Month: February 2013 (Page 1 of 4)

Last year we knew that Seattle needed a quarterback.  Insider whispers as well as vague comments from our coach and GM implied this quarterback search would not be early.  I still remember John Schneider saying there was one great quarterback “that nobody was talking about.”  Intrigued, I began a writeup series studying the late round quarterbacks to see what was out there, and if possible, find out if this mythical quarterback really existed.

None of my non-internet friends are Seahawks fans.  I have a friend who is a Packers fan, and I have a friend who is a Broncos fan, and neither spend much time following the NFL Draft.  If I ever want to talk Seahawks without typing, it means talking my family members ears off, mostly my brother.  Which I’m sure they appreciate, for the first 30 seconds or so.  Maybe.

One day, I mentioned to my father that I was looking into late round quarterbacks, and mentioned to him the existence of “the one” whom our GM cryptically spoke of.  Instantly, he mentioned Russell Wilson.  “Insisted” might be a better word.  “You have to see him.  I think he’s the real deal.”

I had faintly heard of the name, only to remember how Rob had dismissed it.  I trust Rob’s judgement, and combated my dad’s enthusiasm.  My dad is about as great a football savant as any dad is.  He ain’t Bill Belichick.   Although to his credit, he did predict Giants over Patriots before that same season.  So he might have ESP.  Can’t rule that out.

I am not ashamed to admit, I had never watched Russell Wilson before that point.  I don’t follow college football so much as follow the prospects, and Wilson had never been on any prospect watch lists.  In retrospect, I think that blank slate played to my advantage, because I broke down his tape without preconception.  It took less than one drive before my enthusiasm for Wilson exceeded his.

I mentioned Wilson a few times here and there on the blog.  I promised to write a special article on him but never got around to it.  However, on the draft board section of the Seahawks.net message boards, I was singing Wilson’s praises, and at one time was even caught with my pants down when Brandon Adams (of 17power) posted a Russell Wilson love letter I sent him in the fieldgulls comments.  I defended Wilson there, I told everyone who would listen at Seahawks.net that he was the guy.  I told them that his height wouldn’t hurt him because of the release point, the line he was playing behind, the skill he showed with throwing lanes, his spontaneous genius and his incredible feel for the game.  I even went so far as to say that he was “the Tom Brady you could see coming” at Mockingthedraft.

But I was more cautious with sharing that sentiment here, outside of ranking him #3 on my quarterback rankings ahead of Ryan Tannehill, and espousing my love for the pick right after it happened.  I really wish I had gushed more, and sooner.  It is my greatest regret of the 2012 draft season.

When the 2012 draft finally came, it was a pretty interesting experience.  Watching day one of the draft among a hundred or so Seahawks fans and a couple of radio talk show personalities, I told everyone within earshot of me that they’d love the Bruce Irvin pick, even if I wasn’t sure of the value at the time.  I never thought he’d be a first rounder, but Irvin was one of just two players I badly wanted to see Seattle walk out of the draft with.  When I wrote my draft reaction that night on this blog, I mentioned that the other player I felt we had to have was Russell Wilson.  I even joked that it would be something if Seattle took Wilson with their next pick in the second round.

I didn’t really expect Wilson to be picked at #75.  I thought they might try for him in the 4th.  Funny enough, my brother had to work that next day and I ended up watching day two with my dad, the very same person that tuned me into Wilson in the first place.  I truly believed that Wilson was the next great quarterback, but even worse, he was there for the taking.  That third round was agonizing.  Would somebody take him before the Seahawks?  When that Marine spoke the word “Russell” we were already on our feet screaming and high fiving.  It was an unbelievable, almost spiritual experience.  I guess it was a nice father-son moment too, something I will always remember.

We weren’t the only ones celebrating.  John Schneider and Pete Carroll, who were on camera during the draft, seemed quite enthused after the pick themselves.  Pete Carroll held a press conference, during which he compared Russell Wilson to Fran Tarkenton, even saying that he had spoken with Tarkenton’s former coach about him.  But it was John Schneider who said something most awesome, during a radio interview I believe.  He mentioned that there were two players it would have hurt to walk out of the draft without:  Bruce Irvin and Russell Wilson.  The same two players that were my favorite out of that entire draft.  It was pretty cool hearing that.

That experience taught me that sometimes a player can be great even if he doesn’t have the measurables, even if he’s not “cool to like.”  Sometimes you just see greatness, and while there are many productive players who do not see their games translate to the next level, it seems like the truly special ones usually find a way.

If there is something I learned from last year, it’s that I’ll never hide my feelings about a prospect again.  I don’t care if it makes me look silly or out of touch.  I will tell you what I’m seeing, and I’ll tell you who this year’s Bruce Irvin and Russell Wilson are.  The guys it would hurt to walk out of the draft without.  You might think I’m way off the mark, but I don’t care.

Here it goes.

Seattle needs to increase their pass rush in the interior, and they need to boost their pass rush depth on the outside as well.  There is a nice “pocket” in the draft for pass rushing end types in the middle rounds, guys like Corey Lemonier, Armonty Bryant, Cornelius Washington, and a few others.  That depth as a pocket pushing defensive tackle is less evident, which is why I think Seattle will probably be forced to grab a defensive tackle fairly early, and highlighted the early round options a few days ago.   Truth be told, this isn’t a great year to find a pass rush defensive tackle.

Then I went back and re-watched a favorite of mine.  A hybrid defensive lineman in a 4-3 front, he played strong side end, LEO, and the 3-tech.  A star for a major program during a quietly great season, he is generally considered too small to play defensive tackle and is too slow to play end at the NFL level, by the same people who thought Russell Wilson was too short to be an NFL quarterback.  And yet this undersized wonder was by far the most unblockable 3-tech I’ve seen in his draft, hands down.  Playing most of his snaps at strong side end, he was no less disruptive there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNAxf60wBas

Though because of his 6’1″ height and lack of weight, coupled with below average foot speed, many have projected him as a 3-4 outside linebacker.  And I’m sure he’d be great in such a role.  A common comparison for John Simon is Mike Vrabel, who funny enough, is Simon’s assistant head coach at Ohio State.

But as a 4-3 prospect, Simon is seemingly ignored.  Like Wilson, Simon is a diamond in plain sight, a player who’s fantastic ability in a 4-3 defense is overlooked because conventional thinking says he can’t succeed in the same capacity at the next level.

Simon weighed in at 257 at the combine.  It seems likely that Simon dropped weight for the combine to appeal to 3-4 teams looking for an outside linebacker.  According to an interview he had this time last year, he played the 2011 season at 270 pounds.  That’s just ten pounds lighter than JJ Watt, and it’s actually two pounds heavier than Justin Tuck.  The game film of Simon shows that he’s a better run defender than you’d think against drive blocks, even beating a drive block double team at the 3-tech spot to force a tackle for loss.  He actually looks very much in his element as a 3-tech, but he’s no slouch as a strong side defensive end either.  While it’s true that Simon lacks footspeed and highly mobile quarterbacks can run around him from a defensive end spot, the same is true for JJ Watt.  And I’d say he’s done okay for himself.

