Month: March 2022 (Page 5 of 5)

Welcome to the 2022 NFL combine coverage on Seahawks Draft Blog.

Throughout the event I’ll be reacting live to everything happening in Indianapolis with daily live blogs and post-workout reaction articles.

We want you to get involved too so use the comments section to have your say on everything happening at the combine.

On top of that, my podcast partner Robbie Williams is attending each day at Lucas Oil Field. We recorded a stream (see the video above) reviewing day one.

Keep refreshing this page for updates.

Offensive linemen reject the bench press

Regulars will know by now how the NFL has ruined the combine by moving drills to late at night (meaning many players don’t do the agility testing) and by shifting the bench press to the same day as on-field workouts.

It means only three receivers did the bench. That’s not such a big deal though. We don’t need to know how many reps a receiver can bench 225lbs.

For offensive linemen, though, it plays into our TEF calculations and is used to help judge explosive qualities.

Many of the O-liners refused to do the bench today, probably because they don’t want to run around Lucas Oil Field with DOMS.

This really is one of the stupidest decisions ever made by a league that is increasingly losing its grip on this event.

Here are the select few who did bench:

Only 18 players did the drill. Five years ago in 2017, 40 offensive linemen did the bench press. This follows the news that only 13 receivers ran the three-cone, compared to 40 in 2017. Again, the NFL is ruining the combine.

We’ll have to wait until pro-days to fill in the gaps.

Here are the running backs who realistically could be in Seattle’s size ball-park:

Abram Smith — 6-0, 213lbs
Breece Hall — 5-11, 217lbs
Brian Robinson — 6-2, 225lbs
Dameon Pierce — 5-10, 218lbs
D’Vonte Price — 6-1, 210lbs
Hassan Haskins — 6-2, 228lbs
Isaiah Spiller — 6-0, 217lbs
Isaih Pacheco — 5-10, 216lbs
Jerome Ford — 5-10, 210lbs
Kenneth Walker — 5-9, 211lbs
Keontay Ingram — 6-0, 221lbs
Kevin Harris — 5-10, 221lbs
Leddie Brown — 6-0, 213lbs
Max Borghi — 5-9, 210lbs
Rachaad White — 6-0, 214lbs
Snoop Conner — 5-10, 22lbs
Tyler Allgeier — 5-11, 224lbs
Tyrion Davis-Price — 6-0, 211lbs
Zamir White — 6-0, 214lbs
Zonovan Knight — 5-11, 209lbs

It’s a decent list. Let’s see how they test in the broad and vertical.

Here are some interesting O-line measurements…

Zach Tom is 6-4, 304lbs and has 33 1/4 inch arms plus 10.5 inch hands. These are great numbers for a centre convert. I’m a big fan of his.

Even better news. Cameron Jurgens has 33.5 inch arms and 10 inch hands. Ideal.

Tyler Linderbaum is 6-2, 296lbs with 31 1/8 inch arms. Don’t be surprised if he lasts into round two, especially given he isn’t testing at the combine.

Bernhard Raimann has been measured as having only 32 7/8 inch arms.

Obinna Eze has 36 1/8 inch arms. Rasheed Walker and Nicholas Petit-Frere both have 33.5 inch arms.

Evan Neal isn’t doing anything at the combine. Another one. ‘Prime time’ combine strikes again.

Forty yard dash times (offensive linemen)

10-yard splits are in brackets

Blaise Andries — 5.17 (1.79) & DNP
Logan Bruss — 5.33 (1.82) & 5.33 (1.83)
Spencer Burford — 5.24 (1.83) & 5.22 (1.80)
Ja’Tyre Carter — 5.14 (1.80) & 5.13 (1.79)
Charles Cross — 4.93 (1.73) & 5.00 (1.74)
Myron Cunningham — 5.34 (1.88) & 5.45 (1.93)
Dawson Deaton — 5.13 (1.75) & 5.15 (1.76)
Austin Deculus — 5.13 (1.76) & 5.12 (1.78)
Kellen Diesch — 4.92 (1.70) & 4.93 (1.70)
William Dunkle — 5.46 (1.85) & DNP
Ikem Ekonwu — 4.97 (1.76) & 5.00 (1.78)
Obinna Eze — 5.17 (1.79) & 5.24 (1.80)
Joshua Ezeudu — 5.24 (1.84) & 5.25 (1.85)
Luke Fortner — 5.25 (1.81) & 5.31 (1.84)
Kenyon Green — 5.29 (1.81) & 5.31 (1.80)
Marquis Hayes — 5.31 (1.83) & 5.32 (1.84)
Chasen Hines — 5.21 (1.73) & 5.27 (1.76)
Ed Ingram — 5.04 (1.74) & 5.06 (1.73)
Zion Johnson — 5.25 (1.80) & 5.28 (1.80)
Braxton Jones — 5.03 (1.77) & 5.03 (1.74)
Cameron Jurgens — 4.91 (1.71) & 4.93 (1.72)
Darian Kinnard — 5.35 (1.82) & 5.42 (1.86)
Alec Lindstrom — 5.18 (1.75) & 5.23 (1.77)
Vederian Lowe — 5.25 (1.78) & 5.31 (1.84)
Abraham Lucas — 5.00 (1.77) & 5.00 (1.76)

Terrific times for Cam Jurgens and Abraham Lucas, as we’ve been talking about for a long time. Two highly underrated players who are far better than the media will have you believe.

Ikem Ekonwu looked very athletic during the wave drill. I hope he does the broad and vertical. Abraham Lucas looked incredibly smooth again. Cam Jurgens looks like easily the quickest player on the field.

Austin Deculus looks like Meatloaf is doing the combine.

Obinna Eze is a blog favourite so I’m likely to praise him but to me he looks the part out there. Athletic enough, long and has a NFL tackle frame.

Braxton Jones and Zion Johnson looked very smooth running the pull drill.

Abraham Lucas looks fantastic. Great wave drill, superb long pull. This is an outstanding performance. Ikem Ekonwu pulling from a two-point stance admittedly also looked fantastic. His movements are just so sudden and fluid with almost no wasted motion. He did mess up his down-block. Eze did a better job here.

Cam Jurgens and Abraham Lucas both ran official 4.92 forty’s. Lucas on his down block was again sensational. What an athlete. The star of the first session by far — despite the NFL Network doing what they always do and talking up Daniel Jeremiah’s ‘guys I knew I was going to talk about before the drills even began’.

Obinna Eze has received some decent praise for the way he’s operating. He had a nice rep on the pad, retreat and slide.

Kenyon Green gets loads of praise online and some people think he’s a top-20 pick. I’ve never understood why. He looks heavy.

Sorry if I sound repetitive but wow, Abraham Lucas. His kick-slide on the pad, retreat and kick-slide was OUTSTANDING. Yes, I’ve cracked out the full-caps. I’ve been blown away by how good Lucas looks here.

