Today the defensive backs workout. I will update this post with the forty times and a few notes so keep checking back. Here’s the list of DB’s with +32 inch arms (Seattle’s length ideal):
(updated to include official 40 times — unofficial indicated with a ‘u’)
James Bradberry — 6-0, 211lbs, 33 inch arms — 4.50, 36 inch vertical
Artie Burns — 6-0, 193lbs, 33 inch arms — 4.46, 31.5 inch vertical
Jeremy Cash — 6-0, 212lbs, 32.5 inch arms — DNP
Deandre Elliott — 6-0, 188lbs, 32 inch arms — 4.55, 41 inch vertical
T.J. Green — 6-2, 209lbs, 32 inch arms — 4.34, 35.5 inch vertical
Deiondre Hall — 6-1, 199lbs, 34.5 inch arms — 4.68, 37 inch vertical
William Jackson — 6-0, 189lbs, 32 inch arms — 4.37
Karl Joseph — 5-10, 205lbs, 32 inch arms — DNP
Jayron Kearse — 6-4, 216lbs, 34 inch arms — 4.64 u, 31.5 inch vertical
Miles Killebrew — 6-2, 217lbs, 32 inch arms — 4.67 u, 38 inch vertical
Jordan Lomax — 5-10, 202lbs, 32 inch arms — 4.77 u, 36 inch vertical
Eric Murray — 5-10, 199lbs, 32 inch arms — 4.50 u, 39.5 inch vertical
Keanu Neal — 6-0, 211lbs, 33 inch arms – 4.64 u, 38 inch vertical
Jaylen Ramsey — 6-1, 209lbs, 33.5 inch arms — 4.42 u, 41.5 inch vertical
Rashard Robinson — 6-1, 171lbs, 32 inch arms — 4.50 u, 35.5 inch vertical
Keivarae Russell — 6-0, 192lbs, 32 inch arms — DNP
Justin Simmons — 6-2, 203lbs, 32.5 inch arms — 4.62 u, 40 inch vertical
Brandon Williams — 5-11, 197lbs, 32.5 inch arms — 4.38 u, 30.5 inch vertical
Daryl Worley — 6-0, 204lbs, 33.5 inch arms — 4.66 u, 35.5 inch vertical
As you can see, there’s some nice speed, explosion and length above. Eric Murray, James Bradberry, T.J. Green, Deiondre Hall, Justin Simmons and Daryl Worley could be nice options later in the draft.
Vernon Hargreaves only ran a 4.50 at 5-10 and 204lbs with 30.5 inch arms. He’s not a great speed guy to go with limited size. He looked very natural in the drills. He did have a 10-10 broad jump.
Eli Apple ran a 4.40. For me he’s a superior talent to Hargreaves.
41.5 inch vertical and an 11-3 broad for Jaylen Ramsey. There you go.
Keanu Neal had a 38 inch vertical and an 11-0 in the broad. That is special too. He’s a first round lock.
I don’t think we draft a defensive back this year, better not talk about them.
Seriously, Rob you’re selling this blog short by not even talking about day 1 receivers. It’s bugging the heck out of me because the diverse ideas are what make this blog so great. It goes against the very nature of this blog to not entertain every possible strategy the Seahawks might use.
You said you didn’t think they’d take Henry but posted 2 articles in a row about him.
To be fair I think there was a post earlier about Fuller as a 1st round option.
There was a whole post about Fuller. One of the first Rob made regarding this draft.
LINK: https://seahawksdraftblog.com/with-the-2016-draft-order-set-heres-a-mock-draft
But the blog is talking about day 1 wide receivers – through you. Rob just doesn’t agree with you and he clearly stated why. That is talking about it.
Please go easy on this today, Coleslaw.
I understand it is bugging you and we can certainly talk early receivers in the thread, but Rob already clearly and patiently explained his position to you yesterday so I think it’s unfair to demand he continue to talk about it. (plus, can we really demand anything from a free blog anyway…?)
I think you are right to ask us to go over the possible strategies, but we also dedicate a lot of analysis to Seahawks draft trends and should therefore also focus more attention on the ones that seem more likely. Though not impossible by any means, WR in R1 does seem more unlikely than in past years given the position our team is in right now.
I will be glad to exchange ideas on WR with you later on. Maybe at their pro days a few of those that looked so-so at the combine will do better and get back on our radar. If nothing else, talking about them at least helps us to appreciate what the Hawks are leaving behind if they don’t select them.
Cheers.
I don’t think there is any problem with discussing Day #1 receivers. The whole point of the blog is to discuss players you like. We are not going to all agree. If there are guys you like then point them out and state the case. Then people can agree or disagree. I don’t think Rob has ever stopped anyone from posting because they said something he did not agree with.
For example I firmly believe they should trade Kam Chancellor this off season and Rob has made it very clear he thinks that would be a bad idea and not likely to happen. He has still not blocked me when I bring it up.
As long as there is no swearing of abusive comments I think you are good to go.
Coleslaw,
Drafting a first round WR would be exciting, just not very likely. Same for QB, RB or TE, and for the same reasons: Seattle has very good starters at those positions, and it would be difficult to justify the incremental improvement a top pick might have over the players currently on the roster. That’s why Rob, and most of us, can’t take the possibility all that seriously.
On the other hand, Seattle has demonstrated a willingness to spend high picks on top receiving threats (Harvin, Richardson, Graham) so it’s certainly not out of the question.
The biggest issue with Seattle’s passing game is protection, giving Wilson time. Using a first round pick may be used to improve the offensive line, especially if Okung doesn’t re-sign. Even if he does, they still may select an offensive lineman with the first pick.
If that doesn’t happen, my opinion (for what it’s worth) is that they select a high-impact defensive player, someone who can contribute right away.
As for WR, I really like Peake in later rounds.
And maybe that’s how we generate interesting discussion at the position – what WRs might Seattle draft in the mid-rounds?
Great article today about Jordan Payton being a mid-round option. He is a friend of Cassius Marsh and recalls Pete Carroll walking the halls of his high school. “He (Carroll) was a legend in my school.”
we spent first round picks on PROVEN receiving talent. not rookies
I don’t appreciate your passive-aggressive approach here, Coleslaw, but I understand your concerns.
I have the utmost respect for Rob, his effort, and scouting acumen, and there is a reason I visit the site everyday. I think Rob is completely justified in not crafting blog posts about unlikely picks in the draft (i.e. wide receivers in the first round… though if you go back a few months, you will quickly discover that Rob mocked Will Fuller to the Seahawks at one point).
That said, perhaps the WR discussion should still be had, especially since we have yet to hit free agency. Respect for differing perspectives and approaches are what makes this blog so great. And, I think the comments section is a fine arena for such a discussion. I think you will want to be prepared to have Rob or others dismiss the idea of a first round receiver pick by the Seahawks out of hand, but I think you can certainly bring up the discussion. I, and likely others, will be happy to engage with you.
Did you have a receiver in mind for discussion?
I mean we could at least just talk about how they COULD fit into the offense, not just how it’s unlikely to happen. It’s unlikely Derrick Henry becomes a Seahawk but we went very in-depth with him.
