Month: February 2022 (Page 3 of 3)

Here is today’s new live blog. Keep refreshing for updates. My notes are based on tape study as drills were uploaded online and broadcast on the NFL Network. I have watched in full the OL vs DL 1v1 drills from Wednesday.

Also, if you missed it yesterday I was on 710 ESPN with Jake & Stacy to discuss the Senior Bowl and the Seahawks off-season. You can listen to the segment via the embed below:

— Travis Jones continues to really impress. Firstly, he looked especially agile in the figure-of-eight drill which bodes well for his combine testing. Then he had a tremendous rep against Cole Strange — once again connecting with his arms and driving him deep into the backfield (which has become Jones’ calling card in Mobile). He has difference-making power and if you’re looking for traits — that’s a very appealing one. On the next rep, Strange adjusted his approach and closed quickly on Jones to eliminate space so he couldn’t drive his hands into his chest and gain contact. However, to be fair, Jones still found a way to latch on and drive the center backwards. On a rep against Zion Johnson Jones also won with a great push/pull move. He flashed a terrific club on another 1v1 rep to create a pressure. Jones has been one of the big winners this week and he has the potential to cause havoc up front as a nose tackle with plus athleticism and incredible power.

— Perrion Winfrey had a handful of really good snaps. In a 1v1 vs Michigan’s Andrew Steuber he showed great hands to slip any attempt to stall his progress. That created separation and he duly finished to the QB. Winfrey showed a nice combination of technique and quickness. On the next rep, Winfrey drove Steuber deep into the backfield with a well executed bull-rush. Later during scrimmages he had another big win — slipping a block to fire into the backfield and make a TFL on the running back. Zion Johnson got the better of him on one rep — Johnson leaned into the block a bit too much but he was still able to stick with Winfrey and gain positioning. On the next rep Winfrey won easily against Johnson with a spin move. There’s no doubting Winfrey’s clear talent and upside. Consistency is the big question mark — and it will be throughout the draft process.

— On a couple of reps we saw evidence of Trevor Penning’s athleticism. He has light feet and moves well. Yet there was evidence of a lack of refinement too. He would drop too far and give up the inside. On tape he’s in attack mode and I’d like to see a bit more of that. He was on the back foot with some of these reps and it isn’t really his style.

— Abraham Lucas did a terrific job on his first rep. He has a superb, natural drop — planting the anchor, engaging and slamming the door shut as the defender attacks the edge, then counters. It was textbook. On the next rep the opposite happened. He was off-balance, lost leverage and was dumped on his backside for an ugly loss that had the D-liners celebrating. I’ve already seen enough from Lucas this week to not have any concern. He is the real deal. He showed that against Myjai Sanders late in the session — again getting into a great position on his drop and catching Sanders, stoning him on contact. On their second rep, Sanders tried a bull-rush and gained some traction.

— Haskell Garrett looked really quick and dynamic in 1v1’s. It’s a shame his arm length probably keeps him out of Seattle’s range. He’s a cannonball of a prospect who is really tough to get your hands on.

— I’m stunned how OTT the coverage of Zion Johnson has been. The internet does this and it’s why it’s important to watch the tape and not rely on group-think. In his first rep he was literally flagged for holding by the officials as he clung on for dear life to avoid a sack. They don’t throw flags in these 1v1’s — yet Johnson garnered a penalty. On the very next rep he was easily beaten — just brushed off by Otito Ogbonnia who used his hands to create separation and then just exploded into the backfield. Johnson is a mid-round guard. That’s it. And that’s fine. People touting him for round one need to give it a rest. The coverage of his Mobile performance has been nuts. He looks athletic — he carries very minimal body fat. You can’t help but be impressed by his frame. I get that. Yet the reps don’t show the player many are claiming. Later in the 1v1’s he was easily beaten by Perrion Winfrey too.

— Logan Hall beat Marquis Hayes with a nice swim move on his first rep. On the next rep, Hall was too high and Hayes gained hand-position and leverage to win the 1v1. I still want to see more from Hall, this hasn’t been the dominant display I was expecting. Late in the session Hall battled with Andrew Steuber and had a nice win — driving to the right gap and then spinning to disengage and releasing to the quarterback. That was a really athletic play.

