Month: April 2022 (Page 4 of 4)

In today’s notes I’m going to cover the following:

— Reflecting on info on the top-10 and how it impacts Seattle
— Is Devin Lloyd an option?
— Hidden gems for day three
— Peter Schrager’s mock draft
— TEF updates

Reflecting on info on the top-10 and how it impacts Seattle

Tony Pauline, friend of the blog and the #1 draft insider in the business, revealed yesterday that the expectation in the league is that there will be a rush on offensive linemen and pass rushers in the top-10.

This is something we’ve been discussing and predicting for a number of weeks. I think we’re starting to see the first few picks taking shape and we can start to imagine the options for the Seahawks at #9.

Pauline thinks Jermaine Johnson ‘will go earlier than people think’. Increasingly it doesn’t look like he will last to #9. The problem is, it doesn’t look like Kayvon Thibodeaux, Aidan Hutchinson or Travon Walker will either. Tony suggested — again, as we’ve been predicting — that the four top pass rushers could go in the first six or seven picks.

When you break things down, you start to see why this is. The quarterbacks are not good enough to go in the top-10. The source I referred to yesterday, an experienced league executive, reiterated that he didn’t think any QB would go in the first ten picks.

The Jaguars and Lions will both take a pass rusher. The Texans, led by former Patriots exec Nick Caserio, will likely take the Belichickian route. That is, a player who stands a good chance of earning a second contract. Safe, dependable. The Belichick crowd also have good connections to Nick Saban. Evan Neal feels like a distinct possibility. If not, it could be another pass rusher.

The Jets will could go pass rusher, cornerback (Sauce Gardner) or offensive line. The Giants will take a lineman. And then there’s the Panthers.

Most of the mocks are pairing the Panthers with a quarterback. This is a mistake. David Tepper the owner has been pressuring his staff to aim high and land a superstar QB. He is frustrated by a series of investments in middling, low-ceiling quarterbacks.

How is drafting Kenny Pickett, for example, going to change that?

Selecting Malik Willis won’t do much good either, given he needs a year to feel his way into the league.

The other thing to consider is the future of Matt Rhule, which is dicey to say the least. Scott Fitterer the GM is going to want to think long term here — essentially beyond life with a Head Coach he inherited. He’ll also likely have his eye on the 2023 quarterbacks.

With no day two picks the Panthers also need to fill out there board. I would say it’s incredibly likely Carolina will trade down and then take an offensive lineman. Failing that, they’ll probably take their top ranked available lineman at #6.

The Giants are then left to decide between a pass rusher (if any remain) or a cornerback (Sauce Gardner). They could also trade out of this spot. Then Atlanta. They also need a pass rusher badly but if none remain, they will either go BPA (they might see that as Gardner) or they’ll take a receiver.

I think it means the following players won’t be available to the Seahawks when they’re on the clock:

Travon Walker
Aidan Hutchinson
Kayvon Thibodeaux
Jermaine Johnson
Evan Neal
Ikem Ekwonu
Sauce Gardner

The other player could be Charles Cross or it could be a receiver such as Garrett Wilson. A wildcard could be someone moving up to take Trevor Penning — or a team like the Panthers preferring Penning over Cross (not out of the question at all).

This would be my best guess, for what it’s worth.

If this is accurate — and we don’t have too long to wait and find out — the Seahawks would be left (I think) choosing between taking Derek Stingley Jr at #9 or finding a deal to trade down.

I think there would be teams willing to move up. The Jets could take a receiver or an offensive lineman at #10. The Ravens and Chargers are supposedly focussing in on the offensive tackles. The Eagles and Saints are said to be targeting receivers.

Trading down could be appealing for two reasons. Firstly, you acquire more stock in a deep draft. Secondly, you have more ammunition to move up from #40. The Seahawks have a history of trading up in the round two area. Jarran Reed, D.K. Metcalf and Darrell Taylor all involved moves up the board.

I can well imagine a similar thing occurring this year. As noted a lot recently, it could be for Tyler Linderbaum. It could be for a quarterback.

Moving down from #9 makes this plausible. It’s also possible the Seahawks could move down from #9 to around #14 and still land Stingley Jr.

According to Pauline, the Vikings are targeting Trent McDuffie in round one and are willing to move down then select him. Provided Washington and Houston didn’t select Stingley Jr, he could be available for Seattle even after a small move down.

It feels very much like the Seahawks want a player who can start quickly and have an impact with their top pick. Stingley Jr would fit that bill. I think Zion Johnson would too.

As you move down, though, I think it’s important to wonder who else could fit into that role. I’m going to talk about Devin Lloyd in a bit. Whether they’d take him in round one is open to debate but certainly there’s a line of thought that he is day-one ready, a tone-setter and a leader with big production. Some people like George Karlaftis a lot more than I do. My source suggested to me that he’s viewed by some in the NFL as essentially Aidan Hutchinson just available a lot later. For what it’s worth, they had the exact same pass rush win percentage in 2021 (25.4%).

There’s also Georgia’s defensive tackle pairing and some others. As I said yesterday, there’s still some admiration for Clemson’s Andrew Booth despite his lack of testing impacting his stock.

