Day three in review: Pass rushers and linebackers

Montez Sweat ran a 4.41 forty yard dash

Here’s today’s podcast…

And here’s today’s review…

Defensive tackles or inside/out rushers

The short shuttle times are key

Rasheem Green (4.39), Quinton Jefferson (4.37), Jordan Hill (4.51), Jaye Howard (4.47) and Malik McDowell (4.53) all tested superbly in the short shuttle. If you’re looking for possible Seahawks targets at defensive tackle or inside/out rusher — the following players fit the criteria:

Anthony Nelson (271lbs) — 4.23
Rashan Gary (277lbs) — 4.29
Jerry Tillery (295lbs) — 4.33
Zach Allen (281lbs) — 4.36
Charles Omenihu (280lbs) — 4.36
Daniel Wise (281lbs) — 4.36
John Cominsky (286lbs) — 4.38
Trysten Hill (308lbs) — 4.38
Keke Kingsley (288lbs) — 4.46
Dre’Mont Jones (281lbs) — 4.53
Renell Wren (318lbs) — 4.53

All of the names above have +33 inch arms. The Pete Carroll Seahawks have never drafted a defensive lineman with sub-33 inch arms.

It’s a really appealing list. Many of the players above also posted an impressive 10-yard split:

John Cominsky (1.62)
Rashan Gary (1.62)
Zach Allen (1.65)
Anthony Nelson (1.65)
Jerry Tillery (1.71)
Trysten Hill (1.74)
Renell Wren (1.75)

For a defensive end, anything in the 1.6’s is very good. For the defensive tackles listed near or over 300lbs, a 1.7 is equally good.

What about the three cone?

For defensive tackles or inside/out rushers, it doesn’t seem to be quite as important:

Rasheem Green — 7.24
Malik McDowell — 7.69
Naz Jones — 7.93
Jarran Reed — 7.77
Quinton Jefferson — 7.95
Jordan Hill — 7.49

There’s certainly no correlation here like we see with the consistently strong short shuttle times.

Even so, here’s how the DT’s and inside/out rushers ranked for the three-cone:

Anthony Nelson — 6.95
John Cominsky — 7.03
Rashan Gary — 7.26
Zach Allen — 7.34
Jerry Tillery — 7.45
Charles Omenihu — 7.48
Daniel Wise — 7.53
Kingsley Keke — 7.55
Renell Wren — 7.65
Trysten Hill — 7.70
Dre’Mont Jones — 7.71

Based on what we’ve seen today — if the Seahawks after looking to draft a defensive tackle or inside/out rusher this year, there’s a decent chance it’ll be one of the ten names above.

Trysten Hill had an excellent workout to match the testing numbers and could be a really appealing option later in the draft. Jerry Tillery looked extremely athletic and Charles Omenihu, while not running a great forty, excelled in the drills. We also probably need to put Zach Allen back on the radar, while Daniel Wise could be an excellent mid-to-late round option as a disruptive interior pass rusher.

EDGE rushers

The Seahawks love twitchy athletes with elite speed, burst and difference making traits. A 10-yard split in the 1.5’s is considered ‘elite’. Cliff Avril ran a 1.50 and Bruce Irvin ran a 1.55.

Here’s the list of 2019 EDGE rushers who ran a 1.5:

Ben Banogu (1.56)
Brian Burns (1.57)
Jamal Davis (1.58)
Montez Sweat (1.55)
Chase Winovich (1.57)

The following just fell short:

Jordan Brailford (1.62)
Malik Carney (1.60)
Maxx Crosby (1.60)

Again, it’s important to note the Seahawks haven’t drafted an defensive lineman with sub-33 inch arms. Chase Winovich is the only prospect above who doesn’t check that box (32 6/8 inch arms).

If the Seahawks were selecting in the top-20 and had a full quota of picks this year, there’s a decent chance they’d consider drafting Montez Sweat or Brian Burns. They previously drafted Bruce Irvin with the #15 pick in 2012. Here’s his athletic profile:

Height: 6-3
Weight: 245lbs
Arms: 33 3/8
Forty: 4.50
10-yard: 1.55
Vertical: 33.5
Broad: 10-3
Short shuttle: 4.03
Three cone: 6.70

Here’s Montez Sweat:

Height: 6-6
Weight: 260lbs
Arms: 35 3/4
Forty: 4.41
10-yard: 1.55
Vertical: 36
Broad: 10-5
Short shuttle: 4.29
Three cone: 7.00

Here’s Brian Burns:

Height: 6-5
Weight: 249lbs
Arms: 33 7/8
Forty: 4.53
10-yard: 1.57
Vertical: 36
Broad: 10-9
Short shuttle: DNP
Three cone: 7.01

All three players are comparatively quick. Sweat and Burns are more explosive but Irvin blows them both away when it comes to the agility tests.

With the Seahawks almost certain to trade down from #21, possibly multiple times, it’s quite unlikely Sweat or Burns will be available when they pick. If that proves to be the case, the options aren’t that great in terms of being able to add a truly dynamic speed rusher. Ben Banogu and Jamal Davis could appeal later on but it’s not an extensive list.

If Sweat or Burns are available, both will likely be on the radar. You might assume they won’t last. It’s very possible both did enough to secure a top-20 grade today. However — really athletic pass rushers have lasted longer than expected in the past. Burns is still somewhat undersized. If the Seahawks traded down and remained in round one, it’s not completely out of the question one of the pair might be available.