— Boye Mafe won his first rep easily against Bernhard Raimann — who has struggled a bit. Raimann dipped his head and lunged at Mafe, who just brushed him off to round the edge and finish. On the second rep, Raimann stalls him initially but a counter from Mafe enables him to break free and get to the quarterback. Two quality reps from Mafe — still a lot of technical work needed for Raimann. He has the athleticism and upside but on this evidence, it needs to be developed with better technique.

— When scrimmages began I noticed Daniel Faalele dumped on his backside yet again (see below). I’ve said it all week — he’s too big. It’s really difficult to play the edge at 6-8 and 380lbs and retain balance and control. He gave up an easy inside move in 1v1’s too. The more he has to move, the bigger the problems are. He catches pass rushers and tries to absorb them. He can’t be a dancing bear at that size. Which means if you’re willing to have a 6-8, 380lbs guard — fine. But that in itself comes with issues in terms of leverage and throwing windows. I wouldn’t draft Faalele personally.

— It was a quiet day for Arnold Ebiketie in the 1v1’s. He was easily sent to the turf by Matt Waletzko in his first rep and on the second he slipped while trying to execute a spin move.

— During American team scrimmages, Greg Dulcich caught a really nice touchdown pass on a throw by Malik Willis. Dulcich is just so smooth and he’s shown this week he can block. He is seriously underrated.

— John Ridgeway was well handled by Kentucky centre Luke Fortner on their initial 1v1. On his second rep, Ridgeway drove Cade Mays deep into the backfield. I like aspects to Ridgeway’s game — his power and size. I’m not sure he has special qualities though.

— Devante Wyatt was well handled by Ed Ingram on their first rep. Wyatt was too high, Ingram gained hand-placement and leverage and dominated the 1v1. Wyatt’s second rep was far better against Georgia team mate Justin Shaffer — a nice club, violent hands and then having created the angle he sprinted into the backfield for a clean, superb win. In his third rep, Wyatt blew by Dylan Parham by engaging contact then just throwing him off. The combination of power, hands and speed is scary. He is an interior dynamo and exactly what Seattle hasn’t had for many, many years. If he’s there at #41 — run to the podium. I fear he’ll be long gone.

— Spencer Burford shut down Kingsley Enagbare on their first rep. Enagbare was too high and offered a big target for the tackle. On the second rep, Enagbare tried a spin move on Burford and it didn’t work — he was easily shut down again. It’s easy to like Enagbare’s length and size. He’s had some wins this week. Is he a special athlete though? Not on this evidence. Not compared to some of the other dynamic edge rushers.

— Eric Johnson destroyed Darian Kinnard with a spin-move. Kinnard kicked inside to guard and was easily beaten. Too often he just doesn’t get low enough — he’s too upright and high. He looks the part of a NFL right tackle or guard but he has to be able to bend and play the leverage game better. He did have a win against Zach Carter to end the session.

— Phil Mathis had a tough time disengaging on his first 1v1 rep. He also really battled with Jamaree Salyer on his second — it was a good tussle and Mathis got free right at the end. He doesn’t appear to have many clean wins. Everything is a battle. He does win most of his 1v1’s but it’s always late in the rep after a lot of hand-fighting. You can’t fault his motor but you’d like to see a few easy victories like you see from Wyatt — using quickness and a nice swim. I’m not sure that’s him though. He’s violent, tough and plays his tail off. But is he a bit limited as an athlete? That’s my question based on what we’ve seen in Mobile.

— Sam Williams destroyed Max Mitchell in their first 1v1 rep. Mitchell was flat-footed and Williams easily showed to the outside, swam inside and looked quick, dynamic and explosive. He’s a late arrival in Mobile but a very exciting prospect. On a rep against Kinnard he took the edge, dipped under the attempted block and won the play. He’s just too quick for Kinnard. Williams will test well at the combine and could be on Seattle’s radar.

— I’ve no idea what Max Mitchell was doing against Jermaine Johnson. His drop was fine but then a mild club by Johnson dumped Mitchell on his backside. It was a really ugly rep. I thoroughly enjoyed watching Mitchell’s tape vs Texas but this was not a good 1v1 session for the Louisiana right tackle. He did have a better final rep vs Sam Williams after switching to left tackle but even then — Williams looked the superior, more fluid athlete. I want to really like Mitchell but I’m starting to think he is what he is — a decent lineman who lacks great size and length.

— Jermaine Johnson is the wow performer of the Senior Bowl. Just incredible. Feet, quickness, hands. On his first rep he just juked away from the blocker who got nowhere near him. He wins with speed, speed-to-power, a bull-rush. He is the complete pass rusher. If only Seattle had the #10 pick.