Simon may not always be a maestro against the run, but it’s clear he at least has surprising strength to anchor and has a nose for the football.  He won’t even come close to Bruce Irvin’s forty time or Red Bryant’s size, but I could see him being an undersized yet still highly effective Jason Jones type player- one who rotates between the 3-tech and the 5-tech.  He might need to add weight, but he’d only need to add six pounds on his playing weight to hit 276- the weight that Jones played at during last season.

I think Simon can pull it off, and if he does, I think he’ll be a complete player for the Seahawks.  His upper body strength and ability to both push the pocket and shed blocks is incredible.  And remarkably consistent.  This is a guy who gets pressure or quarterback movement on most of his pass rushing snaps.  More than anyone in this draft, John Simon is a badass in the phone booth.  You will not contain him for long without a double team.

Simon is more than a special talent.  He’s also a special person and leader.  Ohio State coaches have said he’s one of the best leaders they’ve ever seen come through the program.  Simon injured his shoulder in week two, but downplayed the injury to coaches and still went on to post 9 sacks in 11 games, including four sacks in his final college game, after which his shoulder gave out, forcing him to sit out the season finale.  When coaches asked about his health earlier in the season, he replied “I’ll be ready. My shoulder is far away from my heart.”  All this for a team on probation with no chance for a national title or bowl game.

Listen to Urban Meyer gush about Simon.

“He makes all of us look in the mirror and ask ourselves ‘are we doing enough for our team’?”  Meyer also joked about naming his son after John Simon, and has called Simon “Tebowish” as a leader, both on the field and off it during workouts.  Usually when a coach gushes about one of his players this much, it’s worth paying attention to.  Just ask Bret Bielema.

Whereas Wilson is the first person at the building to break down film, Simon is well known to be the first person at the building to begin his workout routines, often dragging some less enthusiastic teammates with him.  Simon is the ultimate competitor, the kind of leader a young up and coming defense needs.

Simon did not boost his draft stock at the 2013 combine.  My other “must have” played did.

Last year I scouted four Texas A&M games for my Ryan Tannehill scouting report.  Sometimes when you scout for a specific player other players will jump off the screen and grab your attention.  In every game I watched, his go to receiver was a physically ordinary looking white possession receiver, Ryan Swope.  Players of certain races at certain positions have long had to battle mindless stereotypes, but Swope actually seemed to further them.  With skinny arms and legs and the face of a high school intern, Swope hardly seemed the type destined for NFL stardom at first glance.

And yet game after game, Swope was making plays.  He finished that season with 1207 receiving yards- the most in Texas A&M school history.  He also had 11 touchdowns.  Sneaky fast and six foot tall, Swope was a frequent deep threat, but he was also extremely quick out of his breaks as a slot receiver and knew how to find soft zones, sit in them, and present his quarterback a target.   In other words, he was a total passer’s pet.  Between Swope’s strong 2010 and 2011 seasons, he helped make Ryan Tannehill a top ten draft pick.

During the 2012 season I discovered future and present megastar Johnny Manziel midway through his upset of Alabama.  Once again, the favorite target of choice was Ryan Swope.  I thought that was pretty neat, and thought to myself that Swope was probably going to be a 4th round steal for some team.

There is no shortage of quality options at wide receiver in this draft.  I had Swope on my list to review, but he was pushed to the back of my list because like many I foolishly assumed he was an average athlete.  Then I heard about the rumors that Swope was doing shockingly well in his pre-combine workouts.  I decided to go bump him up the priority list and see if the athleticism would be there on tape.  I had never really looked closely at Swope before, I just knew he was a difference maker on game days.

I was surprised by what I saw.  Swope wasn’t just making catches, he was making yards after the catch too.  With quick feet and faster change of direction skills than you’d think, he can at times remind you of Golden Tate.  He doesn’t just have to run around defenders either.  And at 6’0″, 205 pounds, you had better wrap up when you tackle him. This coupled with his multitude of deep scores, it was plainly evident that his athleticism and elusiveness was far better than I had assumed.  But even I was stunned when he posted a 4.34 40-time and a 37″ vertical.  That is damn impressive for anybody, but even moreso for a six foot receiver at 205 pounds.

But of course, Swope is more than a playmaker.  He’s a great route runner and improvisor- one who flourished with Manziel and Tannehill, both of which are mobile, creative quarterbacks.  I wonder who else has a mobile, creative quarterback in need of a receiver who knows how to get open on improvised plays?

He’s also tough, intense, smart, and fiercely competitive.  And despite measuring slightly small hands, he’s about as trustworthy catching the ball as they come.  Just watch that video above and notice how Swope is constantly trying to soak in the moment, even firing up the crowd before a game.  See how he celebrates every big play.  And if you watch the game compilations, you’ll even see him put a few defenders on their ass if their not looking for him.  Many evaluators glance over that stuff, but Pete won’t.  You can plainly see how much Swope enjoys competing, and winning.

The common refrain is that every white wide receiver is invariably compared to another white wide receiver, usually a better one.  You hear “Wes Welker comparison” and assume it’s lazy.  But just this one time, I think it’s justified.  In fact, I’d compare him to someone else, someone better.  Steve Largent.  Same competitiveness.  Same quickness.  Same intelligence.  Same reliability.  Same impressive production.  Same chip on the shoulder.  Same love of the game.  And like Largent, he might just kick your ass if you don’t watch yourself.  And like Largent, he might be a 4th round pick.  I’d take him much sooner than that, obviously.

I think Ryan Swope is destined to be pretty good, but he’s also the exact kind of receiver Russell Wilson needs.

The combine is over for another year and this is always a pretty exciting time, more so than the event itself. The work-out’s highlight prospects you know little about, make you want to dig out the tape again. Cornelius Washington being a great example (I’ve put the request in for some game tape so stay tuned).

But it’s not just the unknowns that you need to check back on. It’s some of the big names too. Damontre Moore had a disastrous combine and could sink as a consequence. A few weeks ago he was pretty much a consensus top-20 pick, but what if he’s there at #25? I think it’s incredibly unlikely this team would draft any defensive end running a 4.95, but what if it was just a bad day at the office? What if he improves at the Texas A&M pro-day? These are the kind of questions you have to ask. We have to find out if a pathetic combine display is the real truth here and recalculate his stock.

Datone Jones is getting a lot of publicity at the moment and he did have an impressive work out. Yet I feel obliged to feather the breaks a little bit here. Running a 4.80 at 280lbs is not insane, difference making athleticism. Cam Jordan ran a 4.69 despite weighing a little more in 2011. J.J. Watt ran a 4.81 at the combine, but weighed 290lbs. If Jones needs to add weight to be a permanent interior feature, he’s not going to get any faster. On tape I watch his run defense and cringe at the thought he could be an every down three-technique for Seattle. As we’ve discussed before, being able to match-up with San Francisco is paramount for the Seahawks. And that means being big, aggressive and nasty up front to combat one of the leagues best offensive lines and a dominating power-running game. Can Jones deal with Mike Iupati? Or maybe even a double team? If he’s below average against the run, is he a good enough pass rusher to compensate? There are about ten UCLA games out there, we need to get into them and decide if the sudden hot favourite amongst mock drafts really is a realistic option at #25.

