Brennan Williams could be our "ultimate warrior." He likes the face paint part at least.
Quarterback
Seattle is looking for a read-option capable quarterback backup quarterback. In my opinion, there are only three of them among the well known names: Geno Smith, EJ Manuel, and Matt Scott. I think Smith is under-rated in media circles and I would be surprised if he’s not a top five pick, but that’s a discussion for a different time. There were whispers that Manuel was a potential top 15 pick in the 2013 draft a year ago, similar to the kind of early hype Ryan Tannehill got. Given Manuel’s physical gifts and obvious parallels as a prospect to Colin Kaepernick, don’t be shocked if he ends up going somewhere in the first round.
Matt Scott is a favorite of mine and I had been waiting for the right time to explain why I think he’d be great for us. Unfortunately, word surfaced shortly after the combine that Matt Scott is a much more popular prospect with scouts and coaches than media types portrayed him, and his status has probably been elevated to a late 2nd round or early 3rd round type pick. Unless Seattle drafts Matt Scott at #56 overall, they probably aren’t getting him. That obviously isn’t happening, and if I had to bet, I’d keep an eye on Jacksonville in the 3rd round if they don’t select Geno Smith #2 overall. Their quarterbacks coach is reportedly a huge Matt Scott proponent. Since Matt Scott probably won’t be a Seahawk, I’ll have to put that post on the back burner and see if I run out of more relevant prospects to talk about first.
I like Tyler Wilson especially as a backup, but calling him a read option capable quarterback feels debatable, and will he fall far enough in the draft for Seattle to consider him? Something tells me that quarterback probably isn’t a first four rounds priority.
After that, there isn’t much.
I’ve cut against the grain in the past for several quarterbacks that were dismissed out of hand by the majority, including Russell Wilson. I’m not afraid of standing alone for a player I see potential in. That said, Marqueis Gray won’t get that endorsement from me, he’s just simply not a quarterback. Even his own team had him playing receiver near the end. Gray had more rushes than pass attempts last season. Having watched him some, I’m not even sure if he checked his first read before running half the time, much less a second. His mobility looks less impressive than his 4.72 forty time as well. And now I’ve already wasted too many words on him. I’d put Denard Robinson in this category as well.
John Skelton was cloned and renamed Zac Dysert. Dysert has good arm talent and can make throws from within the grasp, but locks onto receivers and has slow feet no matter what his forty time might indicate. Like Skelton, he’s capable of annoying you with fluke plays, but eventually reality will crash down on him. I personally do not view him as a read option capable quarterback.
Tyler Bray… moving on. Not a mobile quarterback. He’d be a great pick for Cincy as a backup- as he reminds me of a poor man’s Andy Dalton.
Colby Cameron is cited by some since he has read option experience and didn’t embarrass himself in the forty. Cameron has a lot of problems though. He officially weighed in at just 212 pounds, but I would guess that he played around 200 flat. He has a very skinny frame that does not look conducive to taking hits. He also has a sidearm release and at just 6’2″ that could result in a very high number of batted passes and accuracy problems. He has a big windup on his throws- though like Colin Kaepernick coming out of Nevada- he compensates for a very inefficient motion with a ton of arm speed. Cameron’s overall technique isn’t pretty. I feel like I see players like Cameron every year and they never last in the NFL, much less turn into impact starters.
There are things I do like about Cameron though. He plays the game at a very fast pace, a rare quality. He has solid footspeed on the field, somewhere between Jay Cutler and Tony Romo levels. He has an impressive feel for the pocket while keeping his eyes downfield, and he showed himself capable of checking through multiple reads, then tucking to run after completing several reads. He can change reads quickly, though he isn’t as smooth at checking reads as guys like Russell Wilson or Matt Barkley.
There is enough to like that Seattle might consider him, but I’m worried enough about his mechanics, accuracy, and lack of durability potential to pass on him if the choice were mine.
Then you have BJ Daniels who I highlighted yesterday. If you detected a tone of excitement in that post, it was partially from a sense of relief that I found a worthwhile consideration in an otherwise desolate landscape for late round read option quarterbacks.
