McGinn’s scouts share insider info on the WR’s and OT’s

Ja'Wuan James is going to go in the first round

Bob McGinn at the Journal Sentinel is one of best connected journalists in the business — and a great follow if you love the draft. If anonymous scouting quotes are your thing, McGinn’s articles on the draft will feel like nirvana.

If you need any more proof his sources are legit — McGinn ranks #2 overall in the Huddle Report’s mock draft rankings over the last five years.

He recently asked his insider sources for opinions on the 2014 receivers and offensive tackles. I’ve picked out quotes on specific prospects we’ve considered for Seattle at #32:

Cody Latimer (WR, Indiana)

“He’s big and he can get behind guys… He’s competitive. Really good hands. He’s a bigger guy so he’s not a sudden guy who will gain a lot of separation against man coverage. He’s going to beat you vertically and he’s a big guy. He’ll win by getting body position on guys. He’s not a No. 1, not a special guy like that. He’s a No. 2.”

“People will say he can’t run and played at Indiana… But he’s big. He’s in the top group.”

This is consistent with what we’ve been hearing on Latimer over the last few weeks. Some people are concerned that he isn’t able to create major separation. Any team that values timing and precise routes will probably prefer other players in this class. But the point I’d make to counter that is — some teams (like Seattle and Philadelphia) aren’t asking for consistent separation. They’re actively challenging their receivers to win 1v1 battles instead — high pointing the football and dominating the redline.

Neither the Seahawks or the Eagles are likely to be too concerned by Latimer’s ability to separate. They’ll be much more focused on his strong hands, ability to compete for the ball in the air, freaky athleticism and excellent run blocking.

That final quote sums it up. “He’s in the top group.”

He sure is — and that’s why I think the Seahawks will be lucky if he’s there at #32.

Kelvin Benjamin (WR, Florida State)

“Really like his up side… He’s actually a little more fluid for a big guy getting in and out of his breaks but he’s not as fast and certainly not near as smart as Evans. He’s going to be a project. Good kid. He could have really used another year in school.”

“Boom or bust… You can see some flashes. Little bit inconsistent, there’s lack of speed and some stiffness.”

“I should like him more… I just thought he was a prima donna. That was his personality on tape.”

He’s a acquired taste. Some teams will be scared off by a 240lbs receiver because there just aren’t many in the league. If you want excuses to dislike him you can find them — the ridiculous drops, the sloppy routes, the lethargy in his play at times.

Then there’s the other side to it. Some teams will love his incredible size and flashes of brilliance. He has plays where he leaps way above helpless defensive backs to high point a difficult grab. He’ll break tackles in the open field. He’ll lay the wood on a key block. He could be a monster at the next level and perhaps there aren’t many 240lbs receivers because Benjamin is a special case? A rare talent?

Personally I think a lot of teams won’t be willing to offer a first round grade. But it only takes two or three to like the guy and he’ll go in the 12-22 range. What’s the saying we’ve heard a few times this off-season? “You can’t teach 6-5”?

Donte Moncrief (WR, Ole Miss)

“He’s a vertical receiver… He’s a big guy with straight-line speed. He drops balls. He’s got some tightness to him and he’s not real quick, but he’s powerful. He may be the best blocker of all the receivers. He actually goes after people.”

“Really soft… “He doesn’t want anything to do with it.”

Talk about a contradiction between two scouts. One says he’s the best blocker in the class and really goes after people. The other says he’s soft.

Moncrief’s one of the more difficult players to project in this draft. He could easily be a first round pick with a combination of supreme athletic quality and potential. But you’d be banking on upside. There’s some poor 2013 tape out there. Part of it’s on the schizophrenic Ole Miss offense. Part of it’s on Moncrief.

Perhaps crucially for the Seahawks he doesn’t have the strongest hands or the best ability to high point or compete for the football. I wouldn’t rule him out because of that — because he’s also a SPARQ demon. And Seattle loves a development project. It’s still worth noting, however.

