No time to sleep? Pete Carroll might as well adopt Russell Wilson’s motto from now on. Almost immediately after Gus Bradley was named the new Head Coach at Jacksonville, Dan Quinn was confirmed as the replacement defensive coordinator.
The timing suggests to me that Bradley was focused on taking a Head Coaching role. Some reports have claimed it was only Chip Kelly’s sudden change of mind that usurped Bradley from the Eagles job. Twenty-four hours later, he took the Jaguars gig. Quinn’s return to Seattle had probably been planned for a few days, with Carroll likely knowing Bradley would be taking one of the jobs he was interviewing for.
It’s a seamless transition — Quinn is familiar with the Seahawks set-up having previously worked under Pete Carroll as defensive line coach in 2010. He was originally appointed by Jim Mora the year before.
This will remain Carroll’s defense. His scheme. His vision. There was no big-name coming in to make sweeping changes like we’re seeing in Dallas or St. Louis. This was about getting on with the job with minimal fuss. Quinn will have his own concepts, his own ideas. But he’s mainly coming here to implement Carroll’s master-plan. Much in the same way Darrell Bevell and Tom Cable are working on his plan for the offense. Carroll is king in Seattle.
This almost certainly means a continuation of the 4-3 under defense, which is often mistaken for a hybrid. We discussed it in some detail earlier in the season. Quinn had a positive impact on Red Bryant’s switch to defensive end in 2010 and I don’t see any reason to think the Seahawks will move away from that experiment. They might be more creative though — using balanced four man fronts on certain downs. It’s worth noting that Florida mixed between three and four man fronts to try and create pressure, without blitzing a great deal.
It stands to reason that at least two new pass rushers will be added to the roster. There won’t be any big changes to the defense, but we could see some fresh ideas installed to the defensive line. What more would you expect from a man who coaches wearing a ‘SWARM’ T-shirt?
Inevitably you’re going to start seeing Florida prospects linked with the Seahawks now. Every mock draft will have defensive lineman Sharrif Floyd penned next to Seattle. Quinn will no doubt pass on valuable information about several of his former players, but I don’t think his appointment as defensive coordinator has much impact as to whether we see any Florida Gators players drafted by this team.
Speaking of Floyd, I keep flipping my opinion of him. Firstly I was intrigued by his potential and back-story. Then, after watching more tape, I came to the conclusion his best position would be the five technique in a 3-4. In preparation for this weeks mock I felt obliged to go back and watch two of his games again. And low and behold, I’m still trying to work him out.
I still maintain he’s best suited to the 3-4. Yet there are little flashes that just make you wonder if he can play inside in the 4-3. He’s got a superb motor, he’s a big-time athlete for 298lbs and when he plays low he’s a real force against the run. Can he be coached up and develop into a productive interior pass rusher given time? Perhaps.
He needs to improve his hand use because it’s pretty poor at the moment and he lacks that explosive burst that we see from players like Sheldon Richardson and Sylvester Williams. That might be the real stumbling block here. A classic three-technique — more than anything — flies out of the traps. That initial step forward is crucial. Exploding into a gap or initiating contact into a swim or dip is how you make your money at that position. Floyd has too many wasted steps without advancing or engaging. You can have the attitude, the size and the athleticism for the position, but there’s an X-factor to the role that’s maybe lacking here. It’s undoubtedly the main reason there are so few great three-techniques in the NFL.
A Florida player who’s maybe more likely to be on Seattle’s radar is linebacker Jelani Jenkins. At the top of this piece you’ll find audio from John Schneider’s appearance on ESPN 710 yesterday. He told Mike Salk and Brock Huard that he was impressed by the group of junior linebackers available in 2013. Well, there’s only four — Alec Ogletree, Kevin Minter, Jelani Jenkins and Tom Wort.
Not only is Jenkins an elite athlete (and former #1 overall recruit), he’s also very intelligent — recording a 4.0 grade-point average in high school due to higher weighted advanced placement courses. No, he is not related to Jenoris Jenkins. He ran a 11.14 100 metres in high school and also threw the discus. After yesterday’s touting of Margus Hunt as a possible draft pick, what chance the Seahawks draft two discus throwers in April?
Here’s Jenkins’ blurb via Scout.com during recruitment: “An absolute assassin from his linebacker position, Jenkins is always in attack mode. Because of his athletic ability and anticipation, he is equally comfortable reading a play to make a tackle as he is forcing the action on a blitz. He’s a sideline to sideline linebacker that is never out of a play because of his athletic gifts and his desire. As he gets bigger in college, he’ll be just plain scary.”