Here are the official forty times for the first group:

Kellen Diesch — 4.89
Cam Jurgens — 4.92
Abraham Lucas — 4.92
Ickey Ekwonu — 4.93
Charles Cross — 4.95
Braxton Jones — 4.97
Ed Ingram — 5.02
Austin Deculus — 5.08
Blaise Andries — 5.10
Dawson Deaton — 5.12
Ka’Tyre Carter — 5.13
Obinna eze — 5.17
Alec Lindstrom — 5.18
Zion Johnson — 5.18
Joshua Ezeudu — 5.19
Spencer Burford — 5.19
Luke Fortner — 5.21
Vederian Lowe — 5.22
Chasen Hines — 5.22
Kenyon Green — 5.24
Marquise Hayes — 5.30
Darian Kinnard — 5.31
Logan Bruss — 5.32
Myron Cunningham — 5.38
Bill Dunkle — 5.44

There’s a new report saying Washington made a big offer for Russell Wilson:

How serious are the #Commanders in their search for a QB? Sources say they made a strong offer to the #Seahawks on Russell Wilson. It didn’t go anywhere. But a sign Washington is ready to deal. And given what they have on their roster, they may be a QB away.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 4, 2022

Would love to know what it was.

Ekonwu’s mirror drill (at least what I think they’re calling the mirror these days) wasn’t good, he just didn’t move enough. He is clearly a fantastic athlete but to me he still looks like a guard.

Eze was a lot better, looked really light on his feet and moved well. Kenyon Green did a better job in this drill and moved well.

Jurgens was superb here showing great balance, control and movement. Braxton Jones did an excellent job too. Surprise surprise, Lucas was excellent again. Tippy-tappy feet, really light, subtle movements. Controlled. He is destroying the field.

Alec Lindstrom has looked more athletic than expected.

The broad and vertical jumps are coming in for the other group.

(Please don’t calculate your own TEF scores and post in the comments though)

Vertical jumps:

Sean Rhyan — 33.5
Zach Tom — 33
Bernhard Raimann — 30.5
Matt Waletzko — 30
Luke Wattenburg — 29.5
Nick Zakelj — 28.5
Trevor Penning — 28
Cole Strange — 28
Dohnovan West — 28
Marcus McKethan — 27.5
Tyler Smith — 27.5
Andrew Rupcich — 27.5
Chris Paul — 27
Dylan Parham — 26.5
Luke Tenuta — 26
Cade Mays — 26
Justin Schaffer — 25.5
Cordell Volson — 25
Max Mitchell — 25
Nicholas Petit-Frere — 24.5
Andrew Steuber — 24.5
Zach Thomas — 22.5
Tyrese Robinson — 22.5
Thayer Munford — 22

Broad jumps:

Cole Strange — 10-0
Zach Tom — 9-10
Bernhard Raimann — 9-9
Luke Wattenburg — 9-5
Matt Waletzko — 9-5
Dohnovan West — 9-4
Trevor Penning — 9-3
Marcus McKethan — 9-2
Sean Rhyan — 9-2
Nick Zakelj — 9-2
Chris Paul — 9-1
Dylan Parham — 9-0
Andrew Rupcich — 9-0
Zach Thomas — 8-11
Justin Shaffer — 8-11
Max Mitchell — 8-10
Tyler Smith — 8-9
Luke Tenuta — 8-8
Cordell Volson — 8-8
Thayer Munford — 8-8
Nicholas Petit-Frere — 8-7
Cade Mays — 8-6
Andrew Steuber — 8-5
Tyrese Robinson — 8-4
Lecitus Smith — 8-3

There are some big names with lousy explosive numbers there. However, it’s great to see Zach Tom be as explosive as he is. Wow. He has been a favourite of mine for a long time but we had no testing or measurement hints. Now we know he’s highly explosive and has +33 inch arms.

Here’s Cam Jurgens running the mirror drill:

Cam Jurgens mirroring pic.twitter.com/eQ4l2jzKnO

— Billy M (@BillyM_91) March 4, 2022

Forty yard dash times (offensive linemen)

10-yard splits are in brackets

Cade Mays — 5.29 (1.86) & 5.30 (1.87)
Markus McKethan — 5.34 (1.85) & 5.33 (1.87)
Max Mitchell — 5.40 (1.83) & 5.34 (1.83)
Thayer Munford — 5.43 (1.86) & 5.49 (1.88)
Dylan Parham — 5.00 (1.74) & 5.02 (1.74)
Chris Paul — 4.92 (1.71) & 4.94 (1.73)
Trevor Penning — 4.91 (1.71) & 4.95 (1.70)
Nicholas Petit-Frere — 5.17 (1.81) & 5.24 (1.83)
Bernhard Raimann — 5.12 (1.73) & 5.11 (1.75)
Sean Rhyan — 5.28 (1.80) & 5.29 (1.79)
Tyrese Robinson — 5.24 (1.85) & 5.29 (1.89)
Dare Rosenthal — 4.99 (1.73) & 4.93 (1.74)
Andrew Rupcich — 5.35 (1.85) & DNP
Justin Shaffer — 5.19 (1.76) & 5.22 (1.78)
Lecitus Smith — 5.19 (1.81) & 5.25 (1.80)
Tyler Smith — 5.04 (1.71) & 5.11 (1.79)
Cole Strange — 5.03 (1.73) & 5.04 (1.76)
Luke Tenuta — 5.41 (1.88) & 5.45 (1.86)
Zach Thomas — 4.97 (1.67) & 4.96 (1.68)
Zach Tom — 5.00 (1.70) & DNP
Cordell Volson — 5.26 (1.80) & 5.31 (1.81)
Matt Waletzko — 5.06 (1.73) & DNP
Luke Wattenburg — 5.25 (1.77) & 5.28 (1.77)
Dohnovan West — 5.34 (1.82) & 5.28 (1.78)
Nick Zakelj — 5.18 (1.72) & 5.17 (1.72)

I can tell you now — Cole Strange is a second round lock. Potentially top-50. With these runs, his length and his incredible explosive testing numbers, he is one of the big winners of the day.

Zach Tom and Cole Strange looked particularly impressive in the wave drill. Tom in particular looked incredibly athletic. Luke Wattenburg moved better than expected.

Unsurprisingly Bernhard Raimann moved well in the pulling drills. His shorter arms (sub-33 inches) are a concern though.

There are too many commercials breaking up the drills. It feels like we’re missing so much. They just cut to ads during the mirror drill.

Either most of the O-liners didn’t do the vertical jump, or NFL.com has stopped updating their testing results.

Forty yard dash times (running back)

Tyler Allgeier — 4.64 & 4.66
Tyler Badie — 4.49 & 4.56
Kennedy Brooks — 4.59 & 4.66
Leddie Brown — 4.73 & 4.73
Ty Chandler — 4.45 & 4.46
Snoop Conner — 4.66 & 4.69
James Cook — 4.50 & 4.58
Tyrion Davis-Price — 4.58 & 4.56
Jerrion Ealy — 4.50 & 4.55
Trestan Ebner — 4.48 & 4.47
Jerome Ford — 4.51 & 4.54
Tyler Goodson — 4.47 & 4.53
Breece Hall — 4.44 & 4.46
Keontay Ingram — 4.60 & 4.59
Zonovan Knight — 4.62 & 4.58
Sincere McCormick — 4.61 & 4.61
Isaih Pacheco — 4.47 & 4.45
Dameon Pierce — 4.66 & 4.67
D’Vonte Price — 4.44 & 4.49
Ronnie Rivers — 4.62 & 4.64
Brian Robinson — 4.63 & 4.65
Pierre Strong — 4.39 & DNP
Kenneth Walker — 4.46 & 4.50
Jaylen Warren — 4.56 & 4.59
Rachaad White — 4.53 & 4.51
Zamir White — 4.47 & 4.47
Kyren Williams — 4.72 & 4.70

Here’s Mike Florio’s take on the report that Seattle has turned down an offer from Washington for Russell Wilson:

The agility testing results are coming out for the O-liners. Abraham Lucas ran a sensational 4.40 at 315lbs. For me, he’s the star of the day. And the NFL Network hasn’t mentioned him once.