Agility testing seems to matter here too. 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. In the three cone, Clark and Marsh both ran a 7.08. Obum Gwacham ran a 7.28. Irvin had an incredible 6.70.

Here’s this years top performers in both drills:

Short shuttle

Chase Winovich — 4.11
Ben Banogu — 4.27
Montez Sweat — 4.29
Wyatt Ray — 4.31
Sutton Smith — 4.31
Clelin Ferrell — 4.40
Carl Grandeson — 4.41
Gerri Green — 4.42
Jamal Davis — 4.44
Shareef Miller — 4.45

Three cone

Sutton Smith — 6.75
Chase Winovich — 6.94
Jamal Davis — 7.00
Montez Sweat — 7.00
Brian Burns — 7.01
Ben Banogu — 7.02
Oshane Ximines — 7.13
Jalen Jelks — 7.22
Clelin Ferrell — 7.26
Gerri Green — 7.27

Oregon’s Justin Hollins worked out with the linebackers but could be an EDGE option for the Seahawks. He ran a 4.50 forty but they didn’t reveal the 10-yard splits for the linebackers. He also had a 36.5 inch vertical, a 4.40 short shuttle and a 7.06 three-cone.

What does today tell us? Probably that there aren’t as many EDGE rush options as we previously thought that ‘fit’ what the Seahawks have looked for. If they aren’t able to draft Sweat or Burns they might be limited to Ben Banogu, Jamal Davis and Justin Hollins. And for that reason, they might be more inclined to see what options are available in free agency to at least provide some kind of a hedge.

Banogu is a player I need to go back and have another look at. He had an elite workout today — excelling at every level (10-yard, explosive testing, agility).

A final thought on Winovich. I’m not sure how much a quarter of an inch is a difference maker in terms of arm length. The fact he has 32 3/4 inch arms instead of 33 inch arms seems a little bit harsh as a means to rule him out completely. Especially when you actually put his numbers up against Bruce Irvin’s. They’re the same height, Winovich weighs 11lbs more. There’s a 0.09 difference between the two forty times (4.50 vs 4.59) but they ran the same 10-yard split (1.55). Neither tested particularly brilliantly in the broad or vertical but excelled in the short shuttle (4.03 for Bruce, 4.11 for Winovich) and three cone (6.70 for Bruce, 6.94 for Winovich).

I’m still not sure Winovich fits Seattle’s defense. Length is important to this team and although we’re highlighting he’s only a quarter of an inch shy of an apparent 33 inch threshold for arm length, you would never describe Winovich as a long, lean, prototypical LEO. It’s an interesting comparison though especially with so few EDGE options.

He actually compares well to Clay Matthews (it’s not just the hair). Winovich is heavier (256 vs 240) but ran a faster forty time (4.59 vs 4.62). Matthews had him in the 10-yard split with an incredible 1.49 against Winovich’s 1.55. They both have sub-33 inch arms and ran well in the short shuttle (Winovich 4.11, Matthews a 4.18) and three cone (Winovich 6.94, Matthews 6.90).

TEF Scores for defensive linemen

For the last few years we’ve used TEF (explained here) to measure offensive and defensive linemen and compare the results. Here’s what we discovered…

Explosive offensive linemen at the combine:

2016 — 6
2017 — 3
2018 — 7
2019 — 8

Explosive defensive linemen at the combine:

2016 — 26
2017 — 30
2018 — 22
2019 — 24

Nothing has changed for the NFL. The best athletes are still playing defense in college. There’s still a major problem with the sheer lack of quality offensive lineman entering the league compared to the much bigger numbers of highly athletic defensive linemen.

Here are the TEF results for the D-line class:

Ben Banogu — 4.05
Ed Oliver — 3.72
Jordan Brailford — 3.61
Rashan Gary — 3.56
Montez Sweat — 3.49
Porter Gustin — 3.48
Renell Wren — 3.45
Jamal Davis — 3.40
Kevin Givens — 3.39
Trysten Hill — 3.37
Nick Bosa — 3.36
Wyatt Ray — 3.33
Oshane Ximines — 3.29
Sutton Smith — 3.25
L.J. Collier — 3.20
Gerri Green — 3.19
Malik Carney — 3.15
Greg Gaines — 3.14
John Cominsky — 3.13
Justin Hollins — 3.13
Albert Huggins — 3.12
Anthony Nelson — 3.12
Jerry Tillery — 3.09
Zach Allen — 3.04
Byron Cowert — 3.02

Christian Wilkins — 2.96
Jalen Jelks — 2.90
Chase Winovich — 2.89
Daylon Mack — 2.82
Daniel Wise — 2.82
Khalen Saunders — 2.80
Chris Slayton — 2.79
Joe Jackson — 2.71
Jonathan Ledbetter — 2.67
Cece Jefferson — 2.61
Terry Beckner — 2.57
Demarcus Christmas — 2.46
Isaiah Buggs — 2.23

If you’re building a case for Ben Banogu — here’s even more evidence.

A high number of prospects didn’t take part in one or more of the vertical, broad or bench press so we’re unable to calculate a score for the likes of Quinnen Williams, Clelin Ferrell and others.