We were also talking about Henry as a freak athlete and a position of need since the only rb under contract is injured. I don’t think any receiver we saw this weekend are ridiculously athletic. If someone like Coleman performs well at his pro day I am sure we will discuss.
Whatever, forget it. We’ll just wait till next year.
Dude why are you taking this so personally? This site is a fantastic place for discussion and asking questions. Just because rob doesnt want to blog about a particular subject doesnt mean it cant / wont be discussed in the comments.
I’d like to see Josh Doctson be considered for us in the first / late second and he’s hardly ever been discussed even when Rob has spoken about rd1 receivers. I dont take it personal just mention it here instead.
This place is really cool, it’s made me a much more informed fan.
Because every single thing I have said about it has been answered with “It won’t happen.” or something similar when my initial issue was not enough attention being given to the subject. Everyone did exactly what I was saying was frustrating me.
Let it go, Elsa… Let it go.
Lol
All day yesterday you were banging the drum, jumping up and down and even stomping around because Rob didn’t agree with you. Even after earlier posts today eloquently offered support of your premise, but not in your delivery, you still seem to feel that it’s just not fair that no one wants to discuss your idea. It was even pointed out to you that Fuller HAS been discussed here in a prior mock. Please keep it together today. And possibly seek therapy.
I was not beating the drum because he didn’t agree with me, I don’t expect him to agree with me, I was beating the drum because all I wanted to do was talk about it without hearing how unlikely it is (like we did with Henry) and nobody wanted to talk about anything but how unlikely it was, not until today did people start being open to discussing it besides one or two people. Now it seems like I’m being looked down upon which is why I said forget it.
No, he wasn’t.He was trying to engage people to at least talk about the small possibility of taking a WR early. Yes, it may not happen but those who feel the need to slap down immediately the talk, instead of having a discussion, stay out of the conversation.He wanted to talk to people about the possibility, without all the nay-sayers. Yes, you have the right to your opinion, but so does he and he just wanted to talk to others that would entertain the idea, without getting slapped down every other comment. No need to get surly and call into question his mental health.
Guys and gals please.
All we’ve had on here since yesterday is outrage, snark, complaining and unpleasantness. That is not what this blog is about and I won’t let that continue. It stops now.
For future reference — I will continue to give opinions on what is likely or not in the comments section (especially when asked to do so) and if I’m asked about the validity of a supposed report by Bleacher Report it’s probably not going to be a favourable review. If we can all live with that — cool. Let’s talk draft.
Here here. 100%
agreed don’t take anything seriously from Bleacher Report
Coleslaw. There is 3 receivers that are graded as 1st rounders.
Corey Coleman will fuller and josh doctson. If one fell enough we might but this isn’t like the past years with overload at receiver
Josh Doctson, definitely. He’s a big guy, too, which is a need after letting Chris Matthews go (incidentally, why don’t the Seahawks re-sign him?).
Doctson has an amazing catch radius and is said to catch everything! He high points every ball thrown up. He would definitely be an upgrade to the spot being vacated by Kearse. If we go receiver he’s the only one I like.
Doctson is def a guy I could see as a first round possibility (though not probability) as he provides some needed diversity in the WR corps (especially if they don’t re-sign Kearse). They have the shifty route runners and the speed guy. They could use a high quality big bodied possession guy who can go up and get it.
About Henry, it’s almost certain Seattle will draft an RB out of this draft after losing Lynch, regardless of how well Rawls did. Running the ball (and stopping the run) are central to Seattle’s identity, so even if we conclude that it’s unlikely Henry will be selected in the first round by Seattle, it’s far more possible than any WR.
Finally, nobody knows for sure what Seattle will do, so keep that in mind. You could be right – and they target your favorite WR in the first round. Heck, a couple of years ago when we all knew they were going to draft a top WR, nobody thought it would be Richardson. 🙂
Coleslaw, Rob has spent a lot of time on receivers, a lot of time on Fuller, Coleman, Marquez North, etc.
And if you remember last offseason, it was receivers for months. I (and EranUngar) were very strong about the idea of adding diversity to the position. I want to see a new X WR with length. I want to see much more creativity from Bevell. I wish for these in vain.
What has happened post-Lockett has been an interesting (frustrating to me) weeding out process that has left them with the two Russell Wilson security blankets (Baldwin and Kearse), Lockett, and not much else. Kasen and Kevin aren’t starters. Slot smurfs, with expanded roles. PRich is another one. Guys that seemed to offer other things have not made the cut, or because Bevell/RW haven’t made them fit. Or—they just don’t see the need.
Nothing much has changed. And may not this time around either.
As long as they are happy with Baldwin and Lockett, and a returning PRich, that’s it. I don’t see them going out of their way to take a WR at the top. All they need to do is replace Kearse (or they keep him), and keep an eye out for someone in case they can’t keep Baldwin next year. I think they will go for a WR or two, just not high. There are a lot of options all the way into UDFA. And don’t ignore the various projects that signed futures contracts who will be in camp.
Bottom line, Coleslaw, what we might wish for with this team is often not gonna happen.
Couple things Coleslaw:
1. We’ve drafted a DB in every draft class. It’s going to happen. OL/DL/DB in every single class. LB in every class but one.
2. Passion is good. Banging the drum for a WR day 1 choice is fine. But bring reason into this. Opinions are like …. toes. Everyone has one. Personally I don’t agree that we’re looking WR in days one or two. I could repost reasons why if needed. Not every idea needs to be examined thoroughly. It’s a forum that is merit driven. Just having an opinion isn’t merit. Sell it.
3. Do you agree that when Pete has identified offseason needs, that those needs have dominated our day 1 and 2 picks. Every year. Like clockwork? If you concede that point which is easily demonstrated — then you’ll also concede that nowhere was WR mentioned — in fact there were two needs specifically highlighted and receivers wasn’t among them.
Now I agree that Seattle is going to have some unannounced need. At the very least, we may need to replace Lockette due to medical concerns. That’s speculation but it’s not a real stretch to speculate his career may be done. We will know by the end of March if we have a void with Kearse. If we resign Kearse — I would take that as an indication we may not get a WR in any round. We need to see how UFA shakes out first.
Right now though, I expect we’re comfortable with the three deep (Baldwin/Lockett/Richardson). And if Kearse is resigned, that’s your 4 deep and it’s pretty locked in. Five and Six are going to need to be ST aces. That’s if we carry 6. We may not.
moving forward…..
There are a ton of intriguing WRs in this class. But who are the big names this year? Treadwell, Coleman, Fuller? If I am drafting a WR in round 1, I want a Dez Bryant, Julio Jones, Amari Cooper, AJ Green, etc. I don’t know if that guy will be there in round 1.
Now I do believe that this will always be a run first team under Carroll. That’s the way it should be. But Russell will be airing it out a bit more and you can never have too many weapons on the outside. There are plenty of guys to like rounds 2 thru UDFA. Tyler Boyd, Kenny Lawler, De’Runya Wilson, etc.
Guys, I like Andrew Billings. If Rankins is gone and there is no tackle available, I say Billings is such a unique guy in this class you have to grab him. I understand his gap discipline is bad on tape, but that is a coachable trait.