Here are the top times:

Abraham Lucas — 4.40
Kellen Diesch — 4.43
Zion Johnson — 4.46
Zach Tom — 4.47
Bernhard Raimann — 4.49
Dawson Deaton — 4.49
Cole Strange — 4.50

Watching the running back drills, I’ve been impressed with Tyler Goodsen’s quickness. For me, Breece Hall has looked a bit stiff. Isaih Pacheco looks sharp, Zonovan Knight has had some good reps and Tyrion Davis-Price is looking lean and quick.

Kenneth Walker looks in fantastic shape. He looks the part.

Isaih Pacheco’s official forty is a 4.37. His backstory is harrowing and he plays his heart out. He’s a player to root for, wherever he lands.

I am completing the live blog today. My reaction post will be up shortly including all of the TEF scores, running back targets and more. Join Robbie and I for another stream on Saturday at 8:30am (PST).

The Seahawks’ likely options at tight end

In our big combine preview, we highlighted how critical agility testing is in projecting potential Seahawks picks at tight end.

Here’s a recap of all of the short shuttle and three cone times of the players drafted and signed during the Pete Carroll era:

Luke Willson — 4.29 (ss), 7.08 (3c)
Will Dissly — 4.40 (ss), 7.07 (3c)
Nick Vannett — 4.20 (ss), 7.05 (3c)
Anthony McCoy — 4.57 (ss), 6.99 (3c)
Zach Miller — 4.42 (ss), 7.01 (3c)
Jimmy Graham — 4.45 (ss), 6.90 (3c)
Greg Olsen — 4.48 (ss), 7.04 (3c)
Colby Parkinson — 4.46 (ss), 7.15 (3c)
Gerald Everett — 4.33 (ss), 6.99 (3c)

You can see that three cone’s in the sub-7.10 range are a trend. A short shuttle under 4.50 is also preferred.

Here are the players who fit that criteria who tested at the combine today:

Austin Allen — 4.26 (ss), 7.00 (3c)
Chase Allen — 4.43 (ss), 7.03 (3c)
Jake Ferguson — 4.48 (ss), 7.03 (3c)
Greg Dulcich — 4.37 (ss), 7.05 (3c)
Daniel Bellinger — 4.47 (ss), 7.05 (3c)
Cole Turner — 4.41 (ss), 7.06 (3c)
Curtis Hodges — 4.28 (ss), 7.14 (3c)

Peyton Hendershot (4.25) ran a short shuttle but not a three cone.

If you want a comparison on how good these times are, here’s the agility testing for a select handful of receivers who took part:

Jalen Tolbert — 7.08 (3c)
Alec Pierce — 4.28 (ss), 7.13 (3c)
Skyy Moore — 4.32 (ss), 7.13 (3c)
Jahan Dotson — 7.28 (3c)
Khalil Shakir — 4.21 (ss), 7.28 (3c)
Treylon Burks — 7.28 (3c)
Garrett Wilson — 4.36 (ss)

There’s your perspective. Greg Dulcich ran a faster short shuttle than Garrett Wilson and a faster three cone than Alec Pierce. Jake Ferguson might’ve run a 4.81 forty but his short area quickness and agility is superior to several of the receivers who ran a 4.3 or 4.4.

Trey McBride, Jalen Wydermyer and Jelani Woods disappointingly didn’t do the agility testing. Isaiah Likely — who I thought looked terrific during on-field workouts — only ran a 4.57 short shuttle.

Jeremy Ruckert and Cade Otton didn’t test.

It’s not a long list of options. Hopefully pro-days will add to it. Clearly Ruckert and Otton are very capable of being high picks when healthy.

It’s long been billed as a deep, talented tight end class. And it is — compared to previous TE classes. However, I suspect the small list here increases the chances of Gerald Everett returning to Seattle, or the Seahawks pivoting to a player such as O.J. Howard on a cheap prove-it deal.

Greg Dulcich would be a terrific option but I think with him you’re talking about #41 or not at all. He stood out during drills. He showed a great release into his routes, a burst of acceleration and he looked like a natural athlete who can be a terror in the passing game. He had a 10-2 broad jump, the second best among TE’s.

I’ve been grading him as the top tight end and talking him up as a potential second rounder for months. There’s a very good chance he’ll be the first player taken at his position, likely in the first half of round two to a team like the Jaguars or Jets.

Jake Ferguson, a blog favourite for three years, ticked the agility boxes. He’s a terrific player who is being underrated. Running a 4.81 forty might keep him on the board into round four, where Seattle have a pair of early picks.

One thing Ferguson lacks is great length. Chase Allen is 6-6, 251lbs and has 34 1/8 inch arms. He was the first player I watched on Thursday night. He is an extremely willing blocker with plus athleticism who can play in-line on any call. He does a good job working to the second level and playing to the whistle to find space and an outlet for the quarterback. Allen is useful latching on to blocks in space on WR screens and he’s a grafter at the LOS, giving as good as he got against players like Kayvon Thibodeaux. I was seriously impressed with his tape and think, paired with his agility testing, he could be a very useful player at the next level. You need guys like this.

Austin Allen is even bigger at 6-8 and 253lbs with 33 5/8 inch arms. I watched him next. He’s adept at blocking down initially then releasing into a route to provide a late target or safety valve. He’s long and lean and moves well — occasionally playing H-back and then advancing on a route uncovered. He’s fearless catching in traffic and absorbs a lot of hits (likely due to his long, big target of a frame). He presents his hands to the ball well, catches away from his body and can high-point way above defenders. Allen is deceptively quick and can break free of coverage to provide an option on scramble drills. He has untapped red-zone potential.

Cole Turner is strictly a passing TE at this point but he does that job well and was a reliable target for Carson Strong.

It was a shame to see Isaiah Likely have a less than stellar short shuttle. During drills he was aggressively attacking his routes, making difficult catches and he just looked the part. Tre McBride equally made an impression and looked incredibly smooth running routes and catching the ball.

We’ll have to check in on their pro-day numbers.

Jelani Woods didn’t do any agility testing or jumps either which is a shame given his combination of sizeable frame and 4.61 speed. He looked good today and I’ve been grading him in round three. We need to see him do some of the missing tests at pro-day to get a fuller picture of what he can be at the next level.

The receivers put on a stunning show of athleticism

For all the attention the tight end class has received over the last few months, this has always felt like a deep rather than exciting receiver class.

Not any more.

Several players outperformed expectations. We’ll come on to that in a moment.

Firstly, let’s focus on Seattle.