Of course, it never quite worked out that way. He’s added 30lbs in college but still struggles taking on blocks and his tackling can be poor. We’re talking about a big time athlete here, but will the speed compensate for the lack of physical skills at the next level? Maybe for a team like Seattle. When he doesn’t have to get his hands dirty, he’s an elite linebacker. He’s about as good a sideline-to-sideline player you’ll ever find. If he can find a crease he’ll explode into the backfield, but he moves around the second level with ease and he’s decisive in coverage. Ask him to play great run defense or up at the line and he’s going to struggle.
The Seahawks appear to want athletes at linebacker that can move. They’re not asking them to do a lot of pass rushing and the WILL isn’t really getting involved with the offensive line up front. You need to let Jenkins just roam around, use his instinct and react to plays. Because of his size, he’s probably going to go in the late second or early third round. Unless Carroll feels he already has this type of player in Malcolm Smith, he could be in play for Seattle’s second round pick. And out of all the Florida Gators prospects, he’s probably the one to keep an eye on.
Note — I’ve included Sharrif Floyd and Jelani Jenkins tape at the bottom of this article
Quinn’s greatest influence could be on an existing Seahawk. Jaye Howard had virtually no impact for the team this year, usually finding himself among the list of inactives. Surely Schneider and/or Carroll spoke to Quinn before making this pick last year? If so, you have to assume he gave a glowing review. After all, they drafted him in round four. Howard registered 65 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks in his only year under Quinn’s guidance.
It’s possible that he could be a late bloomer at the pro-level. The only problem is, the Seahawks cannot afford to wait and see if he improves. They can’t rely on Jaye Howard. And whether it’s via free agency or the draft, a player or two will almost certainly be placed directly above the former Gator on the depth chart. Even so, he has a lot of potential and working with Quinn again could help.
As for Gus Bradley, I think it’s a great hire for Jacksonville. He’ll bring energy to that Jaguars franchise and almost certainly a much improved defense. It’s going to be a tough job – he’ll be inheriting the worst pass rush in the league, plus a franchise that still has a lot of question marks at the quarterback position. Look for the #2 overall pick to be spent on a pass rusher. Bradley will know, however, that he has to find the right solution at quarterback to ultimately be successful. He’ll need to decide whether Chad Henne, Blaine Gabbert or someone else can lead that offense. For those hoping Matt Flynn will be traded this off-season, you better hope that Bradley was impressed during their year in Seattle together.
Schneider speaks out
There are a few other things I wanted to discuss after listening to John Schneider with Brock and Salk yesterday.
His admission of greater interest in the receiver class was reassuring. There is a cluster of talented players worthy of first and second round grades. The Seahawks are perfectly placed at #25 to consider investing in another target for Russell Wilson — and could even launch a run on the position.
Just list the names — DeAndre Hopkins, Robert Woods, Cordarrelle Patterson, Zach Ertz, Tavon Austin, Markus Wheaton, Justin Hunter, Keenan Allen, Terrance Williams, Tyler Eifert, Gavin Escobar. There’s also quite a lot of range too, be it with size, speed, catching, YAC or kick returning. If we’re talking about round one, I maintain that Hopkins and Ertz are the two best fits. Both seem to fit the character of this team (hard working, professional, consistent). You can just imagine both players developing a great relationship with Russell Wilson — working overtime in the off-season to build a chemistry.
I wrote an article at the start of January arguing that Hopkins was a top-20 talent. You can check it out by clicking here. If you like receivers who catch nearly everything, score touchdowns and run great routes, Hopkins is your man. Ertz is the prototype of a modern tight end – big, athletic, can stretch the field and run a deep post despite his size. He was Stanford’s most productive receiver last year and would be a nice compliment to Zach Miller — allowing the Seahawks to run a lot more 2TE sets.
If the Seahawks go in a different direction (eg – defensive line) then any of the names listed above would be worthy second round additions. I’d be a little surprised if Carroll and Schneider ended day two of the draft without a new pass-catcher.