What if you can get a Desean Jackson or Antonio Brown?
If only it was that easy to find another Antonio Brown.
Corey Coleman could become something similar in a couple/few years, I think at least.
Ty,
No Bryant, Jones, Cooper or Green, but what about the guy that succeeded Watkins, Hopkins and Martavis Bryant at Clemson? That’s who I like in the mid-rounds – Peake. Big, fast, tough, good blocker, accomplished WR, a true complement to Seattle’s existing WRs.
If we can somehow get Keyarris Garrett in the late 3rd or 4th i’ll be very happy.
I agree that WR in the 1st is probably not going to happen this year. However, repeating the mantra that P-Rich is a valid, safe and productive WR3 is plain ridiculous. He can’t do half of the things that Kearse did. He is not a run blocker or a good rub blocker, he will not give you those clutch catches in the playoffs.
Right now, until proven otherwise, he is a very fragile burner that did not show us anything in his first year. Lockett, picked a round later, is the example of what you can expect from a first year fast receiver. P-Rich wasn’t it.
I understand thaty we have bigger fish to fry elsewhere but if Krease is gone we may facing some issues. If we suffer any minor injury to Baldwin or Lokett, we could be in very serious trouble.
Key Garrett. Marquez North. Charone Peake. Rashard Higgins. They put up good numbers. Any of these guys in the mid rounds. I still like Mike Thomas in the later rounds. And there are loads of sleepers who didn’t even make the combine.
I doubt they’d go for a top guy like Doctson. Michael Thomas of OSU did poorly but is a good all-around talent and starting caliber otherwise. He’ll drop a ways and will be value for some team.
I think they will take one of these 32+ inch arm guys late. They have a lot of guy coming back, whether it’s a guy they traded for (Seisay), injury (Simon), redshirt (Smith), or experimental but it’s also nice to have a guy each year so you don’t have a bunch of player contracts coming due in one off-season. With all the CBs we have coming back for various reasons, there still isn’t anyone who should instill confidence in us to play opposite of Sherman if Lane walks. Get anther Maxwell in the sixth or Lane in the seventh and let them sit and learn, whereas perhaps Smith can come out and contribute with a year of seasoning under his belt.
Yeah, I really think we will have a hard time predicting the CB decisions (resign Lane, draft another prospect) since we don’t know what the FO thinks of Farmer, Seisay, Jean-Baptiste, Simon, etc.
As of right now I think we should resign Lane, but maybe not if a couple of them are ready to step in.
And if you want to look at it that way, we already have invested a late round pick in CB this draft (Seisay).
McCray (5th) and Seisay (6th)… two DBs already taken.
I think of Jean-Baptiste as getting a free 2nd round pick from New Orleans. That kid had the size and SPARQ a couple years ago that had me hoping he would get drafted by Seattle to start opposite Sherman. That is still a possibility I think. And the positive buzz about Farmer’s development has me optimistic.
Simon has already proved he can start if he can stay healthy.
Yeah, but truthfully, Simon is awful. Some tall guys can flip their hips and be good CB’s. He’s already shown he can’t do that (and his 4.6+ speed isn’t great, either).
I’m not sure I agree. I thought Simon was really starting to come on before he hurt his shoulder pre-playoffs two years ago. Everyone wants to point to his poor playoff run, but dude was playing with a recently separated shoulder
Simon playing cost us a Super Bowl. No thanks.
Exactly. It isn’t fair to judge him on the games where he was playing hurt. And after Lane got hurt, Simon had to play the slot against NE’s small quick receiver which was a mismatch. His role until then had been outside or in the slot against the taller more physical receivers and the reviews of his play from the coaches and Sherman were positive.
That being said, we haven’t seen him play in a game for over a year so you can’t count on anything from him. Plus, Shead seems to fill that exact same role.
This all day.
Simon isn’t garbage. He’s an outside CB. In our prototype. That type does have it’s limitations. And that starts with covering quicker/COD slot types. Physically he’s not suited for that. Neither is Sherman for that matter. But Sherman does adapt in other ways. Even still, a great COD type WR still eats Sherman up (OBJ for instance).
Seattle is actually kind of lean on slot corner types. And that makes losing Lane an issue. Applying a referendum on Simon’s value based on the worst case matchup liability he could possibly face (and probably the best pairing — Edelman and Brady to boot) is inherently unfair.
Health issues — those are real though. Hoping to get just one quality year out of him. The goal should be to get the depth great enough that anything we get from Simon is gravy.
I disagree about Simon. I thought he looked really good when playing the boundary, but got thrust into a very disadvantageous situation in the Super Bowl. He is just too long to try to hang with the likes of Edelman and Amendola comingout of the slot with the possibility of multiple directions – Sherman, Pat Peterson would have struggled in that situation too.
Not dressing Burley that day was a poor decision.
I have been champing for a long time about the need for CBs who are better vs. slot. They have long prototype outside corners, but not enough slot and not enough quality there. Burley is just okay. Lane, better, and he’s likely out the door.
Sooner or later, they are going to come up against the Edelmans and Tavon Austins again, notorious dink-dunk offenses.
They need to shut that down. For that, they need the smaller, shifty hip corners who are great at 3-Cone.
I think I heard Pete say once that they were projecting Tye Smith as a slot guy, not an outside guy
I think similarly. Late project with great measurables/upside. Would take a special kind of talent that we couldn’t leave the draft without otherwise.
This DB class looks very athletic. Should be some R5ish types to our liking.
Pete did mention specifically that he was pretty pleased with his DB group depth. I think the McCray and Seisay trades helped that tremendously. In much better shape than we were at this time last year.
Reading between the lines — looks like a late development guy is in the cards.
Late developmental DB?
How about the —“not talked about at all”— combine stats of FS/CB-Justin Simmons? The 4.62/40 could be a little better, however if you look at his 10-yd split of 1.61 (near elite?) as well as his 40″ Vert. & 126″-BJ (both great indicators of explosion). If one looks back at combine stats from the last 2 years, Simmons short shuttle and 3-cone are truly elite #’s scored by a VERY small handful of players in the last couple of drafts. The 3.85 & 6.58 are indeed elite or very near elite #’s in the last few drafts at ANY position.
To me, the #’s indicate an explosive and flexible player with excellent quickness, body control & balance which would be a good base to build a truly unique DB with further conditioning & coaching. When combine spark #’s are posted for DB’s, I’d expect Simmons to be at or near the top of that list. Simmons had pretty good production at BC over 50 games. Well worth a 6-th round pick IMO. Mike Mayock seemed to like him a lot at the combine, but then Mayock is also a BC alum.
FS/CB-Justin Simmons Boston College, 6’2” – 202, 32 5/8″-arms 9 5/8″-hands, 4.62/40 with 1.61-10-yd split, 16-BP reps, 40″-Vert, 10’6′-BJ —& — 6.58-20-yd-shuttle — and—3.85-3-Cone. -All great #’s.
This DB group looks like it is going to be a lot faster than the WR. Arti Burns and Eli Apple already ran 4.4s and I really like both guys.
