Updated mock draft: 18th February

Before getting into the mock here are some things to note…

Quarterback trades

We’re likely to see a number of deals completed before the draft in April. Today, Carson Wentz was traded to Indianapolis. For the purpose of this latest projection, I’m going with two further trades:

Sam Darnold to Chicago for a second round pick
I think the Jets are ready to trade Sam Darnold and they’ll seek the best offer. They might have to settle for a second round pick but that enables them to move on.

Jimmy Garoppolo to New England for a third round pick
The Niners appear all set to shift Jimmy G and go in a different direction. If/when that happens, a return to New England feels inevitable.

The other trades explained

I have the Panthers trading up from #8 to #3 with Miami to select a quarterback. Reports are suggesting a level of impatience from owner David Tepper to find a legit franchise quarterback. If a deal for Deshaun Watson, undoubtedly Plan A, doesn’t materialise, I suspect the Panthers will trade up to select a player in the top-five.

I’ve got the 49ers trading up three spots from #12 to #9 in a deal with Denver. The Cowboys are facing a somewhat uncertain quarterback situation and we shouldn’t assume that Dak Prescott will make a full recovery before the season starts, or that the Cowboys will commit to him at the cost of a second franchise tag. Therefore in this mock I have the Niners jumping ahead of the Cowboys to select a QB.

The final first round trade involves Arizona moving up six spots from #16 to #10 in order to draft a dynamic mismatch tight end.

The mock

First you’ll see the projection in list form followed by blurbs on each pick. Then I’ll have some notes specifically on the Seahawks.

This is a very unique draft due to the lack of a combine and the number of players who opted out of the 2020 season. There’s also a somewhat bleak outlook currently for quarterbacks in the 2022 class. Therefore, we might see teams go after the top QB’s early, plus the ‘blue-chip’ players, followed by a lot of unpredictable decisions.

First round

#1 Jacksonville — Trevor Lawrence (QB, Clemson)
#2 New York Jets — Zach Wilson (QB, BYU)
#3 Carolina (v/MIA) — Justin Fields (QB, Ohio State)
#4 Atlanta — Trey Lance (QB, North Dakota State)
#5 Cincinnati — Penei Sewell (T, Oregon)
#6 Philadelphia — Ja’Marr Chase (WR, LSU)
#7 Detroit — Micah Parsons (LB, Penn State)
#8 Miami (v/CAR) — DeVonta Smith (WR, Alabama)
#9 San Francisco (v/DEN) — Mac Jones (QB, Alabama)
#10 Arizona (v/DAL) — Kyle Pitts (TE, Florida)
#11 New York Giants — Jaylen Waddle (WR, Alabama)
#12 Denver (v/SF) — Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (LB, Notre Dame)
#13 LA Chargers — Rashawn Slater (G, Northwestern)
#14 Minnesota — Rondale Moore (WR, Purdue)
#15 New England — Daviyon Nixon (DT, Iowa)
#16 Dallas (v/ARI) — Azeez Ojulari (DE, Georgia)
#17 Las Vegas — Jaelen Phillips (DE, Miami)
#18 Miami — Najee Harris (RB, Alabama)
#19 Washington — Walker Little (T, Stanford)
#20 Chicago — Elijah Moore (WR, Ole Miss)
#21 Indianapolis — Kwity Paye (DE, Michigan)
#22 Tennessee — Zaven Collins (LB, Tulsa)
#23 New York Jets (v/SEA) — Gregory Rousseau (DE, Miami)
#24 Pittsburgh — Javonte Williams (RB, North Carolina)
#25 Jacksonville (v/LAR) — Levi Onwuzurike (DT, Washington)
#26 Cleveland — Baron Browning (LB, Ohio State)
#27 Baltimore — Josh Myers (C, Ohio State)
#28 New Orleans — Jaycee Horn (CB, South Carolina)
#29 Green Bay — Caleb Farley (CB, Virginia Tech)
#30 Buffalo — Alijah Vera-Tucker (G, USC)
#31 Kansas City — Ronnie Perkins (DE, Oklahoma)
#32 Tampa Bay — Christian Darrisaw (T, Virginia Tech)

Second round

#33 Jacksonville — Kadarius Toney (WR, Florida)
#34 New York Jets — Pat Freiermuth (TE, Penn State)
#35 Atlanta — Travis Etienne (RB, Clemson)
#36 Miami (v/HOU) — Jalen Mayfield (T, Michigan)
#37 Philadelphia — Elijah Molden (CB, Washington)
#38 Cincinnati — Patrick Surtain II (CB, Alabama)
#39 Miami (v/CAR) — Talanoa Hufanga (S, USC)
#40 Denver — Kelvin Joseph (CB, Kentucky)
#41 Detroit — Alim McNeill (DT, NC State)
#42 New York Giants — Carlos Basham (DE, Wake Forest)
#43 San Francisco — Shaun Wade (CB, Ohio State)
#44 Dallas — Christian Barmore (DT, Alabama)
#45 Jacksonville (v/MIN) — Joe Tryon (DE, Washington)
#46 New England — Brevin Jordan (TE, Miami)
#47 LA Chargers — Wyatt Davis (G, Ohio State)
#48 Las Vegas — D’Wayne Eskridge (WR, Western Michigan)
#49 Arizona — Trey Smith (G, Tennessee)
#50 Miami — Landon Dickerson (C, Alabama)
#51 Washington — Davis Mills (QB, Stanford)
#52 New York Jets (v/CHI) — Nick Bolton (LB, Missouri)
#53 Tennessee — Rashod Bateman (WR, Minnesota)
#54 Indianapolis — D’Ante Smith (T, ECU)
#55 Pittsburgh — Tylan Wallace (WR, Oklahoma State)
#56 Seattle — Alex Leatherwood (T/G, Alabama)
#57 LA Rams — Joseph Ossai (LB, Texas)
#58 Baltimore — Teven Jenkins (T, Oklahoma State)
#59 Cleveland — Trevon Moerihg (S, TCU)
#60 New Orleans — Andre Cisco (S, Syracuse)
#61 Green Bay — Tommy Togiai (DT, Ohio State)
#62 Buffalo — Jevon Holland (S, Oregon)
#63 Tampa Bay — Kellen Mond (QB, Texas A&M)
#64 Kansas City — Creed Humphrey (C, Oklahoma)

#1 Jacksonville — Trevor Lawrence (QB, Clemson)
Urban Meyer took this job because of big Trev.

#2 New York Jets — Zach Wilson (QB, BYU)
He has a lot of talent and teams will spend the coming weeks working out his mental makeup while trying to determine just how much upside he has.

#3 Carolina (v/MIA) — Justin Fields (QB, Ohio State)
Fields has major talent but also some flaws. He needs to avoid dropping his eyes under pressure and locking on to primary targets. Yet the question for Carolina and others is this — if you can’t get Deshaun Watson out of Houston, how does Fields compare to the quarterbacks available next year? And that’s when he and others in this class will become quite appealing.

#4 Atlanta — Trey Lance (QB, North Dakota State)
I’ve mocked Lance in round two and while he definitely has the physical tools he doesn’t have many starts and he hasn’t played tough opponents. I think he’s in the Jordan Love range personally. However, Atlanta can afford to draft and develop for a year or two with Matt Ryan under center. They might feel like this is the ideal opportunity to stash a quarterback for the long term and thus be willing to select a raw talent who needs time.

#5 Cincinnati — Penei Sewell (T, Oregon)
He might be the best player in this draft after Trevor Lawrence. This would be an ideal pick for the Bengals who need to protect Joe Burrow when he returns from injury.

#6 Philadelphia — Ja’Marr Chase (WR, LSU)
The best receiver in the draft and he would be a terrific fit for the target-starved Eagles offense.


#7 Detroit — Micah Parsons (LB, Penn State)
There are some character question marks surrounding Parsons but you can easily make the case that he’s the best defensive player in the draft.

#8 Miami (v/CAR) — DeVonta Smith (WR, Alabama)
This works out nicely for the Dolphins as they reunite Tua with a target he already has plenty of chemistry with.

#9 San Francisco (v/DEN) — Mac Jones (QB, Alabama)
I’ve spent a lot of time watching Jones over the last couple of weeks. He might well have physical limitations — but I can see him fitting like a glove in the Shanahan system. What did he do well for Alabama? Kept the offense on schedule and got the ball out quickly. Matt Ryan and Kirk Cousins thrived under Shanahan and I think there’s a chance they’ll think Jones can too.

