Author: Rob Staton (Page 1 of 458)

Sports Broadcaster, Journalist and creator of Seahawks Draft Blog in 2008.

Draft notes from week five of the college football season

October 7, 2026 / / 0 Comments

The Georgia Bulldogs are a key team to monitor

I don’t think it’s any surprise that John Schneider recently went to watch Georgia in person. Once again, this is a team stacked with fearsome NFL talent.

Linebacker Chris Cole would be an ideal hybrid player for a system such as Mike Macdonald’s but by April he will be a top-10 lock. He was again excellent against Vanderbilt on Saturday and I’d pitch that he’s one of the most impressive players I’ve scouted since starting the blog in 2008.

He can attack the outside shoulder better than most pass-rushers, using gravity-defying balance to stay on his feet and bend to straighten to the quarterback. He will attack the B-gap with pure speed and power. Sometimes the right tackle simply can’t react in time to cut him off. His vision combined with his closing speed when he plays middle-linebacker — followed by his Cheetah like speed in pursuit — frankly has to be seen to be believed. When pulling tight ends run across the formation to try and seal the edge, he just blows them up.

Cole lined-up off the edge early on against Vanderbilt on Saturday and on a 3rd and 7 in the second quarter he showed a really nice dip and bend to get around the tackle and force a pressure. On one snap he contained the run and as the running back tried to bounce outside, he went after him and brought him down for a four-yard loss. When he needed to drop in coverage, he did so with ease.

There was a play where he lined up at middle linebacker, saw the run bounce to the outside and he flew to the sideline and forced the runner out of bounds. His acceleration and closing speed is absolutely remarkable and at an elite level. I can’t recall watching a linebacker play with this level of quickness.

He finished the game with two TFL’s, four pressures, three hurries and a hit.

He is one of the more exciting prospects I’ve studied in years regardless of position. A true X-factor weapon who can do so much for a creative defense. You can move him around anywhere. I refuse to believe there’s any chance he lasts long in round one. He is a true difference maker with the potential to be a star.

Safety KJ Bolden looks like a Seahawk. Against Vanderbilt, Bolden came flying downfield on one rep — working through traffic and absolutely hammering the ball-carrier, drawing ‘oooh’s’ from the crowd.

He had a very good 2nd and 10 hit on a run that broke through the LOS. Bolden got low on the tackle to send the running back to the turf, limiting the damage to a five-yard gain. On a 1st and 10 pass late in the third quarter, he also saw the intended target quickly — a slant — and rushed downhill to level the receiver. Again, it drew ‘oooh’s’ from the crowd. He broke up a crucial 4th down throw at the end of the third quarter too.

It wasn’t all perfect. He missed a sideline tackle on Vanderbilt’s first touchdown. He wasn’t quick enough to diagnose what was happening, wasn’t in ideal position to make the play, was late to the receiver catching the downfield pass and missed the tackle.

Bolden finished tied-first for tackles (7) and all were solo tackles. He’s a good player. His position often lasts longer than it should so he might be more in the pick #25-45 range than early round one — but he’s a player with real talent and the right attitude.

Cornerback Ellis Robinson IV had an interception at the start of the fourth quarter. He lost the rep early on the release but showed good recovery speed and ball-tracking skills to locate the ball in the air, over his shoulder, and complete a very difficult catch. Overall he gave up one 11-yard catch on three targets in the game. He hasn’t missed a single tackle in five games so far.

Linebacker Raylen Wilson also had seven tackles but only one was a solo tackle. He’s not at the upside-level of Cole but he’s a very solid, pro-style linebacker who is also worth keeping an eye on as the process develops.

It’s very easy to imagine any of this quartet fitting in Seattle — their playing style, their personalities. Georgia faces Alabama on Saturday in what will be a fantastic game to watch for next level scouting.

Alabama prospects continue to shine

For me, there’s no doubt that receiver Ryan Coleman-Williams is one of the best draft eligible players for 2027. People soured on him after a challenging 2025 season and they’re yet to adapt or shift their opinions. It’s overdue.

By all means hold the drops against him last season. He had too many. After five games though, here’s how he compares this season for drops:

Bryant Wesco Jr — 3
Jeremiah Smith — 2
Ryan Coleman-Williams — 1
KJ Duff — 1
Reed Harris — 1
Wyatt Young — 1
Nick Marsh — 1
Duce Robinson — 1
Evan Stewart — 1
Deuce Alexander — 0
Malachi Toney — 0
Charlie Becker — 0
Cam Coleman — 0

At what point do we just give a player the benefit of the doubt? He has improved this year. His catching technique is still not ideal — but he is not dropping a lot of footballs so far.

Here’s what he is — a truly dynamic, extremely rare athlete who is so remarkably sudden and quick. He is a player who can and will challenge defenses to account for him on every snap.

