The Seahawks, like all teams, have preferences and ideals. Over the last 10 years we’ve been able to uncover trends, enabling us to identify potential draft targets.
Here’s a list of names that could be on Seattle’s radar and why…
Tight end
The Seahawks appear to focus on agility testing at the position. They haven’t drafted or signed a tight end who ran slower than a 7.10 three cone. All of their additions also performed well in the short shuttle:
Luke Willson — 4.29 (ss), 7.08 (3c)
Will Dissly — 4.40 (ss), 7.07 (3c)
Nick Vannett — 4.20 (ss), 7.05 (3c)
Anthony McCoy — 4.57 (ss), 6.99 (3c)
Zach Miller — 4.42 (ss), 7.01 (3c)
Jimmy Graham — 4.45 (ss), 6.90 (3c)
Greg Olsen — 4.48 (ss), 7.04 (3c)
There are four players in this draft class who fit the bill. If they draft a tight end — which is less likely following the signing of Greg Olsen and the re-signing of Luke Willson and Jacob Hollister — these are names to keep an eye on:
Adam Trautman — 4.27 (ss), 6.78 (3c)
Charlie Taumoepeau — 4.27 (ss), 7.00 (3c)
Dalton Keene — 4.19 (ss), 7.07 (3c)
Hunter Bryant — 4.46 (ss), 7.08 (3c)
Wide receiver
In a decade under Pete Carroll, the Seahawks have focused on receivers who run a 4.4 or faster:
Paul Richardson — 4.40
Golden Tate — 4.42
Tyler Lockett — 4.40
Kris Durham — 4.46
Kevin Norwood — 4.48
Amara Darboh — 4.45
David Moore — 4.42
D.K. Metcalf — 4.33
They’ve only drafted three receivers who didn’t run a 4.4 forty or faster — Kenny Lawler (4.64), Chris Harper (4.50) and John Ursua (4.56). Lawler and Ursua were seventh round picks. Harper was a fourth rounder.
Therefore it’s unlikely they will spend a high pick on a receiver unless he has run a 4.4 or faster. Clearly they value speed and suddenness.
22 players ran a forty yard dash at 4.50 or faster so there are plenty of options in this deep receiver class. The question will be how early do they want to take one? Can they wait and use the depth to their advantage? Or do they want to take one early to further help Russell Wilson? The signing of Phillip Dorsett at least provides a hedge for the position going into the draft.
Henry Ruggs — 4.21
Quez Watkins — 4.35
Denzel Mims — 4.38
Darnell Mooney — 4.38
Devin Duvernay — 4.39
Antonio Gibson — 4.39
Chase Claypool — 4.42
John Hightower — 4.43
Justin Jefferson — 4.43
Isaiah Coulter — 4.45
Jerry Jeudy — 4.45
Jeff Thomas — 4.45
Tyrie Cleveland — 4.46
Freddie Swain — 4.46
Stephen Guidry — 4.47
Jalen Reagor — 4.47
Joe Reed — 4.47
K.J. Osborn — 4.48
Dezmon Patmon — 4.48
Donovan Peoples-Jones — 4.48
Brandon Aiyuk — 4.50
Trishton Jackson — 4.50
CeeDee Lamb — 4.50
There are also some receivers who didn’t run at the combine but could easily have qualified. K.J. Hamler almost certainly would’ve run a 4.4 or faster. Bryan Edwards ran a 4.53 at SPARQ in High School and would’ve had a good opportunity to test in the 4.4’s. Lynn Bowden and Van Jefferson also didn’t run a forty at the combine.
From this list they probably also need to find a specialist kick returner. As a senior, Virginia’s Joe Reed was named first-team All-ACC as an all-purpose player and return specialist. He scored twice as a returner in 2019 while averaging 33.2 yards per return — tied for second in the FBS nationally. He’s also adept at covering kicks. The Seahawks could save a pick specifically to bring in a return man.
Considering whoever will be drafted will essentially be competing to be WR3 — it’ll be important to contribute in different ways. Being able to operate in the slot and feature on special teams could be important. The quicker, speedier receivers such as Jalen Reagor, Devin Duvernay, K.J. Hamler and Lynn Bowden tick those boxes but so do the bigger targets like Chase Claypool, Bryan Edwards and Brandon Aiyuk.