— For his size (280lbs), Zach Carter is quick and sharp. When he kicks inside he shows good power and an ability to drive blockers into the backfield. He has talent.

— The Seahawks need more BAMF’s. We’ve been talking about it for years. And this is why I want Dameon Pierce in Seattle. He’s an absolute beast, who gets everything (and everyone) going:

Favorite moment from the day @IRep229

🔥 from @thesamrusso_ pic.twitter.com/RgaPLWBml7

— Paige Dimakos (@The_SportsPaige) February 3, 2022

— Cole Strange has taken some snaps at center and has faired better than some others making the switch (eg Zion Johnson). This is not a good center class and it makes me wonder whether a team like the Seahawks would show interest in Strange. He’s had an up-and-down week with some impressive wins and a few whiffs. This was well emphasised yesterday when he barely got a finger on Isaiah Thomas on one rep but then bounced back on the rematch to stone him at the LOS. He has the size Seattle likes (6-4, 304lbs, 33.5 inch arms, 10 1/4 inch hands). This was a nice rep on a screen pass from earlier today. He moves well at the second level. He also had a nice 1v1 win against Travis Jones. This is great hand/feet coordination and he looks the part here. He could be a very intriguing center project.

— It’s being reported that Haskell Garrett had to be helped off the field during Thursday’s practise with a suspected upper-body injury. It appears this is the incident. Not sure at all what Andrew Steuber was doing at the end of this rep but it was unnecessary and dangerous.

— This isn’t Senior Bowl related but regulars will know how much disdain I have for the Ikem Ekonwu hype. He isn’t a left tackle, he’s a guard. He’ll need to test well to be a high-ish pick because his tape is average. Here’s Jermaine Johnson easily defeating him off the edge. And yet the media calls Johnson a borderline first rounder and I’ve seen Ekonwu as high as the #1 overall pick in some mocks. Utter nonsense.

— This is the Trevor Penning I expected to see this week. Aggressive, punishing. That’s how he played at Northern Iowa. He seemed tentative on Tuesday and Wednesday, almost like he was playing ‘defense’ with his blocks. This is the front-foot, physical blocker who finishes plays he can be. Here’s another rep from today showing more of the same.

— Here’s a good rep from today with Zion Johnson winning 1v1 against Travis Jones. Presumably the internet will crown Johnson as the next Quenton Nelson as a consequence.

— Brian Asamoah is a thoroughly modern day linebacker. He could easily be a top-45 pick. This rep in coverage shows why. He’s very good at working in space, chasing down the ball-carrier and delivering jarring hits. Yet it’s his work against a tight end as you see in that 1v1 that makes him such an interesting player for the next level.

— Here are two really good reps for Abraham Lucas vs Arnold Ebiketie. In the first 1v1, Lucas’ footwork isn’t great to begin with. His feet are choppy and his drop starts poorly. Yet he still manages to engage Ebiketie, drive him wide of the quarterback and not offer a pathway back to the QB. On the second rep, Ebiketie tries an inside move and Lucas just shuts it down.

— At times, Boye Mafe just makes it look easy. Watch this comfortable spin move to get away from Matt Waletzko. Show outside, spin inside. Simple but effective and extremely fluid in his movements. He can maybe get vertical a bit quicker on the spin but the agility and quickness is obvious. On the second rep he chops the hands away and easily beats Waletzko to the edge with speed. Mafe is a very impressive athlete.

— This looks like a win for Cade Mays vs Phil Mathis but it’s slightly deceptive. Yes — Mays obstructs the path to the quarterback. Yet Mathis has forced him deep into the pocket. Do this in a game and the QB has to move off the spot — and that’s really the name of the game.

— Coming into the week we talked up Zach Carter’s upside and talent and he’s had a good time in Mobile. Check out this rep where he drives Chris Paul right into the QB’s lap. He’s quick and powerful with great size (280lbs) and has legit inside/out potential.

I’m finishing the live blog today. If there is ample indoor footage from Thursday’s practise I will do another review post tomorrow. I will also be offering thoughts on the game on Saturday.

With footage from the Senior Bowl usually arriving very late in the day, I’m going to introduce a daily ‘live blog’ where I update with notes.

Keep refreshing for updates.