#10 Arizona (v/DAL) — Kyle Pitts (TE, Florida)
The Cardinals have a duty to provide Kyler Murray with as many weapons as possible and putting Pitts on the field with Nuk Hopkins is a terrifying thought.

#11 New York Giants — Jaylen Waddle (WR, Alabama)
Supremely fast, dynamic and appears to have excellent character. Waddle has star qualities and could become Daniel Jones’ key to success.


#12 Denver (v/SF) — Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (LB, Notre Dame)

Highly explosive and dynamic — a true first round talent. He can jump a 39-inch vertical and a 10-3 broad jump.

#13 LA Chargers — Rashawn Slater (G, Northwestern)
I’m not as sold on Slater as some others. I think he’ll make a good guard. The Chargers need help across their O-line so could try him at multiple spots.

#14 Minnesota — Rondale Moore (WR, Purdue)
This year, more than any other, you’ve just got to go and get talent. Moore is explosive, fast and unlike anything else in the NFL. He ran a 4.33 forty, a 4.01 short shuttle and jumped a 43 inch vertical at SPARQ.

#15 New England — Daviyon Nixon (DT, Iowa)
A TFL machine in 2020 (13.5). Nixon creates havoc from the interior and is a true playmaking defensive tackle.

#16 Dallas (v/ARI) — Azeez Ojulari (DE, Georgia)
The Bowl game against Cincinnati was a statement performance. It was Ojulari saying ‘I belong at the top of your pass rushing boards’.

#17 Las Vegas — Jaelen Phillips (DE, Miami)
The Raiders need pass rushers. Teams will need to investigate the concussion issues that led to his departure from UCLA. However — Phillips was once a major recruiting superstar and has natural talent to get after the quarterback. Few players have his upside in this draft.

#18 Miami — Najee Harris (RB, Alabama)
Gliding and cultured runner who somehow combines power and finesse. Very talented and productive. Won’t fit every scheme as his cuts are sometimes laboured. Ran a 4.16 short shuttle at SPARQ.

#19 Washington — Walker Little (T, Stanford)
Perfectly sized, great agility and a very capable tackle prospect who will go earlier than people think. Had the best SPARQ score among O-liners in 2017 (107.25).

#20 Chicago — Elijah Moore (WR, Ole Miss)
Strong for his size and capable of going up to get the football — Moore is an ideal slot receiver and would provide a much-needed weapon for Carson Wentz if he ends up in Chicago.

#21 Indianapolis — Kwity Paye (DE, Michigan)
The Colts love to draft for upside and physical traits. Paye’s tape is inconsistent and he has limited games to study but physically he was expected to test superbly.

#22 Tennessee — Zaven Collins (LB, Tulsa)
He only ran a 5.03 forty at SPARQ but when you put on the tape he jumps off the screen. He looks like a first rounder.

#23 New York Jets (v/SEA) — Gregory Rousseau (DE, Miami)
Has the size and the length but he was really raw in Miami and sitting out 2020 hasn’t helped his stock.

#24 Pittsburgh — Javonte Williams (RB, North Carolina)
He had a record 0.48 broken tackles per rush attempt in 2020, registered 7.0 YPC and 4.59 yards-after-contact per carry. He’s exceptional.

#25 Jacksonville (v/LAR) — Levi Onwuzurike (DT, Washington)
The Jaguars badly need to address their D-line and while Onwuzurike isn’t going to be able to deliver a Calais Campbell-type impact, they miss that kind of player working the interior.


#26 Cleveland — Baron Browning (LB, Ohio State)

Wow-athlete at linebacker with tremendous character and intensity. Ran a 4.18 short shuttle at SPARQ and jumped a 37 inch vertical.


#27 Baltimore — Josh Myers (C, Ohio State)
Incredibly consistent, tough and very athletic center with a long career ahead of him. He ran a 4.49 short shuttle at 310lbs.

#28 New Orleans — Jaycee Horn (CB, South Carolina)
I think the cornerbacks might last a bit then start coming off the board quickly. He looks like a Greek God of a cornerback. Incredibly put together. Dominated Auburn’s Seth Williams. If he played every game like that he’d be a top-10 lock.

#29 Green Bay — Caleb Farley (CB, Virginia Tech)
He has talent but you don’t see much effort in run-support, his tackling isn’t great and he’s not a physical player. He’s a player you want to like a lot but there’s enough to make you pause for thought.

#30 Buffalo — Alijah Vera-Tucker (G, USC)
He could be tried at tackle or guard. He doesn’t have great physical qualities but he was smooth, technically sound and he gets into the right position with ease.

#31 Kansas City — Ronnie Perkins (DE, Oklahoma)
Mean, nasty, quick edge rusher who is only scratching the surface of his potential. Could go earlier.

#32 Tampa Bay — Christian Darrisaw (T, Virginia Tech)
Rising offensive lineman but whenever I’ve watched him there’s just something that makes me think right tackle, not left.

#33 Jacksonville — Kadarius Toney (WR, Florida)
He’s a big favourite in the media but here’s something to consider — he ran a 4.69 at SPARQ at 177lbs. Was it just a bad run? He did jump a 41 inch vertical.

#34 New York Jets — Pat Freiermuth (TE, Penn State)
The ‘Baby Gronk’ nickname is warranted. Superb body control and size.

#35 Atlanta — Travis Etienne (RB, Clemson)
I think he had a ‘meh’ 2020 season but his profile is incredible. Jumped a 37 inch vertical at SPARQ and ran a 4.43.

#36 Miami (v/HOU) — Jalen Mayfield (T, Michigan)
Definitely a right tackle but could help finish off Miami’s O-line rebuild with a pick I have them making at #50.

#37 Philadelphia — Elijah Molden (CB, Washington)
Outstanding player who will only last this long based on his size and straight-line speed. Ran a 3.93 short shuttle at SPARQ and jumped a 37 inch vertical.

#38 Cincinnati — Patrick Surtain II (CB, Alabama)
He had a few lapses in 2020 and don’t forget he only ran a 4.57 at SPARQ.


#39 Miami (v/CAR) — Talanoa Hufanga (S, USC)
The Dolphins acquire this pick after trading down from #8. Hufanga is a player who deserves much more attention and he’s that aggressive, downfield, attacking safety the Belichick tree coaches love.


#40 Denver — Kelvin Joseph (CB, Kentucky)
Well sized and talented. Jumped a 36 inch vertical at SPARQ. Transferred from LSU.

#41 Detroit — Alim McNeill (DT, NC State)
Massive, highly athletic prospect who will shock people when he runs and does the agility testing. Ran a 4.27 short shuttle (!!!) at SPARQ.

#42 New York Giants — Carlos Basham (DE, Wake Forest)
When he flashes he really flashes. There’s also some average games on tape. No combine doesn’t help him because he’s a good athlete.

#43 San Francisco — Shaun Wade (CB, Ohio State)
He might have to settle for a permanent role in the slot but Wade has talent and someone has to try and develop him. Five-star recruit.

#44 Dallas — Christian Barmore (DT, Alabama)
Turned it on late in the season but had a slow start. No doubt he can flash as a pass rusher in college but can he do it consistently at the next level?

#45 Jacksonville (v/MIN) — Joe Tryon (DE, Washington)
Sensational athlete and teams will look at his frame and the way he wins in multiple ways — speed, hand-use, power — and think this is a player we can work with.

#46 New England — Brevin Jordan (TE, Miami)
Ultra-dynamic pass-catching tight end who ran a sensational 4.21 short shuttle at 250lbs at SPARQ.


#47 LA Chargers — Wyatt Davis (G, Ohio State)

He could go much, much earlier than this. Highly talented but a pure guard and that could impact his stock.

#48 Las Vegas — D’Wayne Eskridge (WR, Western Michigan)
The Raiders are still the Raiders and they love freakish speed.

#49 Arizona — Trey Smith (G, Tennessee)
Had a hit and miss Senior Bowl for me but someone is going to want to take a chance on his physical upside.

#50 Miami — Landon Dickerson (C, Alabama)
A first round talent who lasts because of a long history of injuries at Florida State and Alabama.

#51 Washington — Davis Mills (QB, Stanford)

I’ve mocked him plenty of times in round one and I think it could happen. But 10 career starts create a question mark. He has the tools and the talent to succeed.

#52 New York Jets (v/CHI) — Nick Bolton (LB, Missouri)
Old-school linebacker who’ll step up and smack you in the face — but limited athleticism could mean he lasts deep into day two.

#53 Tennessee — Rashod Bateman (WR, Minnesota)
Bateman was prolific in 2019 but in the few games he played in 2020 he just looked off. He did the right thing pulling himself out.