On-target catch-rate is also important. The Seahawks like efficiency with their pass-catchers:
Justin Jefferson – 96.3%
Brandon Aiyuk – 93.5%
Michael Pittman – 93.4%
Van Jefferson – 91.8%
Bryan Edwards – 90.9%
Tyler Johnson – 89.3%
Laviska Shenault – 88.7%
Tee Higgins – 87.3%
Denzel Mims- 86.8%
Jalen Reagor – 83.3%
KJ Hamler – 80.7%
Pay particular attention to the top-five, all scoring in the 90% range.
Offensive linemen
For the last few years we’ve used a formula called TEF to measure explosive physical traits. It proved to be an accurate way of predicting which offensive linemen the Seahawks might be targeting. For a full breakdown of what the formula is, click here.
Why is measuring explosive traits important? That’s what the league and the Seahawks specifically seem to be looking for. Two years ago, only seven offensive linemen scored an optimal 3.00 or higher in TEF. Of the seven, Quenton Nelson and Kolton Miller were both high first round picks. Braden Smith, Connor Williams and Will Hernandez were second round picks. In 2019, only eight players scored an optimal 3.00 or higher. This included Chris Lindstrom, Garrett Bradbury, Andre Dillard and Kaleb McGary (all drafted in round one). Erik McCoy and Elgton Jenkins were also top-50 picks. It’s not a coincidence that the most explosive offensive linemen are being drafted early.
The Seahawks also place a premium on arm length. You’ve got to be at +33 inches.
The following players tested well in TEF and also have the necessary arm length:
Tristan Wirfs — 3.47
Hakeem Adeniji — 3.27
Cesar Ruiz — 3.25
Austin Jackson — 3.21
John Simpson — 3.20
Ezra Cleveland — 3.16
Matt Peart — 3.08
It’s also important to take weight into consideration when judging a prospect. A player at 350lbs is going to find it harder to excel in the broad and vertical jumps compared to a 300lbs lineman. For that reason, we created a new formula called weighted TEF (click here for a breakdown).
The following players all have +33 inch arms and tested strongly in weighted TEF:
Tristan Wirfs — 111.0
Isaiah Wilson — 103.6
Austin Jackson — 103.4
John Simpson — 102.7
Cesar Ruiz — 99.8
Hakeem Adeniji — 98.8
Ezra Cleveland — 98.3
Matt Peart — 98.0
Damien Lewis — 97.1
Using the two lists and eliminating players such as Tristan Wirfs who won’t be available, the following players could be potential targets for Seattle:
Isaiah Wilson
Austin Jackson
John Simpson
Cesar Ruiz
Hakeem Adeniji
Ezra Cleveland
Matt Peart
Damien Lewis
There were several players who didn’t test or weren’t invited to the combine who could also be on the radar. We know the Seahawks like size, physicality and run blocking on the offensive line. Robert Hunt, who I’ve been mocking to Seattle with their first pick, couldn’t test due to a sports hernia injury but could easily be on their radar — as could his team mate Kevin Dotson who wasn’t invited to Indianapolis. LSU’s Lloyd Cushenberry, Auburn’s Price Tega Wanogho and TCU’s Lucas Niang also didn’t test. Another LSU blocker, Saahdiq Charles, ran an impressive 5.05 forty but didn’t do any other testing.
There are also some really tough, physical guards such as Logan Stenberg or Shane Lemieux — but with so many players added in free agency already, it’s harder to imagine them adding more options into the mix.
One other quick note. They could do with coming out of this draft having added someone who can be developed to play left tackle. That could be an earlier pick — but it’d be an expensive move for a player who might not start for a year or two. It could be a later pick. Either way — playing left tackle is not like the other positions. You have to be a top athlete. Your footwork and quickness has to be spot on. Austin Jackson and Ezra Cleveland are the two obvious early options. Saahdiq Charles, Matt Peart and Alex Taylor are more developmental types.