— Earlier today I was on 710 ESPN with Jake & Stacy to discuss the Senior Bowl and the Seahawks off-season. If you missed it you can listen to the segment via the embed below:

— I know Seahawks fans don’t like to linger too much on ‘what could’ve been’. Yet the first day at the Senior Bowl was a crushing blow, in my opinion, knowing they don’t have the #10 pick.

Firstly, Florida State pass rusher Jermaine Johnson was an absolute terror. We’ve referred to him as a complete rusher for months and that’s what he showed on day one. He has fantastic strength in his arms, plus length, to extend and drive tackles off the spot. He combines that with great quickness and balance to attack the edge or counter with an inside move. He was unstoppable on day one. He looks like a star and would’ve been an ideal partner-in-crime for Darrell Taylor.

Secondly, Washington State right tackle Abraham Lucas was equally impressive. He looks sensational — with a perfectly proportioned frame for a tackle. Remember, he ran a 4.30 short shuttle at SPARQ. In scrimmage snaps he pushed around pass rushers — launching into his set and quickly establishing ideal positioning. His hand-use is good and he connects his hands and feet to wall-off the speed rush. In the running game he punished opponents — driving defenders backwards. Whether he starts on the right or left side — he looks like a potential 10-year starter.

Seattle’s bad 2020 off-season that led to the desperation hail-mary trade for Jamal Adams right before camp continues to leave scars. Frankly, it’s difficult to garner excitement for this off-season given the same decision makers are the ones trying to make amends. This was a long-lasting, damaging trade that they doubled-down on with a new contract. It might be convenient to try and forget about it and say what’s done is done — yet after one day in Mobile, the consequences are there for all to see. The Seahawks are going to miss out on potentially a terrific player at a key position of need and are stuck with a dead-weight contract for a player with a bad shoulder.

— One of the big challenges during the Senior Bowl is establishing fact from fiction. There are so many people attending in Mobile, firing opinions onto the internet. Here’s what I think I’ve been able to establish by watching various clips and highlights from the first practise:

— Devonte Wyatt had an outstanding first day. He showed off his 4.8 speed at 300lbs on multiple reps — bursting into the backfield with great agility, setting up blockers before delivering a quick change of direction and fast feet. Yet when he needs to dig-in and absorb a pair of blocks or battle to control his gap he can do that too. I am convinced he will be a first round pick and could easily be an incredible disruptive force at the next level. A potential star.

— Travis Jones was not too far behind Wyatt in terms of first impressions. He’s 6-4 and 326lbs with 34 inch arms. On multiple occasions he connected in 1v1 reps and brutally walked back blockers deep into the pocket. He abused opponents on several occasions. He was a train. Yet he’s not just a powerful nose tackle — he flashed some quickness too. Boston College’s Zion Johnson is a bit of a ‘draft media’ favourite and gets a good press as a consequence. Jones stole his lunch-money on one rep and did it easily. I’ve since seen the 1v1 reps from day one and Jones had multiple wins against the somewhat overrated Johnson. I immediately went back to see what I could find from UConn and I found some tape of Jones competing against Clemson, where he landed two terrific swim-moves to create pressure. This was a performance worth shouting about.

— Perrion Winfrey gained a ton of buzz on Twitter for his first day but it was just more of the same. He is far too inconsistent. Yes he has great size and length but he doesn’t know how to put everything together. His approach to rushing is haphazard, he doesn’t often have a plan. He doesn’t play with enough aggression down-to-down. You’ll see him boss a blocker into the backfield on one play, then on the next rep get completely shut down. I’d call him a busy, choppy runner too. He hunches his back and runs on his toes leading to a lot of indecisive movement as he tries to work out a plan into the backfield. The top defensive tackles keep it simple — gap-control, swim/rip, brute force to drive people backwards. If you have great agility and speed, attack those gaps and find angles. It’s always front-foot and forwards though — while Winfrey is a bit of an over-thinker. He has the physical tools but he remains very much a flash-in-the-pan type.

— Myjai Sanders’ lean frame is a bit of a concern but there’s nothing to worry about in terms of his quickness and ability to attack the edge. He looked like a huge threat in scrimmage sessions with burst and suddenness. While the likes of Kingsley Enagbare received positive comments online, he doesn’t have that same quick/twitch ability. Sanders has it in droves and really challenged the tackles he came up against. On one rep he even dumped Daniel Faalele on his back. He was quick to work through traffic, he showed excellent speed when attacking the edge. He looks like Spiderman out there — with great agility and his long arms and legs enable him to stand out. Sanders just looks the part of a NFL rusher. On appearances alone he looks like Montez Sweat. Now — he probably won’t run a 4.4 like Sweat. He has been timed in the 4.00’s in the short shuttle though. He’s one to watch.