Here are the 30 most explosive defensive linemen from 2016-19 (2019 prospects in bold):

Myles Garrett — 4.21
Ben Banogu — 4.05
Haason Reddick — 3.93
Solomon Thomas — 3.83
Ed Oliver — 3.72
Jordan Willis — 3.70
Jordan Brailford — 3.61
Ife Odenigbo — 3.61
Taven Bryan — 3.58
Ade Aruna — 3.57
Derek Rivers — 3.57
Rashan Gary — 3.56
Carl Lawson — 3.54
Dean Lowry — 3.54
Sheldon Rankins — 3.52
Montez Sweat — 3.49
Porter Gustin — 3.48
Kylie Fitts — 3.47
Robert Nkemdiche — 3.47
Bradley Chubb — 3.46
Harrison Phillips — 3.46
Noah Spence — 3.46
Renell Wren — 3.45
Yannick Ngakoue — 3.44
Marcus Davenport — 3.41
Jamal Davis — 3.40
Kevin Givens — 3.39
Harold Landry — 3.39
Trysten Hill — 3.37
Nick Bosa — 3.36

Here are some other big-name NFL defensive linemen and their pre-draft TEF scores:

Mario Williams — 3.97
J.J. Watt — 3.82
Khalil Mack — 3.81
Aaron Donald — 3.53
Jadeveon Clowney — 3.50

Linebackers

Today’s workout highlighted an issue with the linebacker class. It has a depth problem.

Seattle drafts highly athletic linebackers. Bobby Wagner was a 4.4 runner at his pro-day with a 39.5-inch vertical. Kevin Pierre-Louis, Korey Toomer, Malcolm Smith and Eric Pinkins all ran between a 4.44 and a 4.51 forty. Pierre-Louis, Smith and Pinkins all jumped +39 inches in the vertical. Last year they drafted Shaquem Griffin after he set a new combine record for a forty yard dash by a linebacker (4.38).

The only exception here is K.J. Wright. They loved his length (35 inch arms) and character. He only ran a 4.71 while jumping a 34 inch vertical and a 10-0 broad. It seems like Wright is the rare exception and it’ll be difficult to identify a second anomaly.

Seattle’s preference for amazing athleticism at linebacker is likely one of the reasons their depth is pretty slim at the position. Two years ago Carroll stated, quite forcefully, that they had to bring in some youth to support Wagner and Wright. They’ve only drafted one linebacker since — Shaquem Griffin. If the athletes aren’t there, it seems like Seattle passes on the position.

Unfortunately, that might have to be the case again this year.

There are two spectacular athletes in the group — Devin White and Devin Bush. White is a top-20 lock and has been for many months. Bob McGinn’s league sources indicated the NFL sees both players as similar prospects with similar grades.

White and Bush are arguably even less likely to last than Sweat and Burns. White ran an incredible 4.42 (the second best time ever by a linebacker after Shaquem Griffin) and followed it up with a 39.5 inch vertical. Bush’s time in the forty was a 4.43 with a 40.5 inch vertical. It seems fairly likely both players will be drafted early in round one.

Only one other linebacker ran in the 4.4’s — Texas’ Gary Johnson (4.43). At 6-0 and 226lbs he’s undersized with only 31 1/4 inch arms. Lance Zierlein wrote about Johnson: “Active inside linebacker with plenty of passion and aggression but a fundamental lack of NFL-caliber movement skills in space.”

In terms of straight-line speed the options are limited.

A couple of years ago we identified the short shuttle as a drill that seems to matter for prospective Seattle linebackers. Bobby Wagner ran a 4.28, while Kevin Pierre-Louis ran a 4.01. Here are the top-performing prospects at linebacker in 2019:

Cody Barton — 4.03
Dakota Allen — 4.04
Ben Burr-Kiven — 4.09
Blake Cashman — 4.12
Drue Tranquill — 4.14
Andrew Van Ginkel — 4.14
Devin White — 4.17
Devin Bush — 4.23
Cameron Smith — 4.23
Bobby Okereke — 4.36

Washington’s Ben Burr-Kiven ran a 4.09 short shuttle (#3 among linebackers) and a 6.85 three cone (#1 among linebackers). Could he be an option? He’s quite undersized and it’s questionable whether he’s suited to play the WILL spot. I’ll be taking another look at him after this combine performance.

Alabama’s Mack Wilson didn’t work out today, claiming an injury.

I’m not sure the Seahawks will like the look of this group. There just aren’t many outstanding athletes and once White and Bush leave the board, you’re struggling to find anyone you’d feel fully comfortable drafting to replace K.J. Wright as a year-one starter.

What’s the key take away from the linebacker drills? Have a plan for free agency. Whether that’s re-signing Wright, re-signing Mychal Kendricks if he avoids jail or bringing in another veteran. It’s unlikely this is a hole you’re going to fill with a high draft pick assuming both White and Bush are off the board.