Barkevious Mingo’s tape was rank average in 2012. Flashes of quality, flashes of anonymity. A classic nearly man for the most part, he just did not impact any games last year. None. And while Bruce Irvin might’ve been a specialist for West Virginia, he made two or three plays a game that made a difference. Irvin’s sack numbers were right up there with the best college football had to offer. Mingo on the other hand was more reputation than production. I watched five LSU games recently and thought ‘meh‘. Mingo, Bennie Logan, Sam Montgomery — they all kind of played like they were coasting along. “We’re LSU, we’re going to the NFL, we’re the s**t.” That’s the impression I got. Other people like Mike Mayock watch the tape and make the same judgement. Then you see his combine performance and he looks incredibly athletic. You realise that there are a few teams out there who probably fancy their own Bruce Irvin. And if Irvin can go at #15 overall, then why can’t Mingo? So what’s his range? Is he a realistic option to drop into the 20’s? And is he an option for the Seahawks?

The defensive backs performed today and there were some interesting results. Who ever thought David Amerson would run a 4.44? He had a disastrous 2012 season but as a possible converted safety, that kind of speed will do. Dee Milliner’s 4.37 guarantees him a spot within the top-six picks I’d say. The only question mark with Milliner was straight line speed. Now there’s absolutely no reason to suggest he isn’t the complete cornerback prospect. He’s not a beast like Patrick Peterson or Morris Claiborne, but certainly good enough to be a pimped-up Joe Haden. Xavier Rhodes helped himself with a 4.43. Will Desmond Trufant make it passed Tampa Bay at #13 now that he’s run a 4.38? Tyrann Mathieu managed a 4.50 but yeah, the ridiculous off-field issues. I’m even more of a fan of Sanders Commings for Seattle after his 4.41. But what happens to Johnthan Banks after a 4.61? Not good for a potential first round pick, but not a death sentence given Joe Haden’s awful combine in 2010.

Tomorrow is mock draft day and it’ll be fun to see how things have changed after everything that happened in Indianapolis. I wanted to end today with an interview between John Clayton and Pete Carroll (see below). Seattle’s Head Coach is nothing but honest (again), admitting he has to get an interior pass rusher and another LEO. They seem to be the two top targets, although he does admit linebacker and receiver are also needs. This could be a classic smokescreen especially if they add a veteran LEO in free agency (Umenyiora? Avril? Freeney?) or a defensive tackle (Melton? Starks?). Assuming they don’t make the big splash, then it stands to reason that the first round pick is probably going to be a defensive lineman of some kind. They’ve attacked key needs so far, that probably isn’t going to change this year. And they need pass rush help more than anything.

Free agency begins on March 12th and it’ll be fascinating to see if the Seahawks re-sign Alan Branch. I suspect they’ll want to stay big and stout up front on first and second downs — they’ll need to against the 49ers and Rams. Signing Branch takes a lot of the bigger-bodied tackles in the draft out of the equation. Then the priority could be replacing Jason Jones with a more dynamic rusher inside. That’s where Datone Jones could fit. For me, that role is ideally suited to him. Is it worth a first round pick? Perhaps, if it helps Seattle get off the field on third down. I just need to be absolutely sure Jones is ‘special’ enough to go that early. I’m still a sceptic, for now.

Alternatively, they could go after another LEO. I think it’s more likely they pursue a Corenlius Washington or Corey Lemonier in the mid-rounds rather than spending another first round pick. But what if that unexpected player falls? Is Barkevious Mingo for example better value than Datone Jones? Or maybe there’s a defensive tackle they can rely on to play in any situation — Sylvester Williams for example — who is big enough to defend the run at a decent level but also offer one or two impact players as a pass rusher per-game? Is Kawann Short an option? Or a player we’re not talking about, but should be?

Finally, is there any way what so ever they can find a deal to trade up and get Sheldon Richardson? It’s probably a pipe dream, but watching his interview at the combine made me want him in Seattle even more than before. I can’t see him getting past Carolina at 14 as a worst case scenario. But man, it’d be good to see him in Seattle. If only…

This is an open thread to discuss the defensive back work outs today. You can watch live from 6am PST by clicking here.

I tuned into the combine yesterday just in time to catch Cornelius Washington’s vertical jump.  I had no idea who he was.  He was standing there getting ready for his high jump, and I’m just wondering if he might be able to beat Robert Turbin in an arm wrestling contest, because the guy was ripped like an action hero from a comic book.  Within half a second I noticed that Washington stood out athletically, just from his build and muscle tone.  But even thinking to myself that he looked like the best athlete up there, I had no idea he was just about to destroy the combine to the extent that he would.

Washington posted one of the best vertical jumps of all front seven participants:  39″.  He then clocked an official 4.55 forty, which was the best of the entire defensive end group.  Officially listed at outside linebacker, Washington is 6’4″, 265 pounds and has 34″ arms.  He’s clearly more of a defensive end than a linebacker, although he has the movement skills to play either one.  Washington’s 10’8″ broad jump was tied for the best among all defensive ends (Barkevious Mingo, Devin Taylor).  His 10 yard split was 1.60, which was narrowly beaten by several ends but is still considered pretty good.  Washington then left everyone (except Margus Hunt) in the dust with 36 reps on the bench press, a number that was far ahead of the front seven pack.  Washington looked fast during drills.  I personally thought that only Auburn’s Corey Lemonier moved quicker during drills.

Basically, Cornelius Washington just had the combine that everyone thought his teammate (Alec Ogletree) would have.  Actually, it was probably better than even that.

And it didn’t go unnoticed.

…Cornelius Washington, the hybrid linebacker/defensive end from Georgia. He had a solid week at the Senior Bowl and an even better Senior Bowl game yet he came to Indy as a sixth- or seventh-round player. He can rush the passer and he just ran 4.50.

He is moving up draft boards. One defensive coordinator said, “This is the kind of guy I came to Indy to find. Now I’ll go back and study him. We’re all looking for the Bruce Irvin in this draft.”

Despite playing for a major program like Georgia and being a phenomenal athlete, Washington has registered only 10 total sacks over four seasons at Georgia.  He’s probably been moved around to play linebacker some, which hurts his production, but his tackles and tackles for loss numbers aren’t high either.  Georgia is loaded with pass rusher talent, so it’s not unthinkable that Washington could have been buried on that roster to some degree.

As of today, there aren’t any game compilations of Washington on youtube.  The best I could find was this brief highlight, and also a team highlight reel that probably give you 20-30 snaps with #83 on it.  I guess you could go through Jarvis Jones’ and Alec Ogletree’s videos looking for him too.  In a year where even small school prospects are usually getting compilation videos, Washington doesn’t have one.  Maybe because he’s never really produced enough in a game to merit the effort?

Grading Washington’s draft stock is really hard to do.  Not only is he lacking production, but the games he has played in haven’t given evaluators a ton to go off of.  But that said, he sure looked a hell of a lot like Brian Orakpo today.

Washington (2013):  6’4″, 265, 4.55 forty, 1.60 10-yard-split, 39″ vert, 36 reps on bench press, cartoonishly ripped arms

…….Orakpo (2009):  6’3″, 263, 4.63 forty, 1.58 10-yard split, 39.5″ vert, 31 reps on bench press, cartoonishly ripped arms

I’m really looking forward to getting some tape to look at down the road, I think it’s pretty likely we’ll get access to some before the draft.  Based on how he looked in the drills yesterday and based on what little I saw on youtube, I think he has some promise and the physical gifts do seem to translate at least somewhat.  He has very obvious appeal to the Seahawks, and probably the 31 other NFL teams as well.