Running backs
The Seahawks have a type at running back. They’ve consistently drafted players with a similar physical profile. These players are usually about 5-11 in height, around 220lbs in weight and they’re explosive — testing in the +35 inch vertical and +10′ broad range.
It’s made it fairly straight forward to figure out who they might like. Here are the players we identified from the 2016, 2017 and 2018 combines as probable targets:
2016:
C.J. Prosise — 6-0, 220lbs, 35.5 inch vert, 10-1 broad
Kenneth Dixon — 5-10, 215lbs, 37.5 inch vert, 10-8 broad
2017:
Christopher Carson — 6-0, 218lbs, 37 inch vert, 10-10 broad
Brian Hill — 6-0, 219lbs, 34 inch vert, 10-5 broad
Alvin Kamara — 5-10, 214lbs, 39.5 inch vert, 10-11 broad
Joe Williams — 5-11, 210lbs, 35 inch vert, 10-5 broad
2018:
Saquon Barkley — 6-0, 233lbs, 41 inch vert DNP broad
Kerryon Johnson — 511, 213lbs 40 inch vert, 10-6 broad
Bo Scarborough — 6-0, 228lbs, 40 inch vert, 10-9 broad
Nick Chubb — 5-11, 227lbs, 38.5 inch vert, 10-8 broad
John Kelly — 5-10, 216lbs, 35 inch vert, 10-0 broad
Lavon Coleman — 5-10, 223lbs, 33 inch vert, 10-0 broad
Rashaad Penny — 5-11, 220lbs, 32.5 inch vert, 10-0 broad
Royce Freeman — 5-11, 229lbs, 34 inch vert, 9-10 broad
They drafted a player from each of the groups — Prosise, Carson and Penny. They eventually added Bo Scarborough during the 2018 season too and had Lavon Coleman on the practise squad.
Two players in the 2020 draft really stand out as prototypes:
Jonathan Taylor — 5-10, 226lbs, 36 inch vert, 10-3 broad
Cam Akers — 5-10, 217lbs, 35.5 inch vert, 10-2 broad
Taylor in particular could be attractive to the Seahawks. You could say he’s ‘Taylor made’ for Seattle. He’s a power back with ideal size yet is capable of accelerating to the tune of a 4.39 forty yard dash. According to PFF, he had 3921 yards after contact in his Wisconsin career. Last season alone he had 61 explosive runs. He had all this success despite facing stacked boxes nearly every week as teams zoned in on him as Wisconsin’s greatest threat.
His ability to run through contact and be a threat to score every time he has the football is a Pete Carroll dream.
He might not last to #27 and if the Seahawks trade down again there’s very little chance he’ll be waiting for them. If they want him to be Russell Wilson’s explosive partner in crime for the next five years, they’ll need to take him early if he’s available. Don’t be surprised if he goes in the top-25.
Akers could be Plan B. He has all of the physical tools the Seahawks want. He’ll be cheaper — possibly available in the late second or early third round. He could be an option at pick #64.
There were some other players who potentially qualify too:
Deejay Dallas — 5-10, 217lbs, 33.5 inch vert, 9-11 broad
AJ Dillon — 6-0, 247lbs, 41 inch vert, 10-11 broad
Zack Moss — 5-9, 223lbs, 33 inch vert, DNP broad
James Robinson — 5-9, 219lbs, 40 inch vert, 10-5 broad
Patrick Taylor — 6-0, 217lbs, 34 inch vert, 10-3 broad
Michael Warren II — 5-9, 226lbs, DNP vert, DNP broad
The other name to mention is Clyde Edwards-Helaire. He’s too good to ignore. He doesn’t fit their size preference at 5-7 and 207lbs. However, he’s highly explosive (39.5 inch vertical) and simply one of the best players in the entire draft class. I wrote about him in more detail here. He’s the rare type of talent, like Russell Wilson, where you throw out the preferences on size and just accept he’s a quality player.
Defensive tackle
Seattle’s scheme depends upon gap discipline, control and the ability to defend the run. You can’t do that without length and leverage. They haven’t drafted a defensive tackle with sub-33 inch arms before for a reason. That would rule out the likes of Ross Blacklock and Neville Gallimore — two players who are often mocked to Seattle.