Martavis Bryant (WR, Clemson)

“He’s a vertical guy… Clemson said he was the fastest guy on their team. I said, ‘No way he’s as fast as Watkins.’ They said yes. This guy separates from them all. He’s 6-4 and can run. If Al Davis was still alive he’d be all excited over him.”

“He has a Randy Moss-type build… “Doesn’t run as fast as Randy but a notch below. There’s some immaturity. He scored a touchdown and threw the ball in the stands and did the throat-slash gesture. He does some idiotic stuff. But as far as natural ability he’s up there.”

The Moss comparison is an easy one to make. At times when you watch Bryant on tape you just get blown away by his potential. He’s a big play waiting to happen and any quarterback with a big arm is going to love his ability to stretch the field.

He’s well coached too as all Clemson receivers are. He sells the deep route perfectly and often creates good separation over the middle driving forward then exploding into a crossing route.

Bryant’s problems are all character based. He nearly destroyed his own career through sheer laziness and complacency. He was told not to travel with the team to the Chic-Fil-A Bowl after the 2012 season following his latest act of immaturity. That acted as a wake-up call and he knuckled down in 2013 right when he needed a big year.

The question is though — what happens when he gets paid? He has a young child and maybe that Bowl game was an epiphany moment. “How am I going to provide for my kid?” Will it be mission accomplished with the first contract, or will he continue to work on his craft and remain motivated? In the right environment he could be a star. But it’s a titanic sized ‘if’.

Ja’Wuan James (T, Tennessee)

“Athletic enough to play either side but more suited to the right… He can walk in and start for you right off the bat. Solid, not spectacular. Has a lot of talent. One of those eight- to 12-year guys as a starter if he can stay healthy.”

“Very intelligent (Wonderlic of 25), great kid, solid player… Great family. Just draft him because you’ll never have a problem with this kid.”

“He’s kind of like (Alabama’s D.J.) Fluker from last year… Just a big, powerful guy with long arms.”

James is going to go in the first round, probably the top-20. As the first scout notes — he’s a plug-in-and-play starter who will do a job for you. He’s probably not going to make it to multiple Pro-Bowls or get a ton of attention, but you’ll never complain about him. For five years on that first contract you’ll get a really solid offensive tackle.

I wasn’t a big fan of Fluker at Alabama and actually prefer James. But if that’s the comparison NFL scouts are making you wonder how early he could go. Fluker went #11 overall despite being the sixth offensive lineman to leave the board. Don’t be shocked at all if James goes a lot earlier than people think.

Call it a hunch, but I think as teams have done their homework on him he’s shot up boards. It happens. When Tom Cable went to work him out at Tennessee I wonder if the Seahawks were zoning in on him and thought there was a very real chance he’d be there at #32? Now it’s probably a long shot I’d say. He will need to improve his core strength though — he doesn’t drive many people off the ball in the run game and he only had 22 reps on the bench press at the combine.

Morgan Moses (T, Virginia)

“I was disappointed in him, I really was… He looks like Tarzan but kind of plays like Jane.”

“In September, I’d have said forget this guy, he’s overrated… But the guy had a really good year doing what he does best, and that’s outside pass pro. Not a good play-strength guy. Not a good run blocker. Has never really embraced the whole process as far as passion and work ethic.”

“He’s got some fatal flaws in terms of stiffness… I could see him being a starter but not a very good starter.”

“He may sneak into the bottom of the first. He’s a better player than (Seantrel) Henderson and (Antonio) Richardson and a 1,000 times better kid and teammate.”

“Those Virginia offensive linemen scare the heck out of me… They’re always athletic as heck but they’re soft. There’s something about Virginia. Maybe it’s too academic or something.”

When I watched Moses against Vic Beasley and Clemson I was incredibly disappointed. He looked gassed and out of shape. But then you watch him shut down Jeremiah Attaochu and you see the potential. As a pass protector he’s pretty good, but you just can’t get excited about the idea of drafting him early.

If the Carolina Panthers are making a left tackle the priority they need to consider this because after he goes, they’ll struggle to get a rookie starter at the position. He has the length Seattle looks for and they might go for it — but it’d be a little underwhelming.