#54 Indianapolis — D’Ante Smith (T, ECU)
He was superb at the Senior Bowl and whether he plays at tackle or guard he has the kind of potential teams crave on the O-line.

#55 Pittsburgh — Tylan Wallace (WR, Oklahoma State)
He’s really talented he just lacks truly dynamic speed. The Steelers always do a good job drafting receivers in round two.

#56 Seattle — Alex Leatherwood (T/G, Alabama)
I think he has to kick inside to guard. He struggled in 1v1’s at tackle at the Senior Bowl. However, he has years of experience at left tackle for Alabama and it’s something you could try to develop for the future. A 6-5, 312lbs offensive lineman with an 85 3/8 inch wingspan with a physical nature will surely appeal.

#57 LA Rams — Joseph Ossai (LB, Texas)
He could replace Leonard Floyd as a rush hybrid who can deliver pressure but also drop if needed.

#58 Baltimore — Teven Jenkins (T, Oklahoma State)
A big, tough, aggressive offensive tackle who strictly is limited to the right side. He could replace Orlando Brown, who is angling for a trade.

#59 Cleveland — Trevon Moehrig-Woodard (S, TCU)
A very talented safety who would come in and make a big impact for a secondary that needs help.


#60 New Orleans — 
Andre Cisco (S, Syracuse)
A dynamic athlete and playmaker who has a shot to be really good at the next level. Ran a 4.27 short shuttle at SPARQ, adding a 36 inch vertical.

#61 Green Bay — Tommy Togiai (DT, Ohio State)
Physically powerful with the occasional flash of dynamism as a pass rusher — Togiai is a really good player.

#62 Buffalo — Jevon Holland (S, Oregon)
Out of sight and out of mind — Holland sat out the 2020 season and isn’t generating much buzz.

#63 Tampa Bay — Kellen Mond (QB, Texas A&M)
Why not plan for life after Tom? Mond has the arm, he throws well under pressure and he’s talented. In a few years time we may wonder how he lasted as long as he did.

#64 Kansas City — Creed Humphrey (C, Oklahoma)
He’s great on combo-blocks, he plays with attitude but he has short arms, he fights to get his hand-placement right and he might just last a bit longer than some think.

Thoughts on the Seahawks

I put this mock together under the premise that they don’t make the kind of bold, calculated moves I think are necessary. They don’t shift resource from linebacker and safety to the O-line and they don’t get back into the top-50 with more draft picks.

In this projection they simply restructure a few contracts, free up cap space and do what they’ve done for a few years now — fill holes with cheap players. Personally I think this will simply lead to more of the same and by next year, if not sooner, we’ll be talking about Russell Wilson’s future in even starker terms than we are now. Pete Carroll has a duty to make this right with Wilson and that means making tougher decisions than I am representing in this mock.

I think in this situation they’re duty bound to go O-line early. I have them taking Alex Leatherwood at #56 but if he was off the board there were many alternative options. It’s a strong class for interior O-liners. Whether the best way to protect Wilson and take on Aaron Donald is with youth and experience is a question that should be asked but here we are. I’d prefer talent and experience up front personally.

Tag-and-trade scenario

I mentioned this in yesterday’s podcast (see below) and I wanted to flesh out the detail here.

The franchise tag number for a cornerback in 2021 is $15.3m. The highest paid corner is Jalen Ramsey, earning $20m a year.

I think it’s quite possible teams like the Jaguars and Jets, with a lot of cap room and a need at the position, would be willing to consider signing Shaquill Griffin to a deal worth around $15m a year. That’s pretty much market value for a decent starting corner with age on his side (he turns 26 in July).

If you don’t want to take a cornerback early, Griffin is a nice alternative.

If the Seahawks hear that he has a strong market before the new league year begins, I think they should consider tagging him with the objective of trading him. I don’t think it’s beyond the realms of possibility you get a third round pick in return.

There’s really no downside. If nobody bites, just rescind the tag. If you can only get a day three pick, so be it. The chances are the Seahawks will sign free agents to fill holes on their roster, meaning they’re very unlikely to get a comp pick for Griffin in 2022. So you might as well get something for him.

This is also a way to add to your paltry number of picks in this draft.

In this projection, it could enable the Seahawks to add someone like Quinn Meinerz in round three, a receiver (it’s a good class) or a defensive lineman (there are several still remaining).

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177 Comments

  1. Submanjoe

    Is Najee Harris a Seahawks type back?

    • Rob Staton

      Hmmmm…

      • Submanjoe

        I know he is not the prototypical seahawks size. He strikes me as power inside type back who could do well and has a “star power” background that could (dreaded word) appease Russ. Not that seattle could draft him anyways without some maneuvering.

  2. Trevor

    Nice work Rob but it is so hard looking at these mocks and realizing we gave up #1 and 3 for a safety.

    If our pick was Greg Rousseau and then we added Leatherwood I would be feeling much much better,

    • Tien

      Agreed, Trevor!

      When that trade for Adams occurred, I couldn’t believe how much we paid…for a strong safety. And now, I feel even worse, seeing all the talent that is beyond our reach because we have just 4 picks this year!

  3. cha

    The closest thing I can find for a model of a tag and trade that might be in the neighborhood for Griffin is the way KC handled Dee Ford.

    They tagged him 2/19/19

    They completed the trade with SF 3/12/19 for a 2020 2nd round pick (so a year out – using the typical equivalent chart that would have been a 2019 3rd round pick).

    SF signed him to a 5yr contract on 3/14/19 which replaced the tag.

    So a third round pick in the current year.

    The question then is, is the market that hungry for Griffin? It’s possible.

    • dcd2

      Like Rob mentioned on the podcast though, does it matter what the compensation is? If he walks, there’s a very good chance we get nothing (via compensatory pick) as we have too many holes and too few picks to address via the draft alone.

      If we get a 3rd, great. If we get a 5th, so be it. Still better than nothing. Hopefully they learned that lesson with ET.

      • Simo

        I support the tag and trade proposal, but do wonder if teams will be willing to pay Griffin $15m. I suppose they can make the trade and then sign him to a long-term deal possibly averaging a little less.

        Is there any chance they tag him and he signs the deal right away? Wouldn’t they be stuck with him in this example? If the chance is slim to none, then there really isn’t any downside provided there’s some teams interested in him.

        • Rob Staton

          Is there any chance they tag him and he signs the deal right away?

          If he knew they were trying to trade him he wouldn’t do that

          • Simo

            Makes sense! Wonder why this type of deal isn’t more common, just don’t see if very often like you do in the NBA. If we could get a mid round pick back it would be better than nothing!

  4. Ryan

    Good work on the mock, Rob! Must have been a lot of work to give thoughts about each of the picks and why they fit, so kudos to you.

    One question. You’ve given the Hawks a versatile OL, here, a G/T type. Do you think that’s more likely than a G/C type so we could use him to replace either Iupati or Pocic, since our need at T is less imminent? That’s how I’ve been thinking, but I also see we need to start planning for a life wtihout D. Brown. Is that the idea here?

    • Rob Staton

      I think it’s too early to say what could be more likely

  5. dcd2

    I think Rondale Moore comps a bit to Tyreek Hill, without the baggage.

    Similar size, 40 & short shuttle times and neither is afraid of contact.

    If PCJS addressed LG in FA (via Thuney or Scherff) would you think a pivot to Creed Humphrey or another C would be the approach or adding a weapon on offense?

    Love these mocks. I think you’re one of the best in the biz at this side of things and it’s fun to see where you differ from the main.

    • DW

      I think everyone wants to compare the shorter fast receiver of every class to Hill. I don’t think Moore and Hill are THAT similar outside of their stature. Moore was seldom used past 10 yards down the field. He really looks more like a Curtis Samuel to me than a Hill. Not to say he can’t develop his deep game but Hill is lightyears ahead of him in that area at the moment.

      • DW

        Granted, a plus version of Samuel to be sure

      • dcd2

        I thought about Samuel as well, but I think he does comp better to Hill. Samuel is fair too though.

        He’s compact and tough through contact. They did run a lot of stuff for him at the LOS, but he ran plenty of routes too. Hill started out as a RB at OSU. He was a RB/WR/KR at W. Alabama. He had almost equal carries, receptions and returns. He certainly wasn’t a polished WR.

        • DW

          I was more referring to current day Samuel than his college profile. I almost never saw Moore run anything past 10 yards, nonetheless catch a ball there. It could be a product of poor QB play but I just don’t see that same deep route repertoire I guess. There was a heat map going around of his routes run the other day in the dynasty/devvy world that was pretty wild. Wish I had it

  6. Mick

    I love your pick for Steelers, perfect match for them to draft a RB. Do you think Miami could go for Sewell with #3 pick? Tua needs weapons but their OL doesn’t look great either, and I see you gave them two high picks on the OL.

