: Jacob Pugh.
(And he's better than Okereke)
Didn't even know Pugh was still on the roster. I liked Pugh coming out last year, had him in my mock, but I don't think he's a better player than Okereke.
Oops, I guess he's not…
Anyway, I was just looking for a way to dump on Okereke. Measurables are all nice, but I didn't like his tape. Want more speed and aggressiveness in my LBs.
Does anyone else wonder if JS not re-signing some of these guys with the pay-off being comp picks the following year and then PC goes and gets brings on his 'rejects,' (and let's be honest this is a team that gave contracts to Luke Joeckel, Eddie Lacey, and countless others) piss JS the hell off?
Hmmm, guess I never thought of that. In hindsight, those were some pretty head-scratching moves.
The name Cary Williams popped into my head earlier today for no reason and I just shuddered then promptly tried to erase it.
Don't forget Paul Allen told them they needed to address OL in FA so you can't put it all on Pete.
You'd hope that Pete and John were on the same page overall. That being said, I could see John thinking "we're going to get some great comp picks" and Pete saying "we can't compete with things as is".
They also have had a tendency toward guys that were high picks, but didn't work out (reclamation projects). Just from the 2013 draft we signed Joeckel 2nd overall pick, Dion Jordan 3rd overall pick, Mingo 6th overall pick, Fluker 11th overall, (traded for) Sheldon Richardson 13th overall and Lacy 61st overall. Maybe they were trying to make up for the fact that they traded the 1/3/7 that year for Harvin, when taking the best available WR at their slot would have been DeAndre Hopkins 🙁
The other thing that I assume they are hoping is that guys "prove it" on one year deals, and then sign team-friendly next contracts or get paid elsewhere and factor back into the comp pick equation.
Pro day 3/6:
30 of 32 teams at K-St's. Dallas and Seattle were the 2 who weren't.
32 teams at Colorado St's pro day. WR Preston Williams (6'4, 211 lbs.) with below average #'s. 4.55-4.59 40, 31 .5″ vert, 9'8″ broad jump. Only 2 WRs at the combine had lower marks in the vert and only 2 had lower marks in the broad jump. Did have pretty good #'s with the ability scores. 7.02 3 cone and 4.36 SS. Was said to have looked good in field drills.
Not much on N.Illinois
Waiting on Cincy's pro day. DTs Cortez Broughton and Marquis Copeland. Copeland is the more unheralded, but probably the better pro prospect.
Seahawks free agency primer & Trysten Hill notes « Seahawks Draft Blog says:
[…] For more on possible targets from the combine, read our review article from Monday. […]
2 offensive players I'm falling in love with. Iowa St WR Hakeem Butler and Iowa TE Noah Fant. Fant for me is gonna be George Kittle 2.0.
I've seen Plaxico Burress, Sidney Rice, Devin Funchess, even AJ Green thrown around for Butler, but Vincent Jackson springs to mind
You guys hear that Shawn Oakman was cleared of the sexual assault charges that sunk his career before it even got started? This chick straight up tried to ruin his life. Woof. He has said he will try continue his football career. He is 26. Thoughts? Could be a cool Seahawks story.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl