McGinn posts a mock draft
We’ve been referring to Bob McGinn’s posts for the last week on the blog. Last night he put out a mock draft. Over the last five years his mocks have ranked amongst the most accurate according to the Huddle Report.
There are some interesting picks. Teddy Bridgewater’s in the top ten despite everything we’ve heard over the last few weeks. Johnny Manziel goes to the Rams (it still seems unlikely to me given their continued staunch defense of Sam Bradford).
There’s also a couple of developing late trends — Jake Matthews going second overall, Ja’Wuan James at #19 to Miami (appears very likely). McGinn is projecting Mike Evans to Cleveland and Joel Bitonio to Carolina — Tony Pauline also put forward those two scenarios earlier in the day.
Most interesting for Seattle is the players still on the board at #32. Cody Latimer, Kelvin Benjamin, Dominique Easley, Cyrus Kouandjio and Morgan Moses are all there. If the board fell this way, the Seahawks would have some nice options.
McGinn has the Seahawks taking Ra’Shede Hageman. John McClain also made this projection today. He has rare size and athletic ability so it makes sense. And that brings me onto…
Use the SPARQ
I probably should’ve touched on this in my own mock yesterday.
The Seahawks are in a position now where they don’t have a ton of needs. They like the young depth they have. Remember the end of season press conference this year? In the past Pete Carroll’s been very open and honest about the teams biggest needs. This year he said the key was to keep the group together. No mention of the places they had to improve.
If they feel very positive about the young defensive linemen on the roster, Michael Bowie’s ability to play right tackle and the depth at receiver — this could be another opportunity to simply add a dynamic, unique athlete.
They took Christine Michael a year ago not because they had to have another running back — but because he was a SPARQ demon with incredible potential. There’s a lot to work with and develop. I could see a scenario this year where they may a similar pick even if they stay at #32. Who is this years SPARQ specialist?
This team has a Championship core. What’s the one thing Seattle’s opponents don’t want to see? Another incredible athlete they have to account for — on offense or defense.
So while I can see them going for a solid, long right tackle — I also think there’s every chance they’ll swing for the fences with another big time athlete on either side of the ball. Someone with unique qualities — and not necessarily at the positions we’ve focused on.
Manziel mystery continues
A few days ago Chris Mortensen reported Johnny Manziel wouldn’t get past Cleveland at #4. Then Jay Glazer shot down the report. Then Mike Mayock — a well sourced, big supporter of the Texas A&M quarterback — left him out of the top-15 of his mock draft.
It’s safe to say, nobody knows who’ll be drafting JFF.
Now we get this from ESPN’s Ed Werder:
ESPN's Ed Werder on Johnny Manziel: "He's not expected to be on the board past the No. 7 pick, which belongs to Tampa Bay." #Buccaneers
— Evan Silva (@evansilva) May 8, 2014
***UPDATE*** — Now Glazer is ruling this out too.
I think we’re all ready for less speculation and more answers. Only a few hours to go.
Our live Google Hang Out begins tonight at 4:45pm PST (just before the first round kicks off). I’ll also be providing analysis and answering questions in text form in partnership with the Seattle P.I. from 4:30pm. Both events will be live on the blog and I hope you’ll join us.
Rob,
If the Seahawks are looking for a big-time athlete with unique qualities, then the pick should be cornerback Stanley Jean-Baptiste from Nebraska. He jumped off the SPARQ charts for his athleticism. He had a great Pro Day. He is still a bit raw since he converted from wide receiver in college. Whenever I think of Jean-Baptiste, I am reminded of a quote by Coach Pete after the SuperBowl when he was asked if other teams would start copying what the Seahawks have done with big cornerbacks. He said, “That isn’t easy to do because there just aren’t too many human beings who have that combination of size and athleticism. They are rare.”
I fully expect Byron Maxwell to continue to improve this year and be a Pro-Bowl player. Since he will be an unrestricted free agent after next season, I think he will command more on the free agent market than the team can afford. Adding a corner who can be groomed to replace Maxwell would make sense. And we could use a little depth this year anyway in case of injury.
I think Jean-Baptiste could be a Pro-Bowl player in 2015 and an inexpensive elite talent at a premier position for the remainder of his rookie contract.
I saw Mike Mayock sent him to Seattle at 32 in his final mock draft last night.