Remember — he’s an athletic freak. Reportedly he’s capable of a 44-inch vertical, an 11-2 broad jump and he’s been recorded at 23.1 mph on the GPS. He’s 185lbs and can squat 465lbs.

Against Mississippi State he scored a routine touchdown after being left wide alone — but his leaping jump to reach the end-zone was impressive. He also had a spectacular catch to the left sideline. It was thrown to back-shoulder but was high and off target. RCW reached out at full stretch, off balance, and made the grab agains Mississippi State’s top cornerback Kelley Jones. He extended his arms away from his body to make a difficult catch.

I hope the media — and NFL teams — continue to linger on what happened last season during a messy campaign for both the player and Alabama in general. Coleman-Williams is a high-character individual with unbelievable, difference making talent. If he lasts into the second half of round one — someone is going to end up with a colossal steal. I suspect as the process moves along he will re-establish his position as a high first round pick.

Outside linebacker Yhonzae Pierre has the body-type and playing style of a Seahawk but I just wonder about his pass-rush upside and production.

Regardless, on one rep he attacked the left tackle with great dip and bend, drew a clear hold, and his pressure arguably forced the quarterback to fumble the ball leading to a turnover. More of this please.

He also had a play on a key 3rd and long completion where he over-ran the edge, couldn’t get to the outside shoulder quickly enough, and was run out of the play by the right tackle. He doesn’t have the ankle flexion or the pure burst to beat the edge consistently. He can be stiff at the point where you want to see natural bend and straighten. At the end of the first half, he barged the right tackle back into the quarterback for a sack on third down but it was nullified by a hands to the face penalty by somebody else.

Devan Thompkins returned to playing a lot off the EDGE despite his big size. On one snap he threw off the tackle to make a play on the running back. He also had a big interior rush on the goal-line — beating the tackle to break into the backfield, dropping the runner for a loss of yards. Shortly after on second and goal, he capitalised on a blown assignment, exploding into the backfield and forcing a throwaway by the quarterback. Mississippi State had to settle for a field goal to end the half. He played a big part in that.

On the other side, Mississippi State outside linebacker Amaree Williams also continues to flash. He led the team in tackles (7) and he’s a player I am fond of.

Florida’s end to a great start creates mixed stock review for two players

Running back Jadan Baugh has been building a lot of momentum for the way he’s started the season — but I had a couple of reservations. Florida uses a multi-back approach and to be honest, every runner has had success. The game at Missouri would be a test. Can Baugh, in a situation where a tough, physical opponent would aim to shut down the run, still find a way to create and make some plays?

The answer was a convincing ‘no’.

You could tell from the first snap that Mizzou were going to get after him. He had no time, no room — but he couldn’t break out and create within the stifling environment. He had 12 yards on nine carries in the first half and finished with 12 carries for 13 yards. He played hesitant throughout.

It’s not all on him. Just in the way a quarterback can struggle if you don’t protect him, a running back at least needs a lane or two to make things happen. Florida’s running attack was completely shut down and increasingly, as the score grew, they had to move off it.

Baugh is a really good player — but when an opponent commits so much to attacking the interior you’ve got to find ways to get outside, break contain. He doesn’t have that initial burst and acceleration as a bigger back to reach the edge and turn up-field. Neither is he someone you can go to the screen game with in the passing game. He’s a head-of-steam player for me — and I think you just have to temper his stock slightly, amid all the talk of being RB1 or a high first rounder.

It’ll be interesting to see if other opponents can have the same success Missouri had. For a few years now you can rely on Mizzou to win many trench battles. Other teams will not be so effective and Baugh will have a chance to bounce back.

English defensive lineman Emmanuel Oyebadejo started the game off the edge. Remember, he’s 6-7 and 300lbs. This is what he was doing at that size:

Now — watching this game I think it’s evident he needs to work on his pad-level. It’s hard to stay low when you’re as big as he is to win the leverage battle. He’ll still need to find a way to win the combat 1v1 in both passing and running scenarios. He also needs to find a way to keep his frame clean to disengage and get off the block.

When lined up inside he wasn’t forceful enough on the punch so when he tried to get to the swim move, it was easy to defend because the blocker gained positional leverage and could stay engaged to finish.

Even so — Oyebadejo is just so interesting as a ball of clay who let’s not forget, only started playing football in 2023. On a 3rd and 8 late in the first quarter, he showed better initial hand placement and was quicker into the swim. He darted inside and broke to the quarterback, forcing Austin Simmons into an incompletion. Mizzou had to kick a field goal as a consequence.

Overall he played well with two pressures, a sack and a hurry. He has a great attitude and everyone I’ve spoken to says he’s extremely focused and a willing learner. It’s amazing to think what he could be in 1-3 years time.