Pete Carroll has only drafted three receivers who haven’t run a 4.4 forty or faster:

Kenny Lawler — 4.64
Chris Harper — 4.50
John Ursua — 4.56

The rest all cracked the 4.4’s:

Paul Richardson — 4.40
Golden Tate — 4.42
Tyler Lockett — 4.40
Kris Durham — 4.46
Kevin Norwood — 4.48
Amara Darboh — 4.45
David Moore — 4.42
D.K. Metcalf — 4.33
Freddie Swain — 4.46
Dee Eskridge — 4.38

We have enough data now to say definitively — unless a player runs a 4.4 or faster, the Seahawks are unlikely to consider them until the later rounds.

An incredible nine players ran a 4.3 or faster at the combine today. In total, 18 qualify in the 4.4 or faster category.

A general rule in the modern NFL is you’re only as good as your #3 receiver. Spending a high pick on Dee Eskridge likely rules out another top pick being spent on a receiver. The Seahawks also have a cluster of other needs. However, there are players that could and maybe should be considered among this list:

Tyquan Thornton — 4.28
Velus Jones — 4.31
Calvin Austin — 4.32
Alec Pierce — 4.33
Danny Gray — 4.33
Bo Melton — 4.34
Christian Watson — 4.36
Garrett Wilson — 4.38
Chris Olave — 4.39
Skyy Moore — 4.41
Isaiah Weston — 4.42
Jahan Dotson — 4.43
Khalil Shakur — 4.43
Kevin Austin — 4.43
Wan’Dale Robinson — 4.44
George Pickens — 4.47
Braylon Sanders — 4.48
Jalen Tolbert — 4.49

A large chunk of this lot are going to go in the first three rounds.

If the Seahawks are going to take a receiver — there’s a decent chance they’re named above.

If they believe Eskridge will ultimately develop into a top WR3 — then the fact the receivers showed so well is good news for Seattle. If the league taps into this position early and often, it increases the chances of good players at other positions (offensive and defensive linemen perhaps) lasting to Seattle.

I didn’t expect Ohio State pair Olave and Wilson to run as well as they did. They will almost certainly go in the top-20 after this. They were always polished and productive. I thought they’d test only reasonably, limiting their stock to the top-40.

That was clearly a significant misjudgement.

Given the lack of clear top-10 options this year, it shouldn’t be a surprise if either play moves into that range after running this quickly.

I’ve been a big fan of Alec Pierce, Wan’Dale Robinson and Calvin Austin. I’ve rated them higher than most and the way they ran and went through drills likely means, if anything, I should’ve bumped them even higher.

Pierce led all receivers with a 40.5 inch vertical, with Austin just behind at 39 inches.

I think the trio tick a lot of boxes for Seattle if they last into range in rounds three or four.

Pierce gets downfield, wins at the red-line and high-points. It felt easy to project Gary Jennings to Seattle a few years ago. Pierce feels like a bigger, faster, more explosive version.

Robinson has a sturdy frame and he competes like crazy. He reminds me, at least in terms of how he’s built, to Golden Tate.

Austin is dynamic and shifty. He’s not Tyler Lockett but they can do similar things.

Other names that stood out today were Christian Watson (a truly dynamic downfield receiver at North Dakota State), Jahan Dotson (who looked very smooth, polished and quick) and Skyy Moore (perhaps a tad overplayed on the broadcast but he still performed well).

I might have 10-12 receivers graded in rounds 1-2 after this. There are names on the 4.4-runner list I need to go away and study.

One receiver who struggled was Treylon Burks. He looked heavy and like he was carrying bad weight. His frame is unrefined. He will fall based on this performance.

A final note on the receivers. If you want a clear example of the impact of the change to prime-time and messing with the schedule, here it is:

Receivers running a three-cone in 2017: 40
Receivers running a three-cone in 2022: 13

Receivers doing the bench press in 2017: 45
Receivers doing the bench press in 2022: 3

Thoughts on the quarterbacks

The production, frequent commercial breaks, forced banter from the on-air talent and camera angles made it difficult to assess the QB’s. Here are a few thoughts anyway.

Malik Willis showed the strongest arm and biggest ‘wow’ factor physically. He also showed an ability to throw with comfort and control when he shifted down the gears. Willis had a nice ‘deep throw’ duel with Carson Strong but he was the winner. He might’ve separated himself from the other QB’s here.

With the veteran quarterback market being colder than expected, Willis could end up being drafted a lot higher than is perhaps justified. Teams can sell the idea of going for him on physical talent. Carolina and Washington could be options in round one. Pittsburgh could trade up for him.

To max-out his talent, though, I think he needs to play in a Greg Roman-style offense. He struggles to read the field, he sets off when the first read isn’t there, he doesn’t do a good enough job with his hots and he had a lot of turnovers largely due to poor mechanics.

Regardless, this was a good day for Willis. He has the creativity, the arm and the improvisation teams love in the modern NFL.

Kenny Pickett looked fine. There was nothing particularly wrong, just nothing that spectacular either. He looked very comfortable. I didn’t like the two hitches he used on some of his throws, throwing against thin air. It won’t be a surprise if he goes in round one too because again — there’s a huge QB need this year and teams will convince themselves that Pickett can be a Derek Carr type.

Desmond Ridder the athlete was sensational. He ran a 4.52, jumped a 36 inch vertical and a 10-7 broad jump. His physical profile is by far the most appealing and that could put him in the top-40. However, some of his accuracy issues showed up again during drills. He was throwing inside too much on passes intended to be closer to the sideline. He was a fraction off sometimes. He also had some really good throws too.

Carson Strong showed off his arm (and he needed to after a mediocre Senior Bowl). However his accuracy was hit and miss and he bizarrely threw low on several occasions. Nerves? Pressure?

Sam Howell was poor for me. He’s nothing special as an athlete and his accuracy and ball placement wasn’t that good. To me he’s a poor man’s Baker Mayfield and looks like a very average prospect.

Jack Coan, however, looked decent. Reasonable arm. Decent accuracy. Delivered some nice passes with a variety of touch and velocity. He’s also a better athlete than expected — jumping a 33 inch vertical and a 9-7 broad.

Tomorrow the running backs and offensive linemen perform. It’s ‘TEF’ day at Seahawks Draft Blog — and we know what Seattle likes in a running back too. Join us for our live blog producing constant updates throughout the day. Then we’ll have another end-of-day recap (including all of the TEF scores).

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Welcome to the 2022 NFL combine coverage on Seahawks Draft Blog.

Throughout the next few days I’ll be reacting live to everything happening in Indianapolis. I will also post a daily recap article and be producing live streams offering thoughts.

On top of that, my podcast partner Robbie Williams is attending the combine and will provide insight from his perspective inside Lucas Oil Field.

We want you to get involved too so use the comments section to have your say on everything happening at the combine.

Keep refreshing this page for updates.

Before we get started, check out the podcast below I recorded this week with Brandan Schulze from the Seahawkers podcast:

Injury news

It has been revealed that Tyler Linderbaum will not be doing any testing as he recovers from an injury. It’s already been announced that Derek Stingley won’t be doing any drills either.