Hit refresh for the latest from Indianapolis as it happens. You can also watch live yourself by clicking here.

HEADLINES

– Khaseem Greene runs an official 4.71, while Alec Ogletree clocks a 4.70

– Dion Jordan runs an official 4.60 and looks really impressive in drills

– Ziggy Ansah records an official 4.63, while it’s a 4.58 for Barkevious Mingo

– Sheldon Richardson is a little disappointing in drills and runs a 5.02

– Sharrif Floyd runs an official 4.92

Today the defensive linemen and linebackers work out. Given Seattle’s needs at defensive tackle, linebacker and maybe even defensive end, this is a crucial day in the lead up to the draft.

One of the big things on the NFL Network right now is to get a former GM or coach to compile a top-ten mock draft. We’ll update our full two-round projection on Wednesday as usual, but I thought I’d put together a quick top-ten myself based on what we’ve learnt so far and what I think we’ll see today…

#1 Kansas City – Luke Joeckel (T, Texas A&M)
#2 Jacksonville – Sharrif Floyd (DT, Florida)
#3 Oakland – Sheldon Richardson (DT, Missouri)
#4 Philadelphia – Dion Jordan (DE, Oregon)
#5 Detroit – Dee Milliner (CB, Alabama)
#6 Cleveland – Ziggy Ansah (DE, BYU)
#7 Arizona – Matt Barkley (QB, USC)
#8 Buffalo – Geno Smith (QB, West Virginia)
#9 New York – Cordarrelle Patterson (WR, Tennessee)
#10 Tennessee – Bjoern Werner (DE, Florida State)

The pick at #5 was influenced by this early report today…

If you want the draft’s top CB, Dee Milliner, you’ll probably have to trade ahead of Detroit at 5 to get him.

— Peter King (@SI_PeterKing) February 25, 2013

Interesting times. I’ve also moved Sheldon Richardson up to #3 in anticipation of today’s work out. He benched 30 reps of 225lbs, as many as Jesse Williams managed despite weighing 25lbs more. He moves like a linebacker so should post an excellent forty time and perform well in the mobility drills. Ansah and Jordan (if they work out) should do well too. I’ll post live updates below.

Unofficial 40 yard dash times (Group 1 – defensive linemen):

NOTE – The number in brackets is the ten yard split

Ziggy Ansah (DE, BYU): 4.62 (1.56) & 4.65 (1.57)
T.J. Barnes (DT, Georgia Tech): 5.22 (1.91) & 5.22 (1.88)
David Bass (DE, Missouri Western): 4.85 (1.67) & 4.84 (1.70)
Josh Boyd (DT, Mississippi State): 5.00 (1.67) & 5.18 (1.75)
Armonty Bryant (DE, ECOK): 4.78 (1.66) & 4.85 (1.67)
Michael Buchanan (DE, Illinois): 4.72 (1.59) & 4.71 (1.62)
Everett Dawkins (DT, Florida State): 5.00 (1.73) & 5.05 (1.73)
Lavar Edwards (DE, LSU): 4.82 (1.64) & 4.81 (1.64)
Sharrif Floyd (DT, Florida): 4.93 (1.73) & 4.87 (1.68)
Kwame Geathers (DT, Georgia): 5.40 (1.88) & 5.50 (1.91)
William Gholston (DE, Michigan State): 4.93 (1.73) & 5.06 (1.76)
Malliciah Goodman (DE, Clemson): 4.87 (1.65) & 4.90 (1.70)
Cory Grissom (DT, USF): 5.25 (1.74) & 5.35 (1.82)
Johnathan Hankins (DT, Ohio State): 5.28 (1.82) & 5.13 (1.80)
Jordan Hill (DT, Penn State): 5.15 (1.75) & 5.22 (1.75)
Montori Hughes (DT, UT-Martin): 5.13 (1.83) & 5.29 (1.80)
Margus Hunt (DE, SMU): 4.65 (1.62) & 4.60 (1.62)
Chris Jones (DT, Bowling Green): 5.30 (1.83) & 5.34 (DNR)
Datone Jones (DE, UCLA): 4.84 (1.63) & 4.84 (1.63)
Dion Jordan (DE, Oregon): 4.53 (1.57) & 4.63 (1.60)
Joe Kruger (DE, Utah): 4.88 (1.75) & 4.82 (1.75)
Corey Lemonier (DE, Auburn): 4.60 (1.58) & 4.53 (1.57)

Dion Jordan and Ziggy Ansah will be top ten picks. The little mock I did earlier at the top of this post was basically a review of what we expected to see today and neither player disappointed. Incredible.

Both players managed a sub-1.60 ten-yard split to go with blistering runs. Every mock draft will have them in the top ten from now until April.

Jordan in particular. Wow. I wouldn’t rule him out as a #1 pick option. Unlimited upside.

Margus Hunt also performed extremely well, that will give him a little kick start after a disappointing Senior Bowl. He ran in the early 4.6’s, benched 38 reps of 225lbs yesterday. All this at 6-8, 277lbs.

Armonty Bryant had one of the most bizarre running styles you’ll probably ever see. He looked like Scooby Doo pursuing a sandwich.

First Pete and John sighting of the day:

Corey Lemonier was the final player to run among the first group. He ended with a bang — matching Dion Jordan’s unofficial 4.53. If the Seahawks don’t grab a LEO to cover Chris Clemons in free agency or round one, then Lemonier could be in to play.

Seattle’s new defensive line coach Travis Jones was out on the field running mobility drills:

No big surprises during the first set of drills. Ziggy Ansah, Datone Jones, Margus Hunt, Dion Jordan and Corey Lemonier moved really well. Johnathan Hankins had to be stopped at one point to go over the drill again, something I’ve never seen before. His frame is extremely sloppy.

Now it’s onto the bag and cone drill, hurdling objects.

Everett Dawkins looked really good for his size and handled the bags perfectly. Sharrif Floyd kicked one of the bags over but generally moved well.

Johnathan Hankins looked a lot better in the second drill. Given how flabby he is, the guy can move. He needs to tone up though.

Datone Jones is a superb athlete. I just wonder if he’s maxed out at 283lbs. To play inside consistently you have to think he’d have to add another 10lbs.

The linemen are now onto the dummy drill where they get a chance to flash a swim and club move.

My favourite part of this drill? The coach in charge has a football on a stick and kind of waves it a bit to mimic a snap. It’s totally unnecessary, but I bet that guy loves dusting that thing off every year. I wonder if he ever got to the airport and thought, “Oh my god… I’ve left it in the garage!” I’d love to see that get through customs too.

Back to the football. Another drill, another chance for Datone Jones to look the best. Sharrif Floyd, Johnathan Hankins and Dion Jordan also looked effortless and explosive. Joe Kruger, William Gholston and Malliciah Goodman were underwhelming.

Armanty Bryant dominated at a small school, but he looks distinctly average in drills today. William Gholston really does not look all that impressive today. He’s fumbling through the drills a bit.

In the punch drills, Montori Hughes and Dion Jordan were the best. This was the first drill where Datone Jones rushed a little bit and had to be told to slow down.

