Month: February 2025 (Page 1 of 4)

Identifying intriguing tight ends

The top players in the NFL at TE all share similar traits — burst and short area quickness/change of direction. The 10-yard split and agility testing (short shuttle & three-cone) have been a good way to work out who has a shot of being interesting at the next level:

Rob Gronkowski — 1.58 (10), 4.47 (ss)
Travis Kelce — 1.61 (10), 4.42 (ss)
George Kittle — 1.59 (10), 4.55 (ss)
Mark Andrews — 1.54 (10), 4.38 (ss)
T.J. Hockenson — 1.63 (10), 4.18 (ss)
Sam LaPorta — 1.59 (10), 4.25 (ss)
David Njoku — 1.61 (10), 4.34 (ss)

Meanwhile, the Seahawks have paid a fair amount of attention to agility testing in particular:

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)
Noah Fant — 4.22 (ss), 6.81 (3c)
Pharaoh Brown — 4.46 (ss), 7.24 (3c)
AJ Barner — 4.41 (ss), 7.02 (3c)

In the 2025 class, there are a handful of players who tick all of the boxes:

Jalin Conyers — 1.62 (10), 4.27 (ss), 6.94 (3c)
Harold Fannin Jr — 1.56 (10), 4.39 (ss), 6.97 (3c)
Jackson Hawes — 1.56 (10), 4.40 (ss), DNR (3c)
Thomas Fidone — 1.57 (10), 4.29 (ss), 7.01 (3c)

Mitchell Evans (1.55 10-yard split, 4.40 short shuttle) would’ve qualified but he ran a poor 7.25 three-cone. Therefore, the four names above jump onto the radar as particularly intriguing. I’ve done a lot of study on Fannin Jr and Hawes already and will dig into the other two in the coming days.

All of the 10-yard split were reasonable to be fair:

Mitchell Evans — 1.55
Terrance Ferguson — 1.55
Jackson Hawes — 1.56
Harold Fannin jr — 1.56
CJ Dippre — 1.56
Thomas Fidone — 1.57
Joshua Simon — 1.58
Gavin Bartholomew — 1.59
Jake Briningstool — 1.60
Moliki Matavao — 1.60
Bryson Nesbit — 1.61
Jalin Conyers — 1.62
Robbie Ouzts — 1.64
Gunnar Helm — 1.69

Overall I thought the class looked sharp, caught the ball well, showed off athleticism and made it clear there’s a tight end to be had in this class for Seattle.

Jackson Hawes is the best blocker in the group by far. We know the Seahawks really liked Will Dissly and Hawes carries a similar playing style but he’s a different level of athlete. He ran a faster forty (4.82 vs 4.87), a way faster 10-yard split (1.56 vs 1.69), plus he had a better vertical (34.5 vs 31) and broad (10-1 vs 9-3). They both ran a 4.40 shuttle. Admittedly Dissly was 9lbs heavier but Hawes looks in great shape for a blocking tight end. He has a big muscular frame and moved well for his size. He also caught the ball away from his body during drills, extending his hands to the ball. I’m moving him up to a third round grade after seeing these unexpected testing results. His 10-yard split being as fast as it was is a big eye-opener.

Mason Taylor looked fantastic on the field. He ran possibly the best gauntlet I can recall since starting the blog in 2008. Everything looked so smooth and effortless. He’s a very naturally gifted football player and on this evidence, without any testing results, he secured a top-40 placing. If he tests well at LSU’s pro-day, the first round is very possible.

I’m a big fan of Notre Dame’s Mitchell Evans and think he can be a chain-mover and red-zone threat as a receiver, plus a decent blocker. He stood out driving the sled while also looking a natural running the gauntlet . He presented his hands nicely to the ball, catching it away from his frame.

Alabama’s Robbie Ouzts, who projects as a potential full-back, jumped 34 inches in the vertical jump at 274lbs. It’s the highest vertical jump by a tight end weighing at least 270lbs since 2003 (when records began). He showed strong hands during drills and looks a bit of a character (see the image above).

Colston Loveland, Tyler Warren and Elijah Arroyo didn’t participate today.

Nick Emmanwori puts on a show

At 220lbs he jumped an 11’6” broad, tied for the second-longest broad jump by a safety weighing at least 220lbs since 2003. He also jumped a 43-inch vertical. He’s only the second player to run a sub-4.4 forty, jump over 40 inches in the vertical, over 11-0 in the broad, while weighing over 220 pounds. The other was, of course, DK Metcalf.

There’s absolutely no denying these are special results and Emmanwori deservedly will leave Indianapolis as one of the big winners (he didn’t do on-field drills after running a 4.38).

A cautionary note though, given I’m seeing people suggest a likely top-15 placing after this workout. The main reason he was being discussed as a first round possibility was due to his physical profile. We knew he would test well and he did. I’m not sure this will promote him 10-15 spots up the board having simply lived up to lofty expectations.