The reason I think Stingley Jr will be appealing is because it’s a shot for greatness. It’s a chance to bring someone in with the potential to be one of the best at his position. There are going to be other good players available but do they have that ceiling?

Yet we all know this isn’t a team that has invested a lot of draft stock in the cornerback position. Adding someone who can bolster the front seven on defense or upgrade the offensive line might be more appealing. But I think they’d have to fit what the Seahawks are wanting to create and they’d have to produce a level of physical toughness that this team sought when it invested its other high picks in 2010 (Okung, Thomas) and 2012 (Irvin).

Is Devin Lloyd an option?

Bucky Brooks recently posted a mock with Lloyd at #9 and my initial reaction was to dismiss it and move on. However, listening to Jake Heaps on 710 Seattle Sports yesterday triggered a thought and made me think — I need to give this more attention.

Firstly, Lloyd isn’t just a typical middle linebacker. He had snaps at Utah where he rushed the edge better than some of the pass rushers in this class. His dip, lean and bend around the corner is surprisingly impressive.

When I was speaking to the source yesterday who generously shared some views on Derek Stingley Jr, I did ask about linebackers too. The feeling is Lloyd will go in round one and can play outside or inside linebacker. He’s not likely to be a full-time EDGE but it’s not beyond the realms of possibility a creative defense could use him as a chess piece.

For example — in Seattle he technically could play next to Jordyn Brooks on early downs then shift outside for pass rushing snaps. It could enable you to bring another defensive back on to the field and disguise what Lloyd’s going to do — drop or rush.

I do think the Seahawks will have some respect and time for Lloyd. He’s very much an alpha and he has 33 inch arms. His production is impressive (22.5 TFL’s and eight sacks in 2021). He flies around the field, makes plays, has been a vital team leader for Utah and will bring a level of seriousness and aggression to a defense.

He jumped a 35 inch vertical and a 10-6 broad at the combine. His forty was a 4.66.

I wanted to note this because you never know with the Seahawks. I don’t think it’s a preposterous suggestion and certainly some people rank Lloyd among the best players in the draft. Tony Pauline has him at #11 on his big board. He’s #12 on Daniel Jeremiah’s board.

If they move down from #9, perhaps Lloyd could be a possibility? He’s too much of an aggressive, physical, productive, tone-setting player to rule out completely.

Hidden gems for day three

Here are a group of players who might appeal to the Seahawks but aren’t generating much interest online. I’ve tried to match traits and trends along with tape study.

Matt Henningsen (DT, Wisconsin)
Ideally sized to play 3-4 end, Henningsen has the kind of profile Seattle has tended to like. He’s 6-3 and 290lbs with 33 1/8 inch arms. He ran a remarkable 4.29 short shuttle at the Badgers’ pro-day, a 7.19 three cone and then added a 37.5 inch vertical and a 9-11 broad jump. This is a special athletic profile on a player who flashed gritty play and an ability to disrupt.

Kevin Harris (RB, South Carolina)
A battering ram of a running back who loves nothing more than to absorb contact and drive through tackles. He fits the Seahawks in terms of size (5-10, 222lbs) and has the explosive testing they target at the position (37.5 inch vertical, 10-3 broad jump). If they miss out on a player like Dameon Pierce, Harris could be a viable alternative.

Devin Harper (LB, Oklahoma State)
A deep linebacker class gets deeper. Harper lacks length (sub-32 inch arms) and he’s only 6-0 and 234lbs. Yet on tape he plays with a degree of competitive spirit and his pro-day testing is worth noting. He ran a 4.03 short shuttle which is right up Seattle’s street. He also added a 40.5 inch vertical and a 4.50 forty.

Kyron Johnson (DE, Kansas)
Johnson caught the eye at the Senior Bowl when he had handsome wins against Trevor Penning and Abraham Lucas. Both reps were embarrassing for the tackles — with the much smaller Johnson bulldozing the pair on both occasions. At pro-day he ran a 4.40 forty and a 6.98 three cone before jumping a 39.5 inch vertical and a 10-0 broad. He’s a highly explosive, fast and powerful specialist rusher who could be a very useful rotational cog. He has short arms though, which could be an issue.

Daniel Imatorbhebhe (TE, Kansas State)
He’s had a nomadic college career — going from Florida to USC and then to Kansas State. As a late round or UDFA flier though — there’s some potential here. On tape he’s shown he can find a way to make big plays downfield by escaping coverage and squirting through to the second level. He ran a 7.05 three-cone (anything quicker than a 7.10 tends to get Seattle’s attention). He also has very useful 34 inch arms.

Devin Cochran (T, Georgia Tech)
A former Vanderbilt player, Cochran has inconsistent tape with flashes in the run game providing some hope for the future. He has great size and length (6-7, 306lbs, 35.5 inch arms) and he’ll appeal to teams seeking a project tackle. He’s a 2.93 TEF-tester let down by his bench press — which isn’t a surprise given his length. He’s one to watch for the later rounds.