— Based on what I saw of the tight end reps — there’s a reasonable chance Jeremy Ruckert could be the first off the board. He looked tremendously fluid running in space to create separation. A lot will be determined by agility testing at the combine but of the group, Ruckert looked especially sharp. I managed to see some of Greg Dulcich too. He has been a blog favourite for quite some time — and as with the Devonte Wyatt’s, Abe Lucas’, Dameon Pierce’s etc — he looked very good with his blocking duties and route running. I think Dulcich will go a lot higher than people think (depending, of course, on the agility testing). Keep an eye on Charlie Kolar too. He doesn’t have the speed and quickness running routes but showed well turning back to the quarterback in reps. He has a lot of the size preferences you look for.

— Darian Kinnard had that one bad rep against Jermaine Johnson but as a pure right tackle prospect he looks the part. He has everything to hold down that side of the line and just needs a little bit of technical work.

— Arnold Ebiketie was as advertised on day one. He has a nice blend of speed and power. On one rep he dipped inside having read the blocker’s momentum and just exploded to the QB. On another rep he bull-rushed with authority, driving the blocker into the backfield. He is a high-upside talent with a lot of first round potential (depending on how he tests).

— Here he is again look, Travis Jones repeating what he did yesterday by driving blockers into the backfield. It’s the same move every time, a powerful one-arm bull-rush. He just straightens that arm and it suddenly becomes men against boys. A terrific showing of power. Sign me up for a bit of this.

— On the contrary, it’s not getting any easier for Logan Hall. A few of us had big expectations for him this week but he just hasn’t been able to put it together. His technique is all over the place and he looks out of control in the 1v1 reps. Look at him here against Cole Strange. There’s a lot going on — including a spin — but he needs to learn how to use his hands to engage and rip/swim, or work off his hands or with some deceptive footwork. At the moment there’s no real plan other than ‘having a go’. This was a better rep though — and it’s also a reminder of how badly we need full footage of the 1v1’s to properly assess these players.

— The internet has decided that Zion Johnson is a first round pick and a really exciting prospect. I’m just not seeing it. Don’t get me wrong — I’m not saying he is a bad player by any stretch. For me he’s a perfectly adequate mid-round guard and that’s fine. All this first round talk though is spreading like wildfire and I just think people need to calm down. Boye Mafe got a nice, fairly straight forward win against Johnson here. There have been a few reps like that. Here’s another one where he got flat-out beat by Perrion Winfrey. Johnson does a good job arching his back to anchor and when he squares up a defender and meets him head-on — he can have success. Angles aren’t his friend though and as we saw here, he’s giving up inside pressures to edge rushers. It happens every year though. The internet overhypes a player before and during the Senior Bowl. It’s not Johnson’s fault people are going over the top but let’s be honest about what he is and stop the hype train.

— Cornerback Akayleb Evans says he’s attracted a fair bit of interest from the Seahawks. I’ve been able to watch a couple of 1v1 reps and he looked relatively close in coverage. He’s nearly 6-2 and 201lbs with 32.5 inch arms. He’s one to take a look at.

— I’ve not seen many reps for Max Mitchell the Louisiana right tackle — but I watched some of his tape after he was named in Daniel Jeremiah’s top-50. I like him, he reminds me of another former blog favourite Austin Corbett. He was a left tackle at Nevada who was undersized. It didn’t work for him in Cleveland but he kick-started his career with the Rams at guard. Mitchell’s tape vs Texas is very impressive. The concerns are similar though — he’s undersized (around 300lbs) and doesn’t have amazing length. On the limited reps I saw from yesterday, it was a follow on from what he showed against Texas. He’s an attack-minded blocker who meets pass rushers and engages combat. I like that — and it has been Louisiana’s style over recent years. His feet and hands work well together. He has good balance and power. Today he pancaked Kingsley Enagbare. He was well beaten by Jermaine Johnson yesterday on a deadly spin move — but Johnson is going to be tough to stop all week. The Seahawks could easily address pass rush in free agency and then seek to replace Brandon Shell in the draft. If so — Mitchell could be one to watch.