    Griffin makes totally sense, we need a cheaper replacement. I’m on board with Sherman. But if that doesn’t work out, we could spend a pick on a new CB. Assuming we get experience at OL via FA, would you rather go CB or RB at #56?

  7. Roy Batty

    For some nagging reason I believe they’ll sign an FA guard, draft one at 56, then shift Lewis to center, all with input from Russ.

    If Pete blows up the room by drafting a defensive player, without signing a significant (not bargain) FA guard, then we will most likely hear a Watson-type power play from Russ.

    I guess all will be revealed come March 17th. They will need to move quick, once FA starts.

  8. Cawww

    Thanks for all the hard work and passion you put into your content Rob! I don’t comment much but I read and listen to everything you put out.

    Pains me to even think about Mac Jones as a Niner. Personally, I think he’s the 2nd best QB in this draft, and wouldn’t be surprised at all to see him end up with the best career.

    While he clearly isn’t the athlete that the other QB’s are and doesn’t have the strongest arm, his poise, leadership, and ability to get the ball out quick are phenomenal. He would especially thrive with Kyle Shanahan.

  9. Mike

    Leatherwood looks like he has the physical tools, but he’s unrefined in technique. He consistently is the guy standing the most upright on the line. His weight is already centered on his heels pre-contact. I think he got away with his size absorbing bull rushes in college, but in the pros he’s gonna get bull rushed onto his butt with that technique.

    Hand fighting is sub-par to ok, but it seems to be the DE that makes contact with his pads before he does. I’d like to see him swat hands and strike the DE’s pads first.

    Intriguing, but I doubt we could start him week 1. If he moves inside, he’ll really need to work on getting lower.

  10. Rob4q

    Excellent stuff Rob, I love these mocks!

    As far as OT that might be available in the 2nd round, you have D’Ante Smith going before both the other small school guys – Radunz from NDSU and Brown from N. Iowa. Is that because of how Smith did at the Senior Bowl or do you think he is just the better prospect? Also, what about J. Carman from Clemson? I see him rated on other sites in this range as well…

    Lastly, you have Walker Little in the mid 1st and I see your reasons why. It will be very interesting to see where he gets valued due to sitting out. Would love to see him drop to the Seahawks, but not likely!

    • Rob4q

      I also wonder if Trey Hill from Georgia could be someone they like as a G/C type of lineman in the later rounds. He’s a big dude with some nasty to him! Had an injury late in the season, so some medical concerns though.

    • DW

      I wouldn’t be surprised to see Radunz go pretty early. He also had some dominant reps at the sr. bowl and certainly looks a little more rocked up than Smith. Smith does have that crazy frame to build on though

      • Rob Staton

        I don’t agree with the Radunz talk in the first two rounds. Very much a mid-rounder at best for me.

    • Rob Staton

      I just think he’s far better. Radunz a mid-rounder type, Brown even later.

  11. JLemere

    On Cowherd’s show, specifically last segment about whether certain players will be dealt. For RW he said not dealt and then he slip this in. “They are going to address I’m told, the offensive line in the draft. They went out and got a kid last year from LSU, a right guard who is pretty good and now they have to go get a left guard.”

    So if the source is legit, they will grab a guard in the draft, which means they will probably get the center in FA. So Linsley, Mack, Pocic, or Blythe would be the four names to monitor, which i think is the correct move. A veteran C would be good for RW, since apparently, he is still P.O. about Unger being traded a decade ago, so hopefully a step in the right direction.

    • Mick

      Speaking of Unger, if Jimmy Graham is cut would you like him back?

      • JLemere

        If Waldron/RW has control of the offense, maybe. If PC has control, then no.

      • Ryan

        Jimmy Graham? Is this a serious question? Not to out my other alts, but Jimmy Graham is probably the worst football player I have ever seen. As Ryan Leaf is to high draft picks, Graham is to football players. Some guys are just bad at pro football; Graham is actively negative on every play where he’s not catching the ball, and frankly, he’s neutral on a lot of those as well.

        There is no way Graham is back here. That’s the kind of move you’d get if you let Russ have input into player acquisition, just like we got with Greg Olsen.

        • icb12

          Of course Russ would want Jimmy Graham back. I don’t think Jimmy would mind it either. I mean in 2017 Graham was tied for 2nd most TD catches and Russ led the league in TD passes. In 2016 Graham had near 1000 yards. In both years he had near 100 targets. Russ loved Jimmy. Jimmy loved Russ. Hell he became the all time Receptions and yards by TE leader for Seattle in 3 seasons. Jimmy had 45 first downs in 2016. Seattle only had 111 first downs TOTAL this last season.

          Personally I wouldn’t be super interested, because like you say- he’s not the most involved on every play. But I could see the team bringing him back on the cheap to help make Russ happy. 3rd and long and redzone specialist.. I wouldn’t hate it (if he’s cheap)

          • icb12

            Edit: those seattle 1st down stats are incorrect. Reading the wrong column. Point remains he’s a first down machine. or WAS.

            • Ryan

              Gotta throw to somebody. And on every other play he is literally causing the play to fail almost every time. I’ve never seen a single player kill so many plays because he flat-out fails to execute his assignment. It’d be like a OG just letting the DT go by him on every play where he’s not called on to pull.

    • BobbyK

      If their plan is to draft a LG at #56 then there’s no way Pocic should be resigned. He has absolutely no physicality. If you want to run the ball and punish your opponents – this is not the center for you. If they go with a rookie LG and leave LT, RG, and RT the same, then they’d better get a good center (Linsley). Not some retreat clown who can’t push anyone.

      If this was the 1980s and it was the run-and-shoot Oilers, by all means go ahead and get a technician like Pocic to play center, but don’t ask a wimp (by NFL standards) to be a bully.

      • Rob Staton

        Pocic returning should be an absolute non starter unless it’s a minimal backup deal.

        It’s absolutely imperative they add some quality to this O-line. I’m totally comfortable with drafting a guard but if that’s the case — I want Linsley or Mack at center. Or even better, I want them back in this draft so they can get Josh Myers.

        Heck, even after the Darrell Taylor fiasco, I’m not against Landon Dickerson. Just because he’s so good.

        • Spencer

          Britt on a minimum deal could be an interesting move for a backup C as well.

  12. RWIII

    Personally I don’t think Shaquill Griffin will be back. His brother will probably follow him where ever he goes. According to John Clayton there is going to be 120+ cap casualties. Just heard that Patrick Peterson will probably be cut. BTW: Von Miller may become a cap casualty. Big Ben Pittsburg(definitely not a Seahawk target) might be on the chopping block. A number big name teams are in salary cap peril.

    • cha

      Petersen is a free agent.

  13. Big Mike

    Leatherwood fits the size of the guys they’ve had play at LG under Solari. The pick makes sense. Now maybe sign a quality FA Center please?

    Thanks Rob, good stuff as always.

    • Rob Staton

      Thanks

      • RWIII

        Ditto: Love your mock drafts. And I love your interviews. They are your best work. Masterpiece. Excellent work.

        • Rob Staton

          Thank you

  14. Happy Hawk

    The Dolphins are going to be the Alabama Dolphins on offense if this draft is accurate:

    QB: Tua
    RB: N Harris
    WR: D Smith
    C: L Dickerson
    Plus: On Defense:
    DL: R Davis

    • Roy Batty

      Considering Alabama’s dominance in the draft over the last decade, that might be applied to half the dang NFL.

  15. Rob4q

    Interesting where players are available on the PFN SIM right now…made a few trades and ended up with this:

    70. D’Wayne Eskridge, WR Western Michigan
    108. Ben Cleveland, OG Georgia
    138. Janarius Robinson, EDGE Florida State
    168. Tre McKitty, TE Georgia
    179. Jaylon Moore, OT Western Michigan
    183. Jordon Scott, DT Oregon
    194. Israel Mukuamu, CB South Carolina
    209. Jermar Jefferson, RB Oregon State

    I like both the PNW boys, Scott from Oregon and Jefferson from OSU. Jefferson in particular has some nice highlights – he looks very worthy of a late round flier!

    • Hoggs41

      Forget about Jefferson. Remember watching him tear up UW this past year.

      • Rob4q

        His coaches have called him a “special” player and he looks like it in the tape I watched! He looks legit!