Nolan Turner (S, Clemson)
His tape is so-so but there’s athletic potential to be had here and perhaps some special teams value. Turner ran a 4.42 forty at pro-day, jumped a 37.5 inch vertical and a 10-2 broad. He says he played hurt last year which could explain his fairly unspectacular play. With a profile like this though, teams will be more than happy to take a closer look as an undrafted free agent.

Micah McFadden (LB, Indiana)
Like a lot of teams the Seahawks take special teams very seriously and McFadden is a core special teamer. He only did the bench press at the combine but managed to produce a 4.15 short shuttle at pro-day and a 6.88 three-cone. A 35 inch vertical and 9-10 broad jump are in the ‘good not great’ category but as a late round flier or UDFA he will have some value and appeal.

Malcolm Rodriguez (LB, Oklahoma State)
Rodriguez is one of those players who does a lot right he just doesn’t look the part. At 5-11 and 236lbs with short 30 3/8 inch arms he has size limitations that will temper his stock. Yet a 39.5 inch vertical at the combine, a 10-0 broad jump at pro-day plus a 4.13 short shuttle will surely intrigue teams enough for him to get a shot later on.

Master Teague (RB, Ohio State)
Once considered a potential hot NFL prospect, Teague’s career at Ohio State never took off. He’s unlikely to be drafted but his physical profile is impressive — 221lbs, 4.47 forty, 36 inch vertical, 10-11 broad. Given his once vaunted stock, someone will bring him in for a camp.

Peter Schrager’s mock draft

Schrager loves to mention how many contacts he has in the NFL and to be fair, it has paid dividends for him at times. In 2020 he suddenly mocked Darrell Taylor to the Seahawks in round one the day before the draft. It’s clear he had some info and as we came to learn, it very nearly came true.

Thus, I think it’s important to look at his first mock draft published today.

I think seven of the first eight picks players taken will be off the board when Seattle’s on the clock at #9. The one I disagree with is Kenny Pickett. As mentioned earlier, I don’t think Carolina GM Scott Fitterer will take a QB at #6 and I don’t think any QB’s will go in the top-10.

Neither do I agree with his pick for the Seahawks at #9. I just don’t see this team picking an air-raid left tackle in the top-10 who jumped a 26 inch vertical at the combine and had average agility testing. I think it’d be very surprising to see a not particularly athletic or explosive offensive lineman drafted by this team that early.

I think this scenario is similar to the one mentioned earlier in this notes article — if they weren’t inclined to take Derek Stingley Jr then I think they would trade down.

Also, as discussed earlier, Schrager has the Seahawks moving up from #40 to get back into round one. I think the prospect of trading down from #9 then moving back into the first frame is extremely viable — either for a quarterback (Schrager’s suggestion) or for Tyler Linderbaum (who Schrager has falling out of round one).

The Seahawks do a deal with Kansas City and take Matt Corral:

“Corral is a Long Beach Poly (California) kid who played for Lane Kiffin at Ole Miss. Think Pete Carroll knows a thing or two about those programs? I can see Corral suiting up for Seattle.”

It does make sense to be fair. As we’ve noted a lot already, Carroll and the Kiffin’s are very close. They drafted Alex McGough from Lane’s program at Florida Atlantic. Corral has a lot of the things they like — including competitive spirit, a strong arm and mobility.

I’d still rather the Seahawks build up their roster and push the QB situation into 2023. And if I had to guess, I think they will. Three picks in the top-41 is a great opportunity to improve on both sides of the ball. In round three, I would expect them to add a running back.

It’s still a mock worth noting. There’s certainly potential for the Seahawks to move around the board to get the players they want.

TEF updates

The vast majority of the offensive linemen didn’t bench press at the combine and several didn’t do the vertical and/or broad jump. Here’s an updated TEF list. The players in green improved their score, the players in red reduced their score after pro-day testing. Anything above or around 3.00 is impressive in terms of explosive traits.

Confirmed TEF scores

Cole Strange — 3.42
Bernhard Raimann — 3.37
Cam Jurgens — 3.34
Zion Johnson — 3.33
Zach Tom — 3.33
Matt Waletzko — 3.15
Trevor Penning — 3.03
Kellen Diesch — 3.03
Ja’Tyre Carter — 2.98
Nick Zakelj — 2.98
Abraham Lucas — 2.97
Alec Lindstrom — 2.95
Sean Rhyan — 2.95
Marcus McKethan — 2.94
Andrew Rupcich — 2.93
Luke Fortner — 2.93
Ickey Ekonwu — 2.90
Chris Paul — 2.86
Charles Cross — 2.84
Braxton Jones — 2.83
Spencer Burford — 2.83
Dawson Deaton — 2.82
Dohnovan West — 2.80
Dylan Parham — 2.78
Nicholas Petit-Frere — 2.74
Tyler Smith — 2.73
Jamaree Salyer — 2.67
Myron Cunningham — 2.66
Justin Shaffer — 2.65
Cordell Volson — 2.63
Joshua Ezeudu — 2.58
Max Mitchell — 2.53
Lecitus Smith — 2.52
Daniel Faalele — 2.50
Zach Thomas — 2.48
Kenyon Green — 2.46
Cade Mays — 2.46
Obinna Eze — 2.45
Bill Dunkle — 2.45
Andrew Steuber — 2.27