When you watched South Carolina, the force impacter was often linebacker Demetrius Knight or defensive linemen Kyle Kennard, Tonka Hemmingway and TJ Sanders. Emmanwori still played well but there were times where you craved to see the kind of crunching blow the likes of Jihaad Campbell deliver so well. He tackles well with a low missed tackle percentage but he’s not a Kam Chancellor type of player who will set the tone. Nor is he, for me, a direct Kyle Hamilton type. Hamilton wasn’t Kam either but he did pack a punch and also played with unbelievable instinct to make up for a lack of pure speed.

Emmanwori is a sensational athlete but he’s closer to Jeremy Chinn than the other two names mentioned here.

I think if the Seahawks are going to go defense at #18, I would prefer one of the collection of available pass rushers or one of Jahdae Barron, Will Johnson, Jalon Walker or Jihaad Campbell.

In terms of the other safeties, it isn’t a deep group and some of the name players didn’t do anything (Xavier Watts, Kevin Winston Jr). I would caution against reacting too quickly to Malaki Starks’ disappointing 4.50 forty and 33 inch vertical at 197lbs. He’s still faster than Brian Branch and has shown range on tape.

Starks had a poor 2024 season considering the standards he set the previous year. You could see in the drills he can move around the field, though. He plucked the ball out of the air, changed direction nicely and adjusted to the football well. He looked noticeably better than the admittedly limited others who were performing drills. He recorded the fastest top speed in four different drills — the gauntlet (18.39mph), line (18.66mph), W (17.92mph) and the Teryl Austin (18.74mph).

It’ll be a test of upside in many draft rooms, plus working out why his play tailed off so badly last season. There is a player here and as with Branch, he could fall into a range where he suddenly provides good value.

Cornerbacks look the part

The group recorded an average forty time of 4.44 seconds, making this the fastest class at the combine since at least 2003. Only the 2024 wide receivers averaged a faster forty time than this year’s cornerbacks.

I always think the corner workouts are an eye-test assessment. Who looks like they can play in the NFL, in terms of size and the way they transition? This was a mostly big, tall, long group with smooth change of direction skills. I enjoyed watching the session, which was shorter and more dynamic than we’ve seen in recent years.

Maxwell Hairston made the headlines by running the tied-fifth fastest forty by a cornerback since records began (4.28). He put on a real show in everything he did during drills and reached 24.25mph, the most among cornerbacks. Despite all of this I don’t think he’s a first round pick. His run defense will scare many teams off. He missed 44.4% of tackles in the running game last season. You can’t get away with that at the next level, even if you can stick in coverage. I think today’s workout cemented his place in round two. You just better work on his willingness to tackle versus the run.

Darien Porter looked long and languid with a classic frame for a Pete Carroll Seahawk. He was fast and I like the look of him. He ran a 4.30 forty-yard dash with a 1.50-second ten-yard split, reaching 23.89mph on his run, second only to Hairston. He reached a top speed of 18.30mph on the W drill, the second-fastest of any cornerback over the last three combines. His short shuttle (4.04) was impressive too. The problem is the tape is so hit and miss. Can the Seahawks put up with two Riq Woolen’s? I get the feeling Mike Macdonald might think one is enough.

Caleb Ransaw is known as a hitter in run support and a likely safety convert but he ran well enough (4.33) to be more than that. He’s well sized in his frame and also showed off explosive power (40 inch vertical). I want to watch more of him, as I do with Zah Frazier, Upton Stout and Marques Sigle.

Jahdae Barron running a 4.39 likely means he won’t get past Miami at #13 in round one. I didn’t expect Jacob Parrish to run a 4.35 and he added a 10-9 broad and a 37.5 inch vertical. These are good numbers. Nohl Williams reached a top speed of 20.05mph on the back pedal break drill, the fastest speed of any corner at this year’s combine and the only corner this year over 20mph. Dorian Strong looks the part with a big old frame and Bilhal Kone flashed a little. Azareye’h Thomas didn’t run a forty but looked good on the field.

I think there’s depth here and the Seahawks should be able to identify players they’d like to add. I do believe this could be a first round option at #18, as it was a year ago, if one of Barron or Johnson last to them.

Quarterbacks ready to perform tomorrow

I still believe there’s a middle class of QB’s this year — enough so that the Seahawks will likely take one at some point between rounds 2-4.

I’m looking forward to seeing how they all throw on Saturday, given the perceived top two of Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders aren’t doing anything.

I will pass on this note. I was speaking to a good source earlier today and we discussed Will Howard at Ohio State. His 97.4 QBR rating in the playoffs really stood out to me, as did Ohio State’s 50% conversion rate on third downs in the four decisive games.