William Jackson is going to be a 1st round pick after running a 4.39. He is the best cover corner / ball Hawk in the draft. I would love to see him opposite Sherm. He is a ball hawk and would get a ton of picks. If we are ever going to take a corner early I would love to see them take a guy like Jackson or Artie Burns in the 2nd.
Wow Bradberry just ran a 4.46
T.J. Green, ran twice – 4.38, 4.32 at 6-2 209. WOOOWWWWW
That’s pretty fast for a tall safety….
He has to be on the watch list. That is incredible speed for a guy that size. He is a willing tackler too.
And back to the tape we go… Anyone know if he has played any CB?
(P.S. Trevor, I posted a reply to your comment at the end of yesterday´s review thread. Just wanted to get your thoughts.)
He was a WR till 2 years ago, played Safety last year. Very raw but has that amazing speed and size. A project…not suitable for us at this time.
And he played special teams. But, only a 1-year starter.
k I will take a look
Hmm I’m starting to salivate over a two fer safety and wide receiver. I wonder how good he was as a receiver? Seems like a 5-7 round pickup.
SeaMode I saw the comment and you are dead on with that they really have gone with their core who they pay elite $ to keep then fill out the roster with players on rookie contracts or low level vet free agents.
They very well may take that route again and sign a couple of upper level free agents but if they do I would imagine it would be Okung and Lane not an outside free agent like Alex Mack. I personally would prefer Mack to Okung but PC/JS have stressed wanting to keep this core together and have traditional paid to keep guys in house rather than going outside. That is why I thought signing a couple of mid level guys including Rubin and Wisnewski might be an option this year. I totally see your line of thinking though and it may well be the route they continue to go.
The good thing is we will find out in a week or two and can focus our draft discussion.
How long are the Auburn guys arms? He ran 4:28 and 4:33.
Just over 30″ guess that rules Jonathan Jones out then…
I know this looks like I’m talking to myself but would the Seahawks consider someone this fast and shifty and put him in the slot even with these short arms? He seems quite the athlete.
Historically, they have been able to find guys just as fast (or nearly so) that also have their desired length.
It might help for context if you saw the combine/pro day numbers for Shead, Burley, Seisay, Simon, Farmer, Jean-Baptiste and Smith. I don’t have the list handy on my mobile but maybe someone can post it.
There was also a post in a past thread about the number of pro-bowl defensive backs with arms less than 32″ being zero.
One thing that might come into play this year is safety. There isn’t much on the roster for depth after McCray and Terrell. They might need to add some depth anyway in case the Kam situation goes poorly. Shead has played safety but I read that he will be working out exclusively at CB this offseason.
Maybe this year’s DB project is a safety…
Be interesting to see where Karl Joseph ends up. High character but injury issues. Mike Mayock says he looks like Earl Thomas on tape.
William Jackson very impressive so far.
Deiondre Hall didn’t run well but looked terrific in the transition drill.
Could the Seahawks take him in R1? Or is there probably too much other talent in R1 + Seahawks tend not to take CBs high for them to take him?
I think he’s in that R1 range but I suspect the Seahawks won’t go CB in round one. They seem to want impact players early and I think any corner they draft is going to need time to learn the technique. There are some intriguing size/speed options later.
Rob I think those are two guys who the Hawks would love. Jackson could come in and start day #1 opposite Sherm and get a ton of picks with his ball skills. Hall would be a mid round development guy but if he learned the hawks technique with his length could be special too. I thought those two guys along with Artie Burns and then the Safety from Clemson helped themselves today.
If we can’t sign Lane. Any chance you think the hawks would consider a guy like Jackson in Rd #1 to really sure up the LOB?
I think it’s unlikely. They have their range for their DB’s and I think they stick to that. Like Jackson III but can’t see a CB in round one for Seattle.
This might be the pick that surprises everyone, like the Irvin pick years ago. While some of us liked Irvin, nobody (that I am aware of) saw him as a first round pick.
PC loves his CBs, and this guy has the size, the speed, the length and the on-field production to warrant consideration.
I wouldn’t expect a surprise position in R1 — and CB would be a surprise.
It really does look like OL or DL depending on who they keep out of their own FA’s.
One handed catch by Eli Apple. There you go.
Artie Burns sees it and raises the bar with own one-hander.
I’m sorry for getting so frustrated, everyone. It’s just that I wanted to discuss it as if we were going to draft a receiver in round 1, it was supposed to be hypothetical and everyone was being too realistic, I just wanted to talk about the top receivers and how they would fit on the team.
That’s cool, lets do that here.
Doctson would be the first receiver off the board for me. You can run as fast as you like but if you can’t catch then its all moot. This dude can high point and catch.
With Baldwin and Graham in the short and intermediate game… I like the idea of Will Fuller if we took a WR in round one. Again, this is with the assumption that the OL was vastly upgraded in free agency.
Also, with Fuller, he would give us another screen threat. I remember Harvin getting blown up every time we tried to run a screen pass, if we had multiple people that could excel at it, it could cause the defense to jump a little and get beat over the top, or just get the matchup and go to either Lockett or Fuller on bubble screens. Screens are a huge part of our offense, we need them to work.
How does Richardson tie into this need for a speedy WR guy?
I think he’s capable, he’s got the quicks for it, but I’d rather have him running a deeper/intermediate route while Lockett or Fuller are the screen targets. I love screens with second options, like if you had 4 receivers, 2 out wide, 2 in each slot, outside receivers running bubble screens but only one is set up to have a the slot guy block for him. The other is a fake bubble and maybe an out or a corner route, depending on the coverage. This is the type of stuff I see Russell taking full advantage of next season after Carroll teaches him the ins and outs.
Richardson to me is more of the #1 type, he just can’t be trusted to stay healthy, but if he did stay healthy, then a receiver in round 1 would give us such a good core, 4 top playmakers.
I would like to have a wr that can also play special teams. Lockett cannot just man punt and kick returns by himself and really Baldwin or smith are not adequate replacements. I feel the wr we have needs to either be a great returner or he needs to be uniquely different from the guys we already have. As much as I like the speed of fuller, I think Pete still wants the height of a doctson for goal line and jump ball purposes.
Idk, we drafted Lockett to be our return man, i don’t think we should look for someone to supplant him but someone capable of backing him up would be great, in case we’ve clinched a playoff spot but still want to be competitive for example. Could also see them going for the taller type, considering they still haven’t found it even with all the capital spent.
Honestly if they can find someone else capable, I’m not sure how much longer Lockett will be returning kicks. He may have been drafted as a return guy but he has proven himself to be a legit #2 and maybe someday #1 WR and which is too important to risk returning. Plus he took some nasty shots last year on returns. He’s too important now.
Doctson is the perfect Kearse replacement, he does have a knack for high pointing and more than solid ball skills. Imo he could be that #1 receiver Schneider has been looking so hard for.
Doctson did look really smooth in his drills the other day.
My opinion though is that Russell is better at throwing to receivers that create separation, and for me that points to Fuller. Add in what you said above about screens, plus how he showed better hands catching at the combine than most had seen on tape, has high character/effort as far as I have heard, and I think he could be Seattle’s guy if they were to go WR in R1.