A quick side note from this game — Missouri quarterback Austin Simmons was very impressive. He was decisive, on-time, accurate and throwing to all areas of the field. He threw with anticipation — completing passes into some really tight windows. The offensive scheme is a bit tricky sometimes and sets the table for the quarterback but he played extremely well when the call was a bit more demanding (mentally or physically). It is worth noting Florida’s passing defense was among the statistical worst in college football going into this game — but Simmons is someone who could consider taking advantage of some middling play by other quarterbacks and opting to turn pro. He has talent.

Kenyatta Jackson plays like a DeMarcus Lawrence replacement

Their body types are similar, as are their playing styles and alpha aura. Jackson is off to a fast start for Ohio State (three sacks in five games) and collected another sack against Iowa:

Lawrence was taken 34th overall in 2014. He was an old-time blog favourite we viewed as a viable target for the Seahawks before they traded out of the 32nd pick (moving down twice before drafting Paul Richardson).

I suspect Jackson’s testing profile might put him in a similar range. Lawrenson’s 1.63 10-yard split at 251lbs was ‘OK’ and not in the preferred 1.5 range. We might see something similar from Jackson.

However — if the Seahawks want someone who could develop into a younger replacement, Jackson is the closest thing they’ll likely find.

Also against Iowa, he used a straight-arm to keep his frame clean and drive his blocker backwards for a good rep. He dropped quite deep in coverage on three snaps in the first half, helping force a throw-away on one and an incompletion on another. On a third he dropped really deep, then converted to rushing at the QB (arguably causing an un-flagged pass interference on a defender he was covering who he suddenly treated as a blocker to be disposed of). He was injured on that play but came back into the game on the next defensive series.

Also in the first quarter he power-rushed the right tackle into the turf. He can get around the edge he just doesn’t have great bend-and-straighten ability. Jackson had four pressures, three hurries and a sack in the game.

A quick mention for another player I like too — safety Earl Little Jr continues to quietly go about his business. He’s so consistent running to the ball-carrier to mop up tackles and end plays. He’s a very solid, dependable safety with a pro-future.

Notre Dame O-liner stars — but I’m not sold on CJ Carr

One of my favourite players in this draft cycle so far is Notre Dame’s converted left tackle (now playing left guard) Anthonie Knapp. He was outstanding again against North Carolina.

He’s listed at 6-5 and 305lbs and only gave up one sack manning the blind-side in 2025. He can reportedly jump a 33 inch vertical and a 9-2 broad — these are top numbers for an interior lineman.

He gets into position nice and quickly in pass-pro so he can set and engage. Knapp connects with the target even when angled awkwardly or moving sideways (not easy). He gets his hands into the right position, locked into an opponents’ chest, tight and inside. He gets into a pass-protecting set with ease and efficiency. He shows off a good, strong back to anchor.

He won’t just hang on blocks and looks for extra curricular activity. When the opportunity arrives he will dump opponents to the ground and finish. He knows how to turn opponents inside to create room on outside runs. He also shows good awareness and will come off one initial block to switch to another.

He generates some knock-back power and will drive opponents off the line. His lateral agility is OK —- he’s not a dancing bear, which is why a shift inside is a good fit — but he’s not a stiff either.

Knapp can absorb attempted swim/rip moves and not get beat, hold his ground and he doesn’t lose grip. His combo blocking is very useful on tape and he does get up to the second level and engage. There’s also evidence of him taking a straight arm, cutting it away and letting the defender overextend to lose the rep.

We all want to see linemen play with an edge in terms of physicality and playing to the whistle. He does that — and you see him let opponents hear it when he wins big.

There are some good interior linemen in this draft. Iowa’s Kade Pieper could easily be a high pick as a player who kicks inside to center, while his team-mate Trevor Lauck could move inside to guard and go in the first two rounds. Greg Johnson at Minnesota gets a lot of attention online (he recently shifted inside to center but is a more natural guard). Indiana’s Carter Smith has a future at guard and could go in the first two rounds, while Ohio State’s Austin Siereveld has already kicked inside (his more natural long-term home).

At the moment I have Pieper as an early round center and Knapp as my top rated guard. Both are clear top-50 types.

Notre Dame’s quarterback CJ Carr is often placed within the first round conversation but I have to say — I’m not sold.

He plays in a system that demands very little of him. If you watch the tape you’ll see that nearly everything is one-read. He’s not even using his eyes/helmet position to hold a safety on most throws. The ball is snapped, he has a primary target and his role is to get the ball to him. Often this is a quick snap and fire — on deeper routes he will sit and wait for his receiver to develop his route and uncover.

Carr doesn’t possess difference making physical tools in terms of arm, mobility and size. He does get the ball out quickly but again, it’s typically to his first read. He’s not required to make progressions and throw with much anticipation or complexity.