He also touted a group of ‘unique’ pass rushers. I don’t think there’s any mystery to what he’s referring to here. How many other draft classes contain the following defensive lineman:
– Dion Jordan — a converted 6-7 tight end with the speed to play linebacker or even safety
– Margus Hunt — a former 6-8 discus thrower from Estonia with dynamic pass-rushing qualities
– Ezekiel Ansah — a 6-4 defensive end from Ghana with two years of football experience who doesn’t even understand what AFC and NFC means
– Bjoern Werner — a German pass rusher from Berlin, discovered as a football prospect while acting as an exchange student in Connecticut
That’s just a sample of the ‘different’ types of player available this year. I suspect this is all the more intriguing for a guy like Schneider, who will enjoy getting to know these players and learning about their backgrounds. I wouldn’t bet against any being future Seahawks.
I noticed among some of the comments in yesterday’s mock draft update that several people feel we’ve overplayed Seattle’s penchant for the unusual — the avoidance of conventional wisdom. I wouldn’t try to argue that the Seahawks will only make quirky draft picks. I think we have to keep an open mind, though. We’ve projected a lot of different picks so far — Ertz, Hopkins, Sylvester Williams, Arthur Brown, Margus Hunt. Different players, positions and backgrounds. Some teams will just write-off a prospect like Hunt and not even include him on their big board. I suspect the Seahawks won’t do that, at least not because he’ll be 26 next summer and is new to the game.
Carroll and Schneider do it their way. Sometimes their way will be a little out there, other times it’ll be a lot more conventional. The Head Coach wants a pass rush though — and as the General Manager notes — this is a unique bunch of pass rushers.
Considering I’ve talked about them in this article, I’ve included tape below of Sharrif Floyd’s performance against Florida State from this season. There’s also Jelani Jenkins display against the Seminoles from 2011 (no 2012 tape available yet):
Agree with every word here:
Carroll and Schneider do it their way. Sometimes their way will be a little out there, other times it’ll be a lot more conventional. The Head Coach wants a pass rush though — and as the General Manager notes — this is a unique bunch of pass rushers.
***
Exactly, I don’t think PC/JS put a lot of value in being different. They’re not iconoclasts. They just have a very specific vision that departs in some important ways from the conventional. I love that about them. I also love that you constantly plug in new people for us to consider. Good stuff, as always.
Awesome writeup as always Rob.
Man, you can really see Jenkins athleticism on tape. Would like to see him disengage from blockers a bit better, but he seems to be diagnosing and knifing into the backfield at a good rate. I like what he can offer, but do question whether he could hold up against offensive linemen in the NFL. Again, as you mentioned, WILL won’t be up on the line so much compared to KJ and Bobby (at times).
That Jelani video is kind of exasperating. I want to like the guy, but it felt like he came up short a lot. Seems like his instincts are pretty poor. Just one game though.
I watched all I could find of him about a month ago. He’s got UDFA level tape. Anyone that struggles physically at the college level is not going to project well. I’d rather not draft him. I don’t think Seattle would anyway, Jenkins is far too finesse for Seattle’s physical defense.
That said, this draft isn’t exactly loaded with fast linebackers. Lack of supply and desperation could become factors. It’s a name worth mentioning, just in case.
Sean Porter is a decent alternative. He’s undersized at 6’2″ 230, but he could probably bulk up to 235 without issue. He’s not blazing fast, but fast enough to be considered a fast linebacker. He looks physical for his size, not the liability that Jenkins is. Certainly not a “wow” inducing prospect, but he’s fundamentally sound and fast. Pete can work with LBs like that.
Instead of writing comments Kip you need to post a few articles!! I hope you do soon as I’ve always enjoyed them.
I agree with this sentiment. Simply put, his physical attributes do not match his production in my mind. His production is way low for such a highly touted recruit. I think he’s a weak tackler and will be washed out of plays way too easily to be a starting LB at the next level.
The moment I saw this hire, I was thinking when Seattle would draft both Floyd and Jenkins in the draft. With the plethora of draft picks, I think Seattle moves back in to the first or high into the 2nd round to nab Floyd….unless he is their first round pick.
I think that might be a little 2+2=5. After all, how many of Pete’s USC guys have we drafted early?
Agreed. One of PC & JS’s strength is a lack of sentimentality. JS has repeatedly said this is a big boy league and you have to make big boy decisions. Heck, one of his decisions earned him a punch from his boy!
In no way did I say that would happen, I just said that it came to mind. Floyd is the only one who makes sense though in the overall picture.