My preference is sterling Shepard in the 2nd or somehow early 3rd to get a punt returner and polished route runner
He’s who I think they will actually take if he’s still there by our second 3rd rounder
After waiting for Tate to emerge, I think the FO will avoid high Draft picks on WR prospects with great athleticism and under-developed route running skills. Russ demonstrated with Lockett that he can make a lot of plays with a rookie WR if he can run accurate routes and create separation.
That’s where I was split, too, but I think if we’re willing to give a guy a year to just contribute as much as he can and not expect too much from him right away, Braxton is that guy. He has the highest upside of anyone in this class other than Coleman, and it’s pretty close. Miller is 6’2″ and apparently teams clocked him around 4.4 (rawls ran slow at the combine but is a true 4.4 guy) Coleman reminds me a little more of Tate, he’s small and fast, but can jump up and high point the ball with the big boys.
I think we put way too much stock into what a guy CAN be! I think this should be used as a tie breaker. Today Doctson is a far better wide receiver with all the skills that you hope Braxton can learn. In turn it’s almost like saying Doctson who seems to be a technician will not also get better. Why?
Might be wrong but isn’t Doctson 23 or 24 this year? That does factor into upside a little bit.
Doctson would be intriguing…it was hard not to imagine Sterling Sheppard as a hawk too. We saw what a fast/quick, gritty, clean route-running baller could do for us last year with Lockett. Sheppard really appears to fit the profile
Love Shepard, he could quickly grow into one of Wilson’s favorite targets. The dude is ultra reliable
For me it comes down to value. Any of the receivers that fall to #26 are unlikely, IMHO, to leapfrog over either Baldwin or Lockett on the depth chart. At best I think they would be a #3 receiver and get about as many targets as Kearse did last year. I like the idea of drafting a receiver, just not so much with our first couple of picks.
As for Fuller I’m not sure where he would fit. He has elite speed but I’m not sure what else. He just doesn’t really interest me tbh.
Fuller has a full route tree and is a willing blocker. He could blossom into another Tyler Lockett. But, since we already have Tyler, his value to Seattle is a bit diminished. And his size also overlaps a bit with Richardson. Would we want to have our top 4 receivers all be under 6′?
fwiw, my prediction is that the Seahawks do not draft a WR in any round. And that is even assuming Kearse is let go. The top three guys of course are Baldwin, Lockett and Richardson. I believe John and Pete really like Kevin Smith and Kasen Williams, and are comfortable with them as the #4 and #5 guys. McNeil is promising, so I believe we only pick up a couple of UDFAs.
What happens when Richardson gets hurt though, and if kevin and kasen turn out to be ‘pedestrian’? We would be left with only Baldwin and Lockett
You can say that about almost every position group though. We’re talking about needing to find a replacement for a WR#3 when the Hawks need 2-3 new OL, a starting CB, a starting LB, RB to share touches, DL depth etc. There are worse weaknesses than having a mediocre WR3. It wouldn’t overly surprise me if the Hawks fall in love with a WR and take one early. But that seems like a waste of assets unless they aren’t going to extend Doug. It would disappoint me if they couldn’t find a player on OL/DL/LB/RB that they love and that fills a more pressing need for them early.
I agree that they have quality starters, but think they still add talent/competition to the group. They do every year, and they still don’t have that big WR to complement the group, Kearse being the closest thing to it (outside of K. Williams).
I actually really like K. Williams, and maybe he has recovered to become the player he was projected to be. And they really like Kevin Smith, so some talent behind the starters.
Even so, I would bet even money they draft a WR somewhere betweens rounds 3 and 7.
A whole conversation about a Rd one wr and Coleman wasn’t brought up once smh. I think a first Rd wr would be fuller or Colman with doctson being a trade down option. I talked earlier about wr/rb being are dark horse pick this year, I said the same about de last year and it worked out, but I think it would take a rob style draft were ever one we like is taken
I think Coleman is going to be long gone by the time we pick, might even be the first receiver off the board. His impact on the team would be a lot like Tate’s.
I actually like Thomas fr OSU. He’s got a chance to be a #1 WR. Big, decent speed, explosive and technically good
Didn’t he run a 4.58 though.. The same as Kearse. He’s still intrigueing, and i love his tape
Although not a first rounder, anyone have thoughts on Standard receiver Devin Cajuste? He seems like a unique player that could be used as a “chess piece “. A guy I believe would be a great target for Wilson.
Rob or anyone…thoughts on Cajuste to the Hawks? Any idea what range he will be drafted in? I want OK addressed first but perhaps a receiver in the middle rounds? Any input would be appreciated. Thanks Rob…this is a great site…I appreciate all the hard work you put into it!!
Offensive line (OL) not OK..stupid phone!
Why not craft your own comment on the subject? If it is backed up with thought provoking evidence, it will be entertained seriously in the discussion. Likely you would have to assume they re-sign Okung. If they do not retain him, we will likely target the best available tackle with our 1st round pick. Another significant variable is whether they re-sign Kearse. Also, how does the FO view PRich, Kevin Smith and other young prospects already on the roster? And finally, this FO have never invested a 1st round pick in a rookie WR. To do so this year would be a big surprise for me because they have consistently demonstrated that they will aggressively address their stated needs. And this year that is Oline and Dline.
Not thinking about him in the first, but maybe if we traded down into the early second, thoughts on Boyd? Seems like talk about him has died down. Is it a personality issue or is he just not fast enough? IMO, having a Keenan Allen type on our team would be pretty interesting, someone with polished routes and soft hands. Baldwin in the slot, Graham up the middle, Lockett out wide along with Boyd. Then putting P rich in there if we need some speed. Sounds good to me. Just want to hear thoughts on Boyd. Also a fan of Doctson.
Anyone thinking that we may draft a punter this year to possibly replace Ryan? Or do we resign him? Or pickup a UFA? Thoughts?
Meant to put this on the main thread
Rob. What are your thoughts on Keanu Neal at #26? Runs like Earl Thomas, hits like Kam Chancellor. Wow…
You could go back a day and read the in-depth feature Rob wrote about Neal. He likes him. A lot.
Love it. Wrote this the other day — https://seahawksdraftblog.com/floridas-keanu-neal-could-be-an-option-at-26
I would have no problem trading Kam for a mid rd pick (4th?) and using that draft capital to move up few spots (if needed) to grab Neal. Love the looks of that kid.
Pretty sure Rob did a post on him a few days ago. I know I like him! But it would be a huge investment in a position where we have a starter and depth right now. I don’t see it happening unless they trade Kam.
If they drafted Keanu Neal he’d be a ‘deathbacker’ — same as Bucannon in ARI and Barron in LA.
Hey Rob,
Thoughts of going after Mark Barron in free agency?
Depends on the price but would definitely be interested.
Hold up – Neal ran a 4.64 according to the notes above, far slower than Thomas in the mid 4.4s. So not a good comparison.
Split was 1.6 which isn’t bad but this is exactly why I question why he doesn’t go in R1
That’s slow he’s not that big to be so slow.
Brady signs a 2 year contract extension will keep him at the Pats until he’s 42.
All these food ads are making me hungry by the way.
Interested to see what the money looks like. He gave the Pats a huge advantage with that discount two years ago
I’m sure it helps when you’re wife is also a multimillionaire, but he doesn’t just talk about wanting to win titles, he’s willing to keep his cap hit low to do it.