He’s not a player who plays out of structure. He isn’t going to improvise much at all and he won’t be a difference maker with his mobility or throwing on the run. He’s not someone who is going to make magic happen when the called play breaks down.

I’m not saying it’s all bad. He has shown a degree of high quality accuracy on some throws. He had a play vs North Carolina where he’s stood on the 36-yard line, he waited for his receiver to get downfield and layered the pass beyond the cornerback and safety. He fit it into the right area with timing and accuracy. It was a very pretty throw. It was still only one read on the play though. In the NFL, a safety might read his eyes and take that away with ease.

Carr throws with decent loft on fades and gives his receiver a chance. On the short/intermediate stuff he fires the ball out quickly enough to keep things ticking along. I just don’t see a first round caliber player though.

I don’t think he will turn pro as a redshirt sophomore. I would expect he’ll be back at Notre Dame next season. I just think there’s a fairly limited ceiling here and I don’t see a ton of upside. I don’t watch Carr and think — I can’t wait to watch this guy in the NFL.

I think it’s pretty clear that the best two quarterbacks in terms of the 2027 draft, so far, have been Trinidad Chambliss and Drew Mestemaker. I’m still not convinced I would take either with a high round one pick if I had a painful quarterback need. After that, I think we’re still waiting to see more from the likes of Dante Moore and Nico Iamaleava. I’ve made my thoughts pretty clear on Arch Manning. Darien Mensah is playing the percentages and benefitting from the situation in Miami. He’s doing a good job but I don’t believe he should be judged any differently than he was at Duke, where he also played well but without Malachi Toney was universally viewed as a mid-round pick.

Right now, if I was a team intending to draft a quarterback without a clear long term option on the roster, I’d be more inclined to tap into the great riches at the other positions in round one and then take a flier on USC’s Jayden Maiava in the rounds 3-5 range. You do see evidence of Maiava going through his progressions. He will manipulate and hold safeties with his eyes. He can scramble to extend and be creative. I like his drop and set technique and his throwing base when he gets his footwork right. Throwing over the middle, he has shown he can fit passes into tight windows.

There is some natural ability here and I think he can operate a NFL offense. I’m not sure he has the big-time physical tools to be special, or even to start at a high level in the NFL. Even so — there’s more natural flare and translatable tape than some of the other quarterbacks in this class.

I’ve done a full scouting report on Maiava and will get into more detail another time. If I was picking in the top-10 next year I would much rather wait on him at quarterback than go after some of the other names in round one.

Meanwhile, back to Notre Dame, linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asu still doesn’t look completely back up to full speed after returning from injury (and he’s only had half the snaps of the other big names on the Irish defense so far) but he had an interception on Saturday against North Carolina. Boubacar Traore got the hit on the quarterback to dislodge the football as it deflected up into the air. It was a very simple pick but it was good to see the hugely talented KVA making a play. He had three pressures and a QB hit as he works back to his dominating best.

I’ve not been blown away by Traore — and on this play the effort by the right tackle was laughable. He just fell over after the slightest bit of contact. Traore gets a good press in the draft media but I don’t see a lot of suddenness and burst. He gets stuck on too many blocks and for the type of player he is you’d like to see more quick wins as a speed rusher.

Other notes

— Saturday was my first real opportunity to focus on Clemson receiver Bryant Wesco Jr and I liked what I saw. He has a long frame but he’s still quick and dynamic into his release and he can separate with ease. I thought he looked very smooth and had a big day — nine catches for 152 yards. I’m eager to see more — he’s another name with legit potential, adding to a very deep looking receiver class full of day one and two talent.

— California’s incredibly talented safety Kingston Lopa left the defeat to UNLV with a concussion on the first defensive snap. Hopefully he’s not out for too long.

— Not many players hold their own against Malachi Toney but I thought Clemson cornerback Ashton Hampton certainly did. He’s a very talented cornerback in a group of four (Kelley Jones, Zabien Brown, Ellis Robinson IV, Ashton Hampton) behind clear CB1 Leonard Moore of Notre Dame. All five cornerbacks could go in the first round.

— South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers was again throwing behind and off-target in the Gamecocks’ latest loss, this time to Kentucky. He did make a spectacular 75-yard run in the fourth quarter to supercharge his team a little and that’s what he can do. He also made a big 3rd and 10 throw with a defender hanging off him — but then on a 4th down option run he simply dropped the football untouched and coughed up a fumble. It’s pretty clear at this point he needs a fresh start.

— Miami running back Mark Fletcher is a heck of a player. Tough, physical, runs through contact, enough speed and size. I really like him.

If you enjoy these long-read scouting reports — which take up most of my weekend and you won’t find anything like this anywhere else — please consider supporting the blog via Patreon.