There’s another reason why both players are unlikely targets. The short shuttle. The Seahawks seem to place a big emphasis on it for defensive linemen. Blacklock ran a poor 4.67 and Gallimore a 5.01 (!!!).
Rasheem Green, Quinton Jefferson, Jordan Hill, Jaye Howard and Malik McDowell all tested superbly in the short shuttle (4.39, 4.37, 4.51, 4.47 and 4.53 respectively) and had +33 inch arms.
There are not many options in this class unfortunately. Jason Strowbridge ran a very good 4.37 but he only has 32 3/8 inch arms and is more of an inside/out type defender. James Lynch is suited to a similar role and ran a 4.39 shuttle but he only has 31 7/8 inch arms.
Justin Madubuile is an option. He’s an ideal one-gapper with 33.5 inch arms. He plays on the shoulder of the offensive lineman and does a good job defending the run. He ran a 4.83 at the combine and looked terrific. He didn’t run a short shuttle but did manage a 7.37 three cone. His pass rush win percentage of 14.8% is third among defensive tackles in this draft behind only Jordan Elliott and Javon Kinlaw.
There just aren’t many other defensive tackles with that quick-twitch ability and the length Seattle craves.
For that reason, I think they will target a different type of tackle. They haven’t replaced Al Woods who was 6-4 and 330lbs. They could look for someone with anchor ability, power and length to play the one technique — in an attempt to free-up Jarran Reed to try and get back to his 10.5 sack form of 2018.
DaVon Hamilton is 6-4 and 320lbs with 33 inch arms. He’s very underrated and not merely a nose tackle. He shows some quickness to shoot gaps and impact plays in the backfield. He had 10.5 TFL’s in 2019, six sacks and his pass rush win percentage (12.6%) is the same as Ross Blacklock’s at 290lbs and is superior to Jeffery Simmons (11.8%) and Ed Oliver (11.4%) from a year ago. Furthermore, his 73% win percentage in 1v1 drills at the Senior Bowl was second only to Zach Baun (75%). We know the Seahawks pay close to attention to the top performers in Mobile. He could be an option in the late second or third round.
Leki Fotu is 6-4 and 330lbs with 34 1/4 inch arms. He’s also extremely powerful and big. He doesn’t always make the most of his size and power and he needs to be more consistent. He could be a plug-in-and-play tackle next to Reed though — replacing the size and presence lost by Woods. He could be available in the third or fourth round.
Raekwon Davis is 6-6 and 311lbs with 34 inch arms. His testing is similar to Calais Campbell and he also played inside/out at Alabama. He anchors against the run superbly, plays with great leverage despite his height and he’s shown flashes as a pass rusher. He can do more in that regard and there are some maturity question marks. Even so — the Seahawks have been looking for their version of Calais for a long time and Davis could be it.
It seems very likely Seattle will draft a defensive tackle. Madubuike, Hamilton, Fotu and Davis could be on their radar early. Two names to monitor later on are McTelvin Agim and Teair Tart.
Defensive end or EDGE
For LEO’s they’ve sought twitchy athletes with great burst. Bruce Irvin and Cliff Avril ran 1.55 and 1.50 10-yard splits respectively. Anything in the 1.5’s is considered ‘elite’. The splits are also important for inside/out rushers. Malik McDowell ran a 1.69 split at 295lbs. Rasheem Green ran a 1.65 at 275lbs.
Bruce Irvin (4.03) and Frank Clark (4.05) both ran incredible short shuttles. Cassius Marsh’s 4.25 and Obum Gwacham’s 4.28 were also really good.
Again, arm length is important and they’ve consistently sought defensive linemen with +33 inch arms.
The Seahawks went against their established preferences when they selected L.J. Collier in the first round last year. Collier ran a 4.91 forty with a 1.75 10-yard split. He followed it up with a 4.78 short shuttle. His selection was a major outlier and his lack of success as a rookie could impact their decision making this year.
The only issue is — as we noted at the combine — there aren’t many options in this draft.