Looking ahead to tomorrow

It’s the final day of the combine and the turn of the defensive backs. There’s a decent list of cornerbacks that fit Seattle’s prototype:

Blace Brown — 6-0 3/8, 32 arms, 76 3/8 wingspan
Blessuan Austin — 6-0 5/8, 32.5 arms, 76 7/8 wingspan
Deandre Baker — 5-11, 32 arms, 77 1/8 wingspan
Alijah Holder — 6-0 6/8, 32.5 arms, 77 2/8 wingspan
Mike Jackson — 6-0 5/8, 32.5 arms, 77 2/8 wingspan
Isaiah Johnson — 6-2 1/8, 33 arms, 79 1/8 wingspan
Lonnie Johnson — 6-1 7/8, 32 5/8 arms, 77.5 wingspan
Justin Layne — 6-1 6/8, 33 arms, 80 1/8 wingspan
Rock Ya-sin — 5-11 6/8, 32 arms, 77 3/8 wingspan
Joejuan Williams — 6-3 5/8, 32.5 arms, 78 wingspan
Derrek Thomas — 6-2 7/8, 33 6/8 arms, 82 wingspan
Jordan Miller — 6-0 5/8, 32 7/8 arms, 76.5 wingspan
Jamal Peters — 6-1 6/8, 32 3/8 arms, 77 5/8 wingspan
Ryan Pulley 5-10 5/8, 32 6/8 arms, 77 5/8 wingspan
Saivion Smith — 6-0 7/8, 33 2/8 arms, 78 7/8 wingspan
Ken Webster — 5-10 7/8, 32 arms, 77 wingspan

We’ll have our final live blog tomorrow, plus our final review piece and podcast.

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75 Comments

  1. millhouse-serbia

    Rob, LJ Collier had really bad 3cone and shirt shuttle. You didnt mention him among 10 possible targets for seahawks. Maybe they will take a shot if he lasts long enough (late 3rd round)?

    • Rob Staton

      Maybe. He had a decent explosive testing routine. But he didn’t hit on any of the usual barometers they like for DE’s.

    • Hawktalker#1

      I know there may be some adjustments, and I see some have already been suggested, however the system tremendously great mock draft work. I’m super excited to get a draft anything like these!!

      Go Hawks.

      Not necessarily draft related, but I really want us to get a solid kicker on board this year. Time to stop messing around and lock this down. It’s far too important to get the lack of attention it has had in recent years.

  2. Sea Mode

    Seahawks met with CB Lonnie Johnson! Plus Jim Nagy tells us the why of the staring contest.

    Chase Goodbread
    @ChaseGoodbread

    CB Lonnie Johnson of Kentucky said the #Seahawks put him in a staring contest lasting “15, 16 seconds” during his formal interview with them. Said he won. Couldn’t recall the name of who he went against.
    #NFLCombine

    Jim Nagy
    @JimNagy_SB

    Replying to @ChaseGoodbread

    Grit test.

    2:30 PM – 3 Mar 2019

    I almost knew they would after seeing he meets our arm length and wingspan, and this hit at the Sr. Bowl:
    https://twitter.com/JimNagy_SB/status/1098722732118806529

    This, however, was not good. But hey, after seeing Metcalf run, who could blame him?
    https://twitter.com/GregArmstrong_/status/1101986447714856968

    Kentucky CB Lonnie Johnson
    Height: 6-1 7/8
    Weight: 213
    Hand: 9 1/8
    Arm: 32 5/8
    Wingspan: 77 4/8

    I have added him to our visits/meetings/interest tracker:
    https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1J3d023YdKp9MFv7OQTy0YTssJ65qLd_aB0UJFGVHxPY/edit?usp=sharing

  3. millhouse-serbia

    @ matt miller

    Just landed back home, opened my phone and had 5 texts from scouts about how bad Jachai Polite interviewed. On top of bad workouts (one called his injury “bullshit”), his stock is taking a massive tumble.

    • Sea Mode

      Wow. Yeah, those reports of him being a “different cat” seem to be showing true. Reporters weren’t too impressed either:

      https://twitter.com/Brett_PFN_BX/status/1102269070299328512/video/1

      https://twitter.com/ZachHeilprin/status/1102237683450105857

      • Eli

        Seems a bit overblown in my opinion. He didn’t have a good workout for sure, but picking on his sound bites makes it seem like a narrative is being spun. First clip seemed like he had a pretty upbeat personality and was shocked the reporter noticed his technique; not sure how to reconcile the not watching film thing but come on, if you think SEC football players aren’t watching film that’s absurd. Second clip he was just saying what his interviews went like, pretty far off from reports saying he wasn’t taking his criticism well.

        Really the impression I took away was his agent did not prep him well enough for the talking portion of the combine. I have tried a lot harder to remove that bias in my evaluation of players – criticizing them for the words they say without the context of how they said it. Not everyone is great at public speaking, or talking in high pressure situations.

        • charlietheunicorn

          Agent prep for the combine is essential. This is very under rated portion of the draft process. Perhaps, if he gets a 1 on 1 interview invite by a team, he might do just fine. I mean, the Raiders took crazy dudes for years….. so if he can play, he will find a home.

        • Rob Staton

          I have to say, I didn’t really have a problem with anything he said at the podium. I think some in the media are a bit bored and wanted something to talk about.

          • Look Who's Hawkin?

            I did find it interesting that he was upset about teams (Packers) showing him tape of his bad plays – isn’t this quite common for teams to do? Could be in line with what the poster above said, that his camp didn’t prepare him well enough for the interviews. Seems like something an agent would tell his client.

  4. JJ

    Did walker workout?

    • Rob Staton

      No he was injured in the SEC Championship game.