Joel Bitonio (T, Nevada)

“He’s pretty efficient as a left tackle but best suited as a guard… He doesn’t have elite feet or length (337/8 arms). He’s a tough (expletive). He’s not a road-grader. He needs to get stronger but he tries to finish your (expletive) and he’s smart (Wonderlic of 29). He’s really grooved.”

“He can play tackle, guard or center… All he does is block his guy. Tough, smart. Second round.”

This is all fair. Bitonio does have to get stronger (24 reps on the bench at the combine). But his attitude and technique more than make up for it and if you can combine the two you’ll be looking at a very good player. There won’t be any sense of entitlement with Bitonio if he does go early.

I think he can play tackle and sure — he might be a better guard. He reminds me a ton of Logan Mankins. They’re almost identical players entering the league — in terms of athleticism, college career etc. The Seahawks could plug him in at left guard with the option to move him to tackle if they get any injuries. Or they could just throw him in there at right tackle. He won’t struggle.

As much as they love length, we also know they love competitors. They’re willing to go away from size ideals if the player makes up for it in other areas. And there aren’t many more determined individuals in this class at any position.

And one final reminder — if you’re going to focus on arm length, remember his arms are just as long as Taylor Lewan’s and are actually longer than Jake Matthews.

61 Comments

  1. LantermanC

    Re: For the arms things, it’s funny how people use what they want to confirm some type of bias. In the same way that Bitonio probably gets knocked down a bit for his bench, I don’t hear similar concerns about Matthews, James, or Martin. I hope he’s there at #32, and I hope we take him.

    Also, all those WRS, I can’t help but drool thinking at least one will fall to us at #32.

    • Rob Staton

      It’s a great point. Matthews has even shorter arms and I’m not sure I’ve seen it mentioned once in this process.

  2. Steve Nelsen

    I’m feeling good about at least one receiver among Bryant, Benjamin or Moncrief being available at 32.

    • Mylegacy

      Steve, Bryant sure passes the eye test: he is 6′ 4″ and weighs 211 – every tape of his I watch I see this guy absolutely running away from his defensive covers.

      Remember Stephen Williams in the pre-season last year running those deep routes? Well I see Martavis making the field longer for defenses while Harvin makes it wider, Kearse and Baldwin keep the rest of the defense challenged. Did I mention we’ve also got Beastmode and Tiny Russell?

      • Robert

        Agree, I think PCJS might be drooling on their lapels over the dynamic of Martavis Bryant AND Percy Harvin stressing opposing defenses vertically AND horizontally simultaneously! If PCJS think MB can also generate a big (pun) impact in our woeful red zone efforts, he may be their guy…

  3. williambryan

    I don’t think any of these scouts work for the Seahawks. This is some clear, old fashioned, scout talk… “Those Virginia offensive linemen scare the heck out of me… They’re always athletic as heck but they’re soft. There’s something about Virginia. Maybe it’s too academic or something.”
    Really? wow.

  4. Ben

    I’ve read and listened to you talk for awhile now Rob. And I think I’ve made my assessment as to whom I would like to see us grab at #32. Obviously a guy like Beckham Jr. or Shazier won’t be there, but this would be my pecking order on possibly players that could be there at #32 based on what I believe is best for the team.

    1.WR Cody Latimer
    2.DT Dominik Easley
    3.T Ja’Wuan James
    4.T/G Joel Bitonio
    5.WR Kelvin Benjamin
    6.DE Ra’Shede Hageman
    7.WR Martavius Bryant
    8.DT Stephon Tuitt
    9.WR Donte Moncrief
    10.G Xavier Su’a Filo

    One of those guys is bound to be there!

    • Ben

      What’s you’re top 10 look like?

      • Rob Staton

        I’m going to do a list before Thursday… stay tuned.

    • SHawn

      I think this is a really close list. Very good, Seahawk type talents at the top.

      Your top 6 is outstanding. Happy with any one of them at 32.