I’m sure the pats pay him in other ways, like how they pay his training company to train their players
Good point
Recommend watching this: https://realfootballnetwork.com/2016/02/29/pete-carroll-interview-part-iii/
Thanks. Great watch.
Hope some of the CBs on our practice squad have that special knack for the ball.
Other than Rubin at 3-T and Coleman/Shead/Lane at RCB, Seattle had all the same starters from a year before. But, they will be adding a starting LB, LCB again and maybe a DT so it might be important to watch who has a knack for getting the ball.
I always loved that part about Malcolm Smith’s game. He was one of those guys “just seem to have a knack for not just making the play, but getting the ball.”
Out of curiosity, how was Neal in this respect?
Neal more of a hitter with range. Very capable of playing LB like Bucannon but might not be a turnover machine.
Travis Feeney might be a good option as a turnover maker.
That is why I mentioned Jackson at CB as he is a turnover machine and would get a ton of chances opposite Sherm. But agree with what you said there is little chance they take a CB that early given thier history.
Oh please, let’s get a high-ceiling LT/LG prospect (Ifedi) or a high-ceiling 3-tech (Rankins) in Rd 1. Pretty sure Rankins will already be gone by the 26th pick and Ifedi could also be gone by then.
Interesting comment in the third part there. Makes me wonder if they’re looking at a guy like Neal. Another guy like Kam to knock people out/scare anybody catching the ball through the middle of the field.
I took that as a very strong translation they are looking anyone they think can be a playmaker and a difference maker on the defense.
Keanu Neal — 38 inch vert, 11-0 broad.
The average for safety’s last year in the broad was 9-11.
Killebrew had a 38 inch vert too. 10-4 on the broad.
What range do you see killebrew being drafted? Also, I’ve been intrigued by Bradberry’s size since the senior bowl but know nothing about him on the field. What do you think of him?
Rob, your guy Neal is coming up soon!
By the way, I’d just like to echo everyone’s appreciation of the work you do on this site. Excellent job!
Lance Zierlein is becoming increasingly predictable and foolish in his analysis, not to mention irritating. I wish NFL Network would find someone better for that spot.
Doesn’t T.J. Green look like a much better prospect than Jayron Kearse?
T.J. will need a year or two before he can get on the field…late round or UDFA for us.
Except he can contribute on special teams right away. WR to DB convert, will need the year or two to be productive defender. Great physical attributes.
Pauline reported the same about Green last week: http://www.rotoworld.com/player/cfb/135409/tj-green
Kearse – 4.64 – too slow to play LB for us, not to mention CB….
I thought this was a weak DB group but have been pleasantly surprised today. Even if we don’t go DB early the more that show well and go early the better as it might push our targets down the board.
So which Seahawky guys on this list might be available in the mid-late round range? James Bradberry has looked good today and was fast enough. Deandre Elliott, TJ Green, Justin Simmons, Daryl Worley, maybe one or two others.
Sean Davis!
Oh snap he’s a half an inch short on the arms.. I wonder if they’ll overlook that because of his height and versatility. Half an inch can’t make that much of a difference
I hate when people say a half an inch doesn’t, won’t, or can’t make a difference.
Football is a game of inches!
I think that has more to do with fighting for the extra inch of the field. If a guy with 31.5 inch arms uses his hands better than a guy with 32 inch arms then I’m not convinced you take the guy with 32 instead..
Seattle has a threshold though. They don’t take guys under 32 inches on merit. They have a minimum length. Only exceptions seem to be for the slot.
True, but it seems they also like physical slot corners like Tye Smith, Davis fits that bill as a former safety. You think he could be an exception for slot duties?
I can’t imagine him playing the slot at all to be honest. Athletic outside guy or safety — but doesn’t have the length for Seattle.
Shame, I really liked that kid
I like Simmons a lot. His scouting reports are all over the place, though. Not sure where he projects to play at the next level though, his athleticism (or lack thereof) might be a limiting factor. I would love to grab him on day 3.
Jatavis Brown as a moneybacker or whatever they are calling it also seems interesting to me, although that might be a stretch. He’s only a smidge shorter than Malcolm Smith was, maybe he could get on the field as a LB.
Justins Simmons was phenomenal today.
Sub 7 3 cone and a sub 4 SS, to go with a 40″ inch vert. Woah!
When I started making lists of Seahawky players back in November, Simmons was one of the first DBs I put on there. To go with his size and athleticism, he collected 5 INTs in a 5-game span late in the year, including a terrific 2 INT performance vs. Notre Dame. I don’t think he’ll last much past the 3rd round, however, and I’m not certain which position he’d play in the pros–but I think he’d excel no matter what with enough coaching.
I definitely wasn’t expecting those numbers, now I like him even more. Even though his 40 wasn’t that great he seems to fly to the ball. I wonder if he couldn’t come in and take Steven Terrell’s job. There just seems something about him. I can’t totally pinpoint it; maybe it’s because he seems like a total ballhawk.
Rob…was watching NFL Network late last night and they were talking about their top CB’s and S in the draft. Neal wasn’t even mentioned once. With the numbers that he’s putting up and your confidence in him moving into the first round…why do you think the NFL analysts aren’t talking about him? I’m not watching the Combine today, so I’m not sure if there is a buzz around him, but last night…radio silence.
@LukeEasterling: I was late to the party on Keanu Neal, but that dude can BALL. Early Day 2 player.
From Draftwire:
First things first, Keanu Neal is a legitimate bounty hunter when attacking a ball carrier in the open field. He truly has that “take no prisoners” mentality and will play like it is his last day on earth. Teammates and coaches say that he is the nicest player off the field, but he plays like he is in The Hunger Games on the football field. Take this with a grain of salt, but if Keanu Neal were in The Hunger Games, there wouldn’t be a Katniss Everdeen or Peeta Mellark. Sorry fans, but that is the truth for obvious reasons. I have the same feeling about him as I do with Karl Joseph in this area in that you love him when he is aggressive and accurate, but when he is aggressive and inaccurate, he is frustrating. With someone like Neal, you almost have to live with that because of the splash plays he provides and how he sets the tone for an entire defense.
They’re not doing a good enough job is the honest answer. I love Mayock but he has Willie Beavers as his #5 offensive tackle and didn’t have Jackson III in his top five CB’s either.
Neal is a first rounder.
He also ranks Vadal Alexander above Josh Garnett
Fair enough. Look, I’ve seen the light on numerous prospects over the years of spending time on this site. I feel like you usually nail it.
Think Mayock does this so he can change it later
Texas A&M CB Brandon Williams has me intrigued. A nickel corner with 32″ arms? Yes please. Former RB, now a CB. Hmmm…
Welcome to the club.
S’s Keanu Neal and Miles Kilebrew. Mid 4.6’s too slow for Seattle?
Pass on Diondre Hall. Slow, doesn’t pursue the ball, plays timid.
Possibly too slow for deathbacker — Bucannon ran a 4.49. Barron ran a 4.56.
Kinda what I was suspecting. They got that lowr body explosiveness we know Seattle puts a premium on.