Projected 2022 TEF scores

Logan Bruss — 3.08
Luke Wattenburg — 3.06
Chasen Hines — 2.95
Ja’Tyre Carter — 2.93
Austin Deculus — 2.91
Blaise Andries — 2.89
Luke Tenuta — 2.69
Thayer Munford — 2.57
Marquis Hayes — 2.56
Vederian Lowe — 2.56
Darian Kinnard — 2.54
Tyrese Robinson — 2.48
Ed Ingram — 2.47

If you missed my appearance on 710 Seattle Sports with Jake & Stacy yesterday, check it out here:

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Derek Stingley with a 4.37 per the board at #LSU pic.twitter.com/3BVyqNa39W

— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) April 6, 2022

LSU’s Derek Stingley had his long-awaited pro-day today after recovering from a Lisfranc joint injury. It’s a troublesome injury that some have described as ‘scary’ for players who rely on speed, quickness and change of direction. Truth be told, Stingley’s medical checks will be as important as anything he did at pro-day.

That said — if anyone was worried about the health of his foot, today’s performance should allay some fears.

He ran an ‘official’ 4.44 but other times — 4.33 and 4.37 — have been reported. He also jumped a 38.5 inch vertical and a 10-2 broad.

This is a deceptive time of year. The constant flow of information is full of red herrings. In the social media age, with more people than ever reporting on the draft, there’s more misinformation out there than ever.

One individual in the league told me that it’s common for a GM to tell the top information gatherers in journalism a few tall tales to aid their cause. For example, all this talk of the 2022 quarterbacks suddenly being drafted in the top-10 has a certain whiff of manure about it.

Meanwhile, some owners will peruse the mock drafts and listen to the TV analysts, then ask their key talent evaluators questions based on what Mel Kiper and Todd McShay are saying on ESPN.

With Stingley we hear all sorts about him dropping into the teens and falling down boards. I am not an insider, nor a reporter. I’m not going to make a habit of doing this and I have enough on my plate with the day job. That said, I have built some contacts and I reached out to an active NFL source at the executive level to find out what the truth is about the LSU cornerback. This source has spent two years studying and scouting Stingley and firmly believes he is the #1 corner in the draft.

“The last two years — throw them out. He had the virus, he had the Lisfranc. If you get 90-95% of what he was (in 2019) he’s a really good corner.”

“I love Stingley. He has better movement skills than (Sauce) Gardner. He’s instinctive. He has god-given skills. Explosive. He’s been around it his whole life. If he came out as a freshman he would’ve been the top cornerback in the draft.”

The highly touted Jeff Okudah was taken #3 overall in 2020 — so that’s how highly Stingley was rated after his freshman season.

“He’s wired perfectly” the source added, noting there were no character concerns and citing his football background (his grandfather is Darryl Stingley and his father also played).

I asked what was a likely draft range and was told Sauce Gardner will be the first corner taken but the source said if he was in charge of a top-10 pick and his first two options among the O-liners & D-liners were gone, he’d rush to draft Stingley.

Not everyone in the league will necessarily share this opinion, of course. Positional need always plays a part and even teams with a high grade on Stingley might go in a different direction to fill a particular hole.

With all of this talk of him dropping deep into the teens, however, this is a perspective worth hearing. Even if he doesn’t go quite as early as his 2019 season promised — the chances are he won’t fall as far as some think. Just as the quarterbacks likely won’t go as people are suggesting now.

For what it’s worth, the source I spoke to felt Clemson’s Andrew Booth was the third best cornerback.

I wrote more about Stingley here. If the Seahawks want to take a shot for greatness with their top pick, he could be on their radar. If the top pass rushers are off the board, I still think Stingley is a strong possibility if they stay put.

Earlier today I was on 710 Seattle Sports with Jake & Stacy. If you missed it, check it out here:

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Before getting into the piece — please don’t forget to listen to the Shelby Harris interview from earlier today (please share it if you can).

I’ve re-posted it at the bottom of this article.

— I think the Seahawks will take the best offensive or defensive lineman with their first pick. I don’t think they’ll target a quarterback in this class at #9. Sauce Gardner and Derek Stingley could also be options but ultimately I think they’ll plan to build through the trenches.

— I think the top realistic target is Jermaine Johnson at #9. He fits what the Seahawks like — he ran a 1.5 10-yard split and he has fantastic hands to disengage and disrupt. He’s quick to the edge and plays with intensity and violence. He has good length and size. He’s a potential heart-and-soul type who can help shape the identity of the team for the next few years. I just don’t think he lasts to #9, unfortunately. But I wouldn’t be shocked if Seattle’s ‘Plan A’ is Jermaine Johnson.

— If Johnson is gone and they do move down, trading down from #9 and then moving up from #40 feels distinctly possible.

— I would anticipate an early run on pass rushers and offensive linemen. Without the Ja’Marr Chase types and quarterbacks to fill the top of the board, I think teams in the top-10 will settle on getting one of the best pass rushers, pass protectors or cornerbacks. The premium positions.

