HIGHLIGHTS
— Kevin White runs an official 4.35
— Jaelen Strong runs a 4.46, jumps a 42-inch vertical
— Amari Cooper & Devante Parker also run in the low 4.4’s
— Nelson Agholor runs an impressive 4.41 but dislocates finger
— Tre McBride runs a 4.41, Devin Smith a 4.42
— Jalen Collins’ arms longer than Seattle’s cut-off of 32 inches
— Waynes, Peters, Rowe have sub-32 inch arms
— Jameis Winston, Marcus Mariota thrive during throwing drills
— Running backs fail to impress
— Melvin Gordon runs unofficial times of 4.52 and 4.53
— Shane Ray won’t workout at the combine due to injury
We’re live blogging throughout the combine. Keep refreshing this page for the latest Seahawks news, data from the cornerback measurement session and notes on the QB/RB/WR workouts as they take place today (beginning 6AM PST).
Before we get started, a further thought on the offensive linemen from yesterday. I’ve been thinking this morning — what constitutes a ‘Seahawks’ type of offensive lineman? Given their penchant for difference making athleticism and unique physical qualities, that’s not necessarily what they’ve gone with on the O-line. There’s nothing particularly ‘SPARQ-y’ about James Carpenter (first round pick), Justin Britt (second round pick) or John Moffitt (third round pick). It’s in the later rounds where they’ve looked to target physical upside (J.R. Sweezy, Garrett Scott).
Tom Cable clearly has a lot of sway in the decision making here. He knows what he wants — and essentially, we don’t. He’ll take the length and brutish size of Carpenter (plus the masses of tape showing an excellent run blocker at Alabama). He’ll take the workmanlike nature of Moffitt or the wrestling background and honesty of Britt. He has his guys and they don’t always fit a ‘type’.
If the Seahawks are considering drafting an offensive lineman early, I’m not sure we can assume what type of prospect it would be. It could be the size of an Ereck Flowers, the rare athleticism of Jake Fisher or the versatility of Cameron Erving. It might be the toughest pick to work out if, for example, the Seahawks let Carpenter walk in free agency and fill other needs (WR/TE/DL/CB). A case can be made for the #31 pick providing a bit of a sweet spot on the offensive line.
The first group of quarterbacks run the forty without any headlines. Brett Hundley managed a 4.63. Now it’s time for the receivers.
Nelson Agholor — 4.44
Mario Alford — 4.43
Kenny Bell — 4.42
Sammie Coates — 4.45
Chris Conley — 4.41
Amari Cooper — 4.43
Jamison Crowder — 4.56
Stefon Diggs — 4.46
Phillip Dorsett — 4.35
Devin Funchess — 4.70
Antwan Goodley — 4.46
Dorial Green-Beckham — 4.50
Rashad Greene — 4.47
Justin Hardy — 4.56
Mike Mayock calls Nelson Agholor a second round pick, praising his punt return qualities. His first run is a nice 4.44. Agholor and Amari Cooper ran faster than Sammie Coates in the initial run through. Here’s a note — Cooper and Coates have the same weight, height and speed (based on the unofficial times). I noted earlier in the week I didn’t expect Dorsett to run sub-4.3 — he manages an unofficial 4.35 in the first run.
Devin Funchess ran with a long stride. He’s incredibly long in the frame. He’s a build-up speed runner and it showed with his forty. A 4.70 would’ve looked good with the TE’s yesterday, but here it doesn’t look so great with all this speed on display. Dorial Green-Beckham had a nice 4.50 to start and appeared to be carrying the extra weight well. Mike Evans ran an official 4.53 last year.
The NFL Newtwork is showing a comparison between Agholor and Jeremy Maclin. Very similar physical traits. Worth noting — Maclin glides as a runner. We don’t see that from Agholor. There are very few receivers in the league with Maclin’s suddenness.
Second attempts:
Nelson Agholor — 4.47
Mario Alford — 4.45
Kenny Bell — 4.40
Sammie Coates — 4.43
Chris Conley — 4.35
Amari Cooper — 4.42
Jamison Crowder — 4.58
Stefon Diggs — 4.50
Phillip Dorsett — 4.33
Devin Funchess — 4.70
Antwan Goodley — 4.46
Dorial Green-Beckham — 4.49
Rashad Greene — 4.54
Justin Hardy — 4.62
Sammie Coates is in incredible shape. Not that you didn’t know that already. Fantastic athlete. Really inconsistent and suspect hands though. Amari Cooper ran a fantastic time. He’s the most natural receiver to enter the league since A.J. Green and could go just as early (top five).
Devin Funchess is in incredible shape and has great length too. But two 4.70’s just highlights why he should’ve worked out yesterday. Why not look great at the position you’re most likely to play (tight end) instead of looking like a big, slow receiver? Not helping matter, Dorial Green-Beckham is the same size as Funchess and ran a 4.50 and a 4.49.
We’re now waiting for the drills to begin. Rich Eisen and Mike Mayock are discussing Jameis Winston. Apparently Steve Mariucci told Eisen Winston is the most impressive prospect he’s met with. For the last few years, Mariucci has down a whiteboard session with one quarterback prospect. Last year it was Blake Bortles.
The first drill is a toe-tap exercise. The quarterback is having an issue putting the ball in the right place. Really messy drill so far. The ball is being thrown short or too high. Amari Cooper catches his throw but it warned to be faster by the coaches (he jogged the drill). Phillip Dorsett made a nice two-handed catch. Devin Funchess and Dorial Green-Beckham also caught the ball well here.
The quarterbacks continue to struggle and it’s hurting the receivers on the deeper routes. They’re slowing up to track the ball in the over-the-shoulder downfield throws. It’s messy. It’s making this session pretty much a write-off. How can you judge these receivers? Just for comparison, the second group of receivers get Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota throwing at them.
It’s more of the same in the gauntlet. Errant throws, balls flying into the receivers face. Devin Funchess dropped a pass straight into his hands. Dorial Green-Beckham had a really nice gauntlet and so did Justin Hardy.
Nelson Agholor had an exceptional gauntlet. EXCEPTIONAL. Caught two really difficult passes away from his body. Great instinct and feel, soft hands, cupping the ball. Agholor is having a great day as expect. Sammie Coates had a clean run but let one ball into his frame. Amari Cooper looked polished but double-caught his last ball. DGB let four balls into his frame and didn’t pluck. Devin Funchess also let some throws into his body but also had a nice high-pointed grab.
The funny thing about DGB is he doesn’t look long. He’s tall, but not long for the height. He only has 32 and a half inch arms at 6-5. Funchess should’ve worked out yesterday. He’s not a fluid, sudden athlete. He’s stiff. His best skills are boxing out defenders, throwing a head-fake to get open and winning contested passes. You can’t show that off here. Instead he looked like a big, slow receiver. He would’ve shone in a bad tight end group yesterday — and it’s almost certain he ends up working as a move-TE/ or slot/seam receiver at the next level.
Agholor for me has been the most impressive player so far catching the ball and running in the 4.4’s will aid his stock. There’s a lot of similar receivers in this group — 6-1/6-2, over 200lbs, running in the 4.4’s. It wouldn’t be a surprise at all if Seattle dropped back into the second round and targeted a guy like Agholor. He’s a reliable, competitive receiver with kick return skills. And he can do this:
Agholor had the best ten yard split among receivers too at 1.53. That’s sudden.
The quarterback group, which is incredibly mediocre, are now going through passing drills. We sit and wait for the next group of receivers to run the forty.
One of the QB’s just threw deep to Sammie Coates who dropped the football. Mike Mayock highlights it — when he has to adjust and track the football, he struggles. Coates the athlete is top-notch. But Coates the receiver just isn’t all that great.
You see this from Coates also. Deep tracking. https://t.co/MVo4mHxavH
— Joe G (@JoeGoodberry) February 21, 2015
This is what you'll see on many of Coates successful catches. Isn't a plucker, but a trapper. pic.twitter.com/LsRkuHoMsW
— Joe G (@JoeGoodberry) February 21, 2015
The second group of receivers are going through the jumps. Jaelen Strong posted a 42-inch vertical, which is not a surprise at all. He has basketball bloodlines and consistently won in jump-ball situations in college. He’s only 6-2 with 32 and a half inch arms, but that’s some vertical jump there. His forty will be interesting to see today.
Jaelen Strong’s 42” vertical is third best of the last 10 years at the Combine for wideouts.
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) February 21, 2015
Nelson Agholor dislocated a finger during the drills.
Yesterday Tony Pauline reported Philadelphia had interest in Byron Maxwell (and might be willing to pay him $10m APY). Today, Pauline links James Carpenter to the Jets:
Combine Saturday: Eric Eiland/DE/Houston headed to the supplemental draft? Jets in the running for James Carpenter http://t.co/KVKIsN12TK
— Tony Pauline (@TonyPauline) February 21, 2015
Pauline’s report also says Julius Thomas is “done” in Denver. He could be a target for the Seahawks. He also has quotes from former Cleveland offensive coordinator regarding Joel Bitonio: “Shanahan called (Bitonio) ‘great’ and the ‘best rookie lineman I ever coached’.”