A Seahawks trade target that arguably makes sense

October 5, 2026 / / 0 Comments

For the last three years, the Seahawks have been very active ahead of the trade deadline.

In 2023 they acquired Leonard Williams. In 2024 it was Ernest Jones Jr. A year ago, amid plenty of speculation from the likes of Jay Glazer and Adam Schefter that something really big was brewing, they ultimately settled for acquiring Rashid Shaheed.

After four games, it does feel a little bit like the 2026 Seahawks could use an addition or two before November 10th. I’ve seen a few names already being speculated on but none really seem to fit the bill.

I think I’ve found one that might.

Firstly, we need to establish the kind of team that could be a seller. It’s typically a franchise resigned to the fact that this isn’t going to be their year, so they’re willing to look ahead, acquire stock and move on from players who are not part of the long-term future.

Situation also matters. If you’ve just hired a new, young Head Coach — making his life harder could make their life impossibly difficult as they settle into the role. It could also be that if your coach is under pressure and you’d rather avoid firing them, or have no plan to, removing their better players could simply ramp up the pressure further and give the impression you’re giving up.

I think there’s a perfect storm brewing with the player I’m going to suggest, where a deal might be possible.

So who is he?

YaYa Diaby, the 27-year-old EDGE rusher of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Buccs are facing a crossroads with their Head Coach Todd Bowles. He signed an extension until 2028 last year but his position seems less than secure now that they’ve started 0-4. It’s perfectly plausible that ownership will be considering a change and perhaps even making plans, short of an unlikely turnaround.

That turnaround is even less likely given the injury to Baker Mayfield. It’s unclear when he will return but they’re currently playing an undrafted rookie free agent in relief. If Mayfield misses an extended period of time the losing will likely continue, meaning that by the time you get closer to the deadline, the Buccs will have a sellers’ mindset and embracing the season as a write-off.

They had a challenging off-season with contract negotiations — Vita Vea requested a trade after talks initially broke down, plus Mayfield also had an extended contract stand-off. Both eventually re-signed but it wasn’t a smooth process.

This possibly impacted Diaby — who has been a steal for the Buccs after he was taken 82nd overall in 2023. He had 24 sacks, per PFF, in his first three years in the NFL — plus 153 pressures.

Diaby is in the last year of his contact and the feeling currently is the team is inclined to let him test free agency and establish a market. Tampa Bay is currently $20.7m in the red for effective cap space next year.

He had nine sacks last season and 62 pressures. No Seahawks defender had more in the 2025 regular season in either category.

This season, as with the rest of the Buccs, he’s started slowly. He has zero sacks and seven pressures.

He reminds me a little bit of Odafe Oweh. He was in his final year with the Ravens last season and after five games, also had zero sacks. He was traded to the Chargers for Alohi Gilman and a 2026 fifth-round pick. He then collected 7.5 sacks in 12 games for LA — turning a strong end to the season into a four-year $100m contract with the Washington Commanders as a free agent.

Perhaps the Seahawks could do something similar here? If the Buccs know internally they are not going to extend Diaby, given the financial situation they’re in, would they consider trading him now for stock in a loaded-looking 2027 draft?

For the Seahawks, you’d be adding a younger pass rusher who could come to Seattle with a real incentive. Finish strongly playing for one of the best units in the NFL and he could enter free agency next year with major momentum. If he didn’t cash-in with the Seahawks, the team would still possibly get a comp-pick if indeed the gamble pays off and he succeeds, then gets paid elsewhere.

The Buccs might be hesitant to do it knowing if they hold on to Diaby, they’ll get a good comp pick if he moves on. Yet they might prefer to have stock in the 2027 draft rather than wait until 2028. They also might need to get involved in free agency themselves, especially if they hire a new coaching staff, jeopardising their comp pick. Trading him now would be a good way to make sure they get something in 2027.

John Schneider regularly cites Buccs GM Jason Licht as one of his best friends in the NFL. That could aid negotiations.

Is he a fit for the Seahawks?

Coming into the 2023 draft he was seen as more of a power-rusher until he ran a blistering 4.51 at 6-4 and 263lbs — with an excellent 1.56 10-yard split. Arguably, that’s the kind of EDGE quickness the Seahawks have lacked at times. Dante Fowler has not had much impact through four games.

We know they put a lot of emphasis on run defense. Diaby has an average grade of 73.1 (per PFF) for run defense over the last three seasons — which is very reasonable. I’ve seen some Buccs fans lament that he’s a better run defender than pass-rusher. I suppose that both makes him a fit in Seattle but also someone who might not actually add the dynamic EDGE rushing that’d be useful to have.

I’m not convinced you’d get him as cheap as the Chargers did for Oweh. However, looking online, Buccs fans are frustrated with his play so far this season. He has struggled and looks like a player needing a fresh start. I’ve seen comments from people saying, ‘get what you can and move on’.