— If a situation emerges where the top four pass rushers, Evan Neal, Ikem Ekwonu and Sauce Gardner are off the board (as expected) — I think it’ll come down to either taking a shot on Derek Stingley Jr or trading down. I really like the prospect of Stingley and with his pro-day tomorrow, he has a chance to repair his stock. Remember — he ran a 4.30 at SPARQ and jumped a 42 inch vertical. I wrote more about Stingley here.

— Potential trade partners include the Baltimore Ravens (who appear enamoured with Trevor Penning) and the LA Chargers (heavily linked to Jordan Davis but also a possible suitor for an offensive tackle). The Saints could also be an outside bet — or any other team seeking to draft a receiver with the Jets at #10 possibly targeting the position.

— Carolina could also have serious interest in moving down. Contrary to most national mocks, I don’t think they’ll draft a quarterback. The Head Coach Matt Rhule appears to be in a lame-duck season and Scott Fitterer the GM will be thinking longer term. They don’t have a pick in rounds two or three currently. Trading down — perhaps as far as the late teens or 20’s — could net the Panthers an extra 2023 first rounder and a day two selection this year. Then, they could still get an offensive tackle (Abraham Lucas? Tyler Smith?) and have the stock to pursue quarterbacks in 12 months time when Fitterer possibly has his own hand-picked Head Coach in place.

— It’s worth remembering that Scot McCloughan said three quarterbacks will be drafted in the first round but all three will carry third round grades. There will be reaches at the position (as usual) but that doesn’t mean they’ll necessarily go in the top-10. None of the quarterbacks in this draft are ready to start quickly.

— I sense teams with bridge quarterbacks (New Orleans, Pittsburgh) and teams with established ageing starters (Tennessee) will be in the QB market in round one because they can afford to sit a player and let him develop. Those three teams are also not expecting to be picking in the top-10 next year, with a realistic shot at the great 2023 quarterback class. I think the teams picking in the top-10 are simply in a very different place. If they draft a quarterback in that range there will pressure for that player to start quicker than he’s ready.

— What about Jordan Davis and Devonte Wyatt? I really like both players. However, the Seahawks have significantly bolstered their defensive front before the draft. It’s rare for a team to draft a ‘two-down nose tackle of the future’ and while I think Wyatt has tremendous potential as a dynamic interior rusher — I think edge rush and the offensive line will probably be the early focus.

— If the Seahawks do move down into the teens, they would be well placed to add a second-tier pass rusher or a plug-and-play offensive lineman. Zion Johnson has everything they look for — superb explosive testing results (ninth most explosive lineman to enter the league since 2016), he ran a 4.4 short shuttle and he has a perfectly proportionate frame with 34 inch arms. Pete Carroll kind of let the cat out of the bag that Gabe Jackson might be on the way out when he said he was in a competition with Phil Haynes. Drafting Johnson, who some call the best guard to enter the NFL since Quenton Nelson, would also allow you to move Damien Lewis back to right guard. I don’t think Johnson will go later than New England at #21.

— I’m not sure whether the Seahawks would make two high picks on the interior offensive line. However, Carroll’s glowing praise for Austin Blythe’s wrestling skills and his statement on trying a smaller center set off huge alarm bells for me. Tyler Linderbaum was an exceptional High School wrestler and he has an almost identical frame to Blythe. Let’s also remember that Blythe is a clear draft hedge, just as he was in Kansas City last year before they drafted Creed Humphrey. With recent reports from Tony Pauline suggesting Linderbaum could fall into round two, he’s one to watch. I said earlier that Plan A could be Jermaine Johnson at #9. To take it a step further, Plan A might be Johnson + Linderbaum.

— Personally I wouldn’t have any problem at all with double-dipping on the interior O-line. If you want to play Seattle’s brand of offense, why not try to be great in the interior? This isn’t a great tackle class but the options inside are impressive. There are no guarantees, of course, but Johnson-Linderbaum-Lewis is an exciting trio.

— What about tackle, where they have two gaping holes? Surely, at some point, they will sign someone. Duane Brown remains available, as does Brandon Shell. Reportedly Rasheed Walker is taking a visit to Seattle. He’s an accomplished talent with inconsistent play and a lack of testing results. Drafting him in the middle rounds to develop behind a returning Brown would make sense. It’s a good use of an official visit. Walker plays like he needs a rocket up his arse. It’s a chance to find out if he’s the right fit in terms of drive and character.

— Alternate O-line targets could include Trevor Penning, Abraham Lucas, Cam Jurgens, Cole Strange, Alec Lindstrom, Zach Tom, Tyler Smith and Logan Bruss. There are other good options too. As regulars know, I have a hard time imagining them taking Charles Cross in round one — an air-raid left tackle who doesn’t run block, jumped a 26 inch vertical and didn’t have much in the way of agility testing to compensate for it.

— The fact they haven’t added even a draft hedge of note at linebacker, plus Shelby Harris mentioning earlier that it’s an important position in Vic Fangio’s defense, makes me think it’s incredibly likely they will draft a linebacker on day two — probably with #40 or #41. That’s a real sweet-spot in terms of positional value. The key names that stand out for me are Channing Tindall, Leo Chanel and Quay Walker.