Jabari Zuniga ran a 1.61 split at 264lbs and then, as explained in this article, he had one of the most impressive explosive testing performances in recent history. He played inside/out at Florida and could be an option. In terms of length, bizarrely his arms measured at 32 7/8 inches at the combine and 33 1/8 inches at the Senior Bowl. If you split the difference, he checks that box.
Many pass rushers didn’t test at the combine which is problematic. However, Carroll has referenced pass rush win percentage and pressure percentage in the past (including after drafting Collier).
These are the only pressure percentage numbers we have:
Josh Uche — 23.3%
Terrell Lewis — 19.8%
Zach Baun — 16.5%
Jabari Zuniga — 15.8%
James Lynch — 15.7%
A.J. Epenesa — 13.4%
Jordan Elliott — 12.7%
Marlon Davidson — 12.2%
Javon Kinlaw — 12.1%
Derrick Brown — 9.8%
We also know Julian Okwara (19.1%) and Curtis Weaver (18.2%) led all draft eligible pass rushers in pressure percentage for 2018 and 2019 combined. Chase Young was third with 17.6%.
Here are the pass rush win percentage numbers:
Chase Young — 27.2%
Josh Uche — 27%
Julian Okwara — 23%
Curtis Weaver — 22.9%
Alex Highsmith — 21.7%
Khalid Kareem — 21.4%
Bradlee Anae — 20.2%
Zach Baun — 20.1%
Jabari Zuniga — 20%
Terrell Lewis — 19.8%
Trevis Gipson — 19.2%
Carter Coughlin — 19%
Yetur Gross-Matos — 18.9%
Darrell Taylor — 18.6%
Jonathan Garvin — 18.5%
A.J. Epenesa — 17.5%
Jon Greenard — 17.2%
Marlon Davidson — 16.2%
Alton Robinson — 15.9%
James Lynch — 15.5%
Trevon Hill — 15.3%
Kenny Willekes — 14.6%
K’Lavon Chaisson — 13.1%
Seattle desperately needs quickness and players who create pressure. The fact that Josh Uche performs so well in both areas, has +33 inch arms and had an exceptional Senior Bowl could put him squarely on Seattle’s radar. He has been compared to Yannick Ngakoue. Julian Okwara also has speed, length and underrated power. He looks like an ideal LEO and he could be an alternative to Uche.
Trevis Gipson is raw and a major development project. He only did the bench press at the combine. He does have 34 inch arms though and his win percentage of 19.2% could make him an intriguing later round option. Darrell Taylor’s injury history will likely have a major impact on his stock but he’s a former five-star recruit with 33 inch arms and a solid 18.6% win percentage. He bends-and-straightens better than anyone other than Josh Uche and with his size (267lbs) is a lot more suited to playing early downs at defensive end.
Please note K’Lavon Chaisson’s 13.1% pass rush win percentage as the lowest in the draft. He also has short arms and an injury history.
Based on the limited testing options, the lack of data and the percentages above, the following players appear to be realistic targets in terms of EDGE rush:
Josh Uche
Julian Okwara
Jabari Zuniga
Darrell Taylor
Trevis Gipson
Failing to retain Jadeveon Clowney could also leave the Seahawks needing a proper five technique (unless they believe L.J. Collier can fill the void). Khalid Kareem would need to add size but his win percentage of 21.4% is impressive. It’s a role that Zuniga or Yetur Gross-Matos could handle. Marlon Davidson has the kind of personality and passion for the game they appreciate — although his win percentage (16.2%) is slightly lower than ideal.
This is a pass rush class filled with question marks. There are too many unknowns, incomplete physical profiles, injury flags or inconsistencies. The Seahawks need some dynamism and raw speed and athleticism working the edge. The key in the draft will be to determine what equates to value? What is the right range to roll the dice at a position of high need? For me that means this — are you prepared to draft Uche or Okwara with potentially your first or second pick? Or are you better off addressing other areas of the team and waiting on the upside of Taylor or Gipson?
They might just pass and focus on Clowney, Everson Griffen and any other available veteran after the draft.
Linebackers
The Seahawks have looked for two types of player at linebacker — freakish athletes and players with great short-area quickness and agility.