The cornerback measurements are coming in. Marcus Peters is 6-0, 192lbs with 31.5 inch arms. Trae Waynes is 6-0, 186lbs with 31 inch arms. P.J. Williams is 6-0, 194lbs with 31 inch arms. Eric Rowe is 6-1, 205lbs with 31.5 inch arms. Jalen Collins is 6-1, 203lbs with 32 and 1/8 inch arms. Out of all the cornerbacks in this class — Collins is the most intriguing to me. Incredible potential and should be a top-20 pick.
The 32-inch arms are key for the Seahawks. You can probably rule out an early pick at the position unless Collins falls. We highlighted Alex Carter at Stanford as an option — he has 32 and 1/8 inch arms. We’re still waiting on Damian Swann’s numbers. You might be able to rule out Peters, Waynes, Rowe, Williams and a few others.
Jaelen Strong also had a 10-3 in the broad jump to go with a 42-inch vertical. That’s explosive. He’s a good forty away from being a very, very intriguing player. He couldn’t separate in college but he’s showing a ton of athletic potential here. Mike Mayock says he has a Larry Fitzgerald body type.
Devante Parker had a 10-5 in the broad.
The next group of quarterbacks are preparing to run the forty yard dash.
Sean Mannion — 5.16 & 5.14
Marcus Mariota — 4.52 & 4.56
Nick Marshall — 4.60 & 4.54
Blake Sims — 4.59 & 4.58
Jameis Winston — 4.97 & 4.99
Chris Conley who worked with the first group of receivers just recorded an 11-7 broad jump and a 45-inch vertical. That is incredible. We need to go back and look at this guy. He suffered in Georgia playing for two quarterbacks who couldn’t throw deep. He ran a 4.35 earlier (unofficial). He did drop a few passes during drills.
Time for the second group of wide outs.
Tony Lippett — 4.67
Tyler Lockett — 4.40
Vince Mayle — 4.73
Tre McBride — 4.41
Ty Montgomery — 4.58
J.J. Nelson — 4.29
Devante Parker — 4.45
Devin Smith — 4.47
Jaelen Strong — 4.51
Darren Waller — 4.46
Kevin White — 4.35
That’s a really poor first attempt for Tony Lippett and Vince Mayle. Ouch.
Tre McBride has a superb 4.41 and looked really, really smooth. He’s one of my favorite players in the draft — we wrote about him here. That is a fantastic time to go with his natural competitive spirit, ability to make chunk plays, catching technique and special teams value. I’d consider him in the late second or early third round, if not higher.
Pete Carroll and John Schneider are spotted making a lot of notes in their booth during the forty runs for this second group of receivers. No surprise there.
Devin Smith with a surprisingly slow 4.47 the first time around. A 4.51 will help Jaelen Strong — he’s had a fantastic day so far. Darren Waller is also having a tremendous day with a 4.46.
Since 1999, only three 6'2"+ players have posted a better vertical than Jaelen Strong's 42". That's including all positions. 17 years.
— Zach Whitman (@zjwhitman) February 21, 2015
Kevin White just ran a 4.35. That could be enough to usurp even Amari Cooper. If that stands officially he could easily be a top-10 pick. Outstanding. So far White and Jaelen Strong are significantly boosting their stock. Having pondered whether Strong could be an option for the Seahawks at #31, he could easily be gone now. If Cooper, White and Parker boost their stock into the top-15, you know Kansas City at #18 will take a receiver.
Here are the second runs:
Tony Lippett — 4.62
Tyler Lockett — 4.40
Vince Mayle — 4.67
Tre McBride — 4.41
Ty Montgomery — 4.55
J.J. Nelson — 4.36
Devante Parker — 4.50
Devin Smith — 4.42
Jaelen Strong — 4.44
Darren Waller — 4.54
Kevin White — 4.36
Tre McBride pumped up after his second run, saying to himself, “Let’s go”. Mayock enjoys that. McBride very exciting prospect. Jaelen Strong runs an even better forty time the second time around with a 4.44. Why couldn’t he separate in college? Everything he’s done today was explosive — forty, vertical, broad. That’s a question we need to ask going back into the tape. On this athletic display he could easily go in the first round.
Kevin White validates his first time with a 4.36. There’s a headline for you. He is going to go in the top-12 with a time like that. Oakland, the Jets, St. Louis, Minnesota and Cleveland have a need at the position.
Onto the drills…
Kevin White is putting on a clinic. He’s tracking the ball on the downfield routes, he tapped his toes nicely on the initial drill. The tape is great, he’s having a fantastic combine. He’s gritty. His catchphrase became the slogan for WVU’s season in 2014 (“Too easy”). He is going to go very early.
4.35 #Tooeasy
— Dana Holgorsen (@Holgorsendana) February 21, 2015
Kevin White has to go get this one. Does a great job. https://t.co/tjLO0sjauU
— Joe G (@JoeGoodberry) February 21, 2015
Tre McBride was given a difficult gauntlet but did well to catch one ball thrown behind. Devante Parker sauntered through his gauntlet. He caught the ball well but never got out of third gear. Jaelen Strong and Devin Smith also aced the gauntlet. Darren Waller looked uncomfortable and dropped a couple. He looks fantastic for his size though. Remember, earlier he ran in the 4.4’s. Kevin White looked great. Tyler Lockett looking smooth in the gauntlet — no drops.
One thing is clear watching the receivers today — this is an incredibly athletic group. Much faster than we anticipated. You’ve got all types too — bigger, slot, sudden, jump ball specialists. You can either go early on one of the studs or wait a little while for a Tre McBride. Or double down. Great class — and another good year at a position Seattle still has a need.
Parker’s second gauntlet was even slower. He trundled along drawing criticism from Mike Mayock. He’s playing it too safe.
Daniel Jeremiah compares Kevin White to Julio Jones. Suddenly it doesn’t seem unrealistic. So who fancies trading up ala Atlanta?
The quarterback drills are underway but Tyler Lockett just made a stunning leaping catch on a deep pass. Jameis Winston is hitting the mark on the majority of his throws. There’s a real vibe this week that he’s going to be the #1 pick. Bryce Petty is throwing the ball well. He seems to be in pole position to be the #3 quarterback after Winston and Mariota.
Winston is now throwing down the left sideline and it’s a beautiful sight. Effortless. He looks the part here and aced his media interview last night. Mariota isn’t far behind in the same drill. Winston is almost leading the group drill-to-drill, he’s encouraging the rest of the guys along while the rest remain pretty silent. Greg Knapp (former Seahawks OC who’s leading the drill) is asking him all the questions before each drill.
Jameis Winston's natural accuracy is rare. Unique trait. Makes it look so easy!
— Todd McShay (@McShay13) February 21, 2015
On the last throw on a short-and-out-drill, Winston barks out to the receiver, “Let’s save the best for last” before throwing a dime. He’s showing alpha-male traits here, leadership and confidence. Both of the top two quarterback prospects are performing very well. This should be a lesson for future prospects debating whether they should throw at the combine.
Jaelen Strong dropped a few during the drills.
Good year to be a team in need of a WR.
— Daniel Jeremiah (@MoveTheSticks) February 21, 2015
That’s the end of the throwing drills. Next up today — the running backs.
Mike Mayock, who just had some nice praise for LSU cornerback Jalen Collins, called Melvin Gordon “special”. Get ready for a huge performance here.
By the way — we’re still waiting for most of the broad/vertical jump numbers for the receivers, or a full list of measurements for the DB’s. It’s taking a while to get this information out this year.
Running back forty yard dash (first attempt)
Ameer Adbullah: 4.61
Jay Ajayi: 4.62
Buck Allen: 4.55
Cameron Artis-Payne: 4.54
Malcolm Brown: 4.67
David Cobb: 4.81
Mike Davis: 4.61
Michael Dyer 4.58
Melvin Gordon: 4.52
Duke Johnson: 4.55
Matt Jones: 4.62
Jeremy Langford: 4.43
Josh Robinson: 4.71
T.J. Yeldon: 4.65
Apparently Jay Ajayi was born in England. That should provide a nice boost to his stock. David Cobb pulled up with a quad injury during his forty yard dash.
Some of the official forty times are coming in. Marcus Mariota had a 4.52, Phillip Dorsett managed a 4.33.
As good as 2014's group of WR's were in the NFL, 2015 has even more freaks: Big, fast, strong, unique & the Hawks could use a couple of 'em
— Brock Huard (@BrockESPN) February 21, 2015
Pete Carroll and John Schneider are not actively writing down notes and times during the running back forty’s. They were very active during the receiver drills.
I think on this occasion, you can read a ton into that. Expect Marshawn Lynch to re-sign. Expect the Seahawks to go receiver with at least one of their early picks.
Not much to get excited about so far with the running backs. Even Melvin Gordon ran in the 4.5’s. He also had a 35-inch vertical earlier. I thought he’d do better than that to be honest. As the receivers rise, the running backs are heading the other way. We’ve seen all the running backs run once and it’s been pretty underwhelming. Todd Gurley’s stock is rising and he’s stood watching the drills.
Second attempts:
Ameer Adbullah: 4.62
Jay Ajayi: 4.57
Buck Allen: 4.53
Cameron Artis-Payne: 4.53
Malcolm Brown: 4.62
David Cobb: DNP
Mike Davis: 4.63
Michael Dyer: 4.63
Melvin Gordon: 4.53
Duke Johnson: 4.60
Matt Jones: 4.61
Jeremy Langford: 4.43
Josh Robinson: 4.77
T.J. Yeldon: 4.61
This comparison raised a laugh from Mike Mayock:
The NFL Network created a system to churn out these comparisons based on physical attributes. Yesterday’s examples weren’t too bad, today’s have been all over the place. Clearly Lynch and Gordon are very different backs. He completed two runs at 4.52 and 4.53. That’s a fair bit slower than Jamaal Charles — the player Gordon is usually compared to. This isn’t the big day we expected and it could impact his stock.