I think having Dan Quinn can only max out Howards potential, even if its only as a rotational player. I think he could see some playing time next year in passing situations. Going back to the mock draft yesterday it sucks to see Hopkins go right before our pick. Do you think its more likely that we trade back with a team like buffalo or kanasas city looking for a QB and gain some draft capital or trade up 5 – 10 picks to get a alec olgetree or Deandre Hopkins? also due to the teo scandal what if he is there at 25, do the hawks take him and put bobby at the will?
I don’t see Te’o fitting into this defense. In terms of moving up or down – it’ll all depend on value. Last time they had the #25 pick they fielded calls for trades and decided the value wasn’t there. So we’ll see what happens this year.
I am concerned about the mental stability of anyone who makes up a dead GF…
And in Margus Hunts defense, Ryan Tannehill didn’t even know which teams were in his division (AFC East)….let alone teams in both conferences.
With Floyd, I see those wasted steps and seriously dislike his hand use on a few plays but I saw many times in the tape you shared with us when he is double teamed and triple teamed. On a couple of the doubles he touched the QB on another he got the sack. I think he could do the job considering who he is replacing.
I think he could easily be an upgrade to Branch in passrush as well as run D. He may be no richardson but at 25 instead of the likely use of our 1st and 2nd to get Richardson I see a lot to like.
Interesting thoughts… thanks Jon.
I think the wasted steps for Floyd can be coached and he looks like a definite upgrade over Branch as far as the pass rush goes so wouldn’t mind to see him picked. Jenkins… don’t like that guy at all. Not anywhere near physical enough to play LB as he doesn’t meet the blocker but seem to look to dance around him so would be a big liability in the run game IMO.
I was favorably impressed with the game tape on Floyd. Excellent size, good motor, nice first move into the backfield. A clear example of first-rounder skills vs fourth rounder (Jaye Howard). If his intangibles check out, and Quinn should know better than anyone, he could be a nice pick at #25. For the Seahawks needs at 3-tech DT, Leo and WR, these should be found with the first two picks and a major FA signing. Nickle corner and OLB can be found in the mid-rounds where John often strikes gold.
I really like Hunt, but really don’t want to spend a 1st rounder on a 26 year old. Football or not, the aging process doesn’t magically stop (Weeden argument). I’m sure Hunt is a fine player, but we can’t go back to back 1st rounders on guys already past 25 yo. That will bite us in the ass in a few years. I wasn’t thrilled with the Irvin pick for the same reason.
I think Floyd would be totally worth a 1st rounder. High upside, versatile, good tape and not in his mid 20s.
If the average career of an NFL player is 3.5 years or the NFL’s stated 6 years, then what is the problem with a player being 25-26? If he starts he starts…not everyone is going to be London Fletcher/Tom Brady….and play for your team forever. How is drafting someone expected to be a starter at 26 any different then say getting Giacomini to be a starter after drifting around practice squads at age 26? Starter quality athletes in the NFL should be looked at from all possible angles.
I don’t think the goal of a 1st rounder should be that he plays for 3.5 years. Bruce Irvin was older as well. This stuff catches up to you.
Not to mention, Hunt had a rather underwhelming year outside of his great bowl game. For such a physical freak, he should be dominating a poor conference that he played in. We have seen it takes time to adjust to the NFL, so I’d hate for Hunt’s prime to be wasted on development, just in time for him to be in the twilight of his career.
THe major difference between Giacomini and Hunt is draft capital. Giacomini cost us nothing. A 1st rounder is an investment of not only $, but premium draft capital which is probably more important nowadays due to the new CBA.
I agree that the goal isn’t that they play for only 3.5 years, but I also think that the idea that someone is a “ten year starter,” is sort of ridiculous. I also respect the idea of premium draft capital, and again I have no real idea who Margus Hunt is, other then one video against not entirely dominating talent, but I just see the age thing with modern science, and increasingly better rehabs not just from injuries but from the daily grind of football extending careers I for one am not off-put by older players that need to be coached up. A ten year player could still be had with a 26 year old and for all the Aldon Smith’s and Kearse’s of which there in my mind are two, there are the Chris Clemons and Jasin babin’s who don’t hit their stride rushing the passer until they are a little older
I would agree that this catches up to you, except for the fact that we’ve been extremely great at getting talent deep in the draft. To the point where there is legitimate concern about how well picks will be able to make the roster going forward.
This concern is valid, but only framed in the expectation that a team only gets 2 or maybe 3 players worth keeping on the roster like your average NFL team does. That’s not been a concern of ours. I don’t expect we’ll always have this bounty of talent every year — although frankly the consistency with which we’ve been able to do it, and the ability and willingness for our team to move about in the draft to get players certainly indicates that there is a clear pattern that they know talent where many others don’t.