We’re now back to the mobility drills and a few the bigger players are looking tired.

Brandon Jenkins (DE, Florida State) didn’t run a forty yard dash but he’s done the other drills. And he hasn’t looked particularly good so far.

In the current cone drill, Dion Jordan is sprinting around like a cornerback. His lean, change of direction, explosion and ability to go through the gears is incredible. This is one of the all-time great work outs.

Johnathan Hankins is getting better and better as the drills go on. Datone Jones seems to be tiring. LSU’s Lavar Edwards has flashed so far, he’s one to go back and have another look at after the combine.

That’s the end of the drills for the first group of defensive linemen. They’re moving on to the vertical jump. Coming up next, the likes of Sheldon Richardson, Barkevious Mingo, John Simon, Bjoern Werner, Jesse Williams and Sylvester Williams.

Unofficial 40 yard dash times (Group 2 – defensive linemen):

NOTE – The number in brackets is the ten yard split

Bennie Logan, Star Lotulelei, Kawann Short, Jesse Williams, John Simon and Alex Okafor are not running the forty yard dash.

Barkevious Mingo (DE, LSU): 4.53 (1.60) & 4.53 (1.55)
Sam Montgomery (DE, LSU): 4.79 (1.64) & 4.68 (1.64)
Damontre Moore (DE, Texas A&M): 4.87 (1.69) & DNF
Sheldon Richardson (DT, Missouri): 5.00 (1.77) & 4.97 (1.69)
Akeem Spence (DT, Illinois): 5.13 (1.67) & 5.15 (1.69)
Devin Taylor (DE, South Carolina): 4.75 (1.60) & 4.84 (1.59)
Bjoern Werner (DE, Florida State): 4.79 (1.68) & 4.81 (1.66)
Brandon Williams (DT, Missouri Southern): 5.25 (1.79) & 5.31 (1.80)
Sylvester Williams (DT, North Carolina): 5.00 (1.73) & 4.93 (1.72)

The number of non participants was very disappointing. We knew guys like Alex Okafor bailed at the last minute, but what’s the excuse for players like Bennie Logan and Jesse Williams?

One player who completely bombed? DaMontre Moore. He doesn’t look good in shorts with a really unrefined frame. He managed just 12 reps on the bench press yesterday and now a 4.89 forty. In his second attempt he pulled up with an apparent hamstring injury, but I suspect it may be more a damaged ego.

Bjoern Werner also doesn’t have the best physique and didn’t run a great time (4.79-4.81)

Barkevious Mingo matched Dion Jordan’s time from earlier but really had to run fast given his middling 2012 tape and lack of production. You watch Jordan and you can see his best is yet to come. You watch Mingo and you wonder how he fits. So while Jordan is trending upwards today, I’m not sure Mingo will get the same kind of boost.

Sheldon Richardson didn’t run as fast as I expected. In fact, Sylvester Williams posted a quicker time despite carrying an extra 20lbs.

We’re now onto the mobility drills again. Brandon Williams is moving well despite his massive size. Bjoern Werner tripped up and looked a little stiff.

Sylvester Williams looked incredible on the first drill. No waste bend, moved around freely. If only he wasn’t 25 this year, he’d be a top pick.

Bennie Logan, who didn’t run a forty, is now working out. Why?

Damontre Moore is out of the drills with the suspected hamstring injury mentioned earlier.

Onto the bag drills and Brandon Williams is again putting on a clinic, making light work of his huge size. He tip toes around like a 260lbs lineman.

Bjoern Werner, Devin Taylor, and the two Williams’ again all impressed in the rip and club drills. Surprisingly, Sheldon Richardson looked pretty average.

The NFL.com coverage has now moved away from drills to have some thoughts from Mike Mayock. Great timing, guys.

The official forty yard dash times are in for the defensive lineman:

Ziggy Ansah – 4.63
Armonty Bryant – 4.86
Michael Buchanan – 4.78
Everett Dawkins 5.06
Lavar Edwards – 4.80
Sharrif Floyd – 4.92
William Gholston – 4.96
Malliciah Goodman – 4.87
Johnathan Hankins – 5.31
Jordan Hill – 5.23
Montori Hughes – 5.23
Margus Hunt – 4.60
Chris Jones – 5.33
Datone Jones – 4.80
Dion Jordan – 4.60
Joe Kruger – 4.83
Corey Lemonier – 4.60
Barkevious Mingo – 4.58
Sam Montgomery – 4.81
Damontre Moore – 4.95
Sheldon Richardson – 5.02
Devin Taylor – 4.72
Bjoern Werner – 4.82
Sylvester Williams – 5.03
Brandon Williams – 5.37
Trevardo Williams – 4.57

The linebackers are about to run the forty yard dash, including Alec Ogletree and Khaseem Greene.

Tony Pauline is reporting the Star Lotulelei heat problem is not as grim as first feared:

“Lotulelei did not fail his physical but rather was given an incomplete designation pending the consultation with the specialist, the person said, adding it was Lotulelei’s decision to withdraw from drills after hearing the doctors’ recommendation that he sit them out.”

Lotulelei’s agent, Bruce Tollner, said in a statement Sunday that his client will visit a specialist later this week and is expected to participate in every drill at his pro day March 20. Tollner said Lotulelei will continue to interview with teams in Indianapolis.”

Tollner and doctors who examined Lotulelei are hopeful the situation will prove to be similar to that of Carolina Panthers defensive end Frank Alexander, who was pulled from combine drills last year following an abnormal test but was then cleared by specialists.”

One player a lot of fans are talking about today is Datone Jones. I thought I’d put some tape out there while we’re going through a lull in proceedings waiting for the linebackers to start. So here’s his performance vs Stanford in the PAC-12 title game:

Unofficial 40 yard dash times (linebackers):

Oregon’s Kiko Alonso is not running the forty yard dash. Why? Arthur Brown has also decided not to run. Again, disappointing.

Sam Barrington (LB, USF): 4.78 & 4.75
Steve Beauharnais (LB, Rutgers): 4.81 & 4.79
Jon Bostic (LB, Florida): 4.50 & 4.57
Jamie Collins (LB, Southern Miss): 4.60 & 4.59
Zaviar Gooden (LB, Missouri): 4.50 & 4.56
Khaseem Greene (LB, Rutgers): 4.67 & 4.69
Gerald Hodges (LB, Penn State): 4.72 & 4.84
A.J. Klein (LB, Iowa State): 4.68 & 4.75
John Lotulelei (LB, UNV): 4.75 & 4.78
Brandon Magee (LB, Arizona State): 4.69 & 4.66
Kevin Minter (LB, LSU): 4.82 & 4.81
Nick Moody (LB, Florida State): 4.72 & 4.69
Sio Moore (LB, Connecticut): 4.62 & 4.63
Alec Ogletree (LB, Georgia): 4.62 & 4.62
Sean Porter (LB, Texas A&M): 4.78 & 4.78
Keith Pough (Howard): 4.87 & 4.87
Kevin Reddick (LB, North Carolina): 4.72 & 4.66
Bruce Taylor (LB, Virginia Tech): 4.94 & 5.06
Manti Te’o (LB, Notre Dame): 4.81 & 4.80
Chase Thomas (LB, Stanford): 4.88 & 4.87
Cornelius Washington (LB, Georgia): 4.53 & 4.50
Tom Wort (LB, Oklahoma): 4.69 & 4.75

Alec Ogletree wasn’t as explosive as expected, running in the 4.6’s unofficially. I thought he’d be quicker than that.