It is possible that Seattle does not draft a read option quarterback this year. After all, John Schneider said his “primary model” included keeping Matt Flynn. If he does, the pressure to add a quarterback is lessened.
If Seattle does draft a quarterback, I could see five possibilities: Tyler Wilson if he tanks, Matt Scott if he doesn’t go as early as speculated, Colby Cameron if they feel comfortable with his flaws, BJ Daniels if they are okay with having two short quarterbacks. That’s four, with the fifth option being a quarterback that essentially nobody knows about- ala Josh Portis in 2011.
Would Seattle spend a high pick on a quarterback? That strikes me as unlikely, though it would become a little less unlikely if Matt Flynn is traded.
Wide Receiver
There was a tone of excitement in John Schneider’s voice when he acquired Stephen Williams on a dirt cheap two year contract earlier this winter. Some of you might be asking “Williams who?” Williams had been a failed member of Arizona’s wide receiver corps; you might say he was their version of Ricardo Lockette. That said, you know else was a castoff from an NFC West team in recent times? Danario Alexander. Alexander had a monster second half of the season in 2012, and finished #1 in the NFL in yards per target. Alexander proved to be one of the NFL’s most explosive deep threats, even if just for half of one season. Williams has very similar height/weight/speed/potential to Alexander. Maybe Williams is another Lockette, or maybe he’s another Alexander minus the injuries. All I know is, John Schneider was pretty geeked about acquiring him. “We got him!” Those were his exact words as I recall.
Ahead of Williams on the depth chart is the following crew: Percy Harvin, Sidney Rice, Golden Tate, and Doug Baldwin. John Schneider recently admitted that wide receiver was not a need this offseason, but they just felt Harvin was too good an opportunity to say “no” to. Would Seattle pass on this excellent receiver class as a result? Maybe, but then again, we have ten draft picks. What’s the harm in trying to jump on a value pick here and there?
As much as I’d love to get Ryan Swope at #56, that feels unlikely, unless Seattle feels they are likely to lose Golden Tate to unrestricted free agency in 2014. I think our best bet is later in the draft for tall receivers to compete with Williams, guys like Mark Harrison or Rodney Smith. I prefer Harrison, but Smith has some yards after catch ability and great measurables, so he’s worth keeping an eye on as well.
Tight End
I think Seattle is very comfortable with Zach Miller and Anthony McCoy as a starting duo. That said, I do think tight end could be an early priority for a few reasons. The first is that Seattle will run into cap problems next season, and that could force them to approach Zach Miller with a restructure, and that carries a strong risk of having to release him. Having a guy like Zach Ertz or another starter option gives Seattle leverage, and an insurance policy if the team is forced to terminate Miller’s contract.
The second is that Seattle doesn’t truly have a “joker” type tight end that is versatile enough to play several roles on offense. Chris Gragg, Vance McDonald, Jordan Reed, Dion Sims, Nick Kasa, Luke Wilson and Jake Stoneburner are some examples. Luke Wilson in particular could be a guy to keep an eye on since he’s almost more of a Riley Cooper type receiver than a true tight end. I’m lukewarm on Luke Wilson as a prospect, but he does strike me as a “Seahawky” pick at tight end.
My favorite tight end is Tyler Eifert. I was just about to give him a glowing writeup the day of the Harvin trade. Without a first round pick, we probably don’t have much chance to get him. His overall game is excellent but it’s his jump ball ability that I think would be a devastating weapon in our offense with Russell Wilson. If he somehow slides into round two, I would love to see the Seahawks make a dramatic move up the board to get him.
Zach Ertz will probably be an early to mid 2nd rounder. In a draft that has close to 100 players carrying round two grades, not to mention a very competitive tight end group, it’s conceivable that he could reach the #56 pick. I’d be a big fan of that pick as well.
Tight end is one of the positions in this draft where I could see Seattle grabbing one almost anywhere.
Running back
With the departure of Leon Washington there’s a new opening on Seattle’s roster at running back. Seattle has an interesting choice to make here, as there are some interesting bell-cow type backs in this draft with question marks. Marcus Lattimore and Knile Davis in particular. Seattle has the roster spot and lack of urgency required to draft Lattimore and stash him until his leg heals. Knile Davis is a gamble but his upside in a power zone is astronomical. He has some Terrell Davis type tape from his 2010 season, and his combine measurables are almost identical to Ahman Green’s. Both backs were 6’0″, 220, and ran a shockingly good forty time.