      7 and 8 I also like, and are solid fallback options.

      Not a fan of 9 or 10 in the first tho, there are a few defensive guys I would put ahead of them.

  5. TurnagainTide

    With the 32th pick, the Seattle Seahawks select… Joel Bitonio, Tackle, Nevada.

    I just hope that Carolina or Denver doesn’t ruin our plans. If you give Russell a half second longer – he’ll find whatever receiver(s) we take later on. James would be my 2nd option with Moncrief and Latimer my 3rd and 4th.

    I see them both Moncrief and Latimer doing great job of blocking (and I don’t see Moncrief’s soft side at all), Latimer definitely beats Moncrief on catching balls in traffic, but Moncrief definitely creates more separation on his routes and appears faster to me on tape. I just think that Moncrief would be more successful on extend bubble screens that they would have Tate occasionally run, and I think he could get a lot better at high pointing the ball down the sidelines with his physical abilities. Moncrief has a higher ceiling and a lower floor than Latimer to me but I would take the gamble.

    After reading some of what John Schneider said about a player’s competitive attitude and motivation – I don’t know if a guy like Martavis Bryant who has had motivational issues in the past, would still be considered in the first round. “What’s in his heart? What is his personality like? Would he fit in the locker room?…There’s certain guys we haven’t done that good of a job with, in my opinion, in the past,” he said. “And that’s something we’ve really focused on this year: Just getting to know the person. How will he compete in this locker room? This is such a young and competitive group.” – John Schneider.

    http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2014/may/02/seahawks-gm-john-schneider-looks-beyond-stats/

    I like Bryant on tape but without getting to know these guys personally – its really hard to judge whether they will be the next Earl Thomas or if they will be the next guy with potential who fails.

    • Vin

      I think of all the potential picks @ 32, Bitonio is my favorite. As much as I like Latimer, I just believe Bitonio does more for the offense than Latimer. For me, the ideal draft would be Bitonio @ 32, Coleman @ 64. Draft can’t come soon enough. Thanks for the article, Rob.

      • Brandon

        My wish list for our first two picks as well Vin

  6. CC

    Easley; Moncrief; James; Bitonio – if any of these guys are there at 32 and they take them great!

    If Lattimer is there, I’d like that pick as well. I won’t be surprised if the Seahawks draft Marcus Smith at 32 either.

    • Mark

      I think Lattimer would fit perfectly. He’s one of the late risers benefiting from the extra 2 weeks this year. I’m sad he may not be there. By the way, I am starting to see Aaron Donald mocked in the top 10 now. Some team or network needs to try to lure Rob to this side of the pond.

      • CC

        Rob was ahead of the game on so many of these guys – we’re lucky. I wish Lattimer would be there at 32 too – but he’ll likely go 10-20

    • Michael (CLT)

      I think Smith or Lawrence are real options at 32.

  7. Colin

    The thought of Russell Wilson throwing to maybe the next Randy Moss gets me excited.

    • Robert

      or just a pump fake to draw the FS. Then throw over and let Percy take over…

  8. Mark

    A little on a tangent, did you see the signing of AJ Jefferson? He was UDFA CB for Arizona, then traded to Minnesota. But, he is 6′ & 193lbs and has reportedly run a 4.34 40. (As far as I can tell he didn’t run a 40 at the combine.)

    One thing is that Seattle really likes to load up on players eliminating any needs. Of course the roster can always be upgraded.

    • Colin

      I doubt he makes the roster. Wife beating and being a mediocre talent isn’t a great combo.

      • Bryan C

        On the flip side, he is the most athletic CB on our roster by measurable with a 44″ vertical. From a sheer physical potential standpoint, he could be the best CB on the roster if his issues are coachable. He is a perfect case study to see if the elite Seahawks secondary is due to coaching or something else. I would not be surprised at all to see him make the team and become an elite special teams player at a minimum. On the upper end, if all he lacked was great coaching and our secondary skill is due to coaching, he potentially could be another great CB in our system.