Of all the players standing out in this running back class, Michigan State’s Jeremy Langford has been the most impressive so far. Great size and ran two 4.43’s.
Rand Getlin is reporting the Seahawks have offered Marshawn Lynch $20m over two years:
Sources: #Seahawks offer to Marshawn Lynch would pay between $11M and $12M in first year. http://t.co/AqwIPRdq2n pic.twitter.com/IpzjFhHb7I
— Rand Getlin (@Rand_Getlin) February 21, 2015
It’s essentially a three-year deal according to Getlin, with up-front pay in the first two years. It would allow the Seahawks to assess the situation after the 2016 season — and delay the need to go big on a running back replacement. They are trying to maintain the status quo and keep one of only two true starts on offense in place. They need to add receiving weapons to help Russell Wilson, not take away their only top-tier skill position player.
Instead of making the pipe-dream move for Ndamukong Suh, they might use any spare cap money to go after Julius Thomas while also adding a receiver early in the draft. That would bolster the offense significantly. They’d still need to focus on replacing James Carpenter if he moves on, plus Byron Maxwell. Defensive line depth could also be considered.
The running backs are going through drills. Duke Johnson gets a few cheers from the coaches for his cut and run — as did Florida’s Matt Jones. Josh Robinson ran two slow times and looks a bit sluggish during drills. T.J. Yeldon looks big and it shows — he’s not quite as sharp in these drills as he looked during the early days at Alabama. His footwork was plodding and he struggled to change direction off the cut. He could do with dropping a few pounds.
Sammie Coates had a 10-11 broad jump and a 41-inch vertical. Special, but we knew that already. If only he had hands.
Dee Hart had some nice change of direction skills in the slalom, drawing applause. He finished with a nice spin-move flourish too. Impressive run. Melvin Gordon didn’t look quite as fluid as I expected. The group overall again looked average. Duke Johnson ran the slalom nicely.
More of the official forty times are coming in for the receivers:
Phillip Dorsett — 4.33
Tyler Lockett — 4.40
Tre McBride — 4.41
Devin Smith — 4.42
Nelson Agholor — 4.42
Amari Cooper — 4.42
Compare those times to this group of running backs. They just look slow. The entire group.
McBride’s 4.41 is impressive. We talked about him earlier today, but it validates what you see on tape. He high points the ball, makes circus catches, always competes and plays big. He’s an exciting prospect. Nelson Agholor’s 4.42 is also impressive.
Vertical jumps:
Jaelen Strong — 42″
Sammie Coates — 41″
Devin Smith — 39″
Devin Funchess — 38.5″
Tre McBride — 38″
Darren Waller — 37″
Kevin White — 36.5″
DeVante Parker — 36.5″
Dorial Green-Beckham — 33.5″
Amari Cooper — 33″
DGB might have Mike Evans size and speed, but he has considerably shorter arms (smaller wingspan) and his vertical jump is 3.5 inches shorter. In terms of a catch radius, Evans is far superior.
Tre McBride had a 38-inch vertical to go with his 4.41. He’s 6-2 and 205lbs with room to get up to 210lbs.
Some breaking injury news:
Shane Ray isn't working out at the combine because of a foot injury but will at his pro day.
— Dan Kadar (@MockingTheDraft) February 21, 2015
So no Shane Ray tomorrow.
The running backs are now going through catching drills. Melvin Gordon impressed in the corner route, flew down the sideline and made a safe catch. Matt Jones dropped his pass. Jeremy Langford continues to show as much promise as anyone from this group. Josh Robinson is a fantastic catcher (huge hands) and he made a couple of good catches in the throwing drills.
The forty times were average for this group, but the vertical jumps were better. Ameer Abdullah managed a 42-inch vert, Jay Ajayi had a 39-inch vert. Melvin Gordon only managed a 35-inch vert in comparison. I’m not convinced the Seahawks will draft a running back if they re-sign Lynch to a new deal. Why would they with Robert Turbin and Christine Michael under contract? What have we seen here to think they’d draft a RB?
It’s clear what the priorities are — WR, DL, OL and TE if they don’t fill that need in free agency (I think they will).
Things are winding down now (Rich Eisen and Mike Mayock have finished for the day already). I’ll have a review piece on the blog later today discussing the receivers and the options Seattle has at #31.
Real shame we don’t get to see Gurley workout, love his build, love his tape, even like how he’s going about his rehab.
I hope we can get our hands on Coates too. I’m fetishing him to an extent because his build is just so ridiculous (33 inch arms on that frame?) but surely we can train the man up. If he checks out mentally, is going to come in and bust his ass day-in, day-out, then they can teach him how to catch. I reckon he’s going to run a 4.35-odd 40 and someone will take the jump in the first round. He’s just too freaky.
Who are you boys, and girls, looking out for today?
Coates is an insane athlete. If only he could catch more consistently.
Surprised he ‘only’ ran a 4.43. I reckon he can go quicker than that.
I doubt it. He never looked as fast as they said he was. He got caught from behind a lot. I wouldn’t draft him in the first 3 rounds.
Conley made some huge strides today. Watched him in Georgia but he his durability is a concern. He’ll definitely pass Coates.
I think I read rob talk about looking at his again. Definitely raised a lot of eyebrows today
DGB for me. They get him at 31 and make him room with RW for the 1st year 🙂
DGB looks enticing they compared him to Vincent Jackson, yes please. Algholor is looking good, I really like him in the second or so.. Stephon Diggs also looks good in these drills, I am not familiar with his tape.
I’m not a fan of that Jackson comparison. V-jax is a flat out beast. Not sure they are similar in style.
Figured that was a step down from the Calvin Johnson comparisons, but I hear you. What are your thoughts on Diggs?
Flashed in college. Never lived up to the recruiting hype. Later round with upside.
The athlete of DGB is great – the person, not so much. I don’t want to judge this guy, but we’ve seen Justin Blackmon and Josh Gordon, and even Johnny Manziel not be able to handle the fame and money and do stupid things. If we had a veteran WR in our group I might think that Pete and team could possibly help him, but we don’t – Doug showed his youth in the SB. So that would lead me to take someone else.
I can see a dumpster fire team SF taking DGB in the first round. His alarming criminal past has him off my board for the Seahawks, however.
Personally, me too – he’s not the guy I would like us to draft. But I understand this is a business, but I also do not think we have the veteran WR room needed IF we drafted him. But he didn’t catch the ball well today – so I think he won’t be a Seahawk unless he falls a bit.
I agree Curt! If DGB falls to #31, take him and make him RW best friend! Just tell Russell, hey I know you and Turbin are tight, but we need toy invest in the person! RW would be a great mentor for DGB!
DGB 4.50. Is this what your expecting Rob? Funchess 4.70? Heard Mayock yesterday say Funchess should have been in the TE group. Would have shined there but not so much with the WR’s. Good for us at 31?
I didn’t really know what to expect from DGB — he’s an incredible specimen. Wouldn’t have been shocked with a 4.4 or a 4.6. Hitting an unofficial 4.50 is great for him, but as we all know the character concerns are the main thing here.
Funchess would have shined in the TE group, now he looks average. His 40 time will likely move him down to the second round, which is probably where he should go.
Funchess has really hurt himself. He wants to be paid like a WR but does not have the speed for the position. Meanwhile, he let’s it be known he doesn’t see himself blocking which is a TE requirement. Now he runs too slow to be a move TE like Luke Willson. I fail to see a position for him. He will probably drop in the draft.
Dorset didn’t look that fast but wow. 4.35, he didn’t look very impressed. Guess he wanted to break Chris Johnson’s 4.24. Definitely has the quicks.
He’s got that “easy speed”. Effortless.
I don’t know if you’re asking Rob or the Crowd but I’m watching Josh Robinson RB as a later round pick and David Johnson RB out of Northern Iowa because he put up a ton of all purpose yards as a RB and has fantastic hands catching out of the backfield or on slants, etc.
Obviously I’m intrigued by DGB’s numbers, how much difference is there numerically between Darren Waller and Devin Funchess two guys who are in a similar boat. whether Funchess made the right choice not working out with the TE’s.
I’m also looking for Dorsett, Smith, and Hardy all of there stats plus antwaan goodley, Dezmin Lewis. I like a lot of WR’s but those are the ones I could see being replacements to what we have with the addition of Special Teams value. Oh and Tyler lockette.
And finally long arms on DB’s and though its not a critical measurement I’m looking to see what d line men and rush backers/ends put up good numbers on the bench particularly Preston smith, trey flowers, Grady Jarrett, owagbme owigizhuba, all of which I like in the late second but preferably in the third
Rob or anybody, just saw them measure the distance from the back to the stick. The QB’s laying on stomach and putting their arms behind and lifting the stick with both hands. Huge difference between Mariota and Winston. Is this seeing how flexible and how pumped they are?
I suspect it’s flexibility or some form of warm up.