I don’t think Giovanni Bernard reaches the 56th pick, but if he did, I wouldn’t complain about selecting him. He has excellent smoothness and speed but is also tough and smart- he reminds me a little of Doug Martin last year. Utah State’s Kerwynn Williams is a similar player. Cierre Wood had a nice career at Notre Dame and posted decent enough combine numbers, but appears to be destined for the late rounds. I think he’d be a great pickup as his game reminds me of Chris Polk. He’d give Seattle a well rounded, versatile player.
I think the most likely option is that Seattle targets a dynamic and versatile player for that 3rd running back spot- with Denard Robinson being the front runner. Robinson has elite speed with excellent rushing talent, and might develop into a Percy Harvin type receiver with time. He can also return kicks. He’s about as Seahawky a pick as any in this draft. If Seattle took him in round three I would not be shocked, though I would hope they get him later.
Maybe they draft a Vai Taua type that can play both running back and full back. Michael Robinson is 30 years old and the fullback position means a lot to our offense. In fact, maybe Seattle just drafts a second fullback outright. It’s very hard to predict what Seattle could do here. Which I guess is a good thing, because having more options means more opportunity.
Offensive line
Seattle is set at center with Max Unger and Lemuel Jeanpierre.
Seattle’s situation at guard is unsettled but make no mistake, Seattle has talent there. JR Sweezy progressed much faster than anyone could have possibly envisioned. He is already a very good run blocker with elite second level blocking ability. He has elite athleticism (outperforming prospects like Matt Khalil in agility drills) and also has long 34″ arms for good measure. He makes a lot of mistakes in pass protection, but the future is very bright for Sweezy and I would expect him to be an asset next season. John Moffitt is a technician, not a juggernaut. He won’t blow you away but I noticed him creating several instrumental blocks on rushing touchdowns last season. I’d feel comfortable grading him as an average guard last year. James Carpenter has a ton of power and pulls well, he reminds me of the kinds of guards the 49ers have. He just needs to stay healthy and stay in shape. Rishaw Johnson showed a lot of promise as a road grader type last preseason. Paul McQuistan had a solid year starting at left guard. Overall, I think we are set at guard at least for 2013.
For the most part I am content with Breno Giacomini. A lot of his negative value comes from his penalty issues early in the season, but he seemed to improve on that area by the end of the season. He is a force in the running game, and he’s had some notable victories against top shelf pass rushers. That said, both Giacomini and McQuistan are free agents after this season, and Frank Omiyale is a yet unclaimed free agent right now. Drafting an offensive tackle as an upgrade makes sense. Not only as an upgrade, but as a way of saving some cap space that will be desperately needed next offseason.
Tom Cable’s preference so far has been for very tall offensive lineman that generally weigh less. Athleticism, power, and nastiness are emphasized over pass protection and polish.
My favorite, easily, is Menelik Watson. Unfortunately it’s looking like a poor showing at the combine can’t keep him out of the first round. That’s too bad, because his athleticism and power on tape is eye-popping. Less impressive tackles have gone top ten in previous drafts.
Terron Armstead is a small school option that tore up the combine and looks like a developmental type with a lot of power and quickness. I like that he wears my number. We haven’t had a #70 worth remembering since Michael Sinclair.
Brennan Williams is massive, powerful and very athletic. He’s 6’6″, 318. He doesn’t show a ton of nastiness in his play and has a problem with his hand placement, but I could easily see him being picked by the Seahawks in the early to mid rounds for his physical gifts alone. Williams was as high as #5 overall in a September mock draft on this very site. As Rob mentioned, Brennan Williams is the son of former Seahawk defensive lineman Brent Williams.
Jordan Devey doesn’t look athletic on tape, but he tested surprisingly well at the combine. He checks in at 6’7″ and 317 pounds. Devey plays with a nasty streak and is adept at getting defenders on the ground. Lumbering but powerful and probably a little too nasty for his own good at times, he reminds me of a taller Richie Incognito. Devey will likely go undrafted.