      • Darren

        Sub par character…funny how the same week JS makes the “getting to know the the man” statement they go sign this guy of reputed questionable character. Must be a low cost high reward/camp fodder move…no draft capital pledge.

        • Arias

          I think you must have misunderstood what JS meant with the ‘getting to know the man’. He was talking about motivation to succeed at football, whether the guy is ultimately ambitious or lazy. It had nothing to do with other ‘character’ issues that aren’t relevant to football.

      • Robert

        But a great SPARQ and good length combined with immersion in our DB coaching system IS a great combo…

  9. Stuart

    Good list Ben. I have seen some mocks were WR Marquise Lee slips a bit and is available at #32.

    I say yes to Lee if he is available, what do others think, assuming he slips to #32?

    • Ben

      If Lee was there at #32 I’d take him right between Bitonio and Benjamin, or flip a coin as to whether or not it was Kelvin Benjamin or Marquis Lee. Lee is a top talent no doubt, I just see other boxes ticked off as Rob would say ahead of him for me. He doesn’t do any one thing magnificent, nor have any one measurement stand out to me. He’s just an overall white collar player. I like the upside of Easley, the blocking and high-pointing of Latimer, and the solidness of James and Bitonio a whole lot more. That’s just me.

      • Michael (CLT)

        I would suggest Lee will fall due to durability. I would not touch him in round one. Love the player, but he is showing signs of breaking down.

        • AlaskaHawk

          I agree that he will have durability issues. Too skinny. But he will make some great catches when healthy. I don’t mind if someone else gets him. Our safeties will knock him into tomorrow.

  10. Stuart

    Every year players slide, and other players rise during the draft.

    FIRST-PICK.COM today, 5/3/2014

    Your score is: 4429 (GRADE: B+)

    At #32 I was offered a trade down and took it. Gave up R1-#32 for R2-12 and R3-11. Yes I went back to back on similar players at both 2nd-12 and 3rd-11 but I could not resist the value.

    Your Picks:
    Round 2 Pick 12 (STL): Ryan Shazier, OLB, Ohio State (A)
    Round 2 Pick 32: Demarcus Lawrence, DE, Boise State (B-)
    Round 3 Pick 11 (STL): Marcus Smith, DE, Louisville (B)
    Round 4 Pick 32: Brandon Coleman, WR, Rutgers (A-)
    Round 5 Pick 6: Trai Turner, OG, LSU (A-)
    Round 5 Pick 32: Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, OT, McGill (Canada) (B)
    Round 6 Pick 32: Kevin Norwood, WR, Alabama (A)

    • MJ

      That would be an absurdly amazing draft.

      • Marcus

        Thanks for sharing! Pretty fun. Too easy to trade and too much talent late but makes me excited to see what talent Seattle might land in this draft.

        Round 2 Pick 22 (PHI): Dominique Easley, DT, Florida (A)
        Round 2 Pick 28 (CAR): Cody Latimer, WR, Indiana (A-)
        Round 3 Pick 18 (CHI): Demarcus Lawrence, DE, Boise State (B+)
        Round 3 Pick 22 (PHI): Stanley Jean-Baptiste, CB, Nebraska (A)
        Round 4 Pick 17 (CHI): Jordan Tripp, OLB, Montana (A)
        Round 4 Pick 32: Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, OT, McGill (Canada) (C-)
        Round 5 Pick 6: Brock Vereen, SS, Minnesota (F)
        Round 5 Pick 16 (CHI): Jeff Janis, WR, Saginaw Valley (D+)
        Round 5 Pick 32: Colt Lyerla, TE, Oregon (C)
        Round 6 Pick 32: Dri Archer, WR, Kent State (B+)

    • Ben

      Not to be a downer, but that draft is my WET DREAM!!! If Shazier is there at #32, you don’t trade DOWN!!!!! You take his A$$ cause the rest of the league of the league are idiots. The bottom half for letting him get by. The middle for not trading up into the end of the first to get him, and the back of the first because they’re just dumb!

      Demarcus Lawrence won’t last until #64. I doubt Gus Bradley let that happen.