  5. Trevor

    Rob what are your thoughts on Justin Hollins as an early day #3 guy to replace Mingo. Seems to fit the athletic profile and has nice length. Could offer some pass rush upside down the road as well.

    Or do you think they at looking at Jacob Martin for that role?

    • Rob Staton

      He was impressive today. I think it’s possible they would consider him for that type of role. Martin had a good first year but not sure he’s nailed the position enough to not add some competition.

    • Sea Mode

      Is he really that much better than Mingo though to warrant using one of our precious few draft picks on him, ? It’s not like Mingo is that expensive either, and he plays almost all ST snaps.

  6. SamL

    Do you think the Seahawks would still draft Polite despite his 32 5/8” arms? It would appear that with the performance of Burns and Sweat Polite will be the one to fall. If the Seahawks traded down to the 30-35 range and Polite was on the board would you take him? I would say yes, but that could very easily change if we get a pass rusher in FA.

    • Rob Staton

      I think it’s very unlikely they would draft Polite at that size. Unless he has some major fall and lasts deep into the draft.

  7. H

    I’ll quite happily put Zach Allen back on my radar, one of my favourites during the season but was really disappointed at the senior bowl. These numbers make me feel a lot better about him. BC got some dudes this year.

    Am I missing something with Greedy Williams missing from that list? Is he not at the combine? are his arms not 32″ despite being 6’3? Seattle was never gonna draft him anyway, but just curious.

    • Rob Staton

      He doesn’t have 32 inch arms.

      • H

        That’s very strange, funny how many times you’ll see his “length” or “long arms” mentioned in scout reports.

        • LLLOGOSSS

          I wonder what the wingspan is…

  8. Michigan 12th

    Give me Rashan Gary. I think his best football is yet to come. Comes from Harbaugh’s system, we know how Carroll likes those guys, and he tested quite athletically. I’m sure he will be gone when we finally pick.

    • Rob Staton

      He’s a top-10 lock so he will be gone.

  9. Coleslaw

    Haven’t read the piece yet, but I like Cameron Smith. Knowing hes in the same athletic range as these guys is cool, he’d be a nice addition imo.

  10. Trevor

    Mid Combine Seahawks Mock

    Unless a guy like Sweat, Metcalf or Lawerence were to some how fall to 21 the Hawks will undoubtedly trade back to the 40s and pick up two additional 3rds + a 7th.

    Rd#2 (after 2 trade backs) Parris Campbell(WR/Ohio St) Pete gets his Percy Harvin type weapon without all the baggage off the field. McLaurin would also be an option if Campbell is off the board.

    Rd#3 Renell Wren (DT/Ariz St) Pete will think he can coach up this beast and give them a nice young DT rotation with Reed and Poona.

    Rd#3 Drew Sample (TE /Wash) would be a great addition with Dissly to give the Hawks two well rounded TE

    Rd#3 Justin Hollins (LB/ Oregon) long and athletic seems to fit the Hawks profile and has a ton of upside.

    Rd #4 Miles Boykin (WR/ND) 6-4 and an athletic freak would be a nice developmental WR and compliment to compliment our smaller

    Rd#5 Peters (CB/Miss St)- Hawks protype CB and great in run support.

    Rd#7 Alec Ingold (FB/Wisc) the Hawks seem to want a full back and Ingold looks like a great fit.

    • Eburgz

      R2 DL Jerry Tillery- Size, Power, Versatility to play up and down the DL. Day 1 starting DE opposite Frank Clark.

      R3 Edge Christian Miller- Juice off the Edge, ideal length/explosiveness/flexibility. special teams.

      R3 WR Andy Issabella- Juice on the outside. Deep threat. Potential in the slot and return game.

      R3 LB Bobby Okereke- Big time length, athleticism and seems like a great character guy.

      R4 CB Lonnie Johnson- Or whoever the hawks want with long arms to compete at CB

      R5 TE/FB Trevon Wesco- big, strong and nasty with pretty good hands. Tight End depth and takes the role as starting FB.

      R7 OL BJ Autry- Massive mauling guard. People mover.

      • Rob Staton

        There are too many receivers that fit Seattle better than Isabella to imagine they’ll take him in R3. I just can’t see it at all.

        • Eburgz

          Mercole Hardman was who I would have chosen if Isabella wasn’t there. I want a serious deep threat that would match our philosophy of taking shots down the field. I think your really tough on Isabella based off his first time doing slot work at the senior bowl and a drop or 2 on day 1. The guy is dynamic. I see him like a faster Tyler Lockett. Undersized outside receiver who excels catching the deep ball. Right up Russell Wilson and the Seahawks alley IMO.

          • Rob Staton

            I think they’re more likely to go for one of the big, fast receivers. Lots of 4.4 runners with size.

          • Sanders

            A intriguing mid-round WR that you may want to take a look at is Missouri WR Emanuel Hall. He said he was about 90% healthy from a previous groin injury, but he still ran a 4.39 40-yard dash. He said when 100% healthy he can run a 4.30 40-yard dash. Hall looks like he has great acceleration, instant acceleration on his tape, and he proved it on the explosive testing drills. 43.5 inch vertical jump and 11-8 broad jump.

            The Notre Dame WR Miles Boykin is another combine stud, but on tape he doesn’t have the instant acceleration that Hall has.