        • dcd2

          He tore up the Ducks too. Certainly worth a look if we leave it to day 3 to go after an RB. He seems like an actual RB, not a special teamer who can play RB.

  16. Sea Mode

    So what do you all think of the Wentz deal? Fair trade?

    I’ll bet Ballard finds a way to only play Wentz 69% of the offensive snaps. I guess if he were to get injured and miss some games, that would take care of it too.

    I’m kind of surprised they were willing to (potentially) give up the R1, especially seeing the Eagles with their backs against the wall and reportedly no other team even making an offer. I guess the upside is that you only give up the R1 pick if he’s playing, and you only play him if he’s doing well.

    Mike Garafolo
    @MikeGarafolo
    ·3h

    The conditional second-rounder in 2022 becomes a first-rounder if Wentz plays 75 percent of the snaps or 70 percent and the team makes the playoffs.

    • cha

      I don’t think a megastar trade like Wilson or Watson was in the cards for Indy. Wentz gives them a talented but damaged project to work on without too much investment.

      They’re only on the books for $25.4m in 2021 and $22m in 2022. If he doesn’t work out they can get him off the roster with a minimum of pain.

      • Sea Mode

        Correct. I think it was a shot well worth taking, especially given the success he had under Reich. And like I said, I think they’ll be clever enough to find a way to keep their R1 in the end.

        Also wouldn’t be surprised if they snagged one of those QBs in the draft that Rob mentions could develop into something in a couple years, in case it doesn’t work out with Wentz.

      • charlietheunicorn

        This was a very good trade. For what you gave up, he gives you way more than the last 2 guys who have held down the spot after Luck retired. Coaching staff that understands what he does well and can put him in position to succeed. Indy is very dangerous next year already…..

  17. Hoggs41

    Damn Rob, you do a fantastic job with these mocks. Best I get a chance to read. What a dream scenario for the Bengals to get Sewell. Also for the Eagles to get the top WR on there board. Good haul for the Dolphins as well. The one thing about tagging Griffin is you have to have the cap space to hold him for a bit and that could hinder you making other moves as you can dip below the salary cap once 3/19 hits.

    • God of Thunder

      Agreed. A pleasure to read.

  18. Sea Mode

    RE: Mac Jones fit with Shanahan

    PFF Draft
    @PFF_College
    ·Feb 17

    Highest accurate pass % among FBS QBs in a season since 2016:

    2020 Mac Jones – 72.0%
    2019 Joe Burrow – 71.7%
    2019 Kedon Slovis – 69.4%

    • Roy Batty

      It will be interesting to see how he handles NFL speed and power, if he’s a starter from day one. Its one thing to be an efficient QB at such a dominant program during a crazy season. Its quite another when your time to pass is cut short and your passing window is much tighter.

  19. Sea Mode

    PFF
    @PFF
    ·7h

    Will Fuller on go-routes since 2019:
    Rocket 12 catches (1st)
    Rocket 450 yards (1st)
    Rocket 5 TDs (T-1st)

    • uptop

      I’ve always been a big fan of him, but he would feel like an even more expensive version of Dorsett. I would rather go to the draft for a speedy WR who can run some sweeps.

      • Sea Mode

        Eskridge… 😙

    • dcd2

      And perpetually hurt but for the one season he popped for PED’s. Going to be interesting to see his market.

  20. Brik

    I want to say that I stumbled across this website what seems like a decade ago when I was searching for some news during the offseason. I have found that your analysis and content just keep getting better, and I trust what you have to say on drafting as much as any ESPN person.

    • Rob Staton

      Thanks Brik

  21. bmseattle

    Perhaps rather than drafting a downhill safety at #39, that could be part of a package of picks for Jamal Adams?
    If we could get both of Miami’s 2nd rounders for him, I think we should do that trade.

    • bmseattle

      Actually, they have 3 of them.
      But the point remains… I’d take two 2nds in this draft for jamal.

    • Rob Staton

      I’m up for that

      • BobbyK

        Me too.

        But how pathetic is that… trading a 1, 1, and 3 for a 2 and 2. Someone should be fired for that.

        • Big Mike

          I know, let’s give ’em extensions instead!

  22. Mike

    I know this isn’t fair to devonta smith but when I look at his body type he reminds me of Paul Richardson.

  23. cha

    Good to see you’ve moved on from NY, Jamal

    https://twitter.com/LefkoeShow/status/1362562795217293319

  24. Frank

    Great job, absolutely love mock draft season. The Dolphins and Jets are interesting, I think Donald is the better player and maybe even younger but has never had a supporting situation. If I was the Dolphins I’d flip Tua for a first hopefully two and second, trade the second for Donald and see if he can out play Fitzpatrick. If not you’d have two first and the ability to try again next year, and still be able to get something out of Donald.

  25. cha

    Cowherd: “They (Seattle) are gonna address I’m told the offensive line in the draft.”

    https://youtu.be/BX9JqWbuzfA?t=125

    • Rob Staton

      When I watched that earlier what it said to me was nothing major is going to change.

      They aren’t going to make the kind of bold moves to transform the roster.

      They will probably fill holes on the cheap and use the few picks they have.

      And we’ll be sat here in 12 months having the same conversation we have every year.

      • Ryan

        So when does Russ pull the trigger? Before the draft? Or next offseason?

        • Rob Staton

          We’ll have to wait and see

      • Big Mike

        Actually my guess is that the conversation will be different in that we’ll be discussing how PCJS can screw up the draft choices they receive after having to trade Russell Wilson.

        • Big Mike

          And the other conversation that will be different will be the one we have about how Jamal Adams was a waste of money after getting re-signed and being ranked like 48th and missing 5 games and making “business decisions, etc. rather than the ones we’re having this offseason where we are talking in hopeful terms of him being traded.

          • Rob Staton

            But Mike… when he decides not to make that tackle on the goal line and gives up a TD, because he has no business playing with a serious injury, but Carroll hasn’t told him to sit like he needs to, we can all spend a good few days after that game talking about what a warrior he is.

            • Big Mike

              And don’t forget when he breaks his own record for DB sacks with like 11 next year the media can talk about the genius of Pete Carroll for trading for him. Never mind that they had to blitz him 91 times to get those sacks and he blew coverages regularly thus the #48 ranking.

    • Denver Hawker

      Isn’t Pocic a 2nd rounder? There are certainly great prospects in the 2nd round for the Hawks, but I’m concerned about relying solely on the draft to improve the line. Lewis was an absolute hit for a rookie, but he was still an average starter. We need at least one top level vet at G/C.

      • BobbyK

        The positives with Lewis is that he held his own and did okay for a rookie at guard. Now is the time he’s going to greatly improve. We know he’s headed in the right direction of actually being a good OL.

        If they’re going with a LG… they better surround the young guards with a good veteran C.

        • Justaguy

          That would have to be a big fucking center

        • Zxvo3

          I agree. Alex Mack is a candidate for that job. I see a lot of people talking about getting him on a bargain deal. But is it true that you could get him for cheap?

    • Steve Nelsen

      There is a growing belief that Tennessee will cut or trade Isaiah Wilson this offseason. He would certainly seem to be worth a 4th round pick if the Seattle FO believes they can help him mature with a fresh start.

  26. TheOtherJordan

    If Davis is there at pick #47, how do you not move up and get him? That would be a steal and set the G positions for years to come and finally give us a chance against Donald. Sure would be nice to have some picks if this were to happen. It is so critical for this team to acquire draft capital for opportunities just like this.

    • BobbyK

      There is no rookie OL on the planet that will give us a chance against Donald. Just one who might suck the least of all the rookie guards we could get vs. Donald.

      • TheOtherJordan

        As a rookie, I don’t disagree. Although I’d still rather have Davis as a rookie instead of Phil Haynes. And until Seattle shows they are willing to spend real money for a good veteran, I’ll believe they’ll sign a good OL when I see it. In year 2 or 3 though, Davis has the ability to go head to head with Donald. Davis is a top-15 player in this draft for me.

        • BobbyK

          Agreed.

      • JUJUS

        In the Grand scheme of 1v1 vs Donald I agree.

        Though I think theres a real value to be found in getting a Shorter Squattier Long center (Lloyd cushenberry like)

        to have less of a low man disadvantage vs donald.

        And to have a shorter guy for Russ to see over.

  27. swedenhawk

    Rob, The tag-and-trade idea is brilliant. With so many holes on the roster and no cap room, Schneider has to find ways to get back in this draft. Assuming he could get a 3rd in return for Griffin, this would be one step towards that. Now, if he could only get down to trading Bobby and Jamal… I’d be keen to see you mock up that draft scenario!