Kevin Pierre-Louis, Korey Toomer, Malcolm Smith and Eric Pinkins all ran between a 4.44 and a 4.51 in the forty. Shaquem Griffin ran a 4.38. Pierre-Louis, Smith and Pinkins all jumped +39 inches in the vertical. Bobby Wagner was a 4.4 runner at his pro-day with a 39.5-inch vertical.
They’ve also targeted players who performed especially well in the short shuttle. Here are the top-15 short shuttle times by linebackers since 2010:
Jordan Tripp — 3.96
Nick Bellore — 4.00
Ben Heeney — 4.00
Mike Mohamed — 4.00
Nick Vigil — 4.00
Kevin Pierre-Louis — 4.02
Stephone Anthony — 4.03
Cody Barton — 4.03
Dakota Allen — 4.03
Von Miller — 4.06
Josh Hull — 4.07
Dorian O’Daniel — 4.07
Avery Williamson — 4.07
Shaq Thompson — 4.08
Ben Burr-Kirven — 4.09
The players in bold have either been drafted or signed by the Seahawks during the Pete Carroll era. A third of the players.
Nobody ran a 4.10 or faster at the 2020 combine. Missouri’s Cale Garrett ran the fastest time at 4.13. There are no obvious targets here as a consequence.
However, there are several outstanding athletes who warrant attention.
Willie Gay’s combine performance was eerily similar to Bobby Wagner’s display at his pro-day in 2012. They ran the same 4.46 forty, jumped the same 39.5 inch vertical and the difference in both their three cone and short shuttle times was 0.02 seconds. Physically, they are basically the same.
Kenneth Murray ran a 4.52 and jumped a 38 inch vertical, while Patrick Queen ran a 4.50 and jumped a 35 inch vertical.
Logan Wilson ran a 4.63 forty and a 4.27 short shuttle. He’s a three year captain at Wyoming and flies to the ball, sheds blocks and has a knack for collecting interceptions.
Malik Harrison is more of a north/south defender best suited to playing MLB in a 3-4. However, he ran a 4.66 forty and a 4.33 short shuttle, jumped a 36 inch vertical and had one of the best three cones in recent memory by a linebacker (6.83).
Davion Taylor ran a 4.49 at the combine at 228lbs. He has since run in the late 4.3’s. He also recorded a 4.26 short shuttle, a 6.96 three cone and he jumped a 35 inch vertical. He’s undersized but has excellent speed and explosive traits.
I’m not sure how important this position will be to the Seahawks early in the draft but these players are all good enough athletes to list as potential targets:
Willie Gay
Kenneth Murray
Patrick Queen
Logan Wilson
Malik Harrison
Davion Taylor
Cornerback
By now everyone knows what the Seahawks like in a corner. Every CB drafted in the Pete Carroll era has had 32 inch arms. Those players are generally physical and tall and take pride in defending the run.
The options are paper thin at outside cornerback. Quinton Dunbar could be their one addition this year. There’s just a real dearth of available cornerbacks in this draft who fit Seattle’s requirements.
Michael Ojemudia has the kind of size and length they like if they were to draft someone. Bryce Hall is another option — although his recent ugly leg injury could cause concern and he might face a redshirt season anyway. They could tap into the potential of Madre Harper as a priority free agent.
The more pressing need is nickel cornerback. It’s much harder to pin down what the Seahawks specifically look for here, due to the obscure nature of the additions made over the years. It doesn’t appear the outside cornerback arm length and size parameters matter (Justin Coleman is 5-10 with 31 1/4 inch arms). Quickness and agility, predictably, seems to be important. Coleman tested superbly in the short shuttle (3.98) and three cone (6.61).
Very few of the cornerbacks ran the short shuttle and three cone at this years combine. Penn State’s John Reid ran a 4.49 forty, a 6.95 three cone and a 3.97 short shuttle. He’s 5-10 and 187lbs and in the nickel cornerback range. He’s considered to be highly competitive and physical and could be a target.