With all the excitement over Richard Sherman’s signing yesterday, it got me thinking, “What could be better than this?” And some brain cell in the back of my head said, “Two Richard Shermans.”
Given their nature to pick DB’s late in the draft, the only way I think they’d take him is if the board is just barren of other good players, and Schneider can’t get a good deal to trade down.
I suspect they’ll like SJB, just not in round one.
Mayock mocked him to Seattle. It would be insurance if they feel like signing Maxwell is a long shot. The LOB would be even better with him there. Scary to think about that.
I’m not crazy about the idea to be fair. Doesn’t look like a round one guy to me.
Imagine for a moment if they can coach SJB up to 90% of Sherman. What a nightmare for 31 NFL teams. 🙂
Hey, I phoned my pick into 710 ESPN this morning and won a $50 gift certificate for berries for the wife.
Don’t let anybody ever tell you that all this analysis we do is a waste of time!
Really hoping for Bitonio, Easley or Latimer. One of those guys.
I’m pretty much the same. Bitonio, Latimer, Easley in that order.
But I’d still prefer an OLman above all else. Like if Ju’wan James were there instead of Bitonio I’d prefer him before other positions.
Ditto with me
Lattimer
Bitonio
Easley
In that order
Same same….
The logical in me says Bitonio. The insane, crazy, let’s put the nail in the coffin of everyone else in the NFL if we hit the grand slam says Easley.
Sankey, Bucannon, Latimer, and Easley are my predictions the seahawks will try and get in the early rounds
Still really hoping we find some way to get Latimer. Seems like the perfect fit. Would love to see Baldwin/Harvin/Latimer on the field at the same time.
My dream first two rounds went down in flames over the past few weeks. I was really hoping Shazier and Easley would be getting added to the Hawks D.
Love these two guys, both are great athletes and let Carroll and Quinn move them around to be as effective as possible.
Out of the list from McGinn’s mock, I like Easley or Latimer at 32.
My wild card is Allen Robinson. He high points the ball as well as anyone in the draft and fits what Seattle does. Don’t be shock if its his name called with their fist pick
4.6 forty might hurt him in terms of Seattle.
Despite having a 4.6 forty he has the 8th highest SPARQ number out of all the receivers in the draft. The only receiver with a 1-2 round grade that beats him is moncrief
I believe that SPARQ rating, calculated on Field Gulls, is using Robinson’s 4.4 at the Penn State Pro Day. Which is fine, as long as you’re willing to bump every other player up by 0.20 as well. Pro day times are always inflated and improved. If they put Robinson’s time down as a 4.60 he probably isn’t that high on the SPARQ list.
It used his Combine measurements which included a low-end estimated bench press.
I’m sure y’all are tired of me pounding the table for this guy but…
If you want SPARQ, I have 2 words for you: Ryan Shazier
He’ll be long gone sadly. #13 to the Rams is possible.
Hard core 12’s (eg, readers of this blog) will understand why there is virtually no chance that the Seahawks will draft Hageman R1. National reporters whose knowledge of most teams is a mile wide and an inch deep, have the impression (rightly) that Pete and John love bigger/faster/stronger athletes, and since Hageman is the very definition of these attributes, he gets mocked to Seattle. However, as we here all know, bigger/faster/stronger is only half of the equation….the other half being unquestioned competitiveness. Here, Hageman fails spectacularly.
Multiple reports have noted that Hageman is notorious for taking plays off, for not playing with maximum effort throughout the game, for embarrassing himself by getting after it only 5 or 6 plays in a game. Look over all of Pete and John’s drafts….can you name a single draft pick who had the consensus reputation for lacking competitive fire? If anything, this attribute is being emphasized this year even more than in the past. Hageman is this year’s Kawann Short. Remember last year, and several national mocks gave the Purdue DT to the Seahawks? But Short had the reputation for lack of competitive fire, and we tried to no avail to let all know that he was not going to Seattle. It will NOT be Hageman.
My best guess is Bryant, SE, R1; and Mewhort, RT, R2.