Yea it was but soooooo different between the two. 1st time I have seen that measured on tv. Mariota hands/arms went up like 6 inches (30 degrees) and Winston’s went about 2 feet (almost 90 degrees). Maybe it is the baseball & lack of weight room that makes Winston so flexible. Just curious why they measured it and if it’s listed anywhere? I’m sure the teams get that info though.
Interesting numbers coming out of the WRs. Funchess putting up 4.7s seals him out of the 1rst in my mind. One guy I think is flying under the radar is Chris Conley..4.41 and 4.35 at 6’3″ 210 lbs???? Not great production at georgia but numbers are skewed because of the system they ran? I’d love to know your take on him Rob…
It depends on whether teams see Funchess as a seam TE or a receiver. For me he should’ve worked out yesterday. Conley is intriguing because he was hampered by weak armed QB’s at Georgia throughout his career. Makes you wonder what he could be at the next level.
Conley is an interesting guy! He’s looked pretty good today.
WOW!!!! 11’7″ long and 45!!!!!!!!!” Vert!! Holy crap this guy is making himself some money today!!
Longest measured arms of all WRs at the combine, 33 and 3/4 inches, big hands too, 9 and 7/8 inches. There’s not a lot of tape of him on YouTube. Just watched some Bowl highlights against Nebraska. He had 2 TDs, one where he tracked down a long ball, shielding the defender and a long catch and run TD. He looked like the fastest player on the field. Watched a couple more of Georgia practices and he showed great leadership, coaching the younger receivers. He’s well spoken and mature. Did anyone watch his gauntlet or any of his receiving drills?
Georgia WR Chris Conley is so intriguing. I’ll bring this up again. Is he a guy who loves the game of football? Earlier in the hear I stumbled upon this kid and he makes low-budget/home Star Wars movie, and said movie production was his true passion. Hmmm?
Well, V12, you can make an awful lot of home movies with a 7 figure salary.. Lol
His intriguing…but has durability concerns.
Cooper and Agholor sure have soft hands. Listening to the catches in the Gauntlet and very little sound from the football hitting their hands.
Funchess is interesting. Agree he probably would have made more money working out yesterday with the TE’s but could help us at 31? Is he a good blocker because he looks like a very good catcher?
He’s a poor blocker but has the kind of size and box-off skills Seattle lacks.
Agholor is checking all of the boxes other than height. I was thinking #62 was a possibility with him, but he may be pushing himself to where you’d have to take him around #31.
Might be an early second rounder.
Posted this in an earlier thread, but in solving the equation of in what WR the Hawks might have interest, I really feel Return skills will be highly considered (whether it be in a higher-type pick like Agholor, or a lower round project-wr with unique return production/skills).
One of Tate’s biggest contributions was his unique ability to pin-ball on punt returns and flip the field by 10-15-20 yds. That element, or weapon, was severely missing last year and limited the O quite a bit
But wouldn’t that be an awfully similar situation to drafting Paul Richardson last year? Fast, quick, simliar-ish size, possible special teams value (Richardson was awful at Kick returning last year in my opinion). Shouldn’t we, for at least the sake of parity, try and select a player who ticks a few different boxes? I think we should definitely consider a player who is not so similar to our first few picks from the last few drafts. How much high draft capital do we want to invest in smallish receivers (including Harvin)- especially given your argument that we can’t invest any further high draft capital in OL
Similar in size, but very different players.
PRich is a vertical threat trying to develop a short game.
Agholor isn’t as fast, but he’s grittier, fights harder, works better in traffic. He plays bigger than he is. Plus he has a return game.
Agreed — but that player might not be there.
Like your thinking on Agholor Rob. Definitely can see them doing something like that. WR and return kicks would be just what we need.
Looking to see Coates’ vert – because he looks like a physical WR.
Can I just say – watching the combine, with a cup of coffee is a nice way to start the day! I love this stuff!
Coates looks insanely good out there in terms of physique.
Agholor is a punt returner too – we didn’t get anything from the punt return game last year. IMO that has to be something to consider when looking at the WR position. Just for my eye, while I love the look of Coates, I’d look at Agholor over Coates because he catches better and can return punts.
Cooper makes it look soooo easy. Everything he does.
Dorsett is smooth. Fun guy to watch.
Coates keeps dropping things.
Hey Rob, what do you think of Kenny Bell? I think he looks like a special teams demon, a wide out who could be a cheaper Lockette on special teams but is actually a receiver first (and not a track star first). Matt Waldman did an interesting breakdown of him on Youtube. He seems like someone that could be had in the 3rd or 4th round and would add instant special teams value with the chance of becoming a quality receiver (not a 1, but maybe a 2 or 3).
Looked very good today.
Kenny Bell tested extremely well today! 41.5″ vertical, 10’9″ broad to go with 4.42 40, sub 1.56 sec avg 10 yard split. Haven’t watched tape on how consistent his hands are, but remember seeing some circus catches on his rep. Intriguing player among others.
Nebraska WR Kenny Bell might be the best run blocking receiver in this draft. In his highlight tape he nearly takes a guy’s head off. He’s a ‘Seahawky’ type receiver for sure.
Any thoughts on Chris Conley from UGA? Ran a really good 40 6’2 long arms – I wish we could watch everyone’s reps without the commercials!
Yea me too. Miss so much of the action going on.
Plus all the B-roll of Tom Coughlin sitting there with his stop watch while multiple 40 times are being run. Excruciating. Whoever is running the truck for this production has no clue what the Combine-watching audience wants to see.
4.35 40. 46″ vertical. Intriguing
11’7″ broad jump a well
I’m liking Conley!
He’s definitely intriguing. Trying to find any rape on him has been difficult. I think he’s a 2-4 rd pick. He may have jumped up into the 2nd.
Agholor looked good today until the dislocated finger. He was more bummed that he didn’t catch the ball than hurting his finger. When they pulled his measurables, he’s almost identical to Jeremy Maclin across the board in regards to size, speed and skill set. He’d be a great addition if SEA traded out of #31 or traded up in the 2nd
Agholor has dislocated his finger apparently. They hurt, but often look gross more than anything.
Somewhat OT – I think it was Bucky Brooks who, when asked about late round WR sleepers, made an interesting comment this morning about George Farmer, a former 5-star recruit that never panned out as a receiver at USC. Brooks mentioned he previously played CB in high school and could be a late round target for Seattle as a DB project. Farmer is not at the Combine but Brooks expects him to blow up his USC pro day. Farmer is listed as 6-1, 220 on the USC team sight. Just thought I’d throw this out there. Any thoughts, Rob?
Sounds intriguing. One to keep an eye on.
George Farmer I think was recruited by PC. He’s from the same High School as Marquise Lee, Rpberrt Woods, and P-Rich if I’m not mistaken. Another L.A. guy. He’s had some awful injuries that have de-railed his career. There’s a very good article on him from the August issue of Sports Illustrated
Agholor is more and more looking like the guy I want with our first pick. Don’t get too cute this year PCJS, just get this guy. Also looking forward to watching Tyler Lockett in the drills. He could be a good returner and in his game tape he’s always open. Really quick with good route running.
Agholor is having a great Combine, no doubt, but the more I think about it the more I think we need receivers on the extreme ends of the spectrum – extreme speed like Dorsett to run under Russell’s sexy deep balls and extreme height to go up and grab them on the sideline. Agholor would be a great receiver for a timing-based passing offense with a QB that throws his receivers open, and that’s not what we do so much. I really like what I’ve seen of Agholor but I’m not sure he would be an ideal fit for us. I want Dorsett and Waller as my two receivers from this draft.
Waller seems like an interesting project. Maybe a later round pick. One site has his NFL comparison as Chris Matthews, interestingly enough.
Oops, I think it was Conley that they made the Matthews comparison to
I really like Waller in the later rounds. He is projected as a 7th-UDFA on nfldraftscout. ~4.5 – 40 time and has good height. Probably a project but for a 7th? Seems like a steal.
Dorsett and Waller would be great additions. Speedy WR w return skills, and a fast! Big guy!
I like the idea of feeding the extremes! BIG AND FAST!
Rowe for CB – is a guy I’d like to see to SEA, but I’m wondering what round he will go in. Anyone know where he is projected?
Late 5th round only played CB for a year was a,safety before that
Darren Waller – 10-5 broad jump at 6-6. As someone who can high point in the red line and box out in the end zone, I really, really like him. We’ll be getting the same thing from him with a day three pick that the team who drafts Funchess will get with a late first – early second pick.
I love him!!! I saw him in a game toward the end of the season and have been keeping an eye on him. The other WR from GT DeAndre Smelter is another young man to watch. He’s had an ACL injury so I’m not sure if he’s injury prone or not – but he has 11 inch hands – so and 32+ arms 6’2 220
And a 4.46 first 40 time! DGB who?
Waller really impressed with those numbers. Great size and speed.
I’m continued to be impressed by Lockett. Nice gauntlet. Such a good catcher, even though his hands are small.
Coming out of the draft with a big guy and a slot/PR/KR utility guy would be nice.
Collins is the perfect pick for Hawks he has the size, body type they love and I think is athleticism is far superior to anyone currently on roster including Sherm. In their system had pro-bowl potential in10-2 years. Unfortunately unless they are willing to trade up there is no way he is there at 31.
I would be happy with 2 of the following 3 (Rowe, Swann, Lippet (switch to corner). Bring back Thurmond on a one year prove your self deal and give these guys a year to develop.