The source called Howard ‘the most NFL ready QB’ in this draft, noted his football IQ was off the charts and that he was ‘a passer not a thrower’ — meaning he does a good job on intermediate/deep throws, delivering layered passes. He doesn’t have the biggest arm but there’s belief he can improve in this area with mechanical tweaks.

I thought I would share that perspective. It won’t be a surprise if Howard generates more buzz as the weeks go on, perhaps starting from tomorrow.

If you missed my day two review on the live stream, check it out here:

Yesterday, aside from the pre-announced injury absentees (eg Abdul Carter), 42 players opted to not run a forty yard dash. Several of these players also didn’t do drills. There’s little reason why we won’t see the same today. We already know Travis Hunter and Will Johnson won’t do anything. At tight end, Colston Loveland and Elijah Arroyo are both injured.

There’s been talk of the combine becoming too antiquated. Teams use Zebra Technology to track the speed players are running at in full pads in college football. They don’t really need a forty time anymore.

There are still tests, such as the short shuttle, three-cone and explosive jumps, that are useful for specific positions. However, the whole event has a bit of a ho-hum feel to it these days. It’s as if everyone has taken their eye off the ball. The combine hasn’t been modernised, it hasn’t adapted. It’s still doing old-fashioned tests like the bench press. It might have a Prime Time slot filled with six hours of two broadcasters trying to make tiresome pop-culture references but the combine’s usefulness has diminished.

I remember when I started writing this blog in 2008 and being absorbed by all of the players testing at the combine. Only the injured tended to not do anything. Now, there seems to be as many players not testing as there are competing.

The medicals, interviews and ability to get everyone together in one city is obviously crucial. The actual workouts, though, seem peripheral. It’s a shame but it’s entirely the NFL’s fault. The whole thing needs modernising.

In terms of who is performing today, I think we’re looking at three positions that could be targeted in the draft by Seattle. They were very prepared to draft a cornerback in round one a year ago and I doubt anything has changed in the subsequent 12 months. This is a need area. Safety is also a need, with Rayshawn Jenkins set for the exit sooner rather than later. At tight end, Noah Fant isn’t likely to be cut but they might try to replace Pharaoh Brown.

The tight ends I’m most interested in today are Oronde Gadsden, Mitchell Evans, Luke Lachey and Jackson Hawes. I hope they all do the agility tests and run a forty for the 10-yard split.

Jahdae Barron is a potential option for the Seahawks at #18 but if he tests well, he’ll likely go in the top-13. Will Johnson not testing could push him towards the Seahawks. That wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. Nick Emmanwori is expected to put on a show and it’ll be interesting to see how Malaki Starks gets on. I’m intrigued by Darien Porter.

If you missed my day one review, read it here. I also discussed the Geno Smith contract situation with the Seahawks and Smith’s representatives set to meet at some point today.

For a list of combine measurements, click here.

Don’t forget to use this as an open thread as the combine is ongoing today. I will be posting regularly in the comments. Plus at the conclusion of day two I’ll be jumping on a live stream and then producing a full written report.

In this article I’ll discuss how today impacts the Seahawks at #18, the latest O-line free agency situation and Geno Smith’s contract talks. But first…

Combine day one winners

James Pearce Jr (EDGE, Tennessee)
Only nine edge rushers have run a faster time at the combine than James Pearce Jr’s 4.47. He took this into the drills, showing effortless movement skills. He also ran a 1.56 10-yard split (anything in the 1.5’s is elite). When you consider he had the joint highest run-stop responsibility percentage among edge rushers (10.1%) and the third best pass-rush win percentage (22.7%) — it seems improbable at this stage that Pearce Jr will get out of the first half of round one.

Olu Oladejo (EDGE, UCLA)
Nicknamed ‘the Mayor’ for the way he led the players at the Senior Bowl, Oladejo jumped off the screen during drills. He’s built like a tank and looks absolutely jacked — yet his movement and change of direction was excellent. He didn’t run a forty but I’m inclined to say it doesn’t matter with the way he moved today. In a year lacking a lot of top-end talent, teams will gravitate to physical players with high football character. That’s Oladejo. At one point he was relaying instructions by the coaches to the rest of the team. He’s a natural leader and looks like a ‘win getting off the bus’ type of player.