    • Scot04

      Hoping Adams 1st. Either picks or a player and a pick. Still dreaming about Orlando Brown and pick for Adams. Heck i might do it straight up.
      Extend him with him agreeing to play 2021 at RT then moving over in 2022.
      Won’t happen, but it’s fun to think about.

    • millhouse-serbia

      Idea is great.. But there is huuuge but… You cant have him under tag on march 17th, because with his 15m cap hit it would be really hard to sign FA and all players you want and be under the cap…

      So basicaly you would need to tag him (march 9th is last date) and trade him before march 17th… Or rescind the tag if you dont trade him until that date… But problem is you cant rescind tag if player sign it… And i dont see any reason why he wouldnt sign 15m check as soon as he gets him…

      • Rob Staton

        He wouldn’t sign it straight away. That never happens.

        And the point of this scenario is he has a market at that level and the Seahawks use the tag to get some compensation.

  28. charlietheunicorn

    Who is the best overall draft prospect in the draft?

    Who are the top 5 regardless of position?

    Normally 1 or 2 QB, DE and LT go in top 5…. unless you have a crazy WR or RB pop up….. multi-generational guy…. the guy I’m kind of pulling for is the Trey Lance kid… small school… overlooked before college. Has played some fine games, but needs work.

  29. charlietheunicorn

    One other comment, if you trade RW, then you might as well go for broke and trade BW and Adams as well (and other guys I’m drawing a blank on right now). There isn’t a QB that can replace him next year if he gets traded. And they won’t have enough draft capitol, even with a trade, to really improve the roster around a depleted (or less effective) QB in the fold. Might as well save cash and not resign Griffin or KJ.

    The bright side would be 2022 would be a really young roster and a ton of cap space / excellent roster flexibility. Downside would be that 2021 would suck….. azzzzzzzzzz. 6-10 level of suck.

    As a famous movie quote that was uttered……. “we shall seeeeeeeeee”

    • UkAlex6674

      That’s he thing though Charlie like you say, being younger and faster doesn’t always equate to being better – at least initially.

      I’m not so sure I’d want to blow the whole thing up though; if I trade Adams and BWags I’d want to make sure my offense was on point and the same if RW goes – I’d want the D to be as good as possible.

      It’s a tough one though, and if anything, there is no off-season or quiet periods for Hawks fans as there is always some drama going on!

  30. Rob Staton

    Can you believe this???

    https://twitter.com/gbellseattle/status/1362568110415355906?s=21

    • Sea Mode

      Saw that this morning. Decided not to even bring it up any more. Unfollow.

    • SonGoku

      He’s the secret owner of the Hawks and talks to the RW3 camp and the FO on a daily basis.

      Seriously, I don’t get this ignorance. Just because you don’t like to think that PC and RW are philosophically miles apart and there are problems within the organization, you can’t completely deny the whole story.
      G. Bell should know, as everybody here does, that Wilson uses Cowherd to communicate his concerns, as well as Rogers does with Florio. But you only see him quoting the mysterious media conference Russ held after the Dan Patrick Show and other sources stating his opinion. Wouldn’t he get a lot more clicks and attention if there were articles that would really try to get information about where the Hawks and RW are right now, what’s been said behind the scenes, how much communication between both sides is happening. These are question everyone wants to be answered. But he’s probably still thinking about if he and his colleagues could beat Bobby Wagner & Co. in a basketball match.

    • Denver Hawker

      What a putz as my Yiddish grandfather would say.

      • Rob Staton

        It’s as if the last week hasn’t happened.

        Staggering.

        • Tree

          This mock makes a lot of sense. I really like the idea of a G/T player for insurance for Brown if he gets hurt or a replacement for next year (even better if we can trade down ala Damien Lewis) plus a stud FA center. And I love the idea of trying to get something for Quil. I am starting to feel better about our cap situation this year with the ability to extend core players (I want Adams and Lockett). And with all the expected cap cuts league wide, the Hawks can just watch the market and if a high quality OT, DE, or DT (even LB or WR?) becomes available on the cheap, they cut or give Brown/Dunlap/Reed a chance to renegotiate or trade if possible. Unlike last year when we knew the cap was going down, this is the year to sign guys to longer term deals with a small cap hit this year with the cap increasing and the Hawks having more room next year aside from that. Use any extra money on adding to the RB, TE and WR rooms. In other words, with RW unhappy let’s go for it this year and see if we can get to a SB.

    • cha

      https://mobile.twitter.com/SeahawksHaug/status/1362566133786714112

      And this.

      How does he not understand that if RW is traded that guarantee goes with him to the new team?

      So that literally has no bearing on the discussion.

      • Rob Staton

        I don’t understand, at all, the way Gregg Bell is approaching this story.

        Quite incredible.

        • JUJUS

          Gbell rides the coattails of his military service all while bootlicking to the Woke mafia on a daily.

          He is no journalist as 99% of the profession have done away with the art and merely are pawns of whom ever pays their bills.

  31. Bmseattle

    It’s not just Bell…John Clayton gets viscerally angry when asked about the Russ situation.

    • Rob Staton

      It’s so strange.

      What are they doing??

      • Big Mike

        Denial, pure and simple. Psychologically/emotionally speaking, it hurts too much for them to even consider the actual truth of the situation so emotionally it’s far easier to go full ostrich and bury their head in the sand.

        Once Russ forces his way out I PROMISE you they will turn on him like rabid dogs and defend Pete til the end even as the franchise sinks further and further into mediocrity (at best) mostly due to Pete being in their city and their constant need to defend the team no matter what.

    • WildBill

      John Clayton should stick to facts and stats. When he starts giving his nonsensical opinions I change the channel.

  32. Rob Staton

    I’m going to construct a draft board. Probably only the first three rounds. It’ll be a tentative projection simply to illustrate a direct point.

    When Cowherd said/revealed yesterday they’re going to take a left guard in the draft, I want to show why this is very likely and why they can say that with great confidence. Because when I put the board together, you’re going to see a remarkable number of top-100 interior lineman relative to most other positions.

    • Big Mike

      It’s great that the best positional depth in the draft coincides with their biggest need.

      • Ben

        It is until they take a non-blocking TE with their first pick.

        • JUJUS

          if Kyle pitts falls to them So be it.

        • Big Mike

          No way. Gonna ne another LB or SS.

          • JJ

            If we trade Bobby and let kj go we might need another lb.

    • Mick

      Rob, you’re already doing their job. They should consider hiring you as a draft advisor, or at least pay to use the board.

    • Zxvo3

      Hey Rob, I was wondering what happens to the RB position with your mock draft. If they don’t make moves such as trading Adams and/or Wagner, will they just make Carlos Hyde their RB1?

      • Rob Staton

        I’m not sure. This is the problem with the mismanagement of the roster. How the hell are they going to fill so many holes???

  33. Sea Mode

    Speaking of Seattle media, there’s this that he puts out… just after you discuss it in a podcast?

    Corbin Smith
    @CorbinSmithNFL
    ·17h

    I don’t know that the Seahawks could find any suitors given cap situation league-wide, but I wonder if a tag-and-trade option could be on the table with Griffin? Get a draft pick back for him and then sign Sherman?

    Have to think Schneider is coming through such possibilities.

    https://mobile.twitter.com/CorbinSmithNFL/status/1362515057691693056

    Not trying to claim a monopoly on logical moves for the Seahawks, but you’d have to think at least a mention would be in order.

    I mean, if you had gotten the idea from him (or anyone else), wouldn’t you introduce the discussion with something like, “Corbin Smith, Seahawks’ reporter for SI.com, put out an interesting idea earlier that I think is worth discussing…”?

    • Rob Staton

      Yeah I did notice that. Could be a complete coincidence of course. It’s possible he hadn’t seen the tweet I put out mentioning it would be discussed on the podcast, or the article I wrote up the next day discussing it. But when you propose an idea like this and a day later it’s touted, it’s not completely paranoid to wonder if it’s being relayed.

    • cha

      I don’t mind so much. It indicates SDB may be nudging the discussion among the larger community in interesting directions.

      And speaking of that…I don’t think much anyone else is stumping for seeing what Adams can bring on the trade market and investing in the trenches…Most everyone is locked into Adams being a Seahawk for the discernable future…

      Corbin Smith
      @CorbinSmithNFL
      Replying to
      @CorbinSmithNFL
      I plan to drop an article soon simulating the #Seahawks offseason. I’ll give everyone a general idea on why the team can get an upgrade at center and/or left guard without having to trade away a bunch of assets such as Adams.
      5:37 PM · Feb 18, 2021

      • cha

        Spoiler alert…the Corbin plan includes restructuring Russ and pushing $12m down the road and restructuring Bobby and pushing $6m down the road.