Khaseem Greene ran the time I was expecting — in the 4.6’s. He’s a good enough athlete on tape but you never expected to see a 4.5.

Zaviar Gooden ran a great 4.50 while Jon Bostic was also impressive with a 4.5.

It’s worth remembering that Brian Cushing ran a 4.74 at the combine.

Cornelius Washington — more of a pass rusher from Georgia, ran a 4.50 (unofficial) with a 1.62 ten-yard split.

The NFL Network is doing it’s usual trick of showing highlights of earlier drills while current guys are on the field. They kindly showed some of Alec Ogletree and Manti Te’o going through some of the mobility work and both looked pretty stiff.

Finally back to the live feed… Khaseem Greene looked really fluid in the bag mobility drills. He’s looking really sharp out there.

They just ran a catching drill where five guys in a row got in wrong. Can’t say this has been a particularly eye catching work out so far. Ogletree has been a big disappointment.

Official 40 yard dash times for the linebackers:

Zaviar Gooden – 4.47
Manti Te’o – 4.82
Jon Bostic – 4.62
Jamie Collins – 4.64
Khaseem Greene – 4.71
Kevin Minter – 4.81
Sio Moore – 4.65
Alec Ogletree – 4.70
Kevin Reddick – 4.70
Chase Thomas – 4.91
Cornelius Washington – 4.55

I still don’t understand why Kiko Alonso is out there running drills but didn’t compete in the 40.

Zaviar Gooden and Khaseem Greene looked really smooth in the catching drills, showing great back pedal, change of direction skills and burst.

A.J. Klein tripped up during his drill and appeared to injure his ankle.

Ogletree is now officially on a 4.70 which is a big surprise. Greene was given an official 4.71.

Zaviar Gooden’s 4.47 stands out and he’s likely to get interest from the Seahawks. But I wouldn’t rule out anyone running in the 4.6-4.7 range. After all, Brian Cushing ran a 4.74.

This statistic is pretty interesting for Greene and his stock.

The linebackers are now onto the bag drills. What can I say? Greene continues to impress. Great lean round the edge, quick feet despite the fact he’s added size for the combine.

Ogletree seems to be starting to try too hard, just tripped up on his attempt. Kevin Minter and Manti Te’o both look quick despite their 4.8’s earlier.

FREE AGENCY UPDATE

Anyone want Desmond Bryant still? Take a look at the mug shot from his recent arrest. My word.

The drills are starting to wind down so we’ll call it a day for today. I need some food after six hours. Tomorrow I’ll be starting an open thread and will have all the vital defensive back info available later in the day. Hope to see you there and thanks for getting involved.

Utah DT Star Lotulelei, projected top five 5 draft pick, will not work out after echocardiogram detected heart condition. Filed to ESPN.

— Chris Mortensen (@mortreport) February 24, 2013

Lotulelei’s left ventricle is pumping at 44 percent efficiency – normal range is 55-70 percent. He will undergo more tests in Salt Lake City

— Chris Mortensen (@mortreport) February 24, 2013

Hard to say how this effects his draft stock, although suddenly that issue is barely significant. According to his agent he’ll work out at the Utah pro-day on March 20th. He could have surgery to rectify the problem and make a swift and full recovery. It could potentially improve his quality of life and be no issue at the next level. But it’s something teams will look into.

In other news…

The defensive linemen completed the bench press drill tonight. You can see the results here, although a lot of high-profile pass rushers didn’t take part (Sharrif Floyd, Johnathan Hankins etc). Margus Hunt and Brandon Williams both managed 38 reps. Sheldon Richardson and Jesse Williams had 30 reps (excellent for Richardson). DaMontre Moore had 12 reps.

Jason La Canfora is reporting that a trade for Alex Smith between San Francisco and an unnamed team is essentially complete. It cannot be rubber stamped until the new league year begins on March 12th. Several members of the media present at the combine have speculated that Kansas City would trade for the 49ers quarterback. Smith for the Chiefs? It almost seems like a foregone conclusion at this point. Compensation is unlikely to be much more than a 4th or 5th round pick.

Randy Starks is likely to be franchise tagged, according to Gregg Rosenthal. He could’ve been one of the few free agents Seattle went after. A terrific run defender for his size, Starks can also penetrate and collapse the pocket. This would be a wise move by Miami.

Bob McGinn from the Journal Sentinel is quoting the opinions of unnamed scouts on certain prospects. You can read into this whatever however you want, but McGinn made a similar post last year absolutely hammering Robert Griffin III. Sometimes scouts have an agenda, whether it’s to lower a guy’s stock or whatever. So this might be a lot of hot air. It’s interesting to read, nonetheless.

If you missed it earlier, don’t forget to check out Day Five of the combine as it happened.

Hit refresh for the latest from Indianapolis as it happens. You can also watch live yourself by clicking here.

HEADLINES

– Tavon Austin runs an official 4.34, the same as Ryan Swope

– Cordarrelle Patterson runs an official 4.41 but didn’t look comfortable, dropping passes and running awkward routes

– DeAndre Hopkins only managed a 4.57 but is the most impressive during drills

– Robert Woods had a 4.51 but like Hopkins really impressed during the work out

Quarterback unofficial forty yard dash times (first group):

Tyler Bray (QB, Tennessee) – 5.00 & 5.07
Colby Cameron (QB, Louisiana Tech) – 4.83 & 4.66
Mike Glennon (QB, NC State) – 5.00 & 5.00
MarQueis Gray (QB, Minnesota) – 4.69 & 4.72
Landry Jones (QB, Oklahoma) – 5.03 & 5.03
Colin Klein (QB, Kansas State) – 4.81 & 4.78

Biggest surprise from the first group? Landry Jones running a sharp 1.69 ten yard split. Quick, move him to defensive end.

Next up it’s the first group of wide receivers, including Tavon Austin, Steadman Bailey, DeAndre Hopkins and Justin Hunter.

Keenan Allen is not working out today. Marshall’s Aaron Dobson also didn’t run the forty.

Wide receiver unofficial forty yard dash times (first group):

Tavon Austin (WR, West Virginia) – 4.25 & 4.31
Steadman Bailey (WR, West Virginia) – 4.57 & 4.50
Alan Bonner (WR, Jacksonville State) – 4.50 & 4.47
Josh Boyce (WR, TCU) – 4.38 & 4.38
Marcus Davis (WR, Virginia Tech) – 4.40 & 4.53
Corey Fuller (WR, Virginia Tech) – 4.38 & 4.37
Marquise Goodwin (WR, Texas) – 4.25 & 4.29
Cobi Hamilton (WR, Arkansas) – 4.47 & 4.59
Chris Harper (WR, Kansas State) – 4.57 & 4.46
Mark Harrison (WR, Rutgers) – 4.47 & 4.47
DeAndre Hopkins (WR, Clemson) – 4.50 & 4.50
Justin Hunter (WR, Tennessee) – 4.44 & 4.41
Brandon Kaufman (WR, Eastern Washington) – 4.53 & 4.59
Tavarres King (WR, Georgia) – 4.43 & 4.44

That’s an incredible (albeit unofficial) forty performance from Tavon Austin. That will do his stock the power of good. Anyone hoping he can be a DeSean Jackson type with a little Percy Harvin can feel a little more satisfied today.