Landon Jackson (DE, Arkansas) & Shemar Stewart (DE, Texas A&M)
Four players have weighed 260lbs+ at defensive end and jumped +40 inches in the vertical. These two, plus former #1 overall picks Myles Garrett and Mario Williams. That’s good company to keep. Stewart also ran an elite 1.58 10-yard split, tied for the second fastest by any defender over 265lbs over the last 15 seasons. Nick Bosa’s 1.55 seconds is the only faster time. Meanwhile Jackson’s runs were fine and he shifted around the field during drills nicely. He’d look like a Terminator if you painted him silver and some teams will prefer the Arkansas DE to the smaller edge rushers like Mike Green. Stewart didn’t do drills after hurting himself. One thing to note — don’t overreact to Stewart’s testing. He was only ever considered a first round pick in the first place because of his physical profile. Today shouldn’t give him a big jump in stock, it simply confirmed he is a great athlete. This isn’t new news. People are acting like he’s a top-12 lock all of a sudden. No, the assumption on physical skills was the only thing putting him in the round one discussion in the first place. A reminder, he only had a pass-rush win percentage of 12.4% and had 21 fewer pressures than Braydn Swinson and Donovan Ezeiruaku.

Ty Robinson (DT, Nebraska)
Although he looked a bit stiff at times changing direction during drills, you can’t argue with the fastest forty time among defensive tackles (4.83) and the speed on his 10-yard split (16.98mph) being the third fastest by a player at his position in the last three years. A 4.50 shuttle at 288lbs is very interesting and he’s extremely explosive — jumping a 33.5 inch vertical and a superb 9-11 broad. High character, incredibly physical, quick and explosive — with enough agility to be interesting. This is a second round pick profile to go with an AFC North mentality.

Donovan Ezeiruaku (EDGE, Boston College)
He didn’t run a forty but his 4.19 short shuttle at 248lbs was a highlight. Khalil Mack and Clay Matthews ran a 4.18. Harold Landry, a better comparison for Ezeiruaku, also ran a 4.19. He added a good 6.94 three cone, he has long 34-inch arms and he’s an explosive tester. He shared a leading 10.1% run-stop responsibility rate with James Pearce Jr and had a strong 18.2% pass-rush win percentage. He’s a reasonable 10-yard split away from being a comfortable first round selection.

Jihaad Campbell (LB, Alabama)
No linebacker was close to Campbell in terms of just how smooth he looked doing drills. Meanwhile, he ran a 4.52 at 235lbs with a 1.53 10-yard split. Roquan Smith ran a 4.51 at 236lbs with a 1.51 split. They are different types of players but their testing numbers are similar for quickness. The big difference is Campbell is far more explosive (10-7 broad vs 9-9). He’s such a ferocious, physical tackler and a versatile chess-piece who lined up everywhere from the box to edge to even free safety in 2024. There’s no doubt in my mind he’ll be on Seattle’s radar at #18.

Demetrius Knight (LB, South Carolina)
Every week on tape, Knight would make plays for South Carolina. Then you hear his backstory — taking on extra jobs to get by, showing pure determination to have a career in football. You just wondered about the testing. Not any more. Knight reached 22.76mph during his forty — the fastest time among linebackers (Jihaad Campbell’s 22.62 was second). He ran a 4.58 forty with a good 1.58 10-yard split. He also added a 4.25 short shuttle. Again, in a draft without a lot of obviously brilliant players — tough, productive, high-character individuals like this who test well will find a home in the first two rounds.

Other shout-outs

— Indiana’s CJ West is the ninth defensive tackle to weigh at least 315lbs and run a sub-5.0 forty at the combine since 2003. I haven’t studied him but will after the combine.

— Nazir Stackhouse looked like a tub of goo for Georgia but here he looked fantastic. He’s carrying almost no bad weight, he moved freely during drills and he was one of the big surprises for me. I can definitely see him being on the radar for teams looking for a nose tackle in round four.

— Derrick Harmon showed well enough to secure a top-40 placing and while Darius Alexander’s 4.79 short shuttle was disappointing, a 4.95 forty and some good explosive testing numbers are a positive.

— Tyleik Williams looks like he could stand to lose 10lbs but he still looked really good during drills. I need to check out Zeek Biggers after some good testing numbers for his size.

— Oklahoma State linebacker Nick Martin had a very good day of testing including an official 4.53 forty and a 38-inch vertical.

What it means for the Seahawks

I think it’s less likely that Jihaad Campbell will last to #18, while James Pearce Jr might’ve secure his place in the first half of round one.

There are a group of players who feel like they ‘fit’ the vision of a current-day Seahawk (high football character, tough, smart, productive). I’m starting to worry that a lack of top-end talent will push these players up the board. They include Colston Loveland, Jalon Walker, Jahdae Barron, Armand Membou, Will Johnson, Jihaad Campbell and Tyler Booker. All would be fine picks. All have, at one time or another, been mocked in a range close to #18.

I’d include the likes of Ashton Jeanty and Tyler Warren but I’ve not seen anything to think they’ll get out of the top-12.

Meanwhile, there are some question marks about the ‘fit’ in Seattle for players like Mykel Williams and Mike Green. I’m not sure how they’ll view James Pearce Jr’s personality and ability to compete against the run at the pro-level, despite his better numbers at Tennessee in 2024. The likes of Shemar Stewart carry a risk-factor despite his athleticism and I’m not sure Kenneth Grant and Walter Nolen are fits either. I don’t expect them to be interested in Shedeur Sanders.