    • Coleslaw

      I like your thinking lol I put this together last night. (Although I’ve replaced Winovich with Walker because I think it’s more likely in the 3rd)

      2. Parris Campbell WR
      3. Chase Winovich DE
      3. Renell Wren DT
      4. Drew Sample TE
      5. Jamal Peters CB
      6. Preston Williams WR
      6. Greg Gaines DT
      7. Alec Ingold FB

      And an example of how we could get these picks:

      -Trade down to 32-40 for 3rd and 4th
      -Trade down from 4th to 5th for 6th
      -Trade down from 5th to 6th for 7th

    • Coleslaw

      I also really like Chritian Miller in the Walker spot if he’s available.

    • GoHawksDani

      I would love this draft.

      Campbell seems like a nifty dude. Think about how much db ankles would be broken with Lockett, Baldwin and Campbell. It could be a really strong WR group.

      Wren seems like a monster. Not too polished, but a lot of talent.

      Sample looked really good in the drills. Not Fant or Hockenson, but to me, he seemed better than Irv Smith.

      Hollins has upside and this is a dry LB class so I take what I can get.

      Doesn’t really know Peters

      I love Ingold. I really want the Hawks to get a legit FB. I wouldn’ even mind them taking a superb FB in the 4th/5th so the league can laugh at us only to be humbled when he makes the pro bowl as a rookie (just as with Dickson 😀 )

  11. Eburgz

    I like Okereke and Tranquil and I think they could be mid round linebacker targets. Both are high character guys who have good range, was happy to see them in the 4.5’s. Did Hanks pull his hammy running his 40 (4.99?!?)

    2 of my favorite prospects Tillery and Burns did a lot to help themselves and I’d love either as a hawk.

    With guys like Sweat and Burns rising up boards could we see Ferrell or more likley Polite falling into the hawks range? Polite in particular seems to be losing momentum considering his size concerns, character questions and now a bad/injured combine performance. I really don’t like it when a guy hurts himself running around in shorts but I’d be ok if we landed Polite or Dexter Lawrence considering the way they show up on tape. Lawrence is in a similar position to Polite where he seems to be losing momentum. Concerns about his pass rush upside, PED’s and now comes up lame during his 40 (didn’t hurt Vita Vea). Outside of Tillery (could argue he’s more 5T end than a 3T tackle) , Lawerence (could argue he likley goes early) not seeing many DT’s that are projected to last to our first pick that I’d want to take with our first pick (assuming Williams, Oliver, Wilkins go early)

    Edge feels the most likley first pick with WR second most likley. Wish we got to see a healthy DeAndre Walker and Christian Miller (hamstring) perform. Would have liked to see Austin Bryant also but not as high on him.

    • Rob Staton

      Lawrence’s ‘fall’ is overstated and the culmination of some weird ‘draft twitter’ group think. They hate him on there and are a little bit obsessed with him. It’s strange, like a lot of things on Twitter. He just ran a 5.05 forty at 342lbs with an incredible 10-yard split. He’s cool.

      Polite is falling and having a weird combine. He’s unlikely to be on Seattle’s radar given his profile and lack of length.

      Ferrell might drop a little after choosing not to run and ceding some momentum but he’s not going to tumble out of round one.

      It’s impossible to project Seattle’s likely first pick at the moment. Lot’s of options. We need to see how free agency plays out.

      • Eburgz

        True. I’m hoping we retain both Fluker/Sweezy, one of KJ/Kendrick’s and Coleman in free agency.

        Yeah I think the hesitation with Lawrence as more to do with people see him as a run stuffer. We’ve seen Jarran Reed fall due to similar concerns despite a great senior bowl and decent combine. We also saw similar concerns raised with Vita Vea (a better comp) and he went too 10. Lawrence underachieving after his freshman year combined with the failed PED test raises another flag that wasn’t there with Vea.

        • Rob Staton

          I don’t even think Lawrence underachieved to be honest. The Clemson D-line was fantastic for three years and he was a huge part of that. He just didn’t have a ton of sacks but people forget he’s 342lbs and playing next to Ferrell, Wilkins and Bryant.

    • drewdawg11

      Okereke is a player. He was a pain in the rear end every time UW played against Stanford. Fast, surprisingly physical, and instructive. He’s not a huge guy, (I thought he was a safety two years ago), but he won’t back down.

  12. Coleslaw

    I think Winovich should be firmly on the radar after the trade down. 1/4 of an inch can be overlooked with his workout. Pete Carroll talked earlier this week about poor measurements and times being offset by other traits. I believe that should be the case with Winovich.

    • Rob Staton

      He had a good workout but he’s not exactly so athletic to make you overlook a threshold on arm length.

      The big issue here is fit. And for me, he doesn’t fit. He’s a 3-4 OLB type who showed today some agility and quickness to handle that role. He’s not a long, lean LEO or a SAM/LEO.

      • Sanders

        I agree he is not the ideal fit, but he is about the same size as Jacob Martin. Winovich has a passion for the game which is something John Schneider wants in players.

        • Rob Staton

          I like him a lot as a player. Just not sure he’s a fit for Seattle’s scheme. And as you’ve just mentioned — they have Martin. I think what they really need is a Dion Jordan upgrade.