John Wetzel needs to be coached up some but he has very quick feet for someone in a 6’7″, 315 pound body. He has a ton of strength too and plays with a chip on his shoulder. Not a ton of stuff out there, but what I’ve seen of him strikes me as a Tom Cable type. Like Devey he’s not the fastest guy but he has a lot of power. Wetzel will likely go undrafted.
And of course, you have Jordan Mills, who was linked to the Seahawks, a team that might draft him “earlier than you’d think.”
There are many more offensive tackles, and I’ll probably break them down three at a time over the next six weeks. Those are just a few I thought I’d mention.
Fitting it all together
Here is a rough guess of what John Schneider’s draft pockets might look like on offense right now:
Quarterback: Very late rounds unless someone like Matt Scott or Tyler Wilson tumbles.
Wide Receiver: Rounds 5-7, barring an extreme value opportunity.
Tight End: Rounds 2-5. A good tight end class creates incentive for Seattle to grab one relatively early.
Running Back: Rounds 5-7, barring a draft steal falling into their lap.
Offensive tackle: Rounds 2-5. Adding a second one in the 7th or later as competition is possible.
Kicker: Maybe in the 7th. We’ll see.
–
There will be surprises, but in a predictable world, Seattle’s draft plan might look something like this (combining the draft pockets from both offense and defense):
Round 2: Defensive tackle, Offensive tackle, Tight End, Corner is a fringe possibility, as is a pass rusher if someone like Corey Lemonier is there.
Round 3: Defensive tackle, Offensive tackle, Tight End, Corner is a fringe possibility
Round 4: Defensive tackle, Offensive tackle, Tight End, Corner, Safety, Linebacker
Round 5: Offensive tackle, Tight End, Corner, Safety, Linebacker, Receiver, Running back
Round 6: Corner, Safety, Linebacker, Receiver, Running back
Round 7: Remaining needs and value selections
As you can see, this is a really wide open draft for Seattle so it isn’t easy to narrow things down much. That said, I think it’s pretty likely that Seattle will go defensive tackle, offensive tackle, and tight end with their first three picks, though there will be room for surprises depending on how the board falls in each round. I think Seattle will probably draft a cornerback later, but their interest in Robert Alford hints at it being a surprisingly early possibility. I think Seattle will probably bypass LEO given the additions they’ve made on a crunched roster, but I wouldn’t rule it out if an unexpected value falls in their lap.
Thanks for the early morning “fix”.
I’m not sure I ever remember seeing such a wide open draft. Of course much of that has to do w/ how well, and how fast, this team was built.
Aren’t we almost obligated to go DT in the 2nd, especially if Branch departs?
Having said that, we are in for a wild ride this year. I just can’t see how ten new players via the draft will be able to make the 53 man roster this year. It wouldn’t surprise me to see JS package some picks to move up for a targeted player or to stock pile picks for next year.
It depends who’s available. I do think “all-purpose” DT will probably top our priority list. Someone like Kawann Short wouldn’t shock me either.
I know alot of people have been down on Cosell recently, but this article is incredibly interesting with alot of Hawk love.
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/cosell-seahawks-set-tone-nfl-free-agency-181559870–nfl.html
Thanks for the link I enjoyed reading it
I’m really excited to see how James Carpenter can do with a healthy offseason and a full training camp. Alot of people are quick to call him a bust, but I’m not. A big man like that has a lot of potential.
Interesting the points made on selecting a RB. I don’t get the feeling Turbin is going to become an everydown back when the post-Lynch era begins. I’d love to get Marcus Lattimore in the 5th and stash him away.
Carpenter is the wild card. Just imagine how good this offense could be if Carpenter plays up to the level of his counterparts on each side (the two Ungs: Okung Unger). This is a bit of oversimplification and the offense will be extremely good even if he falters and give the job to another candidate but any real Seattle fan who was here in ’04 and ’05 knows what a force a good LG can be.
I’m curious….why on Turbin, he’s got the size and speed to be an “every down back.”…Personally based on Carrol’s time at USC, I could see us using a variety of backs, ala New Orleans. I wonder if Lynch is the every down back at this time, because he had an incredibly hot hand last year.