— Here’s a nice rep from Abraham Lucas vs Myjai Sanders. Look how easily he gets out of his stance, uses a nice base to plant and then once he connects with Sanders, there’s no escape. This is what a legit NFL tackle prospect looks like.

— By now you all know Dameon Pierce is a blog favourite. Here’s why. Watch him in this 1v1 to end practise today. That is what he’s all about. Teams are going to love Pierce a lot more than the media. He will go earlier than people think.

— Just look at Jermaine Johnson’s footwork and hands on this rep. Reason #18394 to be devastated about not having the #10 pick. Imagine Johnson lining up across from Darrell Taylor. Sigh.

— I’ve spoken a lot about Daniel Faalele’s size being a problem rather the easily excitable ‘draft twitter’ take that he’s awesome because he’s 6-8 and 380lbs. Yet if you’re immobile and struggle with leverage, you’re going to end up on your backside. Which is what happened yesterday and happened again today. I wouldn’t draft him, personally.

— From what I’ve seen, most of the tackles struggled today. I’m not sure if it’s the weather or something else. I’ll wait to see extended footage of the 1v1’s and reassess tomorrow. However, this kind of rep where Boye Mafe easily beat Bernhard Raimann was commonplace based on the clips on Twitter.

I’m ending the live blog for today. I’ll watch any practise tape I can find online in the morning and start a new article with fresh notes.

I’ll finish with this though — the thought I came into the day with (what a shame it is they don’t have #10 for Jermaine Johnson or Abraham Lucas) is exactly the thought I’ll take to sleep tonight.

The Jamal Adams trade wasn’t just a random minor error. It’s potentially a long-lasting dead weight that will cloud this team. You’re talking about 2-3 (at least) club controlled, young players to help shape your foundation. You’re talking about $17.5m in cap space. All for a player they don’t know how to get the best of, with a bad shoulder.

People are literally discussing defensive coordinator candidates under the premise of ‘how can they rescue this trade?’

They can’t. The damage is done. And it’s going to cost the Seahawks a potential foundational piece in this draft based on what we’re seeing in Mobile. It’s hard to have much faith in the people who thought that was not only a good deal — but one worth doubling down on with a contract.

Please consider supporting the blog via Patreon (click the tab below)…

Become a Patron!

Since the NFL Network pulled live coverage of the Senior Bowl a couple of years ago, it has become impossible to assess practise without being in Mobile.

Every year we are dependant on people filming the drills and posting them on YouTube. In fairness, those videos usually emerge. There’s no guarantee though. We have to hope someone had the good grace to film both sessions in full.

As and when I find good clips, I will post them here. Likewise if I get hold of extensive 1v1 drills for the O-liners and D-liners, I will post a full breakdown.

Darian Kinnard and Jermaine Johnson had a good 1v1 battle. Johnson won the first bout easily, dumping Kinnard on his back. In round two, Kinnard held his own.

Here’s a rep between Cade Mays and Devonte Wyatt. You see Wyatt get lower and gain hand-placement to win with leverage and drive Mays back. It’s a good recovery from Mays to avoid being driven right into the backfield — but ultimately Wyatt has won the round by pushing his blocker into the pocket.

If you’re wondering why I think Wyatt will go in round one — watch this rep. That’s what 4.8 speed looks like at 300lbs.

This isn’t a great rep from Logan Hall, who lost out to Ja’Tyre Carter. Hall doesn’t even try to place his hands in the right position and just looks completely out of control. He’s battling to get any kind of handle and Carter just rides him out — simply by connecting and actually using his hands. Hall has to do better with his technique here, a lot better.

I saw another rep between Carter and Hall and Carter won that too. As did Andrew Steuber here, having moved inside. This isn’t the kind of start I expected from Hall who has great talent and potential. He tries a club and a spin but Steuber always looks in control. It’d be nice to see a bit more focus and execution on these rushes from Hall — but it’s day one, let’s see if he can improve.

Steuber didn’t have as much fun against Travis Jones (who looked like a train). Here’s another great rep from Jones who warrants a bigger look on this evidence.

Trevor Penning is too hesitant on this rep. That’s not how he played for Northern Iowa. He has the right position and he should win easily but he let’s the inside move come along because he freezes. Go and finish the block. Connect and drive your man off the ball.

Zion Johnson had two really good reps against Otito Ogbonnia. Great anchor, good strength in the back, finished the blocks.