Only positions Seattle had drafted that don’t have at least a 30″ inch vert, are O-lineman and DTs.
Speed suffers maybe because he is explosive ? Ultimately game is won based as much on his speed as his football IQ? Think 4.64 with a 1.6 split is fine on a slow track… Other safeties were the same (Dillon) but smaller. Think this is why he is projected 30-50.
Hall is off the list. It seems like all he has is length although he showed some agility in the drills. We have 4 better prospects already on the roster.
I hoped for more from both Neal and Killebrew. Whether they would be strong safeties, light WILL linebackers like Malcolm Smith or “deathbackers” like some teams are starting to use they would need to be faster than they showed today. Both showed explosion in the jump drills so they could still be in play if they run faster at their Pro Day or a visit. I did not see the agility drills.
Rob,
Do you plan on doing a post-combine summary of each position groups; guys we were watching who disappointed, guys we weren’t talking about much that performed well enough to earn a further look, and projections for which round some of the Seahawky players could go?
I am intrigued by the guys with the 1.5 splits. How does the rest of a draft line up if we take Ifedi at 26 (and maybe Tapper in the second). I think we could find another interior OL and a DT in round three (or maybe Overton?). There should be some interesting OL, RB, LB (Feeney?) choices in the 4-5 range. Where does a super-SPARQy fullback like Vitale potentially fit?
I’m going to do a post tonight similar to this. Combine takeaways.
Vitale probably is an R7/UDFA candidate.
There may be 8 teams in the league that even spend a roster spot on FB. Great candidate. I’m not even sure he’d be a priority UDFA here given we are pretty deep there. Probably just a standard UDFA prospect.
I do like him and he looks like a bona fide FB on tape. Like watching Daryl Johnston. Maybe a shade shorter.
I think Seattle will draft a corner this year, but probably later than the 5th round, and it wouldn’t surprisr or disappount me in the slightest if said rookie CB doesn’t even make the team this year.
They have done it every year so it seems like having guys in the pipeline is part of the plan. They have so many CB prospects already on the roster that adding to the pipeline might not be as much of a priority as it has in the past.
They need WR and RB depth in the mid/late rounds. They need a FB and a safety. They need another OL and DL assuming they get one each early in the draft and there should be several to choose from given the draft depth at those positions.
They don’t ‘need’ a FB. Safety I’d argue isn’t much of a need either. Look at where they target their backup safeties. Late day 3 and UDFA.
Brandon Cottom is probably their FB and I bet they add another Hback in the same range as a backup safety.
Perhaps that “Superback” from Northwestern, Dan Vitale?
K-St’s FB Glen Gronkowski said he met with every team that uses a FB, obviously, Seattle’s one of the 7-8 that do, so he could be an option as well.
I really wanna see Cottom in action, especially after watching his Purdue tape.
So much depends on Tharold Simon, Jeremy Lane, and several others guys. Will Simon be healthy, and how will he compete in camp? Shead looked pretty good for most of 2015–is he a fill-in, or can he keep starting? Will any of the other CBs step up? Where is Tye Smith in his progression? They do have a lot of depth and talent there on the roster, so picking up one raw, high-upside DB late in the draft makes sense.
I thought William Jackson really helped himself today and should be a 1st rounder. He is the 2nd best DB in the class after Ramsey IMO.
The NFL network has a love fest for Vernon Hargraves. I hope he goes in Rd #1 as it pushes another player we might actually want to us.
Jackson is a stud. 20 or 21 PBU is ridiculous. Some people will point to that and say, ‘that just means he was targeted a bunch of times. How good can he really be?’ But, he baits QBs into throwing at him.
He’d not here, but Nebraska CB Daniel Davies is a sleeper. Killed his regional combine invite, and has 32″ inch arms. Another Bo Pelini recruit.
How did my guy Malcolm do in the CB drills?? I didn’t see him out there.
Eli Apple looked so good. Smooth. Very smooth.
You’re right about Eli Apple, I was initially concerned that he’d be a little too slow for the 26th pick, but I now would welcome that pick.
Jaylon Ramsey hasn’t been mentioned once and I read all the comments. This guy is Carroll’s madden create a player. I know there isn’t a chance we get him but his combine numbers deserve a mention, top 3 pick for me.
Wouldn’t surprise me at all if he went to SD to replace Weddle.
Sounds reasonable.
I get that, but this is a Seahawks blog and there’s no way in heck he’ll be a Seahawk. No sense talking about a guy with basically zero chance to play for us. That’s why I don’t care about him.
Rob,
Thank you for all your insight and coverage over the scouting combine weekend. I appreciate all the time and effort you put into making this blog as great as it is. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on the next 3000 NFL Mock Draft.
Is this the real Daniel Bryan?
Now that would be awesome.
Yup, that would be awesome!
Yes…Yes…Yes!!
Jalen Ramsey looks like the best DB in this class, and is perhaps the best overall athlete in the whole combine. His SPARQ score should place him at the very top of the league. Sweet baby Jesus I wish he could be a Seahawk.
Eric Murray – listed at 5’11”, 199, 31.75″ arms. Very good numbers at 4.49, 39.5″ vert, 124″ broad. On the small side for a Seahawky corner, but with a near-40″ vert he can make up for that length. Could he last into round 4?
Anthony Brown – 5’11”, 192, 31.75″ arms. Burner at 4.35, and a decent vert of 35″. Also on the shorter side; just at the threshold, but should be worth a look.
Taveze Calhoun – 6’0″, 192, 32″ arms. Fast enough at 4.58, but his vertical wasn’t great (33.5″). Still looks the past of a Seahawky corner, and he should last until a later round.
James Bradberry – 6’1″, 211, 33 3/8″ arms. Incredible length to go with very good numbers: 4.50, 36″ vert, 124″ broad. Looks like one of the most Seahawky corners.
DeAndre Elliott – 6’1″, 188, 32″ arms, big hands. Ticks all the boxes and had very good numbers: 4.55, 41″ vert, 125″ broad. Should be on that short list of later-round CBs.
William Jackson III – Looks special. Wish he’d remained a hidden gem.
Good job!
Check out Jalen Ramsey CB vs Daniel Lasco RB.
Jalen- 6-1, #209, 33 3/8″ Arms, 9.5″ Hands, 4.41 40, 41.5″ Vert, 135″ Broad, 14 Reps Bench
Daniel- 6-0, #209, 32″ Arms, 9 1/8″ Hands, 4.46 40, 41.5″ Vert, 135″ Broad, 23 Reps Bench
Not a peep about Daniel Lasco anywhere.
I wasn’t kidding last week when I said I’d take him over Alex Collins
Lasco is an athletic freak. Looked really good in the drills. I haven’t watched any film on him, but I believe that Lasco is quite raw as a RB, and also suffered a hip injury and had a lousy 2015.
His vision sucks IMO, but athletically loaded with potential.
Not a peep anywhere?
He was mentioned in the comment section of the day 1 review.
I saw that you mentioned him. And I mentioned him last week in passing.
I was more referring to all the national praise for the “athlete” Ramsey.
Last 3 Superbowl winners have had Cal Running Backs. I’m just sayin…..
I see what your saying.