Ultimately, I don’t see staying young to be a particular problem for this team. So I’m not as concerned about taking guys like this.
Hey Rob, great article (as usual). Pete Carroll said that the 10 draft picks they have this year will have a tough time making the team. It wouldn’t surprise me if they took a receiver in the first round, and then invested several of the remaining picks on pass rushing d-linemen. That would give them the choice of several pass rushing guys, knowing that only two or three of them make the team.
It would also not surprise me if they go after one (or two) in the free agent market. This team needs a pass rush. If they had one, the season would not have ended last weekend.
Some very valid points there.
In an effort to expand the thought of an early pick on a Pass Catching TE, would it not be just as effective to pick Michael Williams (TE, Alabama) whose strength is in run-blocking (and whose pass catching is potentially untapped), alllowing Zach Miller to become the pass catcher we seemingly ‘need’ to draft? And wouldn’t Williams also be a better value pick in the middle to late rounds? A later pick in combination with a good to great pass catcher we already have sounds like something this FO would consider. No? This tactic could free up the first two rounds for Defense/Pass Rushers. Just a thought….
Is that guy already on the roster in the form of McCoy and/or McGrath?
Bevell got his contract extended tonight.
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/01/17/seahawks-give-darrell-bevell-new-contract/
Certainly feeling like it’s hard to go wrong at #25 this year. Seattle will probably try to inch down into the early second, though. It’s hard to envision PC/JS passing up Miami’s extra mid-third-rounder, even if it means moving down 18 spots in a very nice draft to be picking 25th.
Normally I like the idea of the team moving down, but I live outside of Denver and the draft last year was an almost total turd (full disclosure: I’m not a fan of the Broncos, but since they are in the daily paper I follow them) Sometimes it seems that teams can get almost too cute with their trades and movements on draft day. I’d almost prefer if the Seahawks moved a little capital and got higher int he draft for a Richardson, then trying to max out on 3rd rounders. Yes yes I’m fully aware of the success of the front office in the midrounds…..
This is normal for fans. We (fans) definitely obsess on the top 50 guys. And truth be told, Denver is really not a good team when it comes to the draft. They do get occasionally lucky. But honestly, when Peyton does decline, that team is in a lot of trouble. Manning is going to mask a lot of faults for that team.
Like most years, fans and even draft pundits will likely scratch their heads and wonder what we are doing up here. We take a lot of guys that seem less talented than what is available. This has gone on for a while now. This team has a real knack for seeing talented guys that are close or possibly even better down the line than what is available.
It would certainly be interesting to know what guys they were really high on that they missed out on by moving down. The Mychal Kendricks move down was one such event where I think they showed their hand a little. I do think they lucked into Wagner in that situation and I don’t doubt that they liked both prospects. Wagner certainly has turned into the better pro, even though Kendricks has had a successful season too.
To address the original concern though, I expect that this FO identifies a LOT of players that would be good pros, not just the ones we take. And as is evident, they identify many times over — good prospects that fans really don’t know much of at all. Without insight into that bounty of ‘who is that? Oh, the next awesome starter for Seattle that’s who.’ — we’re kind of left with this sense of dread that the draft kind of stops after round 3.
For the Seahawks, it seems that’s when the draft really begins.
I’d really like to see Seattle draft Kiko Alonso… He’s got a talent for blitzing, plays fast, and has good instincts. I’d love to see him in the second. I think he could convert to WILL.
anyone else notice how many stunts florida ran? I expect a lot more D Line creativity this year@!
No doubt that the Flordia Gators ran a much more aggressive D than the Seahawks did, far more blitzing, stunts, etc. How much of this is Will Muschamp and how much is Dan Quinn remains to be seen, but hopefully Quinn can persuade Pete to add some zest to the bend but don’t break Tampa 2 that Pete is so in love with. The Tampa 2 works great with a hall of fame LB (Brooks) who can jump the underneath routes, combined with a hall of fame 3 tech (Sapp) to rush the passer. The Seahawks have neither, so QBs went quick-strike on us late in the 4th qtr, sat in the pocket, under no pressure, and carved up our D with underneath stuff. The good news is that both Pete and John have acknowledged the obvious and admitted that this was the weakness of the team and can’t happen again. It sounds to me like they plan to change the front 4 personnel rather than changing the scheme toward more blitzes. Here’s hoping they can find a Leo to fill in for Clem next year, find better ways to take advantage of Bruce Irvin’s skills and find a superstar 3 tech. Find the next Geno Atkins and this is a Super Bowl defense. (Atkins went in the 4th round 2010 and the Seahawks could have had him instead of Charlie Whitehurst or Walter Thurmond.)