I am not a big Daniel Faalele fan. I think he’s too big. He certainly shouldn’t end up flat on his back against Myjai Sanders. I like the way Sanders combines agility and flexibility attacking the edge I just worry a little bit about him mixing in speed-to-power given his slight frame.

This isn’t a 1v1 rep but look at the penetration and quickness here from John Ridgeway.

This isn’t a good rep for Bernhard Raimann. You can be the best athlete in Mobile but you’ve got to have your feet and hands work in unison. He doesn’t get anywhere with his footwork, he concedes the edge and then he’s chasing the pass rusher (Tyreke Smith). You want to see a better slide here and then control with the hands.

Tariq Woolen is already showing why he could easily go in round one. Lots of contact late in the route but it’s hard to stick in these 1v1 sessions. He’s right there, all the way.

Have I mentioned how much I like Dameon Pierce much? Quick, explosive, physical, aggressive, yards after contact. Get him in Seattle.

I watched the NFL Network’s highlights package where they showcased some scrimmage sessions. For me, Abraham Lucas looked absolutely terrific at right tackle. Controlled, powerful, athletic. He truly looks the part. One of the big regrets, and there are a few, over the Jamal Adams trade could be the missed opportunity to plug Lucas in at left or right tackle for the next decade.

I wanted to mention Daniel Jeremiah’s top-50 prospects board today. I’ve often voiced complaints with Jeremiah’s boards in the past. They fluctuate too much — with players often appearing from outside the top-50 to receive a high placing. It gives the impression that the top-50 has been put together without watching everyone, thus what’s the point of having a top-50 at this early stage?

Even so, I think there are some interesting talking points. I don’t agree at all with having Ikem Eknowu at #2 and I don’t understand why Kenyon Green gets the attention he does in the media. That said, I was really interested to see Phidarian Mathis at #37 and Devante Wyatt at #38.

That is round about the range where Seattle picks (#41) and I think both players would be excellent fits. They are highly disruptive defensive tackles with ideal size and length. They combine power with agility and quickness. The Seahawks have long needed someone like this to create interior pressure. Both Mathis and Wyatt must be on your radar for Seattle.

I think, given Wyatt is expected to run in the 4.8’s, that he will eventually propel into round one. Mathis though could easily be there for Seattle and warrants genuine consideration as one of the more underrated players in the draft. We’ve talked him up a fair bit — this is the first time I’ve seen the media put him in a range we’ve been discussing (round two).

I agree completely with Jeremiah having DeMarvin Leal at #44. He is a player with all the skills and physical tools but he lacks consistency and intensity. In many ways, he’s comparable to Chris Jones in that regard. He might not warrant the lofty first round talk many have bestowed upon him — but he could be a value option in round two. As with Jones — if the light switches on, the sky’s the limit.

Oklahoma’s Perrion Winfrey isn’t included in Jeremiah’s top-50 but he received positive reviews for his first day in Mobile. He’s incredibly sized at 6-4, 303lbs with 35.5 inch arms. He has special flashes on tape but also a lot of inconsistent play and effort. Sometimes when you watch him it’s pretty painful. If he puts it together, he can be a key prospect in this draft and one for Seattle’s radar. I watched some of the 1v1 reps and it was more of the same. Some flashes, then some snaps where he’s totally stone-walled.

Perhaps the most impressive interior defender from day one, having watched a lot of the reps now, was UConn’s Travis Jones. He was up there with Devonte Wyatt. He has superb power in his arms, he drives on contact and he’s no slouch. He had some big wins, including against Zion Johnson. This was a very impressive start.

Ole Miss’ talented, athletic pass rusher Sam Williams has been added to the Senior Bowl roster. He had participated in the NFLPA Bowl. He has a very intriguing physical profile and great production from 2021. He has a ‘bull-in-a-china-shop’ style to his game. He’s another strong option for Seattle.

I’ve said a few times now that there is an opportunity in this draft class to build a foundation. You can get an EDGE and a defensive tackle with a cluster of enticing prospects available. That is a real strength of this class. There are tackles to be had. You have angry, violent, aggressive players like Damoen Pierce (RB, Florida) and Cam Taylor-Britt (CB, Nebraska). There is depth at linebacker.

You can come out of this draft having gone a long way towards forging the kind of team Seattle wants to be.