Hearing the past few days that both Benjamin and Bryant are now likely to be available at #32, I reviewed some of their games again. Bryant just leaps off the screen, saying “Pete’s Guy.” He has elite downfield speed, but more impressive for someone 6-4, he has electric separation quickness. He is raw, and will need a year of seasoning, but as the #5 WR this year, this is the perfect fit. If Percy Harvin was 6-4 instead of 5-11, he would look and run almost exactly like Bryant….narrow but loose hips, rapid-fire feet, an extra gear, and then another extra gear. Now, Percy being 5-11, is far faster than Bryant, but Martavis is 6-4, which Pete lusts for so much he probably has to take it into the confessional booth. Benjamin is more of an H-back, upon further review. He would be super in the red zone, but he does not bring the same lightening-strike-effect as Bryant….so, that’s my pick….Bryant for the long-sought Split End, at last (and this is the only year a guy like this will be there in late R1, or early R2 with a trade down).
Re Mewhort, there are actually a number of RTs that could be available at #64: Tiny Richardson, Billy Turner, LDT, Fleming and of course Mewhort. I don’t believe there is that much difference between Juwuan James, Morgan Moses, and these other guys, so John and Pete will wait until R2 for their RT. (Kouandjio and Bitonio will not be there at #32, both guys have too much value as potential LTs; and if James is also gone, as Rob projects, then this is a moot point.) Go Hawks!
Hageman’s tape vs Wisconsin is appalling.
Completely agree about Hageman. JS/PC have said countless times how we are looking for high character workers to come in and compete for a job. Hageman could by no sense of the imagination be described as a hard worker. He simply doesn’t bring it consistently. Great athlete poor character.
What do you guys think of Devin Street? Theres talk he could be there in the fourth, and hes a tall guy with speed. If we don’t want to go WR early, hes an option. Him and LDamian Washington.
I know you’re asking Rob – but I like Street a lot tall, fast and a good pass catcher, runs good routes. He needs to bulk up – I’m afraid he could get hurt. He reminds me of Sidney – long and lean. But with a lower round pick, he could be a nice addition.
Street I like in the later rounds. Washington for me will be an UDFA.
I’m going to go on a limb here and say we draft Brandon Cooks. Just to be a contrarian.
I could see St Louis taking Manziel if he was there at #13. But unless they never want to get their offensive line issues resolved IMO it’d be idiotic to take him at #2. But I could still see them doing it, seeing him as sort of the antidote against the Russell Wilsons and Colin Kaepernicks of the division.
I’m thinking Latimer or Bryant when they pick wide receiver in first round. Because a wide receiver is a difference maker. Plus what happens to the wide receiving corp if Harvin gets injured. Baldwin would be our #1?
Second round, I agree with brother James that they will pick best right tackle available. I’m sure who ever they pick will be as good as Giacommini was for us and hopefully they will have a name that is easier to spell like Turner.
Surprise pick of the draft: Oakland Raiders pick Johhny Manziel or some other QB first round.
The non-surprise move will be San Fran trading up and picking Shazier. Hah bet you didn’t think they would get their hands on Shazier!
“Plus what happens to the wide receiving corp if Harvin gets injured. Baldwin would be our #1?”
I’d ask the same question with regards to the offensive line. What happens when Okung goes down? Carpenter slides over to left tackle? HAHEOHOEHOAHEOHAOEHOAEHAOA. For Wilson’s sake I hope not. Is Bowie supposed to play left tackle? EEYIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEAHHHHHHHHH. That’s a terrifying thought.
I’d argue that offensive line is more of a priority for the first round because there will be far less qualified tackle candidates in the 2nd round capable of playing left tackle if Okung goes down than carp or bowie.
Not only that, but the receivers, even ones that might be available in the 1st, still won’t necessarily be up to speed to start and make an impact from day one.
I’m assuming Alvin Bailey is our reserve LT…and from what we’ve seen, is pretty damn good in pass pro on the left side.
This has bee my thinking too. And I’ll take it a step further and say he may even be a candidate to replace Okung at LT outright. What little I have seen of him at tackle has made me go ‘wow’. I am somewhat surprised there is not more talk of Bailey in this capacity.
Seriously? I seem to remember holding penalties and not really cutting it when he played there late season. Nor has he shown he can be consistent there in a full time role against the best pass rushers. He’s barely gotten his feet wet.
I’ll re-emphasize I’ve seen very little of him, just 2013 pre-season, but I agree with Dregur that I was struck by his pass protection potential. All rookie lineman get holding penalties. More important, he flashed dominance at times. What I would like to see is Bowie take the LG spot for a decade and Bailey at RT, with Bailey getting a shot to compete for LT if/when we move on from Okung.