I also really like the kid out of TCU as a slot corner when I watched the Senior Bowl workouts but he just does not feel like a Hawks pick.
I like the idea of switching Lippet to CB, but I admit I don’t know enough of him to know if he has the skill to excel at CB. His slow 40 times might make him fall enough to where it would be worth taking a flyer on him, though.
Coates would be another Luke Willson an athletic mismatch but the drops tear your heart out.
I’m struggling to think of what his strengths are and how they can be maximized. He wins getting off the bus but regularly loses on the field.
I just can’t see Coates as a Hawk. If you throw the ball 60 times…ok; drop a few and hit big on a few. But in a lower-volume type passing O like the Hawks, I just don’t think they’d be comfortable taking their shots with a guy who is just as likely to drop it as catch it (cue the Kearse jokes).
Chris Conley just jumped 45″ in the vert and 11’7″ in the broad. I think Mayock said that was the 3rd best and tied for the best respectively since 2003.
Conley is absolutely killing the combine! I remember him flashing at Georgia. One to look more at for sure.
Encouraged to see Pete and John taking notes on the WRs – Strong is looking strong!
WALLER!!!!!! look at him run!!!
Waller…wow. Just. Wow. Draft him, JS.
I send my self an email on 11/28/14 – I had watched a GT game and liked him right away
Darren Waller wr gt 6’5″
Devante Parker Louisville
What was Waller’s second 40 time? I missed it typing about Strong.
It’s noted in the live blog.
4.46 and 4.54
Ya but look at him drop….. Yikes
I’m just looking for him to go up vertical and win to start, which he has shown he can do in college and is perhaps our biggest need at WO right now. As his confidence builds other stuff can be added. You can coach up a better drop rate. You can’t coach up 6-6 and 4.46. He could be for us in the fourth or fifth round what Parker and Funchess will be to another team in the first and second round.
McBride looked fast and smooth. Both he and Lockett were a bit faster than I expected. I would love to see one of them in a Seahawks uniform with Agholor. I think Lockett is going to put up impressive numbers in the right system.
I’d love a double dip of both Agholor and Lockett. Not big-bodied (paging J Thomas), but good catchers, enough speed, good routes and both exceptional Returners.
My double dip would be Dorsett and Waller. But the ST abilities of both Agholor and Lockett are compelling.
I’m open to the specific combo (I’d also add Devin Smith to the list, or Dorsett like you said). Just feel there’d be real benefit to add two top-end types, especially those with Return skills. I’ve seen enough of Baldwin, Sherm, Earl and Walters returning kicks.
Kevin White with the 4.35…wow
Top-10 lock.
OAK will draft him – and that will be a great pick!
Holy crap on Kevin White. If the Raiders dont draft him at 4 what a guy to potentially trade up for. It would probably be way to much cause you would probably have to go to 9…it would be like Atlanta trading for Julio Jones. But what a beast!
Jaelen Strong – 4.44. Where did this come from? All anyone talks about is how slow he looks on tape. A re-evaluation is definitely in order.
They don’t run in pads. Some players can maintain their speed with pads some cant. I wouldn’t call him slow on tape I just think he’s not great at boxing out and let’s the d get better position.
Feels like last year, just so many receiver options I like.
Of course, that just means all the more disappointment when we pass on them to pick someone random.
lol
Rob, could you see them trading back in 1st and up in 2nd and going 2 WR?
2nd DBG/Coates
2nd Dorsett/Agholor
That would give us our big WR and our slot/returner problems.
Let Kearse go for a 4th.
Baldwin/Matthews/Coates/Agholor. That seems much stronger than what we have now. Even maybe Dorsett/Agholor and Funchess (as a TE).
If we draft coats I don’t see him playing much the first two years. Just to raw as a receiver.
I was thinking the same thing. Probably won’t, but I’d be all for it. This receiver class has so much potential and it’s a huge weakness for our team. I would cross off Coates, however. He seems a lot like Ricardo Lockette, great athleticism, but it’s going to take him many years to learn how to be a receiver and even when he does he won’t be anything special. Lockette can at least catch those deep balls.
Agholor seems the most NFL ready. Dorsett, Conley, Waller, Green-Beckham, Funchess all are intriguing options. Now that we have the numbers we gotta match it up to the tape.
I don’t think they’ll take DGB. I’m not sure they’ll take Coates either (drops).
Coates is an athlete, but there are many more receivers who are really good receivers!
Possible though?
2nd Agholor
2nd Perriman
It depends who else is on the board. There are other WR’s I prefer ahead of Perriman.
Front Office keeps trying to find gems at WR in later rounds but we end with clonks….durham,and harper. Not enough time on Richardson and norwood but there not Odell. When was the last time Seattle had a dominating WR? Mike Williams showed us flashes but couldn’t stay healthy. Just feel like we bargain too much on that skill spot. WE NEED A BIG WR.
I totally agree. But they’ll find it tough to find that guy at #31 without forcing the issue. It’s probably why they go after Julius Thomas.
Strong has been strong!!! He’s moved up as a potential choice for 31!
Here is something interesting for you –
http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/11408774/georgia-bulldogs-receiver-chris-conley-your-average-college-athlete
“i’ll sleep when i die” sounds like RW’s soul-mate. (Tall, fast, great hands, INTELLIGENT)…..write me in…
This is the guy that wants a career in film I think. Did an indy Star Wars mini episode or something like that. Not much tape on him out there but I remember looking at him during the college season. Definitely has the character we look for and his explosive measurables are best in class so far – best high and broad jump of all receivers. Very interesting prospect.
An honor student, soft hands, body control…sounds like a great mid-late rounder….i like smart people, they figure out how to get things done.
I think this guy is a sleeper gem. Played for the wrong team and the wrong QBs but….could develop into something special.
He has shown well today – this is a really strong WR class.
A tall one and a smaller speedy one who can be a punt returner would be ideal!
Wow, this guy sounds like a unique individual. Lots of RW vibes here! Definitely need to check out the tape.
Does he love football?
See I don’t get that. So what he makes movies un his free time Doug Baldwin wants to be a math teacher, Larry Fitzgerald went back to school and reps university of phoenix, Suh wants to be a general contractor, he’s a college student who has hobbies who cares. We only know this about him because he doesn’t sit around playing Xbox with his bros and actually does something worthwhile.
Heck Gordons hobbies are working out at 3 am and he got bested by my favorite sleeper prospect in the draft
The thing I have noticed about McBride is he finishes every thing so far. Runs to the end zone after every drill. That is what stands out and makes me want him in the 3rd for us.
I love McBride, personally. He’s definitely nicely on my list of ‘Seahawky’ WRs.
McBride has really surprised me with how well he’s tested! His tape is fantastic, catches everything. Movin on up to day 2!
Unimpressed with Parker in the gauntlet. Jogged through both
Jamarcus ” J.J. ” Nelson is a little guy that is definitely getting overlooked. He ran a 4.29, catches everything smoothly and returns kicks. If he was two inches taller and 20 lbs heavier he would be a first round pick. The only question is whether he can gain any weight and survive in the NFL.
He’s *really* skinny, though. It’s not an issue of if he was 20 lbs heavier…it’s an issue of if he was 40-50 lbs heavier. The only guys his size who have featured in the league recently are returners only, like Trindon Holliday and Brandon Banks (and he’s actually even skinnier than those, who are similar weights but a few inches shorter).
I agree he’s an intriguing piece–he put together a couple impressive gauntlet drills and he obviously can really fly–but he’d need to add more than 20 lbs of muscle just to get to a Desean Jackson build (and even then guys like Jackson that can actually play WR at that size are a rarity), and looking at him I don’t see it happening. I’m guessing he goes late in the draft as a return specialist.
Now that’s intriguing. Apparently Auburn QB wants to convert to DB in the NFL, and is trying to convince the Combine to let him work out with the DBs on Monday. He’s 6-1 with 32 1/8 arms and a 4.54 40. Hmmm…
He’s one of a handful of CBs at the combine who have Seattle’s arm length requirements. I like the idea of taking Nick Marshall, because if he fails at CB, then you have a good fit for what Seattle wants at the QB position.
Take him with a 7th round pick
Exactly. 6th or 7th, but more along the lines of 7th round. We’re seeing eye to eye on this one.
I thought Devin Smith would be a bit faster, especially in the first run. I thought he might potentially end up in the late first round, but now looks like a definite second rounder (potentially their with our pick). With Richardson on the mend, it would really be nice to add a legit speedster such as Smith or Dorsett in the second.
Smith had very good jumps of 39″ vert, 10’2″ broad jumps. Not a bad day for him by any means. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if he runs faster than 4.42 sec 40 on his pro day.
I always liked Conley (strange #31) at UGA and always felt his biggest strength was finding a way to get open on broken plays. Now wouldn’t he be an intriguing conversion to CB candidate!
Conley could be this years Martavius Bryant without the immaturity issues.
Nice to see USC WR Nelson Agholor confirm what I always believed. He’s a late 1st-early 2nd round guy. ‘Real deal.’
Arizona St WR Jalen Strong I don’t think will be around when Seattle picks. Just my opinion.
Give me W&M WR Trey McBride in the 3rd or 4th. And yes, he may be there in the 4th because of the school he came from. I personally don’t care. This kid reminds me of a bigger version of WR Golden Tate. His competiveness is off the charts! He’s a unique receiver.