They could end up in a bit of a no-man’s land at #18, just out of reach for players they’d feel really good about and a bit too high to consider someone like Grey Zabel. We’ll see how Kelvin Banks Jr tests this week but I’m not convinced he’s a guard on review and might be better suited to right tackle at the next level.

Don’t sleep on Donovan Ezeiruaku. He had a highly productive 16.5 sack 2024 season, he glides by blocks like he’s ice-skating and his ability to bend the arc and straighten is extremely impressive. Any combination of length and agility is appealing and he’s the type of player they’ve targeted in the past.

Trey Smith off the market

The Kansas City Chiefs have franchise-tagged their right guard, which wasn’t expected. Here’s what I think has happened. It’s been established at the combine that Smith would get more than the tag price of around $23m. The Chiefs have also discovered that most of the league wants Smith and are prepared to pay him. Now, they’ve taken control of the situation. They have an exclusive negotiating window with him to retain his services. Any team that wants him also now has to go to the Chiefs with a trade proposal.

I think it’s a smart move, in particular because Kansas City can just loan money from Patrick Mahomes’ contract to create tens of millions of cap space.

I do wonder though if this might make Joe Thuney available. Surely it’s worth asking the question?

On the negative side though, any team that was prepared to pay Smith a mega-deal will now have money to burn. They might pivot to Drew Dalman if they need a center. There’s been talk at the combine that he might get $20m a year. That could be too much for Seattle. We could also see more competition for other linemen with Smith off the market.

This isn’t going to be easy for the Seahawks to address their biggest need. They have to find a way to do it. Even if that means paying a bit more for ageing players like Ryan Kelly and/or Kevin Zeitler. They need some proven experience up front, especially if they want to insert another rookie into the line-up.

Geno Smith contract talks set for tomorrow

John Schneider told 710 Seattle Sports that he hopes to get an extension done with his starting quarterback and they’ll meet with his agent on Friday “where we find out what he’s thinking.”

Here’s what I think is going on. The Seahawks clearly want to retain Smith but only on their terms. That’ll likely mean a new deal that puts more money in Smith’s pocket this year, lowers his cap hit for 2025 and retains an annual out for the Seahawks as they plot a longer-term future at the position.

I think a lot of the upbeat, positive talk at the moment is similar to what they were doing with Drew Lock a year ago. They’re making a public statement of admiration because they think that will help in negotiations.

I also suspect Smith’s agents, privately, have been allowed to dig around at the combine to discover what other teams, if any, would be willing to acquire Smith and pay him a new deal. After a few days of research by both parties, now they’re going to come together to see if a compromise can be reached.

My guess is there isn’t a red-hot market for Smith given he turns 35 this year and didn’t put up great numbers in 2024. Therefore, a compromise will be reached and probably announced next week.

However, if Smith’s representatives go into that meeting tomorrow demanding silly money and a commitment without annual outs, this could turn quickly.

I doubt the Seahawks have any interest in pivoting to the Sam Darnold market, which will be big, or scrambling around for Daniel Jones types. Or, for that matter, having to start Sam Howell or have him compete with a rookie. This could be a leverage point for Smith’s people.

However, I don’t think the Seahawks are going to cave. I also think Smith’s best outcome is to stay in Seattle. It might be his best offer financially and his best environment, to have continuity.

I think it’ll get done. It’s best for all concerned. Clearly tomorrow is a big day though and it’ll be interesting to see what happens.

A final thought for now. If/when a deal is struck, expect a lot of big talk about commitment, being able to win with Geno and things like that. Why? Because I firmly believe the Seahawks have their eye on the quarterback class with the opportunity to take one on day two. It’ll pay off to try and convince the league that they aren’t interested, especially if you have one or two specific targets in mind.

If you missed my day-one combine recap stream, check it out here:

This year I will not be running a live blog throughout the combine. The workload was becoming too much, eight hours of live blogging going into the early hours of the morning followed by a full review of the day (including data analysis) and a live stream. Instead I’m going to share a few thoughts at the start of each day here, spend a bit more time on my daily review article and Robbie Williams will be joining me on a stream on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday to offer his thoughts from inside Lucas Oil Field.

For the list of combine measurements, click here.

A number of top players will not be testing or doing drills today. Abdul Carter, Mason Graham, Mykel Williams, Mike Green, Kenneth Grant and Jalon Walker will not be involved. Others, such as Jihaad Campbell, have promised a big day of testing.