      Marcus Smith is eh, about right.

      Brandon Coleman and Trai Turner both seem like a round low.

      Lets all hope our draft ends up this way.

      • Ben

        Ok I totally just botched that thread….lmao! Cause there’s no “EDIT” function! Lol! But you get what I’m saying. I just don’t see us getting that value. However….!!! I see a bunch of other players getting us value that we’ve never even HEARD of this year or that has gone completely under our radar. Happens every year!!

  11. Vin

    Wow! If it worked out like that, I think I’d literally jump out of my own @$$!

  12. James

    These national guys are not team-specific and position-specific. For example, James is being scouted and receiving R1 grades, but he is strictly a RT. After the early run on LTs, the teams still in need of an OT continue to need a LT, for example, Miami and Carolina. James is not a good fit there or elsewhere. Bitonio, on the other hand, could definitely go to Carolina as a LT, and we hear that Miami is looking at Kouandjio, who is also a LT prospect if healthy. The Seahawks need a RT, and James should fall to #32. If they want him, I believe he will be there; although I also believe R2 offers a number of RTs of comparable ability, so Pete and John can wait until then, so they can go DT, Leo or WR in R1.

  13. coachmattson

    The more I think about the key to repeating, it is winning the line of scrimmage (ask the Atlanta Falcons!)
    So, I’m thinking Easley at 32 and then the best RT on the board at 64. The Sidney Rice signing allows us to wait and grab someone like Norwood in Round 4. Can someone tell me the best RT that I should be hoping to get at 64 since it looks like James will be long gone.

    Anyone else agree we should focus on the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball in Rounds 1 and 2?

    • EranUngar

      ME !!!!

      LOS is the name of the game for me. Good run blocking creates great RBs, good pass protection open receivers, good pass rush makes great CBs etc.

      2 great LOS picks will make me very very happy.

      It’s not as sexy as WR but on January LOS is the name of the game.

    • me

      I don’t think you go into it saying “we draft X and Y early!”. The lines are the core of the team obviously, but what if (for example) Cable is certain LDT is a perennial pro bowler in the making and they know he can be drafted in R5? Would you pass on Lattimer if he dropped to pick an OT in that situation? If course not.

      We as fans say ” we need X – that’s the first round pick!” and really a lot if GMs do too, but our FO is smart enough to maximize their draft capital by finding value throughout the draft.

    • Michael (CLT)

      Praying for James and agree with fellow posters that DE Smith may be a shock pick.

      • OZ

        Book it!!!

    • James

      R2 RTs would be: Tiny Richardson, Mewhort, Turner or LDT (the Canadian).

      • CC

        Cable could likely coach any of these guys up.

  14. Michael (CLT)

    This stuff is silly… But I cannot help myself. I used my own board with rob’s list of 32. I traded down in rounds one and two. Most likely wishful thinking, but here is the result:

    VIEW EACH TEAM’S DRAFT

    40
    WR CODY LATIMER
    INDIANA
    69
    DE MARCUS SMITH
    LOUISVILLE
    96
    DT CARAUN REID
    PRINCETON
    132
    OLB ADRIAN HUBBARD
    ALABAMA
    146
    OT AUSTIN WENTWORTH
    FRESNO STATE
    148
    WR BRUCE ELLINGTON
    SOUTH CAROLINA
    172
    CB DONTAE JOHNSON
    NORTH CAROLINA STATE
    185
    OT MATT PATCHAN
    BOSTON COLLEGE
    208
    OT CHARLES LENO
    BOISE STATE

    • me

      Yeah, those draft games are kind if nuts – the boards that populate them have a TON of variance. I just tired in out and got…

      R1 – Shazier
      R2 – Lattimer
      R4 – Juwan James
      R5 – Philip Gaines

      Lattimer and James were pretty huge reaches actually according to the board rankings, each picked about a round to soon…

      • Michael (CLT)

        Where I found it interesting was in the ability to get OT with high SPARQ ratings late. That may be the only accurate portrayal.