        In other words, maxing out the credit card on two players whose chances of being on the team in 2022 are nowhere near rock solid…

        • Big Mike

          But re-signing the 52nd ranked Safety who missed 1/4 of his games and should not have played in at least 2 others due to injury is uber important man.

        • Rob Staton

          Thank god we can screw our cap for the future to keep hold of a blitzing safety on $18-20m

      • Rob Staton

        Let me guess… restructure… extend… credit card… unrealistic Jarran Reed trade… Carlos Hyde at running back…

        • Big Mike

          Phil Haynes at LG? Ethan Pocic at C?

          • cha

            Looks like he added a big piece at center. The teaser snapshot he posted has a big number at C.

        • pdway

          Question for you – putting aside for a moment the debate re Adams’ valuel – why is the restructure/extend/credit card method necessarily a bad idea?

          Given that we are a team mostly built around a 33 y.o. QB – isn’t now the time?

          I will completely cop to not being super expert on cap matters, but when I look at overthecap – and the teams that are over in ’21, damn near all the good teams in the league (including the Chiefs, Packers, Rams, Steelers, Saints) are all well over the cap. Is it not on some levels an advantage, at least in the present?

          • cha

            There’s definitely merit to it, and I’ve stumped for the Seahawks to be more aggressive for a while now. It’s almost as if they’re playing with a different set of rules than other teams are. Made worse when you look at the Seahawks spending $50m on Irvin, Finney, Hyde, Dorsett, etc.

            But converting RW and Wagner salary to bonus is nutty bananas.

            RW would have a $43m cap hit in 2022. And a $32m dead cap hit if/when the Hawks should trade him.

            Wagner would have a $26m cap hit and a $10m dead cap.

            Not workable. It’s just not.

          • Rob Staton

            The problems emerge 2-3 years down the line when suddenly you end up like the Saints and Cowboys of the past, in absolute cap hell and run the risk of stagnating at best and losing good players at worst.

            Plus some of those teams in bad cap shape actually have the foundations of a Championship team and are paying for elite players at crucial positions. I don’t think the Seahawks are.

            • pdway

              fair enough – point being if they were to decide to take this risk/reward path, it should be in pursuit of true difference makers. that make sense.

            • Hoggs41

              Its a fun exercise he did but there are issues. He has us signing TY Hilton for $8m apy which is probably a waste. Has us giving Adams $18m a year. Had us signing Corey Linsley for 4/48 which is good but he had his first year cap hit at over $12m which is wrong. The biggest problem was he had Simmons at LG which just cant happen. Either way its fun to hear peoples thoughts.

              • Rob Staton

                I just read the piece.

                It’s suggested that we raise Bobby Wagner’s 2022 cap hit to $26m from $20m.

                $26m.

                Giving Wagner a $26m cap hit. A year after taking a MLB in round one.

                Then we’re giving Tyler Lockett a two year extension and apparently that will lower his cap hit from $10m to $6m. So what the hell are you paying him in 2022 and 2023?!?!?! Because he will (rightly) expect a similar salary to Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods. So if you give him $15m per year for those two extra years, then tack on $2m for each year — you are committing $17m a year to Tyler Lockett aged 31 and 32.

                I’m sure that’ll be fine… when D.K. Metcalf comes for contract talks in 12 months time.

                He’s also creating $6m on Dunlap by giving him a two-year extension, to take him through to age 34. So let’s say you pay Dunlap $10-12m a year after this year. You’d be committing $13-15m to a 33-year-old pass rusher.

                Not to mention your extension for Duane Brown to see him to 37.

                The column says you’ve created $35m in cap space like it’s a walk in the park. This would be terrifying. The Seahawks would be committing obscene amounts to an ageing roster, all for a run in 2021, with a roster that’s a mile off serious contention.

                Not to mention this would mean, in the next four weeks, extending the contracts of three players and re-working the contracts of two others.

                He also trades Jarran Reed and lists Cedric Lattimore as a viable third defensive tackle. Yes, because the D-line definitely needs to subtract.

                And all these moves… set up taking… A LINEBACKER WITH THEIR FIRST PICK! ANOTHER LINEBACKER. ANOTHER FREAKING LINEBACKER.

                OMFG.

                But this is supposedly preferable and more realistic than just biting the bullet, trading Wagner & Adams and spending your resource in the right areas.

  34. cha

    Is the light coming on?

    https://twitter.com/SeaTimesSports/status/1362785965933289479

    • Rob Staton

      I think I read that piece yesterday. Unless I’m mistaken it still operates under the assumption he has to stay at all costs and couldn’t possibly be moved because they’ve already used two picks on him (which is the same stuff you read most other places).

      • cha

        So the tagline was just a tease? That’s disappointing. But not surprising.

  35. Rob Staton

    https://twitter.com/MySportsUpdate/status/1362793775005892609

    Thank god we traded two firsts and a third for one a few months earlier.

    • JJ

      Trade value just decreased

    • Big Mike

      (self-inflicted) desperate times call for desperate measures

    • Scot04

      That sure rubs salt in the wound

  36. Ok

    Mmmmmmm….so Corbin is touting both a Shaquille tag and trade and a Sherman return to Seattle. I feel like I’ve read those ideas somewhere before.

    The Seattle sports media is sucking. The radio is a really rough listen. All parties are weeks behind Rob right now, and not showing much imagination. It both makes me appreciate SDB more, and feel annoyed with the lack of creativity, or vision, from those PAID to come up with ideas on these subjects.

    Well done mock draft!

    Well done podcast! Eh, your cohost was kind of killing me with a bit of the repeating, not seeing how Wilson could force his way out this year, but the podcast was great overall. If Russell wasn’t threatening the franchise to do better, there is ample evidence on what would be happening.

    Through all of this I just get this melancholy feeling: Pete seems more interested in his way than results, fans are totally fine with seasons ending 12-4 and getting smashed by the notoriously difficult quarterbacking duo the Rams put forth, and the majority of media seems bent on stifling thought and upholding the status quo. Sad.

    • Rob Staton

      Thank you 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

      If those radio shows want to get into some meaty topics they know where to contact me. I can get on the TV in Cleveland but not on the radio in Seattle 😂

      • All I see is 12s

        Yup and Stacy Joe Rost just wrote an article advocating a tag and trade ( though not necessarily for SG) but still, how convenient…

      • SonGoku

        I’d really like to hear/see you on one of those shows. But let’s be honest, none of them is that open-minded to discuss controversial topics and ideas that might involve a parting with one of our ‘star players’, especially if they come from a british guy who wants to be smarter than the rest (wasn’t that one of the comments under a tweet?). They rather invite Mr Bell who tells everybody how fantasric the situation is in Seattle.

        • Rob Staton

          especially if they come from a british guy who wants to be smarter than the rest

          Really? Is that what someone said? I’d love to see who said that.

          It’s funny how having big views constitutes wanting to be smarter than the rest. I’ve always said I’m a random bloke from Rotherham, with no expertise. Just a passion for the subjects I write about and the dedication to essentially run this like a second full time job.

          • Hawk Finn

            That authenticity is as appealing as the content. Thanks for all that you do.

          • SonGoku

            I’m not sure where I saw it, it was either Instagram or Twitter as a reply to a tweet of you (or somebody retweeting it) about the off-season plan or the Adams trade.

    • crazykind

      I second these emotions.

      Melancholy time to be a well informed Seahawk fan

  37. Rob4q

    Mid round RB’s that could be available for the Seahawks, which one would you take and why? Their positional rank on the PFN SIM is below:

    157. Kylin Hill, RB Mississippi State, 5’11” 209 lbs

    162. Larry Rountree III, RB Missouri, 5’10” 210 lbs

    178. Jermar Jefferson, RB Oregon State, 5’10” 216 lbs

    Hill is probably the best pass protector and maybe the more physical of the three, but I don’t see the same explosiveness in him as the others. Maybe not a home run threat, but more of a grinder? Also an excellent receiving RB and made some incredible catches.

    Rountree is interesting for sure…looks a little like Chris Carson with some wiggle! He might be the most likely Seahawks RB of the three. Powerful and runs with a purpose, but a little lighter than they usually like.

    Jefferson looks electric with the ball…incredible vision to pick the right hole and then explode through it! Doesn’t have the same physical style as the other two, but he will drop his shoulder and finish a run.