I’ve since discovered several other key names will not test:

Jeremy Ruckert (TE)
Malik Willis (QB)
Matt Corral (QB)
Nakobe Dean (LB)
Hassan Haskins (RB)
Drake London (WR)
Carson Strong (QB)
Andrew Booth (CB)
Sam Howell (QB)

Hopefully there won’t be many more names added to the list.

Horizontal board

I’ve made slight tweaks before the start of the combine.

Click the image to make it bigger:

More Russell Wilson talk

A quick digression from the combine talk. Mike Florio raises an interesting point:

Neither John Schneider nor Pete Carroll dismissed outright a Wilson trade when they spoke yesterday. Their language was very carefully considered.

Carroll:

“At this time of year, there are conversations about everybody. We talk about everybody. It’s commonplace to have conversations with other teams about all of the players, particularly marquee players, and that’s not changed. It’s been the same every year we have been here, so it’s the same as it’s been. We have no intention of making a move there.”

Schneider:

“I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t listen to it, if I just blew people off. When it’s out there in the media and all that, of course if I was with another team I’d call and be like, ‘Hey, what’s up with Russell Wilson?’. Just because you field those calls and questions doesn’t mean we are out there actively shopping him.”

I don’t think any of this is going to mean anything. I don’t imagine any scenario where they trade Wilson because ultimately, there are not alternatives and the Seahawks can’t afford another bad season. Neither are they in a position, with Carroll approaching 71-years-old, to launch a long-term rebuild.

Trading Wilson to enter the Mitchell Trubisky market isn’t realistic. Thus, no deal is going to happen this year.

However, I think both men were keeping their options open. You could even say they encouraged people to get in touch by not squashing the whole thing.

After all, Andy Reid would slam the phone down if someone called about Patrick Mahomes. I doubt he’d be telling the media ‘it’s commonplace to have those talks’.

Perhaps if the Seahawks are blown away by an offer, they’ll consider it? Wilson would still have to agree to a trade but we all know by now that he too is keeping his options open. Is there still an offer that could tempt Seattle, somewhere?

They keep talking about ‘difficult decisions’, after all.

Florio raises a good point. Wilson and the Seahawks will need to talk contract next year. Those talks will happen a year after Aaron Rodgers signs a deal worth +$45m a year. If the Seahawks have no intention of matching or topping that contract, then trading him in 12 months is very realistic anyway. So if a great offer comes in now, you might as well weigh up your options.

Of course, I still think they’ll determine ‘going for it’ with Wilson in 2022 will be better and they’ll kick the can down the road.

Eventually, they’ll have to pick that can up though. So they might as well see what Denver, Washington and others are willing to spend now.

Wilson is due a $5m roster bonus on March 20th so this is likely a 16-day window for talks. I get the sense Seattle’s top brass are on a fact-finding mission this weekend, even if they ultimately rebuff any offers.

The NFL is ruining the combine

The move to prime-time was asinine and counterproductive. A lot of prospects won’t do the short shuttle or three cone because they’ll be asked to do it at 10pm.

This year they’ve decided to move the bench press to the same day as on-field drills.

It’s the dumbest thing they could do.

Just one wide receiver did the bench press today. The rest skipped it. Why? Because why the heck would you want DOMS from benching right before you do drills, when you’re a speed/skill player?

There’s nowhere near enough recovery time. These receivers are being asked to bench 225lbs when they weigh about 200lbs. It’s a lot easier for offensive linemen who weigh +300lbs (although the test ends up being cardio for them, not a true test of power). It’s about time they switch to the powerball throw (which can easily be done on the same day as drills).

These days we’ve got a prime-time combine with loads of key players not testing, or not doing a complete test, and several position groups likely to skip certain workouts.

Great job, NFL.

They are destroying this event. For teams and fans.

Forty yard dash times (tight ends)

Austin Allen — 4.79 & 4.84
Daniel Bellinger — 4.63 & 4.68
Grant Calcaterra — 4.63 & 4.63
Greg Dulcich — 4.61 & 4.73
Jake Ferguson — 4.77 & 4.82
Jeremiah Hall — 4.79 & 4.98
Peyton Hendershot — 4.80 & 4.83
Connor Heyward — 4.73 & 4.77
Curtis Hodges — 4.83 & 4.86
Chigoziem Okonkwo — 4.54 & 4.52
Cole Turner — 4.76 & 4.77
Jelani Woods — 4.61 & 4.62

The following players did not run a forty:

Trey McBride
Jalen Wydermyer
Isaiah Likely
Charlie Kolar

All four are doing field workouts but didn’t run a forty.

We also know Jeremy Ruckert isn’t doing anything.

My list of ‘combine complaints’ are starting early.

The music they are playing at Lucas Oil Field is incredibly irritating. It’s so faint in the distance and echoing around the empty stadium. Rich Eisen compared it to elevator music because it’s just the type of standard ‘NFL music’ you hear on commercials for the league.

I do not care about Peter Schrager’s opinion when the tight ends are running their forty yard dashes. Nobody watching this wants to hear his overall assessment of the draft class. If you are watching this you are a NFL geek. You don’t want this to be ‘Good Morning Football’.

The sled is back and several are the tight ends struggled with it. Unsurprisingly, Tre McBride had the best rep. He’s the best blocking tight end and combines power with leverage. Many of the other TE’s were stood up by the sled. Jelani Woods also had a good rep, after running well in the 40.

McBride looked really good in the gauntlet too. He’s making his case to be the top-TE. Chigoziem Okonkwo was incredibly hesitant during his rep. Isaiah Likely’s catching looked sharp — he had a really nice catch away from his body.

Jalen Wydermyer caught a lot of balls close to his body but arguably looked the smoothest athlete running his gauntlet. Greg Dulcich’s second rep was also impressive and Jake Ferguson caught a very difficult pass well over his head, showing great hands.

Isaiah Likely just looks the part. So does Tre McBride.

Dulcich is an incredibly quick, smooth athlete as everyone should’ve expected. He’s running with purpose and suddenness. This is why I’ve had him as a second round pick since early in the college football season. With his profile he will challenge opponents with his athleticism.

Okonkwo is running his reps far too carefully. He’s way too tentative.

Official forty times (tight ends)

Chigoziem Okonkwo — 4.52
Jelani Woods — 4.61
Grant Calcaterra — 4.62
Daniel Bellinger — 4.63
Greg Dulcich — 4.70
Connor Heyward — 4.72
Cole Turner — 4.76
Peyton Hendershot — 4.80
Jake Ferguson — 4.81
Austin Allen — 4.83

A quick reminder — the most important testing result for this group is the short shuttle and three cone.

Some of the passes on these tight end drills have been horrendous. Give the guys a chance.

Dulcich again on the comeback drill. He just looks fantastic out there. Fluid movements, good hands, everything just connected and natural. Jake Ferguson is fighting things a bit and doesn’t look as good as hoped.

Charlie Kolar has a quick change of direction but is a bit of a coaster on his routes. McBride and Likely continue to look terrific. They, along with Dulcich, have impressed the most with their movement skills.

Ferguson has a better rep on the corner route drill and looked quicker than he has done so far. I’m really, really impressed with Likely. More than I expected to be. Smooth again from McBride. It’s the same names popping up on every drill. When they switched the drills to the other side — Dulcich sprinted into his route with great speed and then adjusted, without losing any momentum. Superb.