But Bowie is slotted to compete for the right tackle spot, at least that’s what Pete said last week. I don’t think he’s being considered for left guard spot at this time. Bailey would be before Bowie I think because RT is far more important and there’s no one to lock it down. Bailey’s got less experience. They’ve got to find more depth in this draft, and not just last round guys that will take years for seasoning, but guys that will compete immediately.
I have wondered if offensive linemen are better on one side then the other based on whether they were right or left handed. Are lefties better at left guard/tackle?
Seems odd to switch a tackle from one side to the other and expect the same performance. Or does it seem like something new to the tackle and they enjoy it more then the same boring pass rush from the old side?
I played all over the line growing up, and on pulling plays, I had a little better getoff going towards the right, my plant hand. Other then that its pretty much the same.
Pete Carroll is starting to drop his draft day clues. His first one is the Chris Farley SNL sketch “Van down by the River.” Everyone is guessing that it’s going to be Jordan Matthews (VANderbilt) or Kyle VAN Noy. I think both are a reach in round 1, but we’ve seen the Hawks surprise us before (Irvin and Carp). Thoughts on both those guys Rob?
Hooboy! Pete and John are 100% locked in on their guy.
Could also be Brandon Coleman. Rutgers is down by the Raritan River in NJ. Seahawk scouts also went to Rutgers twice a few years ago. I presumed it was to give extra attention to Khaseem Green, but they may have just been watching Coleman the whole time.
possibly one of the VAN’s after a trade DOWN
Mick Foley was a played by Chris Farley who is a very big man. I interpret it as they will take a big guy… Easley, Cyrus, Bitonio…. Thanks Pete… Really narrows it down!
PC just tweeted another clue of Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly being asked to host the ESPY awards and then making a crazy list of demands. People speculating that they’re going to try to trade out of the 1st. God, I love this day!
I’m thinking Donte Moncrief since Ole Miss is down by the river.
Clue #1 ? Chris Farley wore #59 in high-school. Maybe someone who sported #59? Maybe a trade down to #59? Maybe not relevant at all?
Clue #2 – Sounds like PC/JS hammering some GM looking for pick #32.
Darn it! Every state has a river!!
I wouldn’t want either in round one. Worth noting on clue #3 the reference to golf. Deone Bucannon played four years of golf in high school. Also a few ‘Tiger’ references which could refer to several schools (LSU, Clemson, Mizzou, Auburn).
In 8 hours we’re going to look back at these clues like a Nostradamus quatrain and shoehorn the clues in retroactively.
PC just tweeted what he says is the best clue they’ve ever given. It’s the tranquilizer to the neck seen from Old School. I’m so confused.
Sean William Scott: “You’ve got a f***ing dart in your neck…”
Will Farrell: “You’re crazzzzzzzy… I like you”
I’m lost too!!!
I just read a mock that had us taking the following.
1. Joel Bitonio, OT
2. Marcus Smith, DE
4. Phillip Gaines, CB
5. Jeff Janis, WR
5. Blake Annen, TE
6. Carlos Fields, OLB
Not sure how I feel about it. Seems like good value with the first two picks. Doesn’t sound realistic though. Could Smith fall that far?
I think they could pick Smith at 32
I’m sticking with my pick of Easley at 32.
The one wildcard could would be Latimer, but I’ve been under the impression that he won’t be there.
Round 2 will be one of Montcrief/bryant/coleman
I’m predicting we trade with Minnesota. They have traded back in to the first round the last two years and they own our third round pick from the Harvin trade. Move down eight spots to get our third rounder back. It seems like a possibility to me.
Rick Spielman loves a trade back into round one. He’s down it twice already.
“Angry Doug” is in preliminary talks about an extension. I like it!!!
where did you see this at?
TNT linked a chat he did and he answered that question specifically. Says he talked to his agent and John Schnieder that day
Doug hinted at it here…
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/05/08/doug-baldwin-in-preliminary-talks-on-new-contract/
Rob- What are your thoughts on Devin Street as a 4th/5th RD consolation prize at WR? Lacks breakaway speed, but what he lacks there he makes up for with great height, hands, toughness and smarts…
If they miss out on their RD 1/2 targets, I wouldn’t hate coming away with one of him, Norwood or Janis in the late RDs
I like him in that 5th round range. Good call.