  15. EranUngar

    Great work Rob…again…it’s a true pleasure day after day after day.

    Kevin Benjamin – When you watch him line up a step behind the RT to run blok with the
    OL all thoughts about lethargy and primma donna fly out the window.

    Donte Moncreif – Soft? Really? I went back to the tapes. He blocks like a demon from hell with attitude. Just watch his body language after he gets hit. This guy is NOT soft.

    Bryant – Yes, he had his issues. The key word is “had”. At the age of those guys things they were or did a year or two ago that are evidently not there any more are GONE. Being young is just that. It takes time to understand and commit to a path. Once they do and show up with it for a full year it’s safe to say it’s behind them.

    I’m a vollyball coach in my free time. There are 2 things to truly remember about size. You can’t teach 6-5 and…the bigger they are the later they would come to term with their size as far as agility, coordination, suddenness, fluidly etc. It’s a bye product of growing at a later age. In volleyball we do not start working on coordination before a tall player is 17-18. A player in his early 20s did not finish his adoption to his size and may show some stiffness occasionally. It’s that age were repetitions and exercise will improve his physical consistency. When you look at a 6-4, 6-5 guy, remember that. If you see him doing something just a few times and he looks less agile or in control of his body at other times, you can count that with training he’ll do it constantly. a 5-10 guy will just get there 2 years earlier.

    • stregatto

      Thanks, Eran – this is an interesting angle to consider. Do we have some recent examples of skill pos players we could say really grew into their size after NFL coaching and training?

  16. NEIL J

    One point I keep coming back to is how important it is for our defense to bring pressure with only four down linemen. The chance of getting a talent like Easley who can generate inside pressure is so rare and valuable that if healthy he needs to be the pick.

    • Darren

      Ditto on easley….also I think Hageman might flourish and become a beast….those two are in my top 7..along with Bitonio ,
      Benjamin, Bryant, moncrief and Coleman who I see as having huge upside.

      I doubt Easley goes before 32 and should be the pick due to value and character . Quinn has the scoop on him.

      Miami should grab Bitonio over Kuandijo unless Big K’s knees are better than reported. James reported to be a pure RT lessens his appeal IMO. Maybe they choose ZMartin and push Bitonio down. Still both he and James could be gone as the next two best OL

      Hageman looked studly and is 4 on my list. The great unknown is the quality of our young depth at Dline.

      Moncrief is still only 20 y.o. And has huge upside. I relish the thought of him ,Bryant, Latimer and Benjamin meaning only 5 WR go top 31

      Ah so many options and only one pick.

      Could Easley still be on the board at 64? Or Kuandijo….or Coleman.?

      I only suppose..JS knows….

  17. Ryan

    Your Picks:
    Round 1 Pick 32: Ryan Shazier, OLB, Ohio State (B+)
    Round 2 Pick 32: JaWuan James, OT, Tennessee (A)
    Round 4 Pick 32: James Gayle, DE, Virginia Tech (A-)
    Round 5 Pick 6: Brandon Coleman, WR, Rutgers (A)
    Round 5 Pick 32: Isaiah Crowell, RB, Alabama State (B+)
    Round 6 Pick 32: Colt Lyerla, TE, Oregon (B+)

  18. kigenzun

    This website is straight up silly. (first-pick.com) One trade down with Miami and I’m suddenly a genius… (Yeah right… duh.)

    I have no idea where they get their prospect listings &/or trade values… but I just can’t resist! Warp Speed Fun Factor 11!!! 😀

    Your score is: 4906 (GRADE: A-)

    Round 2 Pick 18 (MIA): Dominique Easley, DT, Florida (A-)
    Round 2 Pick 32: Stephon Tuitt, DE, Notre Dame (A)
    Round 3 Pick 17 (MIA): Demarcus Lawrence, DE, Boise State (C)
    Round 4 Pick 16 (MIA): Cody Latimer, WR, Indiana (A)
    Round 4 Pick 32: Antone Exum, CB, Virginia Tech (A)
    Round 5 Pick 6: Jay Prosch, FB, Auburn (A)
    Round 5 Pick 15 (MIA): Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, OT, McGill (Canada) (C+)
    Round 5 Pick 32: Marqueston Huff, FS, Wyoming (C)
    Round 6 Pick 32: Khairi Fortt, OLB, California (A)

    • James

      It would take divine intervention for these to be the Seahawks picks, so if the football gods have decreed that the Seahawks win the next 5 Super Bowls, then we will indeed land Tuitt R2, Lawrence R3, Latimer R4 and LDT R5.