The Hawks don’t run Tampa 2. They don’t really run cover 2 either.
They generally run cover 3 press with varying coverages underneath that shell.
Jared Stanger on Field Gulls found another interesting prospect – DE Quanterus Smith from WKU. 3 sacks vs Bama is nothing to sneeze at. Loved the tape (as Jared did):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWCAavZMJBY
7th round pick, since he tore his ACL in Nov? Any thoughts on Q. Smith, Rob/Kip?
I like him but the ACL is an obvious concern.
The ACL certainly didn’t dissuade this FO from taking Walther Thurmond in the fourth round. I believe we were short picks that year too due to the Whitehurst trade.
This has been a FO that has not been shy about taking injured players and taking them rather highly. I personally think Q could be a long term clone to Clemons. Physically they have very similar gifts. And Smith has been productive and outside of this injury, very durable otherwise.
Possibly. The reason I highlighted the ACL issue is it’d a little odd to have two DE’s starting on the PUP nursing ACL injuries. If they want to stash him and make other moves, then fair enough. But I wouldn’t draft him with the intention of relying on getting anything out of the 2013 season.
The move at the 43 second mark is just awesome. I would have no problem spending a day 3 pick on this guy.
My prediction for a blast from the past… when the Seahawks trade Matt Flynn they will sign Tarvaris Jackson, who is an unrestricted free agent with Buffalo. Russell Wilson could use a veteran to support him and everyone loves Tarvaris’ leadership. T-Jack could probably even run the read option. Then find a diamond in the rough young QB to stash on the practice squad to groom for the future backup role.
Rob, you’d get a real kick out of local sports radio this week. The topic is obviously Matt Flynn and you’d think we had Dan Marino sitting on the bench. If you get a chance, tune in. Pretty hilarious to hear people say he’s easily a top 20 QB in the league, yet nobody wanted him in FA including his own coach. Now, all of a sudden he’s too valuable to trade and the only way you do so is the get the 1st rounder “he is worth.” Hilarious.
I dont know that top 20 QB is a stretch… which btw is a far cry from Dan Marino. Yeah im thinking a 3rd-5th rd pick is likely if anything.
I am curious to see how good he could be as an everyday starter on a team with a strong supporting cast. He could be great, he could be below average. Do we grade him as a Alex Smith with less accolades? Arm strength is comparable or?
Expect a piece on Matt Flynn today…
Rob, if Seattle drafted Sharrif Floyd, is there a big difference between him and Jaye Howard? I mean they’re basically the same size, same position, same training at Florida… would we be drafting something we already have?
Floyd profiles more like a 5 tech while Howard looks like a 3 tech.
I think Howard was a more natural candidate for the three and he lined up in the middle more than the edge. Floyd spend a lot of time at DE.
What do people think of Tyrann Mathieu in 5th rd or so?
Think he would be a good fit for a nickle CB and return guy if we want to free up cap space and cut Leon?
Hes short so not a fit on the sidelines but has amazing quickness and agility. Could be good to cover a Wes Welker type in the slot. He could have a high ceiling.
Opinions?
Rob, I was wondering what your thoughts are on Brandon Kaufman? He seems like a receiver the hawks might be interested in. I believe he is 6’5″, and has great hands. The only con for him that I can see is he played for a small school. The so called experts have him being drafted in the 6th round. I see him as a high third day option. Your thoughts?
Size and consistent receiving skills. Those warranted a 4th round pick for Kris Durham.
I’d think Seattle would be interested if they believe he can translate that to the next level. We don’t seem scared off by big school/small school contrast.
Kaufman consistently impressed me. I had the pleasure of watching a few of his games this year. 1850 reception yards on 93 catches with a 19.9 yard average, with 16 tds. What I like most is his catching ability. He just snags the ball out of the air. One question I have is, he worked in a spread offense, how would that translate to the hawks offense?
I don’t have access to Eastern Washington tape unfortunately so I can’t offer much here… apologies. I saw the Delaware game last year and he looked like a solid, big target. But it’s hard to judge off one game against that level of talent.