  13. GerryG

    Rob, thank you so much for suffering through days of awful television to bring us this. It is so great to be able catch up, and see the relevance to our team!

    Cheers

    • Rob Staton

      Thanks for reading!

  14. GauxGaux

    Rob, Jerry Tillery reminds me of our ex-girlfriend, Malik McDowell… workouts, character issues and untapped potential. Thoughts?

    With your approval, Rob…
    R2: Jerry Tillery
    R3: Terry McLaurin
    R3: Ben Banogu
    R4: Best Available Gaurd
    R5: Trevon Wesco
    R5: Lonnie Johnson

    Find an LB and QB/Safety help in FA.

    • Tecmo Bowl

      Tillery looked eerily similar to Mcdowell down to the facial hair. Tillery tested a bit better, but its close. The major difference between the 2 is one played through a shoulder injury down the stretch, while the other showed he didnt want to be there and quit.

      Tillery 6’6″ 295. 34 1/4″ AL 10 5/8″ Hands
      4.93 40
      23 BP
      32″ Vert
      115″ Broad
      7.45 3C
      4.33 SS

      Malik 6’6″ 295. 34 3/4″ AL 10 1/2″ Hands
      4.85 40
      23 BP
      28.5″ Vert
      112″ Broad
      7.69 3C
      4.53 SS

    • Eli

      If you have a subscription to The Athletic, there’s a great profile they did recently on Tillery. Really helped to clear up any “character concerns” chatter.

    • Rob Staton

      I think they are quite different on tape. McDowell did some freaky things. He could rush the EDGE with dip and a club/swim like a 250lbs rusher but then also played nose tackle for MSU. He had the best one-armed bull rush I’ve ever seen. Tillery is more of an orthodox athletic interior rusher.

      • GauxGaux

        Brilliant, replacing Tillery with Wren and taking Tell III instead of OG. Thanks, Rob!

  15. Rik

    I think LB is one of our biggest needs, especially if we lose KJ. I’m very much looking forward to pro days and learning more about some of the most productive mid-major LBs like Khalil Hodge and Ulysses Gilbert.

    Overall I was really impressed with the athleticism of the WRs and TEs – so many great options! But unimpressed with most of the LBs.

    • GerryG

      I agree with the LB need.

      But can that be addressed from this draft class picking in the second round?

    • 12th chuck

      I agree. even if we keep k.j., and Kendricks, we need a LB that can help cover the middle routes. That kills us on d, 3rd and 10 hasn’t been a big problem for our opponents. seems like our pass rush is only a step behind, and having a coverage LB would help

  16. JJ

    Any Flower convert options in reverse? CB to Safety?

    • Rob Staton

      We’ll find out tomorrow.

  17. Sea Mode

    Brilliant stuff here…

    Leigh
    @LeighMayock

    Quick bite with dad … he goes to use the restroom and opts to take his super secret draft binder WITH HIM TO THE BATHROOM rather than leave it with me for literally 2 minutes 😂😂😂 #rude #kindasmart

    3:06 PM – 3 Mar 2019 from NFL Scouting Combine

    • charlietheunicorn

      LMFAO. That is dedication right there. Hopefully the Raiders don’t drop a #2 on the draft. 😉

  18. Bankhawk

    Rob, do love the Seahawkers podcasts-Brandon Schultz is the perfect partner/set-up man for you. Not a slam on K.A. at all but the two of you together are so easy to listen to-a pure joy! And I gotta say, you are flat knocking it out of the park in your coverage this year. Keep it up, and thank you so much!

    • Rob Staton

      Thank you 👍🏻

  19. Awsi Dooger

    Sheldrick Redwine of the Canes might be worth a look at cornerback. He has long arms but switched inside after Miami lost the two safety starters after 2016. Many Canes observers think he is better suited to cornerback, if a team is patient with him and offers superior coaching.

    I think Isabella is underrated here. He simply causes problems.That flea flicker at Georgia is a perfect example. He caught it at the 25 on an under thrown ball but still had the instincts and competitiveness to weave and fight his way into the end zone, defeating two defenders multiple times. An ordinary player catches it and surrenders at the 25.

    • Rob Staton

      I don’t think he’s underrated here. I just don’t think the Seahawks will draft him and haven’t bought into the slightly OTT hype.

  20. DC

    Let’s get Frankie Clark wrapped up long term! That’s tops on my pass rush wish list.

  21. Del tre

    I would love to see BBK next to Wagner, hopefully PC and JS can pull off some magic this draft and snag several starter caliber players.
    Hollins at the right spot might just be a must draft, seems to hold his ground against linemen, he can drop back into coverage, seems like teams tended to run away from him. He doesn’t have Irvin’s statistics but he outdoes him in nearly every measurable area. He seems to get a lot of pressure but occasionally struggles to disengage his blocker, he’s a bit difficult to evaluate against the run because Oregon’s line was getting pushed back every play, but as I said he seems to set the edge and stand his ground.

  22. MarkinSeattle

    To the question about character concerns in regards to Tillery. As I follow Norte Dame, I can tell you that I have only heard good things about him. He is pretty opinionated on the political front, but teammates like him. I don’t think that will manifest as it did with Bennett. The reports I have seen more question his football commitment. Which I think is easy to do with ND football players. They don’t silo them in quaranteed dorms and demand the players focus solely on football like the SEC factories. I like his body type, a guy who can play end onearly run downs and can shift insideonpass downs. Our run defense really suffered last year.