It might have to be a pure rental given how many other players you need to pay next year. It’d be tricky to reward Diaby, Sam Darnold, Byron Murphy and AJ Barner — although I suppose they have just had a calendar year where they pulled off paying Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Devon Witherspoon, Derick Hall, Rashid Shaheed and Leonard Williams. So it’s not impossible.

The downside would be giving up a pick for next year’s draft. It’s looking as deep as advertised — and this is undoubtedly one of the thickest drafts in terms of numbers I can remember studying — and I’ve done this blog for 18 years.

There is one thing to note though — it’s not a particularly deep looking EDGE class. The Seahawks face the possibility of losing DeMarcus Lawrence (retirement) and Uchenna Nwosu (contract) next year. They could be left with just Hall on the roster to play the EDGE. That’s not ideal — so adding a veteran at a good age who can provide a solution there, allowing you to focus on other positions early in the draft, could be a smart move.

Unlike other potential targets (Curtis mentioned Khalil Mack on X earlier today) — Diaby could be a player you have beyond just a few games this year. So it needn’t be something just to give you a short term boost.

We’ve seen the Seahawks pull off a heist before (Ernest Jones) so we know it can happen. What if the Buccs were willing to do a deal that presents a big opportunity for the player and team?

I think it’s an interesting name to keep an eye on, especially if the Buccs keep losing.

If you missed my stream with Jeff Simmons earlier today — check it out below:

Instant reaction: Seahawks win a sloppy game agains Chargers, ruined by the refs

October 4, 2026 / / 0 Comments

The NFL, once again, has a refereeing problem.

It started today with the Jaguars vs Bengals game, where there were 24 accepted penalties. It continued into the Dolphins vs Vikings game, where there were 20 penalties — including, I believe, 16 in the first half.

It’s ridiculous that the Seahawks’ win against the Chargers outdid both — with 30 accepted penalties. The crew in charge of this game were also responsible for the Packers/Jets slop-fest in week two, where there were 27 called flags.

This has to stop.

Granted, there’s plenty of blame to be pointed at the Seahawks and Chargers today. Both were ill-disciplined and messy. Yet there were so many ticky-tack calls and at times it felt like there was a flag being thrown on every play.

A special teams tackle with incidental helmet contact? Flag. A missed field goal turning into a 15-yard penalty because a player jumped while touching a guard on the shoulder? Flag. Tackling a quarterback in any way, shape or form? Flag.

Penalties in this high-contact, ultra-aggressive sport should be egregious. They should slap you in the face like you’re being whacked by an Atlantic cod. ‘That was obviously a flag’ needs to be the order of the day.

Otherwise, let them play. This was an awful spectacle today. The opposite of entertainment. Each appearance by the Head official more difficult to stomach than the last.

Even at the end of the game, the key moment had all of the joy sucked out of it. Justin Herbert was sacked and fumbled. The Seahawks had the football and, seemingly, a win. Yet, once again, there’s a flag. The ref’s then stood talking for what felt like an age. You couldn’t celebrate because for all we knew, this would be a flag to extend the drive. Eventually, the Head ref took his position. Then he stood there for what felt like 30 seconds, silent. Finally he revealed it was a post-play flag on #69 for the Chargers.

Just bloody announce it. That penalty was totally inconsequential. Why was it discussed so much? Why the delay in announcing it? It spoilt what should’ve been a celebratory moment.

The NFL can’t watch that today and think this is what it wants to be. Fix this. No more games like Chargers/Seahawks or Packers/Jets. And the serious talk should start with this crew, responsible for both farces.

All in all though, this was a tough watch for more reasons than simply the refs. The Seahawks are a long way off their best.

They built momentum throughout last season and you could feel them getting better and better. All three phases connected to play supremely balanced, high-level football. They were the best overall team in the league.

It might not have been obvious this time last year — but you could feel something was building. You could eventually begin to plot a course to go all the way. There isn’t that feeling currently.

At the moment, everything just feels a bit off.

The offense played in fits and starts. Some great drives, some maddeningly frustrating ones — with nothing in-between. The final drive and attempt to finish the game felt timid and uninspired.

They neither did a good enough job feeding the ball to Jaxon Smith-Njigba today (five catches) but equally failed to get anyone else properly involved. Rashid Shaheed had one catch (kudos for getting him the rushing score, though). Cooper Kupp had one catch. AJ Barner had one catch. Tory Horton had one catch. You get the picture. They have too many good skill players to have a day like this against a pretty poor defense missing Derwin James.

The running game was fine, if lacking sparkle. But it felt like they could do more with their weapons today and they missed that opportunity.