Turbin still has lots of potential, I’m expecting a big 2nd year. If the guards come together Turbin could break 1k yards even with Lynch breaking 1.5k.
I guess that’s a “no” on Casey Brockman?
I haven’t been able to find enough on Brockman to form an opinion I’m confident in. I consider him to be in the Josh Portis category.
He does look like a very polished quarterback. Mobility seemed okay, but more Tyler Wilson territory than Matt Scott or EJ Manuel.
What little I’ve seen, he reminds me of a shorter, more polished Kirk Cousins.
Finally found some game footage. Yeah, poor man’s Kirk Cousins would be pretty close as a comp. His mobility is on the good side of average. He doesn’t have quick feet. I don’t think he’s a read option QB, but I could see appeal to Seattle anyway since they liked Cousins.
Cousins is as good an analogy as any.
I like Brockman more for his short and mid passing game. Looks like he checks through his receivers quickly and makes good decisions and throws. He may not be a read option QB like Daniels, but he can move around the pocket and throw pretty well on the run if he’s flushed. At any rate, he’s strictly a 7th or UDFA.
SEA definitely needs to find someone though. I think we can all but guarantee Flynn will never be a starting QB for any team, nor are we likely to find any team willing to take on his current contract, let alone give us a draft pick or player in exchange. And there’s no sense in paying him beyond 2013.
I’ll say this- he’s a very good QB considering that nobody is talking about him. He’s just straight up a better QB than most of the guys that were invited to the combine.
I don’t think they are unhappy with any of their fallback options at any of their weak points. I could see them draft a WR in the 2nd just as I could see them draft yet another LEO, CB, or S. The field is really wide open for them to take whomever they feel would make the biggest difference in the short or even the long run. They could go with risky/high upside options like Carradine, Rogers, or Armstead. Or they could go meat and potatoes with John Jenkins, Kyle Long, or Jesse Williams. There are plenty of options in-between that would not be shockers.
I’ll be surprised if JS isn’t making some draft day trades.
Always a possibility. SF has tried to stockpile picks but they don’t draft very well compared to Seattle.
Same with New England. Belichick is crowned as this great personnel guy, yet with all eleventy billionty 1st round picks the guy has had, they don’t have a supremely talented team.
Kip, suggest a cross ref of the above needs vs depth, vs timing of contracts, vs backfill ability in free agency
ET, Sherman, Kam are most likely resigned while Branch, Hill and soon Browner are gone. While on offense Okung & RW3 will be highest priority to extend while Rice, Miller and Lynch will be the most important to replace.
Surely the depth in the draft vs the urgency/difficulty to cover or upgrade represents the best approach to the draft. I would say our order of priority should be 3tech, x wr, cb, te, wlb this year and next but this year looks best for DT (56 might be too late), CB, WR & TE. What’s your view on this?
The reason why I have DT, T, and TE so high is specifically because all three are potential positions of need in 2014.
I have corner a little higher than I normally would too since Trufant is gone and Thurmond might be gone next year.
From what I’ve heard, the team is working on an extension for Chancellor right now. Safety will still be a consideration, but I would be surprised if it’s an early one.
Hey what do you guys think of Barrett Jones. Can play anywhere on the offensive line. Played at a high level in the SEC. Could he be a sleeper pick at 56?
According to Rob – and something I agree with – Jones looks like a good center. I didn’t see him being athletic enough to play tackle in the NFL. He might be ok at guard, but center looks like his best position.
TACKLE
I would be very happy if we drafted Brennan Williams in the second. Kip nailed it on the head, referring to the salary cap benefits of drafting a capable tackle when Breno’s contract is up next year. I am actually one of those who thinks Breno is a pretty good RT, but he can be replaced on the cheap with this deep draft.
TIGHT END
The only way I see the Hawks taking one of these early is if the “chosen ones” Zach Ertz or Tyler Eifert fall to us, or we see such great benefit as to trade up for them. But if not, I see us waiting until the 5th or beyond to take Jake Stoneburner or someone line that.