Perhaps it’s time to start contemplating how early Austin could go in the draft?

Bucky Brooks admitted on the NFL Network that adding 0.08 to the unofficial times is usually a good indication of the official number. EVen still, a written-in-stone 4.33 or 4.35 would be excellent news for Austin.

Texas’ Marquise Goodwin also ran a 4.25 with a 1.49 ten-yard split. His second attempt was an unofficial 4.29. He looked completely relaxed.

Rutgers’ Mark Harrison ran two 4.47’s at 231lbs. Impressive.

DeAndre Hopkins managed two 4.50’s which was about expected. Steadman Bailey’s two times of 4.57 and 4.50 were a little surprising. He plays faster than that.

Justin Hunter ran an unofficial 4.41 but he weighs less than 200lbs at 6-4.

That concludes the first group of forty yard dash times. The quarterbacks and receivers will now go through passing/catching drills. That’ll be followed by the running backs running the forty yard dash, and then the second group of quarterbacks and receivers.

First sighting of Pete Carroll and John Schneider watching today’s drills together:

As the quarterback and receiver drills got underway, Tyler Bray looked a lot heavier than college. Almost like a different player compared to his time in Tennessee.

Tavon Austin is carrying on the momentum of his forty yard dash, showing sharp hands in the toe-tap drill.

Mike Glennon floated his deep ball a on the downfield drill. It was ugly. He threw back-to-back awful passes that forced the receiver to stop and wait for the football. That’s not good given he’s in shorts with no pass rush.

Bray looked excellent as expected, but he has a terrific arm. DeAndre Hopkins did well to chase down one of Bray’s throws and make a difficult catch. Steadman Bailey followed suite moments later making an equally impressive full-stretch grab.

Seattle’s offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell was down on the field for receiver drills:

I don’t really like the gauntlet drill, but Austin and Bailey both showed really nice hands.

Hopkins looked really sharp. In all the tape I’ve watched on the three, Austin, Bailey and Hopkins barely had any drops.

While the drills are going on, there’s a lot of positive Twitter chatter about Matt Barkley.

Text I received from a scout this morning: Matt Barkley will not get past the Arizona #Cardinals at No. 7 overall.

— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) February 24, 2013

Of course, there’s no way of knowing how qualified this unnamed scout it. Matt Miller is the guy who last year declared Russell Wilson to be one of the worst picks in the entire draft. I think he’s employed by professional Google Search Spoiler B******r R****t. Even so, it was only a matter of time until Barkley’s stock started to trend upwards again. I had him going to the Cardinals in my most recent mock draft. I’ve had him at #1 to Kansas City too. He’ll be a top ten pick. There’s also this:

And I would be very surprised if #azcardinals took Barkley at 7. — Kent Somers (@kentsomers) February 24, 2013

However, Somers isn’t quoting any sources here. That might just be his opinion due to all the media-bashing of Barkley. That wouldn’t surprise me. I remember the utter defiance of the Detroit Lions’ beat writers in 2009. They consistently talked down the chances of Matt Stafford being the #1 pick.

The receivers are now running routes. Hopkins continues to impress in a big way. He looks bigger in shorts than he does on the field. We’re seeing smooth cuts and breaks, plus sharp hands. He might not be running as fast as Austin right now, but Hopkins has been among the most impressive players today so far.

Greg Cosell is sitting in on the broadcast with Matt Smith and Bucky Brooks. He’s also talking like Michelle from the film ‘American Pie’. “This one time… at Band Camp…”

The second group of quarterbacks and receivers are preparing for their drills. Among those competing — Geno Smith, Ryan Nassib, Tyler Wilson, Cordarrelle Patterson, Quinton Patton, Ryan Swope, Terrance Williams and Robert Woods.

Austin is having a really sharp work-out here. He looks muscular, strong and smooth. Steadman Bailey just ran a pretty awkward out-route, although it was also a poor throw by the quarterback.

Mike Glennon has had an inconsistent day. Some bad throws earlier, now he’s on the money. Today is pretty similar to what you see on tape.

If you missed it yesterday, it’s not good news for Dion Jordan. He’s going to compete tomorrow but will then require surgery. He’s expected to miss 3-4 months.

Some other breaking news today, prospective free agent defensive tackle Desmond Bryant of the Raiders was arrested in Miami for ‘criminal mischief’. Not good news for anyone hoping he’d land in Seattle.

Louisiana Tech quarterback Colby Cameron did a good job today, running a 4.6 and throwing well too, particularly on the post-corner route. He could be a later round option if the Seahawks want to take a quarterback.

DeAndre Hopkins just made a stunning catch on a deep ball from MarQueis Gray. Real fingertips stuff. Crazy catch.

Pete Carroll and John Schneider are still watching closely. Along with the Harbaugh’s…

Mike Mayock says some scouts had Marquise Goodwin down for a 4.19 forty time. It’ll be interesting to see the official electronic times. Mayock wasn’t impressed by Goodwin running routes, citing he struggled to track the ball and get his head turned properly.

Cordarrelle Patterson managed a 37-inch vertical jump at 6-2. Mayock says physically he’s a top ten pick but he’s unsure a lack of production will get him there.

Interesting Tweet:

Bucky Brooks: #Seahawks had Anquan Boldin with a top 15 grade. Dropped him to 2nd round when he ran a 4.72 in the Combine.

— Matt Erickson (@SeattleDoorMatt) February 24, 2013

Quarterback unofficial forty yard dash times (second group):

E.J. Manuel (QB, Florida State) – 4.62 & 4.63
Ryan Nassib (QB, Syracuse) – 4.84 & 5.06
Matt Scott (QB, Arizona) – 4.66 & 4.69
Geno Smith (QB, West Virginia) – 4.56 & 4.60
Tyler Wilson (QB, Arkansas) – 4.96 & 4.94

Great times for E.J. Manuel (nearly 240lbs) and Geno Smith. I’d say Smith in particular looked much smoother than expected. Matt Scott also ran an impressive 4.66. Not quite the positive news for Tyler Wilson who looked slow and strained and only just avoided hitting the 5-second mark. Ryan Nassib also underwhelmed with a 4.84 or 5.06. Not good.

Wide receiver unofficial forty yard dash times (second group):

Aaron Mellette (WR, Elon) – 4.47 & 4.47
Cordarrelle Patterson (WR, Tennessee) – 4.37 & 4.40
Quinton Patton (WR, Louisiana Tech) – 4.46 & 4.50
Denard Robinson (WR, Michigan) – 4.34 & 4.45
Da’Rick Rogers (WR, Tennessee Tech) – 4.56 & 4.44
Lanear Sampson (WR, Baylor) – 4.43 & 4.44
Ace Sanders (WR, South Carolina) – 4.53 & 4.59
Kenny Stills (WR, Oklahoma) – 4.34 & 4.28
Ryan Swope (WR, Texas A&M) – 4.44 & 4.38
Conner Vernon (WR, Duke) – 4.59 & 4.47
Markus Wheaton (WR, Oregon State) – 4.34 & 4.40
Terrance Williams (WR, Baylor) – 4.46 & 4.59
Marquess Wilson (WR, Washington State) – 4.41 & 4.47
Robert Woods (WR, USC) – 4.44 & 4.44

I’m not sure if there was an issue with the timer, but there were some crazy differentials between the first and second attempts and that shouldn’t happen. Da’Rick Rogers and Conner Vernon improved their times by 0.12 seconds on the second run. Terrance Williams on the other hand ran a second attempt 0.13 seconds slower than the first go-around. No idea what was going on there and we’ll have to wait for the official times later today.