Campbell really intrigues me. Regulars will know I’ve been reviewing some players over the last week or so. I’ve done 249 players on the board (plus many others who opted not to declare) so it’s important to reassess, review but not overcorrect. In recent days I’ve developed my opinions to be a little bit lower on Kelvin Banks Jr, quite a bit higher on Jaylin Noel and Jack Bech and I’ve also become really keen on Campbell’s tape having studied a few more games.

Aside from his impressive size and build, he just plays with a level of aggression that I think will appeal to the Seahawks. I told someone yesterday in an exchange that he reminds me a little bit of a linebacker version of Devon Witherspoon. When Campbell hits you he leaves a mark. He is a thunderous tackler with one of the lower missed tackle rates in college (5.9%) and he registered 65 total ‘stops’ — third most among linebackers (just ahead of UNLV’s Jackson Woodard who I also studied recently and really like).

He can drop easily in coverage, shows off a high football IQ and having originally joined Alabama as a pass rusher, he can be used to create pressure off the edge. He had eight sacks in 2024 and took 112 snaps as a defensive lineman. For what it’s worth, he also lined up four times at free safety and 27 times in the slot. He’s a great fit for Mike Macdonald because of his aggression and physicality, understanding of concepts and versatility.

If he tests well as he suggested, not only could he be a BPA candidate at #18 — he might not even get past the likes of Atlanta, Arizona and Cincinnati before Seattle’s pick. For me, he’s a much more complete, cleaner, less risky defensive playmaker than some of the pass rushers being touted to go in the teens. He has legitimate potential to be one of the best players at his position in the NFL.

Can the Seahawks justify taking him if they re-sign Ernest Jones? Absolutely yes. Tyrice Knight is not so good that you would avoid adding someone this talented. Knight would provide the kind of depth Seattle has lacked at linebacker over the years.

One final point on Campbell — he very clearly has high football and personal character. This is important to the Seahawks and has helped shape their last few drafts. I’m not going to get into it names here but that isn’t the case for some other players working out today.

I’m really keen to see how Bradyn Swinson tests. Can he produce the kind of 10-yard split that would make him a very exciting talent? How athletic is Josaiah Stewart or Donovan Ezeiruaku? Oluwafemi Oladejo had an amazing combine, how does he test here?

It’ll be interesting to see how Darius Alexander, Sai’vion Jones and Jordan Burch perform. Big things are expected of Landon Jackson. At defensive tackle, there’s hope Tyleik Williams puts on a show and I’m really keen to see how TJ Sanders, Ty Robinson, Joshua Farmer, Shemar Turner and JJ Pegues test (plus Riley Mills if healthy).

At linebacker, how good an athlete is Carson Schwesinger? I’m looking forward to seeing Demetrius Knight and Jackson Woodard too.

Use the comments section as an open-thread. I’ll be chipping in throughout the workouts.

If you missed my huge combine preview, which goes position-by-position, check it out here.

Check out my latest hit on Puck Sports and don’t forget to leave a comment on YouTube and like the video if you can…

Todd McShay, who has really come into his own in recent weeks with his coverage for the Ringer, has published a tier list for first round prospects. It’s a useful list given it includes 18 names and the Seahawks pick 18th overall.

Here’s the list that Todd tweeted:

Tier one: Abdul Carter, Travis Hunter, Mason Graham

Tier two: Ashton Jeanty, Tyler Warren, Jalon Walker, Jahdae Barron, Will Campbell, Colston Loveland

Tier three: Mykel Williams, Cam Ward, Omarion Hampton, Armand Membou, James Pearce Jr, Mike Green, Will Johnson, Jihaad Campbell, Tyler Booker

I would have Ashton Jeanty in tier one. Positional value be damned. He is too good not to have in that top echelon. He’s pound-for-pound the best player in the class.

Aside from that, it’s an important list. McShay is well connected and has the pulse of the league. The sudden emergence of Omarion Hampton as a potential first rounder is worth paying attention to — that kind of thing doesn’t suddenly just happen. A few well sourced people have started to put that out there.

McShay also left off names that he has recently promoted. Pre-Senior Bowl, he raved about Shemar Stewart and predicted he wouldn’t get out of the top twelve or so picks. He’s not included in any of the three tiers, speaking to this being a list influenced by league sources rather than just personal opinion.

If we take on face value that the 18 names might be something of a general consensus on who is best in class, the Seahawks are guaranteed to be able to draft one of the above.

It also further validates something I’ve been mocking recently — and that’s a fall for Shedeur Sanders. He is not included above in McShay’s list.

The Seahawks have not had an early round bust in a few years. I think in part that is because they’ve let the draft come to them. They haven’t forced positions. They’ve stuck to their grading.