Has a lot of potential. As Rob said, more athlete than RB. At least currently.
Your right about the last 3 SB winners having a Cal back. I just now realized that. Interseting stuff.
There’s another guy for next year from Cal named Vic Enwere. 5’11-6’0, 220-230 lbs. Played FB this year. He’s a stud.
I love me some Enwere!
Dude has some Beastmode to him.
I saw his game against the huskies in person last fall. With Marshawn on the Sidelines.
And his freshman year, game against the ducks, had some great runs.
I’d like to see him get faster this offseason, but I love his game!
I’ve been too busy to follow the combine (first year I’ve completely missed it since 2010)
Any standouts that I should be aware of? Any sure-fire top 5’s? The more I read the more it seems like the draft is not top heavy AT ALL. But there’s some real depth at d-line and o-line isn’t terrible. WRs are not as deep as the last two years and TEs are almost non-existent. QBs have about 3 legit NFL caliber prospects… That’s about all I know. No clue about LBs, DBs, and Safeties.
Help me out! I need some input as to the state of the draft this year. A general understanding of what the strengths/weaknesses would be greatly appreciated.
Combine review will be up in an hour or so.
Thanks Rob. You’ve always been very punctual. I appreciate the effort you put into this.
Agree:
Rob: All the work you do is GREATLY APPRECIATED!!! And your analysis is spot on.
Solomon Wilcots probably has the best analysis and insight of any guy on the NFL Network covering the combine. Most of the coverage (at least on “NFL Now”, which is what I’ve been watching) has been disappointing–way too much off-topic blabber, not enough talk about the participants.
MN: Have to disagree. When it comes to the draft the best analysis at the NFL Network is Daniel Jeremiah.
Jeremiah is pretty good, but he was hardly ever on the online feed that I was watching. I got really burned out on Zierlein. Wilcots was a voice of reason among some of the blabbering rabble.
Agree with everything here. Wilcots superb, Zierlein… not so much.
William Jackson is a rocket. Wow. That will shoot him up the board.
Just watched a tape of Bradberry versus Central Arkansas, and it was almost a tale of two halves. The first half was basically him going through the motions, not looking like he was putting much effort, and then the second half… there was a lot to like. It looked like he woke up, which led to the final play of the tape showing him destroying a receiver in the flat.
Rob. What is your evaluation of Miles Killebrew? He definitely brings the “BOOM”!! And his official 40 time was like 4.55. How does he stack up against Neal?
Killebrew has been extensively covered here:
https://seahawksdraftblog.com/southern-utahs-miles-killebrew-could-go-early
https://seahawksdraftblog.com/miles-killebrew-interview-in-this-weeks-podcast
He ran a 4.65 40, which is good for a guy his size, while his other numbers were very good:
http://www.nfl.com/combine/profiles/miles-killebrew?id=2555315
He sure looks like a Deone Bucannon hybrid SS/LB type.
Okay thanks I’ll check that out.
Loads of potential with Miles. Great guy. We had him on the podcast. Needs time though.
Eli Apple is my sleeper for our 1st round pick. Just like you can never have enough pass rush you also can never have enough talented corners. Considering Apple has the skills to start at rcb. We can let Lane walk and have the unproven guys we have in waiting battle for the nickel spot instead!
Bro its been discussed, Apple is missing the required arm length. History tells us they will not pick him. In fact they wont pick a corner before rd 4 because they take a year minimum to be assimilated into our system.
My bad but watching these guys go through drills I can’t understand the concept of dismissing a stud for having .5 inch short of the prototypical seahawk corner and then turn around and draft some long armed bum and hope we can coach him up.
I think that there was a stat thrown out, there has never been a probowler corner with less then 32 inch arms? Something like that.
Either way would you really argue with the results minus the cary williams signing? We have the best secondary period.
If we question anything its the OLINE.
Robert Nkemdiche is a freaking stud. If he didn’t have the crazy character red flags he’d be top-5 probably.
Anyone thinking that we may draft a punter this year to possibly replace Ryan? Or do we resign him? Or pickup a UFA? Thoughts?
I’m hoping it was just a bad year for Ryan. He was a top-10 punter just two years ago. Didn’t he break the record for net punt one year? Or was it net punt in the air? Something like that
Partly Ryan, partly the top gunners (Lane and Lockette) big chunks of the season.
Possibly.
UDFA seems more likely though.
I think there’s every chance they draft a punter.
Tony P tweeted that Baltimore is considering trading up into bottom of 1st round to grab a safety. They’re at #36 in rd 2 and have an extra 4th round pick this year. Could be a potential trade down partner for the Hawks.
I normally don’t like the hawks moving down year after year, but this year seems like a good one to do so.
I think it’s something to consider. I’m all for taking the BPA in the first round regardless of whether it’s a position of need like OL/DL. But it seems the Hawks may need some roster depth on the lines and this year seems well poised to be a good year to get some bigs on both side of the line AND it seems where the draft value for those types of players may be. I’m not sure there will a “run to the podium” player for them at #26. Sure, there will be a good player there but maybe they can use an extra 4th rd pick on more OL/DL depth while still trading down 10 spots to #36 If they were able to trade down, I could see the Hawks going OL/DL with 4 of the 6 total picks and adding a RB/DB/WR with the other 2 picks.
I’m not a big fan of trading down either. We don’t need more draft picks, we need more starters. Statistics show that the chances of becoming a starter are less with each round.
Baltimore would have to trade their 2nd and both of their 4th round picks to approach the value of Seattle’s 1st round pick. According to my 2016 draft value chart, Seattle’s 1st round pick is worth 700 pts. Baltimore’s 2nd is 540, their native 4th is 96, and their late 4th is 45. So 540 + 96 + 45 = 681, which is pretty close to Seattle’s 700.
Nice info.
Would Seattle bring back QB Matt Hasselbeck, even though in football years he’s as old as dirt?
For a 1-day contract so that he can retire as a Hawk, sure.
There you go…
Not a good scheme fit. But how about RGIII? Probably the only person on earth that could genuinely push Wilson. Wouldn’t that be something? Give him a year to get his shit straight, and then trade him to another team. In the meantime, the offense wouldn’t change a lick if he came in for Wilson.
Hass’ time is done. Can you imagine the total shift in game plan if RW got injured?
How high is everybody willing to draft Jaylon Smith? I’d give up that 3rd round comp pick! What is his value now?
Keivarae Russell and worley from wvu are both guys i see seattle wanting. i could see Keivarae Russell as a udfa signing though. It’s funny i am more intrigued by the guys projected as 6th and 7th rounders this year than 1st and second rounds there are some real gems in this draft especially defensively and i think carroll and schneider will find them
Rob or anyone…thoughts on Stanford receiver Devin Cajuste? At his size, he seems like a unique chess piece type player for Wilson to throw to. Is he a mid rounder? I want OL addressed first. Any input is appreciated. Great site, Rob. Thanks.
Not studied him to be honest — will get on to him down the line.
I just read that he had the fastest three cone time at the combine. Great quickness for a guy his size. A guy who could really threaten the seams of the defense. Not huge production with Hogan feeding McCaffrey so often but I think he’ll be a unique player at the next level.