They’ve turned the music off. Hallelujah.

Another fantastic route from Likely, tracking the ball brilliantly. Serious crush based on what he’s showing here.

Dulcich shows a really quick release off the snap and gets into his routes far quicker than any other tight end is showing. Curtis Hodges just had a really nice high-pointed catch. Likely got his body twisted on his but still came up with it. McBride had a really nice grab, as did Cole Turner. Jalen Wydermyer went for a nice one-hander.

That concludes the tight end drills.

I’m really hoping with the tight ends finishing first today, most will do the shuttle drills and three cone. Keep your fingers crossed.

Some of the receiver jumps are coming in.

Treylon Burks jumped a 33 inch vertical with a 10-3 broad. That’s only a so-so result.

Calvin Austin, who I’ve been grading in round three, had a 39 inch vertical and an 11-3 broad.

Jahan Dotson managed a 36 inch vertical and a 10-1 broad.

Forty yard dash times (quarterbacks)

Jack Coan — 4.87 & 4.93
Dustin Crum — 4.79 & 4.74

That’s it. Two quarterbacks are running from this group. There are two quarterback groups.

Forty yard dash times (receiver)

Calvin Austin — 4.32 & DNP
Kevin Austin — 4.37 & 4.43
David Bell — 4.64 & 4.62
Slade Bolden — 4.63 & 4.62
Treylon Burks — 4.55 & 4.50
Dai’Jean Dixon — 4.66 & 4.58
Jahan Dotson — 4.41 & 4.47
Dontario Drummond — 4.65 & 4.61
Ty Fryfogle — 4.55 & 4.49
Danny Gray — 4.33 & DNP
Johnny Johnson III — 4.62 & 4.51
Velus Jones Jr — 4.34 & 4.32
Bo Melton — 4.39 & 4.34
Skyy Moore — 4.39 & 4.41
Jalen Nailor — 4.47 & 4.46

Not great times for Treylon Burks. Yes, he’s a bigger receiver. But I’m not sure you can justify an unofficial 4.50 and a 33 inch vertical in the first round — let alone the early first round.

Calvin Austin and Velus Jones — two players I had rated in round three, both ran superbly. I will need to adjust my grade on David Bell after two disappointing runs in the 4.6’s.

Jahan Dotson looked terrific running the gauntlet. So smooth, so confident.

The receiver jumps have been published.

Vertical jumps:

Alec Pierce — 40.5
Calvin Austin — 39
Ty Fryfogle — 39
Kevin Austin — 39
Christian Watson — 38.5
Bo Melton — 38
Jalen Nailor — 38
Erik Ezukanma — 36.5
Jahan Dotson — 36
Wan’Dale Robinson — 34.5
Braylon Sanders — 34.5
Skyy Moore — 34.5
Dontario Drummond — 34
Da’Jean Dixon — 34
Danny Gray — 34
Kyle Phillips — 33.5
Charleston Rambo — 33.5
George Pickens — 33
Velus Jones — 33
David Bell — 33
Treylon Burks — 33
Slade Bolden — 32
Chris Olave — 32
Johnny Johnson — 32
Makai Polk — 31
Reggie Robinson — 29

Broad jumps:

Christian Watson — 11-4
Calvin Austin — 11-3
Isaiah Weston — 11-3
Devon Williams — 11-1
Kevin Austin — 11
Tyquan Thornton — 10-10
Jalen Nailor — 10-8
Ty Fryfogle — 10-7
Erik Ezukanma — 10-6
Danny Gray — 10-6
Skyy Moore — 10-5
Mike Woods — 10-5
Dai’Jean Dixon — 10-5
Khalil Shakir — 10-4
Garrett Wilson — 10-3
Jalen Tolbert — 10-3
Dontario Drummond — 10-2
Treylon Burks — 10-2
Velus Jones — 10-1
Jahan Dotson — 10-1
Bo Melton — 10-1
Braylon Sanders — 10-1
Johnny Johnson — 10-1
David Bell — 9-10
Wan’Dale Robinson — 9-10
Charleston Rambo — 9-10
Slade Bolden — 9-8
Tre Turner — 9-5

Here are the jumps from the tight ends…

Vertical jump:

Isaiah Likely — 36
Chig Okonkwo — 35.5
Curtis Hodges — 34.5
Daniel Bellinger — 34.5
Austin Allen — 34
Greg Dulcich — 34
Chase Allen 33.5
Trey McBride — 33
Connor Heyward — 32.5
Peyton Hendershot — 32.5
Jake Ferguson — 31.5
Jeremiah Hall — 29
Cole Turner — 27

Broad jump:

Daniel Bellinger — 10-5
Greg Dulcich — 10-2
Austin Allen — 10-1
Cole Turner — 10
Jake Ferguson — 9-10
Curtis Hodges — 9-9
Chase Allen — 9-9
Peyton Hendershot — 9-9
Trey McBride — 9-9
Jeremiah Hall — 9-3

Not a great set of jumps from the TE’s.

I like the way Jack Coan is throwing. Kaleb Eleby is throwing a little too hard at times.

It’s very difficult to track who is catching the football during these drills. The camera angles are poor and they keep splitting the screen to do interviews. Thus, the presenters are not talking about the players.

Bring back Mayock next year, please.

Treylon Burks looks like he’s carrying too much bad weight. He looks heavy and sluggish.

Sam Howell isn’t doing anything to convince me he’s little more than a fourth rounder. Cole Kelley looks better. Even on the deep-out he threw out of bounds, then short and incomplete. Just poor.

Skyy Moore had a really nice grab on his deep route, completing the catch with his fingertips at full stretch on the run. I think Coan has done the best job throwing deep so far. He just had a superb fade pass, perfectly placed.

That ends the first group session of quarterbacks and receivers. The NFL Network coverage has been unimpressive. Too much time interviewing a child about his podcast and taking the piss out of Michael Irvin’s polo-shirt. Not enough time assessing what we’re actually seeing on the field and — given the camera angles — who we’re seeing.

Here are the quarterback jumps:

Vertical jumps:

Desmond Ridder — 36
EJ Perry — 34.5
Kenny Pickett — 33.5
Jack Coan — 33
Bailey Zappe — 30
Brock Purdy — 27
Kaleb Eleby — 25.5

Broad jumps:

Desmond Ridder — 10-7
EJ Perry — 10-3
Kenny Pickett — 10-1
Jack Coan — 9-7
Skylar Thompson — 9-4
Kaleb Eleby — 9-3
Bailey Zappe — 9-1

Fair play to Jack Coan. Not only did he throw the best from group one, he’s a better athlete than anyone expected.

Forty yard dash times (quarterbacks)

EJ Perry — 4.60 & 4.68
Kenny Pickett — 4.67 & 4.69
Brock Purdy — 4.81 & 4.76
Desmond Ridder — 4.50 & 4.49
Skylar Thompson — 4.89 & 4.86
Bailey Zappe — 4.83 & 4.78

Desmond Ridder looks in fantastic shape and is having a big-time day in terms of testing. That will make a difference in a class with no clear QB1.