I promised a mock draft last week (a three-rounder no less) before Covid got in the way. I’ll save the three-rounds for after the Senior Bowl but here’s a quick two-rounder as we wait (and pray) for Senior Bowl tape to emerge…

1. Jacksonville — Aidan Hutchinson (DE, Michigan)
2. Detroit — Kayvon Thibodeaux (DE, Oregon)
3. Houston — Evan Neal (G, Alabama)
4. New York Jets — David Ojabo (DE, Michigan)
5. New York Giants — Derek Stingley Jr (CB, LSU)
6. Carolina — Charles Cross (T, Mississippi State)
7. New York Giants — Trevor Penning (T, Northern Iowa)
8. Atlanta — Kyle Hamilton (S, Notre Dame)
9. Denver — Bernhard Raimann (T, Central Michigan)
10. New York Jets — Treylon Burks (WR, Arkansas)
11. Washington — Abraham Lucas (T, Washington State)
12. Minnesota — Jermaine Johnson (DE, Florida State)
13. Cleveland — Jordan Davis (DT, Georgia)
14. Baltimore — Kyler Gordon (CB, Washington)
15. Philadelphia — Sauce Gardner (CB, Cincinnati)
16. Philadelphia — George Karlaftis (DE, Purdue)
17. LA Chargers — Trent McDuffie (CB, Washington)
18. New Orleans — Garrett Wilson (WR, Ohio State)
19. Philadelphia — Daxton Hill (S, Michigan)
20. Pittsburgh — Kenny Pickett (QB, Pittsburgh)
21. New England — Chris Olave (WR, Ohio State)
22. Las Vegas — Devonte Wyatt (DT, Georgia)
23. Arizona — Arnold Ebiketie (DE, Penn State)
24. Dallas — Tyler Linderbaum (C, Iowa)
25 Buffalo — Ikem Ekonwu (G, NC State)
26 Tennessee — Trey McBride (TE, Colorado State)
27 Tampa Bay — Tariq Woolen (CB, UTSA)
28 Green Bay — Jameson Williams (WR, Alabama)
29 Miami — Nakobe Dean (LB, Georgia)
30 Kansas City — Logan Hall (DT, Houston)
31 Cincinnati — Jalen Wydermyer (TE, Texas A&M)
32 Detroit — Quay Walker (LB, Georgia)

33 Jacksonville — Drake London (WR, USC)
34 Detroit — John Metchie (WR, Alabama)
35 New York Jets — Travon Walker (DE, Georgia)
36 New York Giants — Myjai Sanders (DE, Cincinnati)
37 Houston — Devin Lloyd (LB, Utah)
38 New York Jets — Jeremy Ruckert (TE, Ohio State)
39 Chicago — Andrew Booth (CB, Clemson)
40 Denver — Channing Tindall (LB, Georgia)
41 Seattle — Phidarian Mathis (DT, Alabama)
42 Washington — Carson Strong (QB, Nevada)
43 Atlanta — Drake Jackson (DE, USC)
44 Cleveland — DeMarvin Leal (DE/DT, Texas A&M)
45 Baltimore — Lewis Cine (S, Georgia)
46 Minnesota — Brian Asamoah (LB, Oklahoma)
47 Indianapolis — Rasheed Walker (T, Penn State)
48 LA Chargers — Boye Mafe (DE, Minnesota)
49 New Orleans — Matt Corral (QB, Ole Miss)
50 Miami — Dameon Pierce (RB, Florida)
51 Philadelphia — Bryan Cook (S, Cincinnati)
52 Pittsburgh — Cam Taylor-Britt (CB, Nebraska)
53 Las Vegas — Jahan Dotson (WR, Penn State)
54 New England — Chad Muma (LB, Wyoming)
55 Arizona — Kaiir Elam (CB, Florida)
56 Dallas — Kingsley Enagbare (DE, South Carolina)
57 San Francisco — Nick Cross (S, Maryland)
58 Cincinnati — Zion Johnson (G, Boston College)
59 Buffalo — Cam Thomas (DE, San Diego State)
60 Denver — Perrion Winfrey (DT, Oklahoma)
61 Kansas City — Jaquan Brisker (S, Penn State)
62 Tampa Bay — Malik Willis (QB, Liberty)
63 Atlanta — David Bell (WR, Purdue)
64 Green Bay — Sam Williams (DE, Ole Miss)

Please consider supporting the blog via Patreon (click the tab below)…

Become a Patron!