Defensively they took their eye off the ball later on with silly mistakes. This didn’t feel like the boa constrictor they aim to be. There were really good moments — the two picks, some good sacks and some big hits. They also shouldn’t be giving up crazy plays on fourth-down, surrendering the perimeter in the running game and they surrendered a lot of running yards today overall.

On special teams, kick-coverage still seems far weaker than a year ago. Jason Myers missed an extra point and a field goal — before the penalty bailed him out on the second miss.

The Seahawks need to tighten up in all thee facets. They can be a great team again this year — but not playing the way they have the last two weeks.

I’m getting a bit of a 2014 vibe here. They have tough games coming up. They might lose a few and end up with a middling record. Twelve years ago they fell to 6-4 and used a loss in Kansas City as a kick up the backside to win-out, all the way to the Super Bowl. They might have to endure some short-term pain to regain their full mojo. Do they need a similar jolt to the system?

I hope it isn’t necessary. It’d be great to see them rejuvenated and back to their best against the 49ers and Broncos over the next two weeks. They’ll need to improve though.

Curtis Allen’s Watch Points (Week Four vs LA Chargers)

October 4, 2026 / / 0 Comments

This is a guest post by Curtis Allen…

America’s greatest reality show rolls on into Week Four.

The best part of a reality show will always be the shocking twists and turns.

The pre-season favorite Rams are 1-2 and Sean McVay’s behavior is erratic and concerning.

The Cleveland Browns are 3-1, the Raiders are 3-0 and the Houston Texans are 0-3.

Drew Lock was one of the most effective Quarterbacks in Week Two, for crying out loud.

It is in this climate that the Seahawks enter this week’s game against the shockingly 0-3 Los Angeles Chargers.

Fans of both teams have things to fear about their opponents this week.

For the Chargers, they are coming into a raucous stadium to play the defending Super Bowl champs.  The hosts have a healthy chip on their shoulders after losing to the Commanders and their backup Quarterback last week.  It stings and they do not want to let that feeling linger.  And while the Seahawks did lose, it was by only two points, meaning in their last four losses they have lost by a grand total of eleven points.  This game will by no means be easy.

For the Seahawks, they will be facing a talented Chargers team that is 0-3 and playing for their playoff lives in Week Four already.  Only one team started 0-4 and rebounded to make the playoffs: Ironically, it is the Chargers, in 1992.

A loss will almost certainly turn their hopes of being an AFC contender into a three-month discussion about Jim Harbaugh’s effectiveness, Mike McDaniel’s job status and Justin Herbert’s future in Los Angeles.

What is happening to the Chargers?

Chris O’Leary has replaced the fantastic Jesse Minter as Defensive Coordinator.  McDaniel replaced Greg Roman (they also added Adam Gase as a Passing Specialist).

They are really struggling to put their talents to use with effective coaching.  To use the coaching parlance of the day, they are “not connected” in a meaningful way.

Inconsistency, dropped passes, turnovers, and blocked punts.  They have nothing to really hang their hats on.  They rank in the middle to bottom half of the NFL in a lot of meaningful stats.

The Chargers are struggling with an identity crisis on offense.  McDaniel has one of the most physically talented quarterbacks in the NFL to work with, but so far as yet to really get the offense to make its mark.

It is very likely due to the adaptation to the personnel taking longer than expected.

In Miami, McDaniel’s offenses were masterpieces of execution.  Moving parts that kept defenses guessing, a Quarterback with above-average accuracy on simple reads, and an ability to scheme up a running game that could slash through the gaps.

It could all come together because the team had speed.  My goodness, the speed.  Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle at Wide Receiver and De’Von Achane and Raheem Mostert at Running Back.  All of those players ran a 4.2-4.3 40.

In Los Angeles?  Their primary weapons – Quentin Johnston, Omarion Hampton and Tre Harris – are all in the mid 4.4-4.5 range.  Lad McConkey clocked a 4.39 at the combine, and in a lot of ways has been their most effective player.  However, he now is fighting a foot injury and is questionable to play.

They are not really trying to run the same “fast” offense (telling stats like time in the pocket and depth of target are right in the middle of the pack), and what they have been running has not been effective.  Receivers struggle to get separation, the formations lack deception and the interior of their line might be the weakest in the NFL.

The classic tactic to mitigate a weak interior Offensive Line (lining up in shotgun) has been a struggle.  Herbert’s passing is badly affected:

This is a major issue.  Herbert has traditionally been most comfortable in shotgun, having run it on nearly 80% of his snaps in his NFL career.  If a 56% completion rate continues? This offense is sunk.

On defense, the Chargers are struggling to marry their pass rush with their coverage, particularly at critical points in the game.  They have generated turnovers (five last week versus Buffalo), but it has masked their inability to get off the field.  Teams have been easily getting chunk yard plays against them and letting opposing offenses dictate the pace of the game.