If we look at tier three in particular, it is possible to imagine Mike Macdonald having a lot of creative fun with a player like Jihaad Campbell. He is such a force of nature, with incredible size and the ability to operate as both a pass rusher and linebacker. He has a personality — as does Carson Schwesinger — that the Seahawks will really like. Campbell isn’t quite as conventional as Schwesinger though and can be used in a variety of ways. He says he’ll do everything at the combine and is promising a top workout. Keep an eye on him, he could quickly emerge as a player who goes earlier than many are projecting.

Will Johnson, on pure ability, would be a fantastic acquisition if he drops into range. You’d be getting one of the best players in the class. You can certainly make a case for James Pearce Jr, a player many believed could emerge as a candidate to go first overall.

I also don’t think it’s beyond the realms of possibility that players in tier two could be available, such as Jalon Walker or Jahdae Barron. Both are high-character, natural leaders with strong talent. They are the types of players the Seahawks have been targeting in recent drafts.

I’ve been insisting Colston Loveland won’t last to #18 and McShay’s list further explains why. He is universally considered one of the ten best players in the draft. However, the fact he’s recovering from a shoulder injury and won’t test at the combine is interesting and could just nudge teams to go in a different direction if he doesn’t do any pre-draft testing. Some people won’t like the pick but Loveland, for me, would provide home-run value at #18 if the shoulder forces a fall.

You’ve also got the two offensive linemen. Armand Membou’s zone blocking grade stands out and he could be a perfect fit to transition to guard. Tyler Booker doesn’t have the grades but his tape is so good — and let’s see how he tests before writing him off as a scheme fit. The thing is though, McShay’s list isn’t rich in O-line talent. I’m not a big fan of Will Campbell, I think he had a poor 2024 season. I’m not surprised Kelvin Banks Jr isn’t included in the top-18. As noted earlier this week, I reviewed his tape a few days ago and I’ve knocked his grade down on my horizontal board. Grey Zabel is an excellent zone blocker and an ideal fit for the scheme. But is he worth the #18 pick?

Frankly, fans should probably prepare themselves for the Seahawks going BPA at #18 whatever happens. They’re not likely to deviate from a plan that has worked for the last few years. The chances are BPA won’t be an offensive lineman.

However, in order to best set up the team for an improved 2025 season, they do need to fix the offensive line. The only thing worse than reaching for an offensive linemen to fill a need in the draft will be to do what they did last year and inadequately address needs in free agency.

Sifting through what was available at left guard and signing Laken Tomlinson, adding Nick Harris at center and then feeling the need to bring in Connor Williams right before the season began, as he was just returning from injury, was a disaster. John Schneider made a fair point about paying Leonard Williams instead of overspending on linemen in free agency and he made the right call 12 months ago. However, the reality is they’ve not done a good enough job either drafting and developing or signing free agents over the years. Now they have to go further to fix this problem. They don’t have three years grace to build a young line any more. They had that in 2022 and now, they need quick fixes.

It’s absolutely crucial they find solutions on the veteran market. They need proven plug-in-and-play quality. There aren’t a lot of great options out there but they have to be fiercely competitive to sign the ones that are available.

Imagine how far this team can grow if they can achieve this? Their biggest problem, addressed before the draft. Then injecting the best young talent available to the roster, irrespective of position, with your top pick.

This is a big week for the Seahawks. Not just because of the information they’ll gather for the draft — but also the conversations they’ll have and the preparations they can make ahead of free agency.

In the last two years they’ve made a splash when the market opened — to get Dre’Mont Jones and to keep Leonard Williams. In Drew Dalman and Trey Smith, there are two linemen worthy of that level of aggression this year. There are alternatives (Ryan Kelly, Kevin Zeitler, Teven Jenkins, Will Fries, James Daniels). You’d also hope they’d be creative to see what can be done via trade. There are moves to be made.

Even if you sign players of that quality and still want to use your top pick on a lineman — there’s nothing wrong with that. Especially if you sign shorter term ageing veterans like Kelly or Zeitler (which I’m in favour of if you can’t get to the likes of Dalman and Smith).

It all starts with free agency. That is where the Seahawks need to find impact, experience and talent to bolster an offensive line that has struggled for too long. If you want to become the team you say you want to be, if you want to reclaim Lumen Field as a fortress, if you want to run the ball and connect your offense and defense, it has to start with being far better up front.

They successfully rebuilt their defensive line over the last three years. Now it’s time to rebuild the offensive line and then go and get the best player available in the draft at #18, knowing you’ve already addressed your biggest off-season need.

The Seahawks have a clear offensive line plan under Klint Kubiak and John Benton. We know they’re going to run outside zone and adding players who fit the scheme will be important.

We’ve identified the prospects in the draft who graded best in zone in 2024. We also know the Saints, with Kubiak running the offense, drafted Taliese Fuaga in round one last year. He had a 91.3 grade. They also used a late round pick on Josiah Ezirim who had an 86.5 grade.