Cordarrelle Patterson confirmed his speed at 6-2 and +200lbs. It’ll be interesting to see him run routes later.

Denard Robinson was quick but why isn’t he being worked out as a running back? He basically played QB/RB at Michigan and he’s the same size as Chris Johnson. Ryan Swope, Kenny Stills and Markus Wheaton all ran quick times that’ll help their stock. Marquess Wilson also put in a good show. Robert Woods was also quick enough to give his stock a boost. He’s good enough to be a first round pick.

Quinton Patton and Woods looked good in the toe-tap drills, making a sharp cut and get both feet down with minimal effort. Cordarrelle Patterson looks a bit awkward, just as he does on tape. He just ran a deep route that looked painfully difficult. It doesn’t help that he’s wearing baggy T-shirt/shorts for the drill.

Geno Smith, like Mike Glennon, is floating the deep ball too much.

Ryan Swope doesn’t look like a wide receiver. He looks like he should be working in Blockbuster’s. I’d still take a chance on him being a productive unnatural type via the middle rounds. Markus Wheaton showed great catching technique in the gauntlet. Ace Sanders struggled and took a ball in the face for good measure. I want to see Cordarrelle Patterson extend his arms to catch the ball. Everything is into the body. He’s all speed an upside, the technique leaves a lot to be desired.

Official 40 times are now in for the receivers:

Marquise Goodwin – 4.27
Tavon Austin – 4.34
Steadman Bailey – 4.52
Josh Boyce – 4.38
Justin Hunter – 4.44
DeAndre Hopkins – 4.57
Mark Harrison – 4.46
Chris Harper – 4.55
Cordarrelle Patterson – 4.42
Quinton Patton – 4.53
Da’Rick Rogers – 4.52
Denard Robinson – 4.43
Terrance Williams – 4.52
Markus Wheaton – 4.45
Conner Vernon – 4.68
Ryan Swope – 4.34
Kenny Stills – 4.38
Marquess Wilson – 4.51
Robert Woods – 4.51

I suppose the big headline is Ryan Swope is officially as quick as Tavon Austin. So pick your poison. Austin in round one, or Swope later.

The receivers are now running 10-yard routes. Robert Woods continues to look like the most impressive player out there — he’s showing the same crispness as Hopkins and equally strong hands. And just as I said that… Woods drops a back-shoulder pass.

Justin Hunter had a vertical jump of 39.5-inches. He had a poor 2012 season but has impressed athletically in Indianapolis. It’s still hard to get behind him given how sloppy he looked for Tennessee. Former NFL Scout:

If you were watching Patterson work out you would never believe he is the best WR in the Draft. Saw WOW on tape, here I am not seeing that. — Bryan Broaddus (@BryanBroaddus) February 24, 2013

I thought Patterson hurt himself today. He might still be a top-15 pick based on upside, straight line speed and the ability to score any time the ball’s in his hands. However, you’re going to have to coach him up in a big way. Otherwise he’ll wing it, which is pretty much what he did at Tennessee. And winging it in the NFL will kill a quarterback.

The final group to work out today will be the running backs.

Running back unofficial forty yard dash times (first group):

Montee Ball (RB, Wisconsin) – 4.62 & 4.65
Kenjon Barner (RB, Oregon) – 4.44 & 4.46
Le’Veon Bell (RB, Michigan State) – 4.52 & 4.56
Giovani Bernard (RB, North Carolina) – 4.50 & 4.50
Rex Burkhead (RB, Nebraska) – 4.69 & 4.75
Knile Davis (RB, Arkansas) – 4.30 & 4.31
Andre Ellington (RB, Clemson) – 4.59 & DNP
Jonathan Franklin (RB, UCLA) – 4.47 & 4.50
Mike Gillislee (RB, Florida) – 4.50 & 4.50
Ray Graham (RB, Pittsburgh) – 4.72 & 4.71
Jawan Jamison (RB, Rutgers) – 4.62 & 4.50
Onterio McCalebb (RB, Auburn) – 4.27 & 4.21
Joseph Randle (RB, Oklahoma State) – 4.63 & 4.63
Theo Riddick (RB, Notre Dame) – 4.66 & DNP
Zac Stacy (RB, Vanderbilt) – 4.50 & 4.60
Stepfan Taylor (RB, Stanford) – 4.78 & 4.72
Cierre Wood – 4.50 & 4.53

The average time for a running back over the last few years has been 4.59.

Watching the running backs this year was pretty underwhelming. It lacked the star power we’ve seen in recent years. There’s a few players here that’ll be productive at the next level, but unless Eddie Lacy makes it into the first round were unlikely to see any of the group go early.

Ontario McCalebb’s 4.21 is slightly undermined by his sub-170lbs size. LeVeon Bell’s times were impressive given his size. Knile Davis ran two 4.3’s and he was always a fast guy, but he had a bad 2012 season with fumble problems. He really had one good year in college. Andre Ellington appeared to get injured during his forty yard attempt. Montee Ball’s 4.6’s are good enough — he will be a productive player at the next level. I’d take a chance in the middle rounds.

Official 40 yard dash times for the running backs:

Montee Ball – 4.66
Kenjon Barner – 4.52
LeVeon Bell – 4.60
Giovani Bernard – 4.53
Rex Burkhead – 4.73
Knile Davis – 4.37
Andre Ellington – 4.61
Jonathan Franklin – 4.49
Mike Gillislee – 4.55
Ray Graham – 4.80
Jawan Jamison – 4.68
Onterio McCalebb – 4.34
Joseph Randle – 4.63
Theo Riddick – 4.68
Zac Stacy – 4.55
Stepfan Taylor – 4.76
Kerwynn Williams – 4.48
Cierre Wood – 4.56

Matt Flynn update

Peter King just said on the NFL Network that he thinks Seattle will release Matt Flynn. He didn’t believe they would pay his salary to keep him and would choose to save some back by releasing him. King didn’t expect much of a trade market.

I believe the team would make a $1.25m overall saving if they cut Flynn. It doesn’t sound much, but paying $7.25m for a backup is unnecessary. Personally, if they do cut Flynn I’d consider drafting a quarterback and letting him compete with a veteran to be the backup.

And we have to remember here, paying the starter peanuts and the backup $7.25m is an odd dynamic. That could play a part in any decision.

End of the day

Things are starting to wind down in Indianapolis and the NFL Network isn’t even showing live coverage of the running back drills, they’re speaking to Scott Pioli. We’ll call it a day for today, but remember we’ll be live blogging again from 6am PST tomorrow. Hope to see you there for the all-important defensive lineman and linebacker drills.