DEFENSIVE TACKLE
I really like John Jenkins and would love to have the guy on this squad. But if he’s not there in the second I don’t know that there are any picks worth making at the position in Round 2. It would be better to look elsewhere at that spot if the pieces fall as they will; I’d be interested to see if we could get Bennie Logan in the fourth round. However if we have a high grade on him we’ll probably end up drafting him in the 3rd. Perhaps we’ll trade down into the early fourth for him.
WIDE RECEIVER
Thanks Kip for bringing up Stephen Williams. I had forgotten we signed him and was unaware that Schneider has such a man crush on the guy. I’m pretty excited about him now. On offense we have the big four: Harvin, Rice, Tate, Baldwin. After that there’s Jermaine Kearse and Williams (anyone else?). I imagine we’ll be keeping five receivers on the roster, so it will be Williams Vs. Kearse for that last spot. BUT if we draft a receiver in the later rounds like Harrison, Williams and Kearse would really have to step their games up in pre-season. Whatever happens, this position is going to be really fun to watch in the pre-season.
CORNER
I think nickel corner is the most important position for the Seahawks to address in this draft. THE MOST IMPORTANT. The nickle corner, league-average, is on the field 70% of the time. That’s a lot. So we shouldn’t take our nickle corner for granted. Although I think the position would be sealed if Walter Thurmond could stay healthy, he’s been injury-prone for awhile. I do not trust him to stay healthy all season. That’s why I think if Robert Alford or Darius Slay is available at 56, I’m banging the table to sign those guys, barring some superstar being available at another position. Another interesting part of this is that it’s Thurmond’s contract year; that guy is going to play out of his mind to either stay on this team or find a spot somewhere else. Thurmond has to have a good year this year, so the position battle would be really really interesting if we brought in a good athletic corner. Not only is Alford amazing on tape, but the guy is a workout warrior. Check out his combine stats:
40-yard dash: 4.39
225 lb. Bench: 17 Reps.
Vertical Jump: 40 inches <– This is amazing.
Broad Jump: 132 inches
My only concern with him is that he has Crohn's disease. Which would seem to be a difficult affliction to play with in the NFL. But I think this guy would be an elite nickel corner and can also probably play Browner's position as well.
KICKER
Caleb Sturgis. That is all.
End.
Nice comment.
I think it’s interesting that you view corner so highly. I am not at all in disagreement- you very well could be right. That said, I personally like Thurmond A LOT and by the start of next year he’ll be 100% recovered from his 2011 knee injury. I thought Jeremy Lane impressed quite a bit last year when pressed into service. So personally- I view corner as more of a luxury. That said, everyone is expecting a big rush on corners early so Seattle might have to take one sooner than expected to get the difference maker they might like.
I avoid posting on mock draft nights, but early Friday Morning I’ll have a post covering a guy that might be this year’s Richard Sherman for Pete Carroll. And like Sherman he probably won’t cost a high pick. He may not even cost a pick at all.
I’m looking forward to that post, Kip. But as far as the corner situation goes, we do have some good talent on the roster who can be slotted at the nickel position. Hopefully you’re right about Thurmond and he never sees an injury cost him more than one or two games again. But that game against Miami last year was a nightmare, and the primary reason we lost it was because of our nickel corner. Davone Bess, a largely un-impressive receiver, tore up our nickel corner and they drove right down the field to win the game. Now we had Marcus Trufant at the time, but it really illuminated how important the nickel position is and how you want that slot to be solidified. It’s more worrisome when you consider how we lost that Falcons game. Bottom line, nickel corner is important, especially on a team that has such great corners on the outside. If we could ensure a lockdown corner on the inside, I don’t know how you beat this defense. Is Thurmond that lockdown corner?
I hope I’m not letting the cat out of the bag because I’m not sure who you’re going to spotlight. But I came across this super interesting report on Brice Butler after his SDSU pro day. The Seahawks are all over this guy as a potential 6’3″ CB (who is currently a WR) with 4.36 40 time and big numbers on vertical, broad and 3-cone. And he was recruited by Pete Carroll. I love how thorough and innovative the Seahawks organization is – always thinking outside the box.