L’Jarius Sneed ran a 4.37 and Javelin Guidry a 4.30. Both players have the foot-speed and quickness to cover in the slot. Terrell Burgess’ 4.46 could also put him on the radar. He’s mixed between safety and corner but appears well suited to a nickel role.
Keep an eye on Amik Robertson. He might only be 5-8 but he’s a tone-setter who delivers big hits, he’s a turnover machine and his energy, confidence and determination is infectious. He told us recently he’d had a productive FaceTime meeting with the Seahawks.
Other potential targets include Josiah Scott (ran a 4.42, great production at Michigan State) and Myles Bryant (praised for his character and ability to play bigger than he is).
Tony Pauline also connected the Seahawks to Jaylon Johnson today — a player expected to go in the top-45. He’s a physical corner and for a few years now — from Tony and other sources, the Seahawks have been linked with early round corners. We’ll see if it becomes a reality this year.
Trevon Diggs
Michael Ojemudia
Bryce Hall
Jaylon Johnson
Amik Robertson
John Reid
Terrell Burgess
L’Jarius Sneed
Javelin Guidry
Josiah Scott
Myles Bryant
Madre Harper
Safety
There’s a diverse mix of physical profiles in the players they’ve taken, making safety a difficult position to project. They seem to like an assortment of things — speed, playmaking, hitting and toughness — but there isn’t a specific size/speed/length prototype.
There are players you can imagine them liking. Antoine Winfield Jr is a ball hawk with great speed and he had a superb combine. Jeremy Chinn is a fluid runner with great suddenness and size. Kyle Dugger is an alpha male with physicality and special teams value. At some point in the draft Grant Delpit is going to provide tremendous value. Kenny Robinson has the range, playmaking production and desire to hit that could prove intriguing.
Ashtyn Davis is highly athletic and football smart but his tape was underwhelming. He, along with the big hitting Chris Miller, the alpha Antoine Brooks Jr, the production of K’Von Wallace and the ultra tough J.R. Reed could also be possible targets. Josh Metellus looked better than expected during combine drills too.
Speaking to Utah coach Kyle Whittingham earlier today, I was also struck by how positively he spoke about Julian Blackmon — hailing his attitude and versatility as a safety or corner.
Antoine Winfield Jr
Jeremy Chinn
Grant Delpit
Kyle Dugger
Kennty Robinson
Ashtyn Davis
Chris Miller
Antoine Brooks Jr
K’Von Wallace
J.R. Reed
Josh Metellus
Julian Blackmon
What do the Seahawks need?
I noted this week the need to bolster the trenches and become tougher and more physical. Clearly the defensive line — and in particular the pass rush — is an area that requires major improvement.
Adding another right tackle with imposing traits (Robert Hunt, Isaiah Wilson, Josh Jones) is necessary. They need a big physical defensive tackle (DaVon Hamilton, Leki Fotu, Raekwon Davis). Bigger, tougher, stronger aren’t just buzz words for the Seahawks in this draft.
They need speed off the edge. While the options are limited, can they come out of this draft with a Josh Uche, Julian Okwara, Darrell Taylor, Jabari Zuniga or Trevis Gipson?
It’s a terrific skill position class, ideal to come away with a receiver and running back at some point.
It’s also important for the Seahawks to come out with at least one high upside prospect. It has paid off before with D.K. Metcalf and Frank Clark. Jonathan Taylor, Chase Claypool, Willie Gay Jr, Jabari Zuniga, Darrell Taylor and Jeremy Chinn for example, all have incredible upside.
Pre draft interviews
If you missed any of our lockdown interview series, here are the links to listen to all of the conversations:
Jim Nagy (Senior Bowl Executive Director)
Robert Hunt (G/T, Louisiana-Lafayette)
Damien Lewis (G, LSU)
Cesar Ruiz (C, Michigan)
Lance Zierlein (NFL.com analyst)
Scot McCloughan (former NFL GM)
Michael Lombardi (former NFL GM)
Mike Renner (PFF draft analyst)
Tony Pauline (Draft insider)
Prince Tega Wanogho (T, Auburn)
Raekwon Davis (DT, Alabama)
Amik Robertson (CB, Louisiana Tech)
Kyle Whittingham (Head Coach, Utah)
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