    • Henry Taylor

      Another name to look at:
      Brenden Knox, Marshall, 6’0 223lbs

      Good size, decent jump cut and finishes his runs. Probably available later on too, could be our next Chris Carson in terms of value.
      Shout out to Stuart Court of the Pedestrian Pod for highlighting him to me.
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkpEfWQAUXQ&ab_channel=Stadium

    • Gohawks5151

      Such and interesting bunch. Hill was a guy I really liked last year. I guess because he didn’t play I’m a little down on him. Lack of explosiveness is definitely a concern.

      Jefferson is my guy man, but I just wonder if he is right for the scheme. I always call him a broke mans Arian Foster. He has wiggle and he breaks some tackles but I’m not sure he is physical enough in the way a Seattle RB has typically been. Maybe that’s too much of an overlap with Penny’s skills. He would be the homerun hitter and chunk runner we haven’t had in a while though.

      Roundtree is my pick. Looked at him after the Nagy interview. He looks like a Seahawk. Tough runner with potential for more.

      • Ben

        I too want Jefferson. In addition to being a good RB, I can quote lines from Fast Times at Ridgemont High whenever he has a good play.

        “Mauled by Jefferson”
        “Destroyed by Jefferson”
        “Jefferson…Jefferson…Jefferson!”

  38. Rob Staton

    Interviews with Joe Tryon and Benjamin St. Juste recorded… will be published in the coming days.

    I’m also set to interview Tommy Togiai next week.

    • Sea Mode

      👍 Thank you for the content!

    • Hoosier Hawk

      You sir, are a machine.

  39. BobbyK

    If the Seahawks push some of this money down the road – I’m okay with that as long as they win the Super Bowl this year.

    However, Pete Carroll is a liar and I’m sick of his “always comPete.”

    When Pete first came to Seattle, his “comPete” had a long-term vision. They did things that didn’t chime with “win now” but they set themselves up for future success. One minor example was the Josh Wilson trade. He obviously wasn’t a stereotypical Pete Carroll CB, but he would have fit nicely at nickel. But they traded him for a future draft pick. They were new into their regime and they had a long-term vision.

    “ComPete” nowdays is about trading draft picks and pushing the salary cap hell credit card forward. All to “comPete” NOW. Pete has lost his way and future best interests aren’t cared about anymore and it’s frustrating, because I am someone who likes to think about long-term interests as opposed to this immediate gratification society that Pete is now leading by example towards.

    _A Frustrated Fan

  40. BoiseSeahawk

    1. Trade Russ
    2. Draft Kellen Mond in the 2nd round
    3. Hate me

    • Hoggs41

      We would then go 4-12 and watch our top 10 pick go to the Jets feeling like a Texans fan.

  41. Rob Staton

    This is nuts.

    https://blindowlblogs.wixsite.com/blindowlblogs/post/allbright-is-not-alright

  42. cha

    Brady Henderson
    @BradyHenderson
    Seahawks WR DK Metcalf has a new agent, Tory Dandy of CAA. https://instagram.com/p/CLe37AwgePZ/?igshid=s699ubghdyvy
    9:42 AM · Feb 19, 2021

    Same agency as Cowherd. *cough*

    • BobbyK

      I would secretly explore trading DK this off-season. He’s going to want a monster contract and he could net a gigantic haul of picks. Wilson seems to stare him down all the time, which has made him actually worse. I’m not talking about some BS Jamal Adams type trade where they only get a 1, 1, and 3. I’m talking a couple #1s this year, a future #1, AND some other compensation (maybe a couple more picks this year, early/mid round, too). Worth a shot. After DK gets paid, he’s probably going to be another Julio Jones or Megatron. Greatness who never wins a Super Bowl. Lots of those types of WRs never win the big one. I don’t mind a franchise QB getting paid, but I do have limits for other positions (especially when they don’t involve dominating in the trenches).

      • Bankhawk

        Bobby, hard to read, but a good and a logical point. I’m all for things that increase our draft stock. I love DK as a player, as a person, and as a Hawk. Sometimes the necessary medicine is difficult to swallow. Certainly some food for thought there, though.

      • Rob Staton

        I’m not totally against the premise here provided they add more weapons to replace him.

        But if they deal DK Metcalf — Wilson’s handing in the trade request within the hour IMO.

  43. Simon McInnes

    This article has hit on probably my number one pet hate, and it is nothing to do with mock drafts or potential trades. The word “unique” means there is only one. Therefore there can be no concept of “very unique.” It is either unique or not. Watched a television programme recently where the presenter used the phrase three times in ten minutes. It was all I could do to avoid thowing a brick at the screen, in the remote hope that it would travel through the broadcast and hit the presenter on the head. Rant over.

    • Rob Staton

      No offense… but have you ever thought it maybe doesn’t matter?

      “Unique” singles out one of a kind. That “un” at the beginning is a form of “one.” A thing is unique (the only one of its kind) or it is not. Something may be almost unique (there are very few like it), but technically nothing is “very unique,” though this expression is commonly used to mean “highly unusual.”

      This is generally what I meant. It’s highly unusual.

      • Simon McInnes

        On the subject of considering whether it matters, “Never!” As I mentioned, it’s a pet hate, they don’t have to be efficient, ha ha

  44. ItsBigB

    Big misses on that mock. No team can afford to draft any player at 4 and “stash” him. Number four picks play now. So no on Lance at 4. J. Williams never goes before Etienne who is much more skilled in the passing game. Much too high on R. Moore and M. Jones. Moore not round one and Jones much later in one. Browning, Myers, and Perkins not first round talents. Leatherwood goes before Hawks choose so more likely Eichenberger there. And Mills and Mond no chance before round three. Not ready for nfl level play.

    • Rob Staton

      No team can afford to draft any player at 4 and “stash” him.

      Yeah, because it really hurt the Chiefs trading two first round picks to move up to #10 to stash Patrick Mahomes.

      That was a disaster for Kansas City.

      Far better for the Falcons to not plan for life beyond Matt Ryan and hope they’re crappy enough to pick in the top-five again soon, therefore having the chance to do what they could do this year.

      J. Williams never goes before Etienne who is much more skilled in the passing game.

      And Javonte Williams set records this year in every department of the running game, has far less tread on the tires and is an absolutely fantastic player. But at least Travis Etienne, in his fourth year at Clemson, finally offered something in the passing game after three years of nothing.

      Much too high on R. Moore and M. Jones.

      Yes, who needs one of the best athletes to enter the league in years. They never go early. Ditto with highly successful, accurate quarterbacks.

      Browning, Myers, and Perkins not first round talents.

      Neither are most of the players who will go in round one.

      Leatherwood goes before Hawks choose so more likely Eichenberger there. And Mills and Mond no chance before round three. Not ready for nfl level play.

      I don’t think you’re ready to talk out of your mouth and give your arse a rest, but there we go.

  45. ItsBigB

    Wow! No need to be plain rude just cause I disagree with you. Looking at your replies, firstly, Mahomes is the anomaly, the exception to the rule. Far from the norm for any number four pick. J. Williams may have broken some minor records but I don’t call 1100 yards/19 tds last year and 2200 yard 22 tds lifetime world beating. Etienne has more wear yes but has shown more in his career than Williams that transfers to NFL level. Moore is 3 seasons and a hamstring injury removed from his best showings. Not saying he won’t go round one, just much lower. Not sold on Mac Jones one season wonder, especially with the talent at Bama which was a lot higher than most college receiver groups. And your comment regarding players not being first round talents makes no sense to me. Didn’t mean to offend but no need to address commenters as you did dude.

    • Rob Staton

      Wow! No need to be plain rude just cause I disagree with you.

      I think you’ll find your opening gambit to this community was quite rude and I responded in kind.

      Mahomes is the anomaly

      No, sitting a quarterback and giving them a year to learn the playbook is not an anomaly or a bad idea for a team with no intention of picking in the top five again any time soon.

      Williams may have broken some minor records

      They were not ‘minor’ records.

      I don’t call 1100 yards/19 tds last year and 2200 yard 22 tds lifetime world beating

      Working in a tandem, while setting a school record for touchdowns.

      Etienne has more wear yes but has shown more in his career than Williams that transfers to NFL level.

      You do know you don’t just get to say it and it becomes true, right?

      And your comment regarding players not being first round talents makes no sense to me.

      I’m not surprised.

      Didn’t mean to offend but no need to address commenters as you did dude.

      I’m not offended. But if you rock up into this community, just unload a bunch of statements saying this and that is wrong and you know better, without providing any evidence, with a jerky tone — you should ready yourself for a similar response.

      There’s a saying in England — chat shit, get banged.

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