— The Seahawks need another running back and pick #72 screams ‘Dameon Pierce’. He has the same kind of attitude, energy and aggression as Thomas Rawls and he has the size, explosive traits and ability to run through contact. Seattle loves that. I think Zamir White could be an alternative due to his grit, physical power, quick acceleration to exploit gaps and finishing ability.

— If they don’t take a pass rusher at #9 they might need to wait until round three and beyond where there should be a cluster of developmental rotational players — such as Nik Bonitto, Dominique Robinson, Jeffery Gunter, Amare Barno, DeAngelo Malone, Christopher Allen and possibly Kyron Johnson and Tyreke Smith. There’s no further update on Adam Anderson’s legal case.

— I don’t think they’ll rush the quarterback position. They didn’t in 2010-12. I don’t see why they would now, in this class. I think the only way they’ll do it is if the right player falls to them in round two. Otherwise, I think they’ll wait until day three and consider Kaleb Eleby (who I interviewed yesterday) or Jack Coan. The other possibility, of course, is that they add Baker Mayfield to the competition for a late round pick.

— I think everything’s on the table with D.K. Metcalf but I believe the reports saying the Seahawks plan to keep him. I think it all comes down to whether or not someone makes a mind-blowing offer before the draft — such as the Jets offering #10 + #38. Otherwise, I think he’ll just stay in Seattle and they’ll talk contract after the draft.

— Some final thoughts. I certainly think the cost of the Uchenna Nwosu hedge is a big hint that they perhaps don’t think the top pass rushers will last to #9. I do think they will target the trenches early. I think their top pick will be the best O-liner or D-liner available on their board — possibly after a trade down. I think Austin Blythe is clearly a hedge and that we might see Gabe Jackson depart after the draft. I’m almost certain they will draft a running back quite early — although part of me also wonders if they call the Giants about Saquon Barkley. I think a quarterback competition will be the key this year, rather than a big splash at the position in the draft. Carroll saying having picks next year will influence decisions in this draft was, for me, another tell.

Shelby Harris interview

Please listen to the interview because Harris was on top form and will quickly become a fan favourite. Also check out the other recent interviews with Kaleb Eleby, Mike Florio, Jim Leavitt and Scot McCloughan.

Today I had the great pleasure of interviewing Seahawks defensive tackle Shelby Harris. You are going to love listening to him speak.

Don’t forget to check out yesterday’s interview with Kaleb Eleby too or last weeks conversation with Mike Florio.

You can listen via YouTube, Spotify or Apple below. Please subscribe, share on other forums/sites and help spread the word.

Today I spoke with Kaleb Eleby for ‘The Rebuild’ podcast. We discussed his pre-draft process, the chances of reuniting with Dee Eskridge in Seattle and much more.

You can watch below on YouTube, Spotify and Apple. Please subscribe to the channels and where possible leave a like or review to help spread the word.

This week I joined Brandan Schulze on the Seahawkers Podcast to discuss the current state of the team and the draft:

By now you all know what I’d do in this draft. There are very appealing defensive options and I like the idea of the Seahawks trying to build a great defense as the foundational start of this rebuild.

But there’s no point just talking about that for a month.

Think back to 2010 and 2011. Seattle spent first round picks on Russell Okung and James Carpenter, plus a third (after trading down from round two) on John Moffitt. Serious investment in the offensive line. They also used a second round pick on Golden Tate.

Even in free agency their big investments were on offense — Sidney Rice, Zach Miller, Robert Gallery.

I’m not sure any of this is particularly indicative of anything for this year. Maybe it’s interesting, though?

Certainly it doesn’t feel beyond the realms of possibility that O-line could again be the focus. And frankly, I wouldn’t have an issue with that.

‘We are going to invest in the offensive line’ is hardly a statement to pick holes in.

Really it’s just about making sure you invest in the right offensive linemen.

For some reason I seem to have been bombarded by the Charles Cross fan-club on Twitter over the last 24 hours for simply pointing out his athletic limitations (26 inch vertical, bang average agility testing, lack of great size).

I don’t think he’s anything close to a top-10 pick — but neither does Daniel Jeremiah. He ranked him as the 23rd best player in the draft. Lance Zierlein has him at #18. I have him generally going in the late teens in my mocks.

I don’t think he’d be a good fit for the Seahawks and I don’t think he has the physical profile to interest them.

Trevor Penning does have the physical profile but he’s also not someone I would want to take too early. He showed a need for real technical refinement at the Senior Bowl and I fear he might end up kicking inside. If I’m taking a tackle in the top-15 I want to think I’m getting a potentially great tackle. With Penning I think there’s just too much of a question mark there.

That doesn’t mean I dislike him as a player. I rate him fairly highly. I just don’t want him at #9.

I don’t think this is a draft to target the left tackle position. For me the top two guys — Evan Neal and Ikem Ekwonu — are both guards. There are some intriguing projects later on but that’s about it.

If the Seahawks want to go after the offensive line in this draft then the reasonable way to do it will be to build inside out. That’s where the talent is.