  19. kigenzun

    If we actually came away with something like this, I’d be ecstatic…

    Your score is: 4305 (GRADE: B+)

    Your Picks:
    Round 1 Pick 32: Dominique Easley, DT, Florida (B)
    Round 2 Pick 32: Jarvis Landry, WR, LSU (A-)
    Round 4 Pick 32: Rashaad Reynolds, CB, Oregon State (A)
    Round 5 Pick 6: Ed Stinson, DE, Alabama (B)
    Round 5 Pick 32: Matt Patchan, OT, Boston College (B-)
    Round 6 Pick 32: Khairi Fortt, OLB, California (A)

    • Ben2

      This list/projection seems way more realistic. I’d be quite happy with this haul….bring in some interesting UDFA, plus some of the camp competition guys we’ve already added, the deals for ET & Bennett and hopefully soon Sherman = Awesome offseason!

  20. James

    Rob….this is what you have done to us…I woke up this morning and my very first thought was a hunch of who Pete was going to pick at #32. I think I just passed from fan to crazed idiot, but I had the thought that Pete is convinced this is his one and only chance, knowing he will be picking in late R1 for the next 5 years, to land his 6-4 SE that he has lusted after since the dawn of time. Otherwise, he is doomed to reach for the Kris Durhams of the world now and forever. So, the pick with be Martavis Bryant. R2 will be a RT, and DT and Leo will wait.

    • Nick

      I tend to agree, no matter how bad i want a decent tackle who doesnt get blown up all game, a 6-4 receiver with top end speed is the exact X factor element we need. Just like 2 years ago speed rush was our highest addressed need, playmaking deep threat is going to be our highest addressed need. Then in round 2 we will nab Easley or another defender who drops, and address o line late. Bowie wil be the RT this year no matter where we pick a tackle, and Carpenter is in a contract year and a former 1st round pick so he will start. Split end is however wide open, especially if Rice gets hurt or is ineffective like he was against Indy. The hawks have essentially hedged every bet but there has to be a favorite playmaker and I think its Bryant. Bruce Irvin was homeless and got in trouble with police right before the draft, but that didnt stop them from going after elite physical tools with our 1st round pick then, even with our franchise quarterback of the defense and the offense still sitting there on the board. Bryant is the pick.

      • Robert

        I’d be ecstatic if we came away with Martavis Bryant and Dominique Easley in the first two rounds. I think we would have to move up in round 2 to pull it off…give ’em Turbo and have Paul Allen fill up their vending machines!

  21. John

    Rob,

    I’m just curious if you have looked at Jeremiah Attaochu much. When I watch him play, I can’t help but think he’s underrated, and he would fit the Leo mold nicely. Tough kid, fast, relentless.

    • Rob Staton

      He is the most up and down player in this draft. For example, in the game versus Miami last season he drove the right tackle into the ground to make a huge sack. On the very next play, he gets blown up on a running play — they run to his side and get a first down on second and 17. In the same game he was shoved on his backside by the tackle on three separate occasions. But he was the one player on the Georgia Tech defense who could make something happen too — to create pressure.

      Against Virginia Morgan Moses had him for dinner and he was completely shut down. But against Georgia he had a lot of success. It’ll really come down to preference by team or scout. Some won’t be able to block out the bad games or plays. Others will focus on the potential. I thought Justin Houston was a better player and he went in round three. So for me he’s a R2/3 type. Good personality and character.

  22. Arias

    Wow Juwan James looks like a 10 year old kid in that picture. Damn.

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