Agreed on Agholor and Strong. I think McBride is a day two pick.
Couldn’t agree more. If SEA leave the draft with Agholor and McBride I’ll be very excited.
I’d be into Strong as well, but I think you’re right – he just became a top 4 WR prospect. Amazing what a great combine can do for one’s stock.
Maxx Williams, Josh Robinson, TJ Yeldon, Nick Marshall, Blake Sims have met with Seahawks, per various reporter tweets.
Yeah, Rob told us that the other day, I love Alabama HB TJ Yeldon. I’ve gone back and watched everything I could find on him and was damn impressed.
You better come prepared to tackle if you want to get this guy on the ground. Love the way he ‘piiter-patters’ his feet, he’s elusive, drops his shoulder, and he may be one of the best pass catching backs I’ve seen this year. And he’s only 21.
Is it just me, or does it seem like Seattle’s cornerbacks may not be here at the combine?
Very bumm3d about Georgia CB Damian Swann not having the required arm length.
Rob, what about this kid from Towson? CB Tye Smith.
Unless they trade up for Collins or switch Lippett to corner you are probably right. I was disappointed with Swann and Rowe arm length as well if 32 inches really is a hard rule as I thought both were good mid round options. Time for PCJS to find another corner given the track record odds are pretty good.
Again, there’s plenty of guys still out there not at the combine, and some of these guys will have a chip on their shoulder to prove to the NFL that they should have been there.
I can’t find Swann’s measurements. How long are his arms?
31 inches on Swann there Rob.
Big shame. Going to be tough to find corners in this draft. Wonder what they do? Time to start looking at the FA lists.
Yep. What’s the deal with AJ Jefferson? He looked real good in preseason last year.
Nick Marshall.
We are going to have some great options at WR if we stay at 31 or trade back to early second.
I think White, Cooper top 10, Parker, DGB and Strong top 25.
That would leave in order of my preference : Agular, Mcbride, Dorsett, for one of our first two picks. All would be quality returners as well and huge upgrade over Walters.
Then a guy like Waller, Connelly or with one of our Comp picks in the 4th or 5th and Smelter in the 7th or UDFA.
There’s going to be good value in the 3rds and 4th round too. It’s a deep draft for WRs. Also keep in mind that there’s other guys out there who aren’t at the combine.
What’s the story on Geremy Davis? 6’2″ 216lbs. ~4.5-40. 23 reps on the bench. Seems like I saw him doing drills but I don’t see any current numbers for him above as far as vert/broad jump. He seems like a late round or UDFA steal as well. From the few clips I could find he seems to have good speed, lays out for the ball, and caught everything over the middle (that the QB got close, UCONN QB was pretty bad) and he was a team captain.
NFL.com doesn’t give him any props and says that he should put on weight to be a TE… That’s seems a little unfair from what I saw.
I like him as well. He’s got that wide body to box out defenders, high points the football well, and makes contested physical catches. Not always gonna create a lot of separation, but not a lot of difference between him, and Jaelen Strong IMO. Also has a personality that would match very well with RW3 and the Seahawks.
I’m sorry I just don’t see what 1st round value a 6’0″ 185 rec/kick returner has to ANY team. Esp the Seahawks. Will he be in any shape or form a #1 receiver at that size? He is a specialist. Pure and simple. We already drafted Richardson last year and traded a 1st rounder + for Harvin the year before. I am not watching live but have read all of Rob’s commentary so far. We have enough small receivers and I don’t see a first round value regardless of athleticism. Maybe a good late 2nd round or 3rd round steal but not a 1st. Did anyone watch that Superbowl and think we needed another speedy half pint receiver who needs to be thrown open? Honestly Jalen Collins fits our scheme AND need first and foremost. Then Gurley. If they are gone then let’s take a flier on a large athletic receiver and see if we can coach them up. Remember how dangerous Sidney Rice was when Wilson had him?
One thing on Agholor — and you make some very valid points on the size aspect — but he is incredibly sudden. Great ten yard split and you see it on tape. He plays big — see the dunk, that’s the kind of hops he’s got. I think he could be an option if they trade down. Ideally they go big at WR, but with Agholor you’d be getting a guy who can get open and will be very consistent catching/high pointing the ball.
I agree. We missed the suddenness in the Super Bowl on the goal line. Lockette and most of our WR’s have pretty good size. Lockette got beat to the ball by a smaller, quicker CB. Agholor has been my 2nd round choice for some time. He may not last to our pick at #63. Chris Conley really put himself on a lot of radars today. He is another 2nd rounder that we must now go look at. The only tape I see is of him making a spectacular one handed grab in the end zone. Georgia did not need to throw it much with Chubb and Gurley but when they did the QB was looking for Conley.
Agholor is very smooth in and out of his cuts too, watching him return it looks effortless. He’s a solid all around receiver
I think we can get a little too fixated on ht/size at WR. You want good players. Like Pete said at the end of last year’s draft, ht is something everyone wants, but you need to be a good WR first and foremost.
Don’t rule guys out just because they’re not 6’6″. Plenty of guys out there who are 6′ tall that threaten defenses.
I do get caught up in size a lot but not with agholor. Prich’s size worried me at first but him showing up at 180+ changed my opinion. I think agholor is above average in everything but size and would help this team in a lot of ways.
I can not believe that Gordon is as heavy as Lynch. Lynch looks like he weighs 250 lbs and runs deceptively fast. It just goes to show you that the Bo Jackson “I will smash your soul” gene is hidden well in the few that play that way. I will just pray that by some miracle Jalen Collins is sitting patiently while the Seahawks are on the clock. Don’t know if I can stomach letting the early part of the draft go with another undersized receiver with + speed/agility
well, it could be neither WR or CB, a DT like Carl Davis or a versatile o-lineman like Cameron Erving could be the pick.. but if it is receiver, I’m more concerned about skill at the position than a couple of inches.
Great point JC. I personally could care less if Seattle’s only WR that was over 6’2 was Chris Matthews, as long as they get open and compete for jump balls along the lines of a Golden Tate.
No kidding. Lockett is no surf and got trucked for that ball at the goal line. If that’s thrown to Golden Tate were celebrating another title.
Richardson looked quite capable of doing just that before the injury. And We should all pump the brakes on Matthews- one good Superbowl out of nowhere does not show that he is the answer for which we have been searching. He was a PS guy for the whole season for a good reason I would bet. Give him a camp and preseason to prove himself. And I know as well as you all that we have severely missed the presence of Rice and Miller as 3rd down receiving threats- so give me a good sized possession receiver who only catches 3rd down passes and touchdowns.
I’m by no means saying that WR Chris Matthews is the answer, but IMO he brings just as much to the table as a rookie. And he might just be the guy who catches 3rd down passes and TDs,
I agree Matthews could be a significant factor for us next season. I would like to have two receivers like Matthews – the other one being Waller. Then add another speed/twitch receiver of your choice – Agholor, McBride, etc.
I absolutely agree with this. I’m don’t see the 6th or seventh wr (looks like that could be the case) being better then mathews next year. Is that going to be worth a first rd pick? Trade back and pick up a 4th and get the 8th or 9th best wr and get waller with the 4th. Waller definitely changed my opinion of him today, he’s well worth a 4th to me now.
I like so much Jaelen Strong in 31 and Tre McBride in 3rd or 4th round.
If we could get Strong at 31 and McBride I’d be very happy!
I still like Alabama HB TJ Yeldon out of these backs, A big back that runs a 4.6 isn’t the worst thing in the world. Draft him in the 4th and stash him.
Seattle absolutely has to have Lynch back with that being said. He’s so much more to this team than just his on-field production.
Someone’s pro day who I’m very much looking forward to is Northwestern’s WR Kyle Prater-6’4 or 6’5, 220 or 225 lb., was recruited to USC by PC and is said to be a terrific athlete.
Wasn’t there a quite a few people on here that didn’t like Georgia Tech WR Darren Waller, because he didn’t have ‘competitive fire’ or Waller said he needed to work on his confidence?’ Something along those lines. Now, I know you can’t teach his size and speed, but all of a sudden because he ran a 4.46 40, he’s a WR that plays with swag and attitude?
What I liked about Waller is that he played on a running team – and would understand that it isn’t about how many passes are thrown to you, but what you do with the few that come your way. Waller is a bit of a project, but speed and height – I like the potential. He’s basically a faster Funchess!
I’m more and more impressed with this Tre McBride cat. JS said ‘we might be surprised where the WR help comes from.’ A small schooler?
Rob, what were his broad jump numbers? On one of the official measurement spreadsheets it lists McBride as 6002. Does that mean he’s 6’2? Not that I care either way, I’m just confused on how to translate that.
I’m I the only one who would be comfortable with Tre McBride as our 2nd round pick? He reminds me so much of Golden Tate. His competitive/’swaggy’ personality, the ability to high-point and fight for jump balls, the body type, etc.
This says 6-2 but I think you might be right http://www.nfl.com/draft/2015/profiles/tre-mcbride?id=2552428
Either way, I don’t care. If he is 6’0 tall though, that’s why I made the Golden Tate comp.
It means he’s 6 feet 2/10ths of an inch. Just a shade over 6′. I’d be happy with McBride at 62 too Volume 12. There’s probably going to be at least 10 WR’s drafted in the first 2 rounds(12 last year). McBride’s tape is excellent and he’s tested really well, displaying above average athleticism.