I do think they will like some of the options and I want to talk about a couple of players in particular we’ve debated recently — plus some other positions.

Zion Johnson (G, Boston College)

It happens every year. You end up talking a player down because the hype becomes too much.

At the Senior Bowl people were talking about Johnson like he was the offensive line equivalent of ‘the Beatles’. He had a decent week. He had some rough reps and some good reps.

You end up arguing against a player just to try and find a grounded reality. The same thing happened with Tyler Linderbaum. I like Linderbaum. Yet all the mocks putting him in the top-10 made you rub your eyes. By pushing back, you sound like you don’t like a player.

In the case of Johnson, now I think the opposite is happening. People have moved on to hyping up the quarterbacks or Charles Cross. We’re missing what he actually is.

Johnson’s the ninth most explosive player to enter the league in the last seven drafts. His TEF score (3.33) is superior to Creed Humphrey (3.25) and Alijah Vera-Tucker (3.31). He’s only a notch below Rashawn Slater (3.37).

Then you keep adding to his profile. He ran a 4.46 short shuttle at 312lbs, which is exceptional. He also has 34 inch arms.

You’re basically talking about a flawless physical profile. That doesn’t mean he’s a flawless prospect but he has every physical tool required to be an outstanding player.

Then throw in the fact he was a two-time captain at Boston College and seemingly has A+ character — and there’s every chance he will go higher than people think. I can’t imagine there’s any way he gets beyond New England at #21.

Carroll’s comments at the owners meeting also felt like a huge accidental tell. Casually dropping out there that Gabe Jackson’s competing for a job felt like a huge honking alarm that Jackson’s not for long in Seattle.

Drafting Johnson, a left guard, would also allow you to move Damien Lewis back to his best position, right guard.

If you don’t want the Seahawks to launch a rebuild by drafting a guard, I appreciate that. I do wonder, though, whether the Seahawks think the best thing to do is to get the top offensive or defensive lineman on their board with their first pick. Honestly, that could be Zion Johnson. For all of the reasons noted above.

Tony Pauline reported last week that Seattle’s preference is to trade down from #9 to acquire more stock. If they move down into the teens, this would be the kind of range where Johnson makes sense.

Tyler Linderbaum (C, Iowa)

Sometimes the obvious is staring you right in the face.

Austin Blythe is a classic hedge. Yes he’s costing $4m — but that’s hardly breaking the bank. They’ve paid a bit more to get someone who knows the line-calls and the blocking scheme.

Let’s just recap what’s happened here. They’ve signed the guy Kansas City hedged Creed Humphrey with. Carroll spoke this week about adjusting to shorter players at center. He hailed Blythe’s wrestling background.

Linderbaum is virtually the exact same size — in height, weight and length. He was known for defeating people like Tristan Wirfs during a dominating High School wrestling career.

If the Seahawks want someone like Blythe at center (and they do, because they signed him) then they’ll love Linderbaum. He’s basically just an upper-echelon version of Blythe.

A lot of teams don’t want a 6-2, 296lbs center with 31 1/8 inch arms. Clearly, the Seahawks are now among the teams who will consider a player like that.

I’m not saying they’re definitely going to draft him or anything. That’s the point of signing Blythe. If the opportunity doesn’t arise, you’ve already got someone who can do the job.

It just feels like, based on what they’re now looking for, that Linderbaum could be a key target for them.

I’ve always felt his stock had to be couched because he’s so scheme specific and unspectacular in terms of size. Other people feel less precious about that. Lance Zierlein, for example, has Linderbaum graded as the eighth best player in the draft. If the Seahawks feel that way about him too — it makes sense for one of the handful of teams prepared to draft a smaller center to be incredibly interested in acquiring him.

Nobody’s going to argue that left guard and center are premium positions — especially when you’ve got big gaps currently at left and right tackle and you need another pass rusher. I’ll be honest though, part of me wouldn’t hate it if their first two picks were Johnson and Linderbaum.

Back-to-back interior offensive line selections would be a big talking point. Think about it though. What does this team want to do? Run the ball, convert third downs, play a connective brand of football.

As noted already, one of the first things Carroll and Schneider did when they arrived in Seattle was spend high picks up front.

They might do that again.

I can imagine a scenario where they view Johnson and Linderbaum among the top players in the draft and that adding them would be more impactful than reaching at other positions or drafting players with question marks.

Given recent reports from Tony Pauline that Linderbaum’s stock is trending towards round two — both players might be in range.

Matt Corral (QB, Ole Miss)

I think the Seahawks should embrace what they are and just build up the roster this year and plan to draft a quarterback next year.

If they’re bad in 2022 and end up with a top-five pick, no problem. You can’t rebuild a team in one off-season.

I also completely appreciate recent reports from Brady Henderson suggesting the Seahawks will wait on this position and draft someone later on. For me, that makes sense and if they prefer to select a Jack Coan or Kaleb Eleby in round four — that’s fine with me.

However, I also think whatever Seattle’s plan is — we aren’t going to find it out. They will keep it private. Why tell anyone anything? Your best leverage in this upcoming draft is nobody knowing what you’re planning at QB.