I wanted to look at the grades for the players drafted by San Francisco under Kyle Shanahan, given there is more data. It’s a mixed bag:

2024 — Dominick Puni (R3) — 68.9
2024 — Jarrett Kingston (R6) — 67.0

2022 — Spencer Burford (R4) — 79.8
2022 — Nick Zakelj (R6) — 77.3

2021 — Aaron Banks (R2) — 87.2
2021 — Jaylon Moore (R5) — 80.4

2020 — Colton McKivitz (R5) — 69.8

2019 — Justin Skule (R6) — 69.3

2018 — Mike McGlinchey (R1) — 90.0

The players drafted in the first two rounds (McGlinchey and Banks) both had very high grades. That could be important. Yet the two players drafted a year ago (Puni and Kingston) both had average zone blocking grades.

All in all, five players graded above 70, four didn’t.

I’m torn on this. On the one hand, the most physically aggressive player in the draft with the best pure guard tape since Quenton Nelson had a 65.5 grade in zone last year. Tyler Booker would be a terrific pick for the Seahawks but the grade doesn’t automatically make him a fit. I think he can play in zone but his tape is not as naturally suited to it as Grey Zabel for example.

However, as we all wait for the Seahawks to build a good offensive line for the first time in years, it would be difficult to pass on Booker — who might be long gone by #18 anyway — to only see him excel somewhere else.

Meanwhile, the Seahawks might be awkwardly positioned to take Zabel. After further tape study since the weekend, I believe he is a far better scheme fit than Kelvin Banks Jr. There might not be a better zone blocker in the class. But he is worth #18? That’s what I discussed in my video yesterday.

This is why I think it would be best for the Seahawks to solve their O-line issues in the veteran market, freeing them up to go best player available in round one. Depending on how he tests this week, that could still be Zabel. If it isn’t though, they won’t feel any pressure to force anything.

That will take some creativity though. Drew Dalman is an excellent option at center. At left guard, there are no obvious solutions in free agency. It’s why I’ve been trying to think of creative ideas. The one I keep coming back to is seeing if the Chiefs would have interest in trading Joe Thuney for Riq Woolen. Kansas City are never afraid to take on a highly athletic project and they need a cornerback. I don’t get the sense Woolen is a player Mike Macdonald particularly trusts and he might not exactly be a priority to extend on a big contract.

A deal like this, involving two players entering a contract year, might benefit both parties. The Chiefs save $16m, which could go towards trying to keep Trey Smith and/or Nick Bolton. The Seahawks get a proven left guard who graded a 79.1 in zone last season. His cap-hit would be $15.5m but that could be reduced slightly with a modest extension, similar to the Gabe Jackson deal. Losing Woolen would test Seattle’s cornerback depth but Macdonald has a track record of producing value performances at the position. Brandon Stephens, who excelled under Macdonald and struggled without him in Baltimore, is available and could be a cheap prove-it option.

I don’t think it’s likely. Thuney is beloved in Kansas City and the Chiefs can easily create cap-space using Patrick Mahomes’ contract. He might not be overly keen about moving to Seattle, given he’s spent the last few years competing for Super Bowls. You might have to make it worth his while.

I would like the Seahawks to think outside of the box though to try and address their O-line need. They’ve avoided first and second round busts in recent years with a ‘best player available’ approach. It would be best to try and retain that if they can — but that means fixing the line before the draft.

Finally, there’s some interesting news here on Quinn Ewers in the second half of this video…

While Miami’s Cam Ward mulls whether to throw at this week’s combine, Texas’ Quinn Ewers is healthy and ready to roll, with a little help from a well-known QB developer. @gmfb @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/hcGQaAJIA2

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) February 25, 2025

Tom Pelissero reports that Ewers is working with none other than former Cowboys Head Coach Mike McCarthy, a close friend of John Schneider. It doesn’t mean the Seahawks are going to draft him of course — but they’ll certainly be getting plenty of intel from McCarthy.

Pelissero also says Ewers played most of the 2024 season with a torn oblique. This isn’t a surprise. You could very clearly see a noticeable difference in Ewers’ mobility after the Michigan game. His play fell apart, not a shock given the injury was to his abdomen.

A reminder, in the three games before he suffered the injury, Ewers’ QBR was an 85.4. In the final five games of the season when he was healthier, he recovered his QBR to 79.7.

In the three games after returning from injury, where he rushed back to face Oklahoma and Georgia, before going to Vanderbilt, his QBR dropped dramatically to a 55.4.

This has to be taken into account when judging his performance in 2024. Admittedly it doesn’t excuse his injury history, which will be a concern. That said, I still believe some teams will see an opportunity to select Ewers in a value range, with no serious commitment to him becoming a starter, and feel like his selection is a shot to nothing.

Don’t be surprised if Schneider checks in with McCarthy for his thoughts on Ewers and considers taking him in this draft.