Thanks for that Matt. Will definitely help me the next 2 days.
Yup above average athleticism and you’ve got to love that competitiveness and spark he has as well.
No problem.
Absolutely! McBride has proven a lot today! Coming from a small school tape can be deceiving when evaluating athleticism. Testing well has to boost his stock big time!
Actually it means 6 feet and 2/8ths (or 6 feet and a 1/4) but basically the same.
Have anyone done the projected SPARQ scores on the OL and TE yet? Just wanted to get a rough idea of the combine guys.
Not that I know of but Jake Fisher will come out on top in terms of SPARQ for the O-line along with Mitch Morse at Missouri. At TE? Really, really mediocre testing. Nothing to write home about.
Speed/suddenness kills at WR. The good news is that there are plenty of WRs with size and speed in this draft. If Seattle goes for a WR in the 1st round, the guy must have exceptional speed or size.
I’ll pick exceptional speed, WR Dorsett has that and production in college. Add in the PR/KR abilities… win/win/win for me. 4.33 40. The main concern is he has suffered an ACL injury previously. Lastly, think of him as a TY Hilton type of guy, most teams would take him in the late first or second round.
I was a huge fan of Phillip Dorsett as much as the next guy, and I still am, but his arm length is very, very small. And his 10 yard split was only .1 better than Tre McBride’s and his 40 was just .8 better. McBride also has 5 inches and 20-25 pounds on him.
I like Dorsett too. Though after seeing the full workout today I would be happy with any one of Dorsett/McBride/Agholor plus Waller.
With all the receivers out there, I think there’s a chance he could fall to us in the second round. This time of year people like to talk about all these players going in the first round. There’s probably 40-50 different guys people say will end up going by the end of the first, but if we do the math it’s tough for 40-50 guys to go in the first 32 spots.
Oops. Add UVA DE-LEO Eli Harold in there too,
Scratch that guys, That comment was supposed to submitted elsewhere.
I see TY Hilton in Dorsett as well. I’d be alright taking Dorsett at #31. A small trade down and getting him, Smith or Agholor is what I’d like to see. There’s a ton of talent again this year at WR. We need a big time hit there, and I think we’ll get it done by pick #62.
Speaking of CBs from a bit earlier, I really want Quinten Rollins. I’m very excited to see what he’ll run the 40 in when his time comes.
Always gotta take the combine with a grain of salt. The fact that Jaelen Strong ran about the same as Sammie Coates doesn’t make any sense when you watch their tape. Just a reminder that it’s what these guys do on tape that tells the story more so then what they do in these workouts.
Not to say there is no value or nothing to learn from the combine, but to say a player is much better or worse after a workout has always felt a little silly to me. I really like Kevin White, but I’m not going to now say he is better than someone like Devante Parker because he had a great combine.
Just thought I would put that out there. In my experience its easy to get caught up in judging players off their combine numbers rather then what they did on the field.
I’m actually a little more excited about a few players who underperformed at the combine, cause now they might fall. Not that Tony Lippett was ever slated to go high but if a poor 40 time pushes him down a round or two thats just an opportunity to get more talent, and still get an interesting player late who as many have pointed out could be similar to Richard Sherman.
I think it’s a stretch to say Lippett could be similar to Sherman. They might share similarities in that they both played receiver and might both ultimately end up at cornerback. But Sherman has turned into the best corner in the game. Lippett’s running in the 4.6’s and is a major project if you want to convert him.
As for the combine, it warrants more than a grain of salt. It’s not the be-all and end-all but it can bring a lot of perspective and vital information to the table. For me Kevin White was always ahead of Devante Parker, now I know he’s athletically superior. We get to confirm how special Tre McBride is. There’s a ton of useful info here. You don’t make it the basis of a grade but you can still make use of it.
Sorry I see how I worded that made it seem like I was saying he is going to be Richard Sherman as a player. I just meant similar in terms of going from Receiver to Corner, and having good length (Lippet actually has longer arms) and ball skills. I actually like Lippett as a receiver very smooth and fluid which is why I think he has the best chance since Sherman to transition to CB and be a good one. He would be a big project no doubt, but wasn’t Richard Sherman as well? I’m sure no one would’ve mistaken Sherman for a great corner before the draft. I would take a chance on Lippet in the 5th round. Sherm ran a 4.56 Lippet a 4.61. I personally feel when your long, play press, and have fluid hips you don’t have to have great straight line speed.
Also I realize i’m in the minority in having Parker as the top receiver over Cooper or White. But my point was more so, if I like player A more than player B on tape, and player B has a better combine, thats not going to change much for me. We know Kevin White is athletically superior in a combine setting, and you could definitely see his speed on tape. But you could argue Parkers athleticism shows up more on a football field. As athletic as Kevin White is, he still got shut down by the other Kevin White who isn’t nearly the physical specimen even though he is a very good corner. My point isn’t Devante Parker is better than Kevin White, my point is whether a player exceeds, meets, or falls short of our expectations of their athleticism, it doesn’t really change what they did on a football field. As you said, you don’t make it the whole basis of your grade. As we all know, there is no consistent correlation between combine results and nfl success. But people, myself included have a propensity to let a players combine results impact how we feel about that player more then we probably should.
Everything else I agree with. When it comes to measurements, getting to know the players personality in a competitive setting, confirming or denying initial thoughts from tape, lesser known/raw players coming out of nowhere to garner more hype and attention to their tape (where is Issac Blakeney?) are all good things. Heck I thought Eric Rowe had really long arms when I saw him on tape, and that made me think he might be an interesting project. Turns out he doesn’t at all, and now he isn’t a player that I would be interested in. So the combine is definitely useful.
This is going way too long, but I just wanted to thank you Rob for all the hard work you put into this great site. Also everybody on here for the great community we have. It definitely makes being a Seahawks fan that much more enjoyable!
Great point about Duke WR Isaac Blakeley. Just because guys aren’t at the combine, doesn’t mean their not on the Seahawks radar. Still quite a bit of talent out there and can’t wait to see what these ‘non invite’ prospects do.
Thanks Connor and thanks for sharing your thoughts in this detail. I like the long posts!
Glad you made this point Connor, because I feel the same way. For instance the RBs were disappointing, but how often do they run exactly straight? Or a 225 pound bench press? You don’t push straight up, it should be like a dumbbell incline type exercise. Guys with longer arms will have more trouble on it.
It’s really all about getting to know some of these players, confirming or denying what you thought you knew about a certain player’s athleticism, guys like Georgia WR Chris Conley to show what they can do, official measurements, how do guys respond under scrutiny, etc.
‘Play speed’ with pads on is a completely different animal.
Playing speed can be different than testing speed. Some players run faster when it really matters, on the field. It’s easy to see on tape how much faster and explosive Coates(does he need lasik? poor tracking and catching ability) and Devin Smith are than Jaelin Strong. Their 40 times are strangely similar and it just doesn’t add up. The tape is the teller in this instance. That said I think Strong has solidified his standing as the 4th best WR in the draft, pushing his way up into the teens/early 20’s. I highly doubt he makes it past Cleveland at #19.
One CB prospect who may be of interest to Seattle is BYU’s Robertson Daniel-6’1, 198 lbs.
From Brooklyn, New York, former JUCO guy, he’s highly intelligent, has a real ‘Seahawky’ vibe to him, has and plays with a ton of confidence, he’s articulate, plays with solid technique, says he loves to play the run and hit guys in the mouth. I’m hoping his arms measure out at 32′ inches.
Seriously though, you guys should check out his interviews on YouTube and tell me if he doesn’t sound like he’d be a good fit in the LOB.
Interesting. I’ll check him out. Thanks.
I am hoping for Collins for some of those same characteristics (hard worker, not afraid of RBs/contact, etc.). He seems like a LOBer too.
Th CB prospect that has me most intrigued is Auburn QB Nick Marshall, whom the Seahawks apparently interviewed. It was discussed above how he wants to convert to DB. It would be something special to have a converted CB with the offensive perspective of a QB to line up opposite Sherm, a converted CB with a WR perspective. That’s some serious football IQ and Seahawkiness going on in our secondary. Marshall has the requisite measurements as well.
Hands down agree with you bigD. I’m damn intrigued by Nick Marshall.
I was just trying to highlight a guy who’s not at the combine. I think Seattle will probably draft 2 CBs. Get a bigger guy and a slot CB. Then we have 3 CBs with great size in Sherm, Simon, rookie and 3 nickel CBs in Lane, Burley, and rookie,
I have a feeling that Nick Marshall could end up being the steal of the draft at the CB position, and it wouldn’t shock me at all if they take him earlier then expected like in the 4th round, especially since we have 3 picks in that round.
Intriguing prospect, but he is a big time project at CB. He is a 5th-7th round pick.
While we are at it, Josh Shaw of USC would be a nice pick-up for depth at CB/S.
Nice size and played well. His off the field stuff would need to be further scrutinized.
He might be a 5th-7th round pick in the eyes or opinions of the media, some scouts, and so called ‘draft guru’s,; but he may not be in the eyes of Seattle. We’ve seen how many times before, that they could care less what the mass opinion is and rank prospects differently. I’d take Marshall in the 4th round. IMO he’s a unique corner who will end up being special under the guidance and coaching of this staff, if he does end up here.