Forty yard dash times (receivers)

Chris Olave — 4.26 & DNP
Kyle Phillips — 4.50 & 4.53
George Pickens — 4.43 & 4.40
Alec Pierce — 4.33 & DNP
Makai Polk — 4.50 & 4.59
Charleston Rambo — 4.53 & 4.51
Wan’Dale Robinson — 4.38 & DNP
Braylon Sanders — 4.42 & 4.47
Khalil Shakir — 4.35 & 4.40
Tyquan Thornton — 4.21 & DNP
Jalen Tolbert — 4.50 & 4.44
Tre Turner — 4.44 & 4.50
Christian Watson — 4.28 & 4.31
Isaiah Weston — 4.39 & 4.43
Devon Williams — 4.63 & DNP
Garrett Wilson — 4.37 & DNP
Michael Woods II — 4.55 & 4.50

Didn’t expect that from Chris Olave. Wow. He’ll be a first round pick with that time. He might as well go home now. Ditto Garrett Wilson.

Alec Pierce and Wan’Dale Robinson are two players I’ve been rating higher than most. They both ran superbly too.

Tyquan Thornton’s 4.21 — if it stands — is a new combine record.

The tight end agility testing results are coming in…

Three cone:

Austin Allen — 7.00
Chase Allen — 7.03
Jake Ferguson — 7.03
Greg Dulcich — 7.05
Daniel Bellinger — 7.05
Cole Turner — 7.06
Curtis Hodges — 7.14
Jeremiah Hall — 7.43

Those times under 7.10 are the ones to focus on. They will be the players on Seattle’s radar.

It’s very disappointing how few players did the three cone.

More did the short shuttle:

Peyton Hendershot — 4.25
Austin Allen — 4.26
Curtis Hodges — 4.28
Greg Dulcich — 4.37
Cole Turner — 4.41
Chase Allen — 4.43
Daniel Bellinger — 4.47
Jake Ferguson — 4.48
Isaiah Likely — 4.57
Jeremiah Hall — 4.62

Back to the WR/QB drills — I like the way Alec Pierce cupped his hands to the ball during the gauntlet. Garrett Wilson’s technique was a bit odd. He jumped to catch every gauntlet pass.

Wan’Dale Robinson’s body type reminds me a bit of Golden Tate. Very thick, sturdy. He just made a fantastic low catch on a bad, low throw from Carson Strong (who, for some reason, keeps throwing low).

Kenny Pickett has started well in this throwing session.

Malik Willis and Carson Strong both showed off strong arms in the deep-passing drills. Kenny Pickett’s were a bit flatter. Not bad just nothing special. Ridder’s second deep throw was a lot better than his first, that was too inside and fluttered.

Strong and Willis threw the last two passes and launched them downfield. Strong needed to show off a bit after a mediocre Senior Bowl. Willis matched his deepest throw in terms of distance.

On the second set of deep-balls, Pickett looked a bit stronger. Ridder ripped it downfield on his second rep. Strong underthrew his first and then overthrew his second on the throws to the right hand side of the field. Willis was the star on the deep throws overall — he was the most consistently strong in this areas. He appears to be separating from the group due to his physical upside.

Daniel Jeremiah treats the broadcast like the boys are having beers and tries to crack too many jokes.

I wish we’d seen more of the drills during this second session. It felt like there were more commercials.

That concludes day one of the combine. I’ll end the live blog for today. Stay tuned for my reaction article (posted soon) and don’t forget to join us tomorrow for live coverage of the running back and O-line drills (TEF day).

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If you missed our big combine preview, please check it out here.

Pete Carroll had his combine press conference today

I thought it was Carroll’s best media appearance in a long time. Some of the old energy was back. He didn’t insult anyone’s intelligence like he did last summer, claiming the Russell Wilson saga was a media creation.

His answers were direct and to the point. I liked the way he answered the question over Wilson’s future. He didn’t shirk anything. There was a degree of humility involved (admitting they’d been ‘arrogant’ with their approach to defense).

To me this was a very positive press conference and was a good way to begin the off-season churn.

There were noteworthy comments. He suggested the Seahawks want another Darrell Taylor type player. Taylor didn’t do any combine testing due to injury but he measured at 6-4, 267lbs with 33 inch arms. It’s worth looking to see who weighs and measures in this range. I’m going to discuss some candidates below.

It’s perhaps also worth noting that Chandler Jones is 6-5 and 265lbs, with a lot of experience in the kind of role Seattle is looking for as a 3-4 rusher within their system. I still firmly believe he will (and should be) a key target. Jadeveon Clowney and Von Miller have also, of course, played this role.

Carroll stated they needed to develop the interior pass rush. Again this was encouraging. To me it seems pretty clear they intend to add at least one EDGE and one interior rusher. There are plenty of options in free agency and the draft. Given Carroll also talked up the existing DT’s on the roster (including free agent Al Woods) I suspect he might be looking for either a complementary inside/out rusher to kick inside on third down, or a specialist interior rusher.

It certainly seems like their main aim is to ‘keep their own’ on the offensive line. That was perhaps the least encouraging comment. I have no issue with retaining Duane Brown but was hoping for upgrades at center and right tackle. We’ll see how this plays out. Given Carroll also mentioned how ‘well’ he thinks they’ve managed their cap over the years — rather than be creative to spend a bit, it seems like they might view O-line retention as a cost-effective measure so they can spend elsewhere.

It was certainly positive to hear Carroll’s totally non-committal answer on Bobby Wagner. He mentioned it was a time for difficult decisions but offered more hope than assurance that Wagner would be back.

For me, Wagner is a shadow of his former self. He has become old, expensive, hesitant, he avoids contact too much and he doesn’t make anywhere near enough splash plays. I want to move on, without any fresh agreement. Yet I feared the Seahawks would crack on, paying a fortune based on sentimentality. Carroll’s answer felt a lot like a ‘say the respectful thing now, do the necessary thing later’ approach.

They save $16.6m by moving on. Spend that money on the trenches and tap into this excellent linebacker class between rounds 2-4. I feel more confident than I did yesterday that this might just happen.

Players I want to see perform at the combine

I’ve written out a collection of names that particularly intrigue me for the Seahawks ahead of the start of testing on Thursday when the tight ends, quarterbacks and receivers kick things off.

Dameon Pierce (RB, Florida)
For me, he’s everything the Seahawks look for in a running back. They want aggressive runners who fight for yards after contact. He screams ‘Seahawks’. He also fits their size ideals and he’s expected to be an explosive tester — having jumped a 37 inch vertical at Florida. He might not land in Seattle but Pierce is pretty much the prototype for what they go for.

Tyrion Davis-Price (RB, LSU)
Nobody talks about him and I don’t get it. We’re talking about a big 6-1, 225lbs brute who can take contact and make extra yards but also shows deceptively quick feet to avoid tackles. He was excellent on a bad LSU team. At SPARQ he ran a 4.53, jumped a 34 inch vertical and ran a 4.40 short shuttle.

Alec Pierce (WR, Cincinnati)
Gary Jennings was such an obvious ‘Seahawk’ in 2019 and it wasn’t a surprise they took him in round four. He had everything they look for — playing style and testing profile. I think Pierce fits the same bill. He can get downfield and he’s expected to run in the 4.4’s. He can win at the red line and high-points well. He’s a multi-sport athlete and a willing blocker in the running game. He’s going to do brilliantly in the jumps.