Without wanting to go over old ground too much, here’s a quick recap on why I think the Seahawks might like Matt Corral.

His throwing mechanics are the best of the top passers in this draft, enabling him to launch the ball with great velocity and torque. This will appeal to both Carroll and Schneider. His pro-day session was quite impressive in terms of his throwing base, release mechanics and use of accurate footwork.

He’s a good distributor and knows how to play within scheme and keep things on track. His mobility means he can operate a lot of play-action and bootleg runs, which work within the Shane Waldron scheme. He can also make plays as a runner. If the play-call asks for him to read his keys and get the ball out, he’ll do it. He’s been well drilled by Lane Kiffin.

Corral is immensely competitive and was reckless proving it at times with the way he tried to run over defenders. He’s got a bit of a spark to him — which has sent him on an emotional rollercoaster in the past. I’m not convinced the Seahawks will shy away from that. They’re still run by Pete Carroll and John Schneider.

The Seahawks have drafted from Lane’s system before (Alex McGough) and I do believe there was something in that combine photo with everyone having a nice little get together — the Kiffin’s, Carroll and Corral.

Remember — Carroll trusts his guys. One of his guys is Ed Orgeron. Two others are Monte and Lane Kiffin. Lane loves Matt Corral. He is likely not going to put Carroll off with his review. Monte also works for Ole Miss. If they are speaking positively about him as a person and a player — that might be sealing the deal.

Perhaps they fully intend to draft a quarterback without the intention of starting them right away? That would explain the relentless Drew Lock and Geno Smith positivity.

All of the QB’s in this draft are ill-prepared to be year-one starters. So you talk up the other two guys because you know, in all honesty, you’re going to need them.

This doesn’t prevent you from taking a quarterback early next year. But it does mean you’ve started the process of trying to find the next guy.

The Seahawks need to start taking some shots. John Schneider has admitted that. So even if Corral might not be the perfect prospect — he might be someone they bring in to see if he can be the future.

I could imagine them trading back into the first round to get him. I can imagine them selecting him early in the second. I can imagine Tennessee, Tampa Bay and Detroit looking long and hard at him too.

If an opportunity arises I won’t be surprised if they make a move on Corral. I think it will need to be a situation where they realise there’s a chance and they take it. I doubt it’s going to be a ‘we can’t leave the draft without him’ type scenario.

Yet if they end up with a whole bunch of high picks, they’ll be in position to use one on a shot to nothing at quarterback. If they trade D.K. Metcalf they might have six or seven picks in the first two days of the draft. If they then trade down from #9, they’d have even more.

I wouldn’t be shocked if they trade down from #9 then trade up from #40 (back into round one). Essentially moving around to get whichever guys they like.

Running back

Some Seahawks fans will complain like a bear with a sore arse if they spend a second or third round pick on a running back. Yet it’s fairly likely, you’d think.

It’s unclear if Chris Carson will continue his career. Even if he does, you can hardly rely on him can you? Rashaad Penny played well at the end of last season but has had a pro-career filled with injury problems.

Travis Homer and Deejay Dallas have not shown to be anything beyond role players.

Carroll quite firmly admitted they needed another runner. And they do.

The Seahawks’ running game has been at best inconsistent and at worst a shambles since Marshawn Lynch departed. One of Carroll’s principles is to run the ball well to connect the whole team together. It seems almost fanciful to imagine he’d be prepared to go into next season with so many injury trapdoors lurking.

Further to that, Penny’s back in a contract year. So there’s no guarantee he’ll be around beyond 2022.

The chances are they will draft someone on day two. There are players worthy of consideration, their salaries would be inexpensive and they’d insure the Seahawks against further health problems.

Breece Hall and Kenneth Walker have the physical profiles to warrant consideration at #40 or #41. Hall in particular tested so well, you wonder if he has Jonathan Taylor upside.

I do think, however, that round three might be the more likely range. And I think Dameon Pierce or Zamir White could be a big target.

Pierce plays with the same kind of intensity as Thomas Rawls. He’s a runaway train-type runner — banging into defenders, driving through contact and finishing. He produces dynamic cuts and change of direction — he’s highly explosive and his play lifts his team mates.

We saw at the Senior Bowl how he energised the other players there. In many ways he is a typical Seahawks runner. It won’t be a shock if they make drafting him a priority. He’s been screaming ‘Seahawks’ for a while.

I also think White is a strong option. He’s had a life of adversity, he’s battled so much at Georgia and he’s had success through sheer grit and determination. He’s loved by team mates for his toughness and his ability to drive through contact while also producing elusive shiftiness and acceleration to pick through small gaps.

In order for the Seahawks to complete Carroll’s vision — they need to be able to block up front and run the football.

Having a draft where they select what they might consider to be the best two offensive linemen available and a great running back more or less ticks that box — with the potential added bonus of taking a shot at a quarterback.

It might not be what a lot of fans want but it’s a plan. And I think all you can ask for as a fan is to see a clear draft vision executed.

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I had the pleasure of interviewing Mike Florio — to discuss his new book ‘Playmaker’, the state of the NFL and also the Seahawks.

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