    On Tranquil, gutsy player but undersized. Not sure if he can make it in the NFL. Can’t ignore his injury history.

    A name for a late OG pick: Alex Bars. He is still recovering from an ACL, but he really was the leader of a good OL before he went down. The difference was substantial. Might be one to watch as a late pick. Not as physically talented as QN, he is another in a recent pack of good ND OL coached by Heistand before he jumped to the Bears last year.

  23. millhouse-serbia

    It seems Adderley won’t run 40y. I dont get it…add weight and then affreid to run because he is slower …what’s the point…if.you will play with that weight show.how fast you can run…if you wont play at that weight why did you gain it…

  24. McZ

    The Hawks selected Shaqeem Griffin at LB a year ago. Motor, speed etc.
    Ben Burr-Kirven should definitely be brought into consideration.

    As far as DL gets, there will be a quite decent option at 40, and even 70 will feature good athletes. Same goes for OL, WR, TE. Finding corners or safeties has never been a problem, and the only guy worthy of R2 is Ya-Sin, where I smell a couple of teams overpaying.

    Our QB problem… maybe we should bring in a guy like Bridgewater instead of drafting. Not that I dislike the idea of drafting Will Grier, apart from his overshots to the right side he had a decent combine and his game tape is mostly excellent. I don’t think he will last longer than Chargers R1. Jake Browning had a decent Combine, too. I could see him being a R6-7 option, and he could outcompete it with Lynch and another guy.

    If we go into the draft with only four picks, I’m all for trading out of R2, accumulating picks in R3-5.

    • Rob Staton

      Shaquem ran a 4.37. BBK ran a 4.57. I don’t think we can use Shaquem as evidence for them drafting BBK. And FWIW —- Shaquem isn’t a starting WILL and neither is BBK based on what I’ve seen so far.

  25. Georgia Hawk

    I avoided this amazing web site all weekend just because I wanted to form my own unbiased opinion on some guys that stuck out, before reading Rob’s take.

    The one guy that (quite literally) jumped out to me was Banogu. This dude’s athletic profile just blew me away. Really hadn’t heard much about him prior to this weekend, even from the Senior Bowl. Looks like he was asked to switch to LB that week, and while it was new and he was learning all the fun pieces of it, he blew away the coaches with his smarts and adaptability.

    Rob, you singled him out as someone you want to take a closer look at, so I’m eagerly awaiting that piece. Right now he is the most intriguing guy I think is realistically within the Hawks reach after a trade down.

    • Rob Staton

      He’s a player who gained mixed reviews in college. I know some people who love him. I also know some people who thought he was a late round pick. I want to watch five games and form a strong opinion on what he has. The Seahawks, after all, have passed on a decent number of really athletic, long pass rushers who we assume they’ll be interested in. So I want to watch the tape and see if I can get a feel for what Banogu really is. Based on his workout however he’s certainly a player I’m looking forward to studying.

  26. Largent80

    I’m far from being a lawyer but if a person pleads guilty to a crime, isn’t there a sentencing guideline and probability of a known sentence in advance of the sentencing?

    Usually the lawyers work together to secure a sentence as long as the guilty party stays clean. This of course is in reference to Kendricks.

  27. GoHawksDani

    If we could get Wren, Omenihu, Winovich and Banogu (I know we don’t have 4 picks in rounds 2 where most of these guys will probably go) then I’d be a really happy guy.
    I feel like Wren and Banogu tested superb and they might have a really high ceiling, but they’re risky. Omenihu didn’t tested that well, but he’s overall solid guy. Winovich has some lenght questions but he’s in the top3 in a couple of drills.

    I agree with you. DTs and inside/out guys have some depth and we’ll probably could get a good guy in the second or third round. EDGE is a bit tight. I don’t feel that group. I think there could be a high ceiling guy who probably needs 1-2 years to develop or a guy who has some limitations. Depth is not that good either. You can get a solid rotational guy in the 3rd/4th round but hard to get a solid starter (while for the DT group you might be able to).
    I’m even more pessimistic about the LBs. I’m not really feeling anybody but if Kendricks go to jail and KJ asks for too much it will be a pretty glaring hole. I hope they can find 1-2 LB guys in later rounds who might have development value and high ceiling and get a gap-guy in FA for the next 1-2 years

  28. Tecmo Bowl

    “The reports I have seen more question (Tillery’s) football commitment.”

    JS’s go to saying last year was “all football”. Don’t think Tillery fits that description.

  29. Duceyq

    Watched yesterday and I was impressed by Hollins. I’m hoping JS trades back into the 2nd and 3rd and drafts Tillery iwith our first pick in the 2nd and then go after Hollins in the 3rd. Hollins can play edge or possibly be a replacement for KJ. He’s really a 3/4 stand up end.

    Would like to see Seattle target these draft players (no particular order)

    -Tillery DT
    -Hollins OLB/Edge
    -Moreau TE
    -Sample TE
    -Lukas Denis FS
    -Jamal Peters CB
    -Nate Hall LB
    -L.J. Collier OL
    -Okereke- LB
    -Hensen – SS
    -Deebo Samuels- WR

    • Duceyq

      Typo…LJ Collier DL

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