Thanks. I did not think he would declare for the draft this year. I have been excited about his skill set, like you are with Brandon Coleman. I only saw three of his home games this year, and came away thinking he will be a future star WR. Also the red home field is annoying.
A LB to watch for in the E.-W. Shrine game that is showing well at the game ractices: Current draft projections are for mid to later rounds. a PC/JS blue plate special?
Howard LB Keith Pough measured 6-foot-1 3/4 and 241 pounds at this week’s East-West Shrine all-star event and has been widely reviewed in practices as the player with the potential to be drafted the highest of all the players in this game. Among the positives for Mr Pough are:
—-Good size for LB and he has a **79 inch wingspan**.
—-Pough is the FCS all-time record holder in tackles for a loss with **83-TFL’s** during his college career.
—-Scouts say he’s the most active & talkative defender on his squad, always chirping.
—-The son of a high school coach, he grew up around the game. Football IQ ++.
—-His college coaches say he spends more time dissecting film than anyone besides the QB’s.
—-Straight line speed shown as 4.67/4.79/4.93, however he looks MUCH faster in game speed. His 10, 20 yard split times should show his quickness when measured.
—-Attitude/Passion: “I don’t care where I go. I don’t care if I get drafted or in free agency, I don’t care what team I play for – I’ll go play butt naked in Green Bay in February, you know, just for an opportunity,” he said. “And that’s really what it comes down to. I’m so passionate about the game, it doesn’t matter who I play for. I’m just gonna be the best linebacker, teammate, special teamer on that team.”
—-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tU8XCNIpDGE Highlights through his junior year (2011 season).
Sounds interesting… one to keep an eye on.
Elam is the real deal. Jenkins is good, super upside, buy always hurt. I swear to god it seems like he’s had a cast on his hand every year. Plus he CAN’T CATCH! He puts himself in great position all the time for the INT, but cant catch the ball.
The better option for a Flroida LB is Bostic. Super fast for a mlb, could probably play on the outside.
Floyd has incredible character concerns. The booster that was taking care of him had to adopt him.
I go to UF and am almost as obsessed with the gators as the seahawks. Watched every game, been to tons of practices and I’m pretty convinced that Bostic could be steal of draft
I have no idea what we’re going to do but WR and OL seem surely on the list. I still think 3/5ths of our line is unsettled. WR is a much bigger priority not from a pure need standpoint but we want to provide too many quality targets for defenses to handle. Teams like Atlanta know this. Teams like the Texans don’t.
I left out TE. Add TE.
I like the hiring of Dan Quinn for a few reasons.
1. His specialty is the defensive line. With Pete’s specialty the secondary and Ken Norton Jr coaching the LBs, we now have defensive coaches that compliment each other.
2. Quinn is coming in at a time when we need to improve our defensive line play both against the pass and the run.
3. Quinn has just spent time in the college ranks in the SEC, a strong defense oriented conference. Our knowledge of college defensive lineman will be replenished with his hiring. He should have some insight on defensive lineman in the top defense-oriented conference. That should be helpful.
4. Quinn is the guy that chose Michael Bennett, the 7th round pick defensive lineman that recorded nine sacks for the Tampa Bay Bucs this offseason. He seems to have an eye for defensive line talent.
5. He knows our defensive line personnel. He helped develop them including Chris Clemons. He will know best how to use them.
Overall, this is a great hiring. It seems like another stroke of fortune in the Pete Carroll Era. Just as our greatest need becomes the defensive line, events occur in such a way that we hire a coach that is known for improving that position group.
I love your #3 point! Dan Quinn will replenish our knowledge of college defensive lineman especially from the SEC. I have always thought of losing coaches as a big nevative because I want to keep the continuity going as long as possible, but I never considered that getting a new coach from the college ranks would provide this benefit. Carroll’s familiarity with Pac-10 guys has made a huge difference so far, and hopefully Quinn will give us that same thing for the SEC. Love the hire!
The draft strategy has changed since the Hawks started “rebuilding” the team. It will be next to impossible to find talent in the mid to late rounds that is better than what the Hawks already have.
The focus now should be to use the lower round picks to trade up and get better talent.
It is not quantity we need, it is quality.
I would like to see trading the lower picks for one 1 rd pick, and two 2 rd picks and two 3rd rd picks. Thats all we need.
That is, our original 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, and use the remainder picks and Flynn to add another 2nd and 3rd round picks