I tend to believe that Seattle knew most of these corners wouldn’t met their arm length requirement and that’s why they met/interviewed Nick Marshall before the other CBs even showed up.
Speaking of the 32 inch cutoff for CB arm length – Marcus Peters: 31.5 arms. No thanks. Never understood the hype around this guy. He has some pretty atrocious tape out there. See the Hawaii game from this season.
Eh, he’s got the skills. Part of the reason he got frustrated this year is they were playing really soft coverage – literally every other piece in the secondary two deep was brand new.
I almost wonder if they’ll have to settle on arm length to get the guy with elite quick essential we need inside in the slot.
I like Lane just fine in the slot. We just need to hurry up and patch him back together.
Walter Thurmond is a FA. Really hasn’t had any work since 2013 because he tore his peck this season. I wonder if the Seahawks go after him.
I would be fine with it if I thought he wouldn’t go on IR again for us. He is one of the most injury-prone players I’ve ever seen.
Lane could very well have a lost season in 2015 due to the ACL injury happening so late, see Navarro Bowman.. and then he’s a free agent.
JC- You beat me to it. I’d add Paul Richardson to that group of possibly having a lost season. We can’t count on players who are only 9 months off an ACL.
This draft seems to lack many of the type of CB’s we target. Maybe we look at the bargain basement FA market. WT3 would be great to have back on the cheap. AJ Jefferson showed promise in his limited time last year. I’d like to have him back too.
Still think Nick Marshall is the best bet right now, if LSU CB Jalen Collins is off the board, which IMO he will be. Is Marshall a project? Yup. Was Richard Sherman? Yup.
Let’s also see what CB Thyroid Simon can do with a full off-season of being a presumed starter and working with the 1st unit.
The DB group/position is the one spot on this roster I have no issues with. PC and KR know what they’re doing and I have complete faith in them.
Not that I’m an orthopedic surgeon, but the delayed diagnosis tells me Lane’s ACL injury might be less severe, if there is such a thing, and might not require as much recovery time as PReach.
As for WT3, he might not come cheap either, given the dearth of quality CB free agents this year. ATL or JAX might give him way more than a vet minimum prove it deal. But if we can get him cheap (big if) and get a full season out of him (bigger if) then I’m all in.
Arm length pretty much rules him out.
Chris Conley reminds me a lot of Brandon Lloyd. Kid has freakish athletic ability and talent but I really don’t think the kid LOVES the game of football, especially the way the Sehawks covet players that do.
I don’t think there is anyway the Seahawks can pass up on Strong, Agholor or Dorsett at 31, unless they trade back early into the second (top 10 or higher in the 2nd round) to maximize the value of the pick. Its hard for me to say this because I think the DL is really a big need on top of the issue that this is a deep class regarding WR’s. IMO I would just love to see the Sehawks go defense first but I don’t think it happens… we will see.
Its frustrating watching Coates, so much talent and size but the drops are killers. I wonder if there might be a issue with his eyes like Kearse and Richardson — maybe something that PCJS get checked out if they bring him in for a private workout.
Coates is built like a track star that has very little natural football instincts. He would probably make a better decathlete than an NFL WR.
I have the same concerns about Georgia WR Chris Conley that you do as well Ehurd. Although, this kid is an athletic freak and was extremely impressive today,
He kind of resembles the mid round WRs that Seattle has previously taken, like Kris Durham and Chris Harper, and his name is Chris too. LOL. I know no connection, just coincidental.
Give me LSU DE Danielle Hunter or Clemson DE-LEO Vic Beasley in the 1st round, and W&M WR Tre McBride in the 2nd.
Damn! I posted in the wrong spot. Add UVA DE-LEO Eli Harold in there too.
Do the WR/RB groups do the 3-cone and shuttles tomorrow? Saw QB Brett Hundley has his times up already. He’s shown WR athleticism across the board. Hope Hundley moves up into that late round 1 range. I’m feeling like the writings on the wall that we’ll trade down. Hundley could be someone a team wants to move up for, like Bridgewater was last year.
They did them today, we’re waiting for the results.
Rob do you think Jalen Collins will be available at 19 when Clevland has their 2nd pick of the first round? If so what would it take to move up to 19 from 31.
If Seattle can pick him up they would be set in the secondary for the next 4 years barring any major injuries.
Based on this CB class I think they should definitely consider Thurmond on a one year deal if he did not burn any bridges when he left.
I really don’t think Lane can come back next year and be able to contribute off his ACL. Too soon.
I hope the FO goes after Walter and I hope we target two CB in the first 4 rounds. Depth is really going to be a weak spot at a position that can make even the greatest of defense look horrid if not solid with depth/talent.
He could be. He either goes at #18 or #19 I think after today. You can work with a guy like that. Fantastic skill set and made so many big plays. Surprisingly athletic. A big winner from today. Would I trade up for him though? No, absolutely not.
In regard to the DT position, Does anybody know anything about Auburn DT Angelo Blackson? His measurements stood out to me.
Fresno St DT Tyler Davison resembles a Seahawk DT very closely. Can’t wait to see what he does tomorrow.
And this Deon Simon- 6’4, 321 lbs., is rumored to put up over or close to 40 reps on the bench press tomorrow. He reminds me of Red Bryant a little bit. I think he’s from the same school as CB Jeremy Lane.
DTs Joey Mbu and Marcus Hardison are 2 other guys to keep an eye on.
This WR class is deep. At this point, with Maxwell just as good as gone, you have to strongly consider that JSPC will take one of the top 3 DB’s at 31…which would be a smart move. Waynes, Peters or Collins would be fantastic at 31. The Hawks DB depth is lacking…time to restock.
ALTHOUGH…DGB and Julius Thomas in FA would be insanely cool.
DGB was fine, but didn’t do anything that made me think he has the competitiveness or grit that Seattle’s players thrive on.
I agree that we need to restock at CB with Maxwell leaving. It’s not looking like there’s much value to be had at CB. There just aren’t many corners with the required length, 32″ arms, in this draft. I think Collins would require a move up, which may be the right move depending on the deal.
Dgb poor in vert. Look fwd to seeing shuttle and 3 cone times on the WRs
Me too! DGB has shown great leaping ability in his limited tape though. I thought he’d time and jump a bit better so far.
DGB is a really weird prospect. Tall but not long, fast but doesn’t jump well.
Tony Pauline’s website has good breakdowns of all the measurablex. There are about 7 corners with +32 in arms. I like the guy out of Penn St.
Nevertheless, do not see why they would rule out guys with shorter arms esp in the slot/nickel…Swain still an option
They might not this year, but up until this point, they’ve never drafted a corner with less than 32 inch arms under PC/JS.
Penn St DB Adrian Amos IMO, is actually better at safety. He resembles a guy we’ve got in DeShawn Shead, who they’ll probably re-sign.
As bigD and myself have said, Auburn’s Nick Marshall is very, very enticing as a corner. He made a great point about having 2 CBs, that see the game through the eyes of a WR and QB.
Alright, this for a couple people who questioned whether Georgia WR Chris ‘Jedi mind freak’ Conley loves the game of football, myself included.
After reading this, I’ve changed my view and think he does love it and it is his true passion. As Eran said, he’s highly intelligent, which bodes well, and like peter said, ‘It’s his hobbie, who cares.’ Suh, Fitz, ADB, and I’m sure countless others have significant ones as well. Anyways, this may shed some light on what kind of player you may be getting, it’s a good/interesting read.
http://www.si.com/college-football/2014/11/14/chris-conley-georgia-bulldogs-sec
Ha! I hope you didn’t think I was trying to start a fight earlier about my comment. I just think the “he made a movie so his hearts not in it thing” was getting overblown. I’d rather a player have a positive outlet then waste their off time like so many do…early marshawn, current pac man jones.
Plus you don’t blow up the combine like that without putting in same work!
I think Seattle is pretty confident they will get Lynch back, and yet, JS has openly said there is a timeline type of situation with Lynch. To me, that clearly indicates that Seattle will draft a RB somewhere if Lynch does not commit to a contract before draft day. Doesn’t mean they’ll do it at #31, but I would expect Seattle to draft a RB somewhere if Lynch fails to commit.
I’m disappointed by some of the 40 times at RB, but on the flip side some of the vertical jump numbers are excellent. Vert is arguably even more valuable than forty time, as it is a strong indicator for burst and change of direction ability. As everyone knows, Christine Michael had the best vertical ever for a 220+ pound player, I think it is a measurement this FO values for RBs.
Seattle will draft a RB no matter what…… keep in mind “value”. Let’s say only 1 RB is taken in the top 30, then there might be good value taking a RB at #31…. but if 2-3 RB go in top 30, then they would not be getting good value with the #31 pick. They would trade back or take a player at another position, such as WR/CB/OL.
I have always liked Jaelen Strong, and his combine makes me feel good about my tape assessment of him. I don’t know if he has the “fire” to be a Seahawks WR though. Interviews will determine if he ends up on Seattle’s radar or not.
Agreed on the fire. Quite passive in interviews, bit surly.
Not real impressed with the RB’s today but I’ll call my shot on who JS will draft and that’s Josh Robinson! The 4.71 and 4.77 won’t do him any favors but had ten yard splits of 1.67 and 1.66. He is the human bowling ball I don’t think JS will care that he lacks long speed. He is very quick has good vision and sets up defenders. I remember how excited JS was about Small last year IMO the Seahawks will fall in love with him.