Kyle Phillips (WR, UCLA)
There’s just something about Phillips that stood out on tape. He gets open, he makes plays, he’s quick. He’s a smaller receiver but there’s a natural talent on show. I want to see if he can test well enough to get on Seattle’s radar.

The tight end class
Can it live up to expectations? It’s such a strong group but until they get out there and perform you just don’t know. I can’t wait to see the agility testing numbers (short shuttle, three cone) to get a proper feel on the potential on offer — and discover who could be on Seattle’s radar.

Abraham Lucas (T, Washington State)
Another very underrated player who looked like one of the best athletes on the field at the Senior Bowl. He ran a 4.30 short shuttle at SPARQ and ran a 5.03. If he puts up those numbers again — and is an explosive tester in the broad and vertical — he’ll go as early as I’ve been projecting (round one).

Obinna Eze (T, Memphis)
A forgotten man in this class with vines for arms and a terrific physical profile for the left tackle position. How does he test? Is he explosive? I’m eager to find out.

Tyler Smith (T, Tulsa)
He’s become a big favourite of draft twitter thanks to his highlight reel blocks but I still think there’s a rawness to his game and I want to find out how good his physical profile truly is.

Cameron Jurgens (C, Nebraska)
Yet another wildly underrated player. Jurgens plays with his hair on fire, is reportedly up towards 300lbs and ran a 4.98 at SPARQ with a 33 inch vertical jump. He’s a great prospect who combines attitude, physicality and superb athleticism. He should shine in Indianapolis and finally get the attention he deserves.

Cole Strange (C, Chattanooga)
Strange had a big Senior Bowl and has a chance to be this years’ Quinn Meinerz if he tests well at the combine. I want to see how quick and explosive he is.

Zach Tom (T, Wake Forest)
He’s undersized and might need to kick inside to center but I thought his tape was terrific and I’m looking forward to seeing measurements and testing results.

Boye Mafe (DE, Minnesota)
I’m afraid he’s too good to last. When the Seahawks talk about getting another Darrell Taylor, they probably mean this guy. He’s 6-3, 255lbs and bends and straightens like Taylor, plays with aggression in his hands and wins in multiple ways. If Seattle still had the #10 pick I would’ve written an article championing Mafe to be their choice. I don’t think he’ll last to #41 but he’ll be fun to watch anyway — just in case.

Sam Williams (DE, Ole Miss)
If Mafe isn’t there (and several others are gone too) then it might be that Williams presents an intriguing alternative. He’s a little bit more rigid that Taylor when attacking the edge but he plays with a strong motor, great attitude and he has a similar backstory to Taylor (has a young child). Ole Miss listed him at 265lbs (which was Taylor’s weight at Tennessee) but at the Senior Bowl he weighed in at 250lbs. It’s said he can run in the 4.4’s and jump a 40 inch vertical. Keep an eye on him because he’s an option for #41.

Dominique Robinson (DE, Miami-OH)
I really liked what he showed on tape and he could be a sleeper for Seattle. Supposedly he can run in the 4.6’s and deliver a short shuttle time of 4.31. He was 254lbs at the Senior Bowl with good length. There’s something about him. He’s a receiver convert so needs room to grow but he fits the bill of a Taylor-type.

Myjai Sanders (DE, Cincinnati)
He was only 242lbs at the Senior Bowl so he’s a little light. Yet his lean frame and length did make him look like a Seahawks pass rusher. He’s supposedly capable of a 4.10 short shuttle which would attract Seattle’s attention. He’s also expected to jump a 35 inch vertical and a 10-2 broad.

Jordan Davis & Devonte Wyatt (Georgia)
Watching these two massive humans train for the combine was a breathtaking experience. They are incredible. This will be pure entertainment (although neither will be available at #41).

Perrion Winfrey (DT, Oklahoma)
I want the Seahawks to play with more aggression and violence on defense and that’s how Winfrey approached the Senior Bowl. There are no testing numbers available for him from High School or college so let’s see how he gets on. His inconsistent play and the challenging scheme in Oklahoma could keep him on the board at #41. I wonder if he could be another Chris Jones.

Travis Jones (DT, Connecticut)
Time and time again he drove people into the backfield in Mobile but he’s also a terrific athlete for a nose tackle. He’s being touted as a 4.57 short shuttle runner which would be insane at 326lbs. He showed those movement skills in the figure-eight drill at the Senior Bowl and he was always viewed as a great athlete at UConn.

Josh Paschal (DE, Kentucky)
One of my favourites. Paschal just plays with an explosive attitude and sets the tone. He ran a 4.30 short shuttle at SPARQ at 253lbs and added a 39 inch vertical. He’s not a defensive end who will scream off the edge but he could be a tremendous chess piece who showed at Kentucky he can drive interior blockers into the backfield when he kicks inside and make countless TFL’s in the running game. Love him.

Logan Hall (DE/DT, Houston)
Another potential inside/out rush candidate. He was hailed at Houston for his change of direction skills and speed so let’s see how it translates to testing.

Channing Tindall (LB, Georgia)
A self-confessed ‘freak of nature’ — Tindall ran a 4.19 short shuttle at SPARQ and jumped a 40 inch vertical. Recently this list was brought to my attention — it’s the top High School discus throwers who are attending the combine:

196’08 – Cameron Jurgens
187’11 – Otito Ogbonnia
183’01 – Austin Deculus
182’00 – Darian Kinnard
176’03 – Luke Wattenburg
171’06 – Logan Bruss
167’07 – Tyler Smith
166’03 – Channing Tindall
166’01 – Tyler Linderbaum
161’09 – Haskell Garrett

You’ll recognise certain names we’ve discussed already — such as Cameron Jurgens at the top and Tyler Smith. Yet among that hefty group of big offensive linemen is Channing Tindall, who was 219lbs in High School. Impressive.

Leo Chenal (LB, Wisconsin)
On tape he works upfield and is always attacking the LOS. If you didn’t know his athletic profile, you’d think he must be limited because everything is blitzing and trying to break into the backfield. Yet he’s been timed running a 4.00 short shuttle. If he emulates that at the combine, he’ll be on Seattle’s radar.

Montaric Brown (CB, Arkansas)
A former four-star recruit who I think is a tremendous, underrated prospect but I have no testing or measurement numbers so I want to see what he does. He had five picks in 2021 and stood out on tape.

Cam Taylor-Britt (CB, Nebraska)
He’s such a physical, aggressive cornerback but to play man coverage in Seattle’s shifting defensive scheme he’ll need to show he can run too. Fingers crossed for a good forty and some smooth transitions during drills.

Kerby Joseph (S, Illinois)
Another player with five picks in 2021 and I like his combination of size, range and ability to roam around and fly to the ball. He was only a three-star recruit and I have no testing numbers again, so he’ll be one player I watch closely.

Bryan Cook (S, Cincinnati)
A heart and soul player who will go earlier than many of the national sites are projecting. I’m keen to see if he has a strong enough physical profile to justify that prediction. He missed the Senior Bowl due to injury so he might not test.

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