So “IF” there is no good values for WRs in rd 1 and 2… Could you see the Hawks sending a 6th to Buffalo for Stevie Johnson?
His contract would be an issue. I don’t see it.
He drops too many passes.
A tweet just came out saying that a trade involving Ryan Mallett to the Texans is pretty close to being done. That doesn’t help our cause if trading down becomes a focal point.
I know… I just thought the same thing
Kiper’s final mock is out and he sends Moses to the Seahawks, with Benjamin and Bryant still on the board at WR. OT is certainly an informed guess, and with James and Bitonio off the board but Kouandjio still available, but his medicals unknown, Moses is a logical choice. McMinn is the other draft analyst, in addition to Kiper, who is traditionally the most accurate, and we have already dispatched his mock of Hageman to Seattle. I would go WR in R1, Bryant over Benjamin, and RT in R2.
Ryan Shazier is such a tempting athlete… And then you watch him her swallowed up against the run. The Niners would kill him. Any team that runs power sets will expose the kid. He’s a safety playin at linebacker in many respects. He’s just not that physical and I like physical. Now, would I take him after the first round? Sure.
Happy draft day everyone – only a couple hours until it starts! Should be fun and GO HAWKS!
The rich-get-richer. What are the Seahawks two major needs? An OL and WR. And the two strongest positions in the draft? OL and WR. We should come away from the first two rounds with two players much better than you would normally expect drafting at the bottom of the round. Go Hawks!
Interesting.
Alex Flanagan from NFL Network is in Renton for the draft. She just said that she talked to Schneider and he said it’s “fairly realistic” that they trade out of the 1st.
He also added that he’s already talking to a few teams about it.
I hate trading down for selfish reasons but also it seems like some teams trade down for the sake of trading down and miss out on players that could of had an impact. I hope we don’t move down and miss out on guys we will later regret. Although this regime deserves the benefit of the doubt for sure. Slow day! lol
I usually hate trading down but with only 6 picks, a move down to mid second round wouldn’t bother me if we got a third rounder out of it. Alternatively a trade with Cleveland would only be moving down 4 spots and we could get a 5th rounder out of them.
What do you guys think of Scott Chricton compared to Trent Murphy, as a Duck fan, those two have bneen headaches for a few years. Both have good motors. Any chance theyre there in the 4th? If not,i think Chrictons wortha 2nd rounder, he reminds me of Kearney
Here’s my final mock:
032. Traded to MIN. SEA will receive MIN’s 2nd rd pick (40) and 4th rd pick (108th)
040. Martavis Bryant (WR, Clemson)
064. Antonio Richardson (OT, Tennessee)
108. Dontae Johnson (CB, NCSU)
132. Laurent Duvernay-Tardif (OL, McGill)
146. Jordan Zumwalt (LB, UCLA)
172. Brandon Denmark (DE, Florida A&M)
208. Chris Whaley (DL, Texas)
House….a man after my own heart. This would be perfect.
Every year I have gotten 2 players right for SEA (not claiming I got the pick # right). This yr is the most perplexing by far!
Nice call House!!! Love it!
Nailed it…congratulations! I trust PCJS to select the best players for their diabolical Win Forever plan. From my limited vantage point, Martavis Bryant looks like our guy. He is an enormous red zone target that high points and flashes vicious competitiveness on 50/50 balls. He is as quick as a little speedster AND has the overdrive gear with those long strides. His ability to take the top off the D and force the Safety to abandon the middle of the field creates a lethal dynamic when combined with Percy Harvins “special skills!!!”
My prediction: Trade down AND select Martavis Bryant!
Robert… Look at my mock above! LOL
High fives! Now if we could just trade those two 4ths straight across for two fifths, we could restock our shelves with PRO-BOWLERS…LOL!!!
For those watching the live feed from the Seahawks war room, does anyone know who the guy sitting at John’s left is, the one he is often talking to?
CALLED IT!!!
Great move by Petey and Johnny! Easley and Smith gone – drop down and there will still be guys they want!! Go Hawks!
Lee dropping like a rock. Dude is injured.
http://www.sportsradiokjr.com/media/podcast-mitch-in-the-morning-ondemand-mitchinthemorning/512-john-schneider-24760769/