Oops, forgot the link:
http://m.utsandiego.com/news/2013/mar/19/brice-butler-sdsu-pro-day-katz-escobar-mcfadden/
‘Hawks may have a nice TE in Fells as well, he will be an interesting story in camp. McCoy and Morrah are both decent options who could benefit from a 2nd year Russell Wilson as he will start making guys look more talented than they are.
There are varying levels of Crohn’s and it can be effectively managed with medication and diet management so it’s probably not a huge deal.
PC has wanted another safety as good as Earl for some of his packages. They had Barron on their short list last year.
Getting a nickel back with the quickness and instincts to shut down speedy slot receivers has to be high on the wish lists of most NFL teams. Thurmond’s large wingspan would also be an asset in the role, it would be nice to see he and Carpenter have breakthrough seasons from a health perspective let alone performance.
If Jenkins is the pick, he’d be a fine addition to the rotation. He’s very strong and would add to the strength up the middle. When they’ve been stout there, they really turn it up a notch in their run defense. Wagner will be even more of a shark this year and would benefit from strength in front of him.
What about Darren Fells? Before we got Percy Harvin, he was my biggest focus and although I’m not ready to proclaim him the next “Jimmy Graham” I think he makes TE much less of a need. Seattle has taken chances on plenty of players like this before.
He’s very athletic but there’s no way to gauge how good he’s going to be in the NFL. He hasn’t played since high school. Until he actually does something on the field you can’t discount the tight end position any less.
He’s a long shot to make the 53. I doubt he factors much into the draft war plans.
Fell’s is a great camp story, maybe more, maybe less. Right now they have more TEs for camp than they’ll need especially given that using Harvin as a feature of the offense may diminish the number of joker plays from a 2 TE set but I could be wrong. It seems like they could use more help on the defense than another TE but they could see Kelce as a poor man’s Miller. They like the fact that Miller’s versatility makes him great at hiding whether or not they’ll look to pass or run.
Kip or Rob, what do you know about Zac boren? This guy seems like a warrior. 3 year starter as a fullback at Buckeye U. Hell-ova blocker by the sounds of it too, the Rb’s rave about him. Can catch a little but no run production to speak of. Then switches to linebacker halfway thru his senior year and rips it up! I can imagine this guy as a terror on special teams. Does this kinda versatility translate to an nfl roster? As a possible replacement for Heath farewell or even M Rob down the road? What do you think of him as a 7th rnd target?
Good call. I can’t find much about Zach Boren, but I found enough to know he’s got quite the reputation. Spending a 7th rounder on a great fullback isn’t outrageous, and Seattle will probably start looking for some given Robinson’s age.
All I can tell you from watching him is that he’s a high effort guy with decent athleticism and strong intangibles. Sounds like someone who’d be worth a look.
I hate this feeling.
I was smiling before this mock draft. I was still high on the Harvin/Avril/Bennett move.
I do so love to have PC and JS go drafting and do their magic and as i was reading your fine work realized again that we really don’t have that many urgent needs and those are easy to handle in the draft. I also realized that even without the 1st round we’ll find good enough players in those positions to compliment a very very good roster as is.
Basking in that fuzzy glow of happiness I was hit by the hard reality i was ignoring for a while now –
The 49ers with their veteran stacked roster have 14 picks. 6 in the first 4 rounds. They cant even find room in the roster for more then 5 at best. So, while we get good players starting the late 2nd round for our few needs – they can pretty much get any 3 guys they want beyond the top 15 picks. If they need to trade up for them – they can. If i was them – I would. All those guys we said that if they drop to 25 – we should grab, All those guys we we wonder if they could make it to the late 2nd round – They can get them. Not just one of them, 2 or 3 of them if they want to. They have 2 bloody picks ahead of us as it is without trading. ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR…
So, while we are March champions so far – They could very well have the last laugh in a month.
I hate this feeling !!!
Please make a new mock draft. Say the niners have traded down from all their top picks since they don’t need anyone else.
Excellent breakdown Kip.
I think I’m pretty much in lock step with you in regard to how the draft lines up for the Seahawks. The only area my opinion differs from your is swapping corner and LB.
I think if Arthur Brown is available in the second, or Zavier Gooden is there in the third, JS may pull the trigger.
Thoughts on Nick Flores from Baylor? Not coming out for draft, but maybe UFA?