Their pass rush is average.  And I mean that in the most literal way possible.  They blitz 24% (#16 in the NFL), generating a 24.5% pressure rate (#13) and have seven sacks and 25 pressures so far (#17 and #18 respectively).

Their run defense was a source of pride until James Cook came in and ripped off 6.4 yards per carry and five explosive runs right through the middle of their defense last week.

The Seahawks have a decided advantage in chunk plays on both sides of the ball:

Los Angeles’ stats and performances would be acceptable if they were the Miami Dolphins, rebuilding from scratch and outpacing the absolute bottom of the league based on hard work and smart coaching.

But not for a team like the Chargers.

The Seahawks want to keep them on uneven ground for another week and come away with a win.  How can they do it?

Use Coaching Acumen to Your Advantage

The Seahawks have a clear advantage on defense.  Their interior Defensive Line is one of the best in the NFL.  The Chargers’ interior is one of the worst.

Mike Macdonald has to find a way to convert this disparity into a dominating performance.  Any quarterback – no matter how mobile or physically gifted – struggles when faced with constant internal pressure.

It is up to Macdonald and Aden Durde to make use of Byron Murphy, Jarran Reed, Rylie Mills and Leonard Williams in a way that can control this game.  Using his creative formations, stunts and blitzes through those interior gaps can keep this game in total control.

Several of Justin Herbert’s passes have been brilliant lasers – shots through tight windows that defeat the best of formations – and yet, Charger receivers have been unable to reel in these receptions to move the offense.  At some point, these receivers will have a game where they will not drop Herbert’s throws.

The Seahawks cannot look at the early results of the Charger offense and conclude the ineffectiveness will continue unabated.  They need to make sure Herbert does not have a chance to make the throws his skills allow him to attempt.  Employing their pressure packages and effective pass rush play can assure this will not regularly succeed.

Forcing Herbert into short, quick throws will allow defenders like Ernest Jones, Nick Emmanwori and Devon Witherspoon to exercise their athleticism and close gaps on ball carriers quickly and force the offense into Third-and-long situations.

On offense, Brian Fleury faces a very intriguing challenge.  Emanuel Wilson and George Holani are fine players, but not game-breakers with the potential that Jadarian Price has.  He will have to make do with an ‘average at best’ running game in order to deploy his offense effectively.

Can it be done?

Yes.  It can.

Have a look at the run chart for James Cook against this Charger defense last week:

Now, Cook is one of the league’s best running backs.  So no disrespect intended, but Joe Brady and the staff cooked up a tremendous game plan for Cook.  Look at that chart.  He did not have a single run that lost yards.

If you look at the highlight reel you will see that while Cook ran effectively, he frequently had very healthy spaces opened up by his Offensive line, and right through the very heart of the defense at that.

With a man blocking concept, which the Seahawks have run successfully, they can ground enough distance out on the run to balance their offense and avoid becoming one-dimensional.

It requires a proper setup in order to run at peak effectiveness though.

Does such a setup exist?

Yes.

Right now, through three games, offenses have absolutely torched the Charger defense by passing on First Down.  Currently, the Charger defense is #29 on yards conceded in the passing game on First Down, with a gaudy 9.3 yards per attempt number, a full 27% worse than the NFL average.

If there ever was a game where “throw to set up the run” was a valid philosophy, this is it.

George Holani is an effective receiver.  The Seahawks have Tight Ends to deploy at their will.  They can display creativity with Tory Horton and Cooper Kupp, and are in the possession of the most dangerous offensive weapon in the NFL in Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

There is a tremendous opportunity here to take this game to the Charger defense.  To come out with a calculated passing attack in the early downs.  It establishes the run game, makes Third Downs much more manageable, and keeps the enemy from employing stacked boxes to keep the run game in check.

It also sets up those three or four critical Third Downs that every game has.  Will that make them more effective?  Yes, it will.

When the opposition passes on Third Down, the defense concedes a First Down 48% of the time, a major dropoff from the league average of 40%.

Deployed properly, 20-22 runs for 75-90 yards will do just fine in keeping this offense on track.

Let the talented defense do the rest.

Jadarian Price heads to IR, capping a miserable week or so for the Seahawks

October 3, 2026 / / 0 Comments

Here’s a rundown of what has happened since the Seahawks beat the Arizona Cardinals to move to 2-0:

— A video leak of Mike Macdonald talking ‘off the record’ about a disagreement with Sean Payton and the Broncos was published online, forcing the Head Coach to issue a public apology

— The Seahawks put in an uncharacteristic, messy performance to blow up their 12-game winning run by losing to the Washington Commanders (who were missing several key starters)

— The Head of the new ownership group, Vinod Khosla, reportedly made some clumsy comments during an interview about moving the team out of Seattle — suggesting, “never say never.” He has since clarified there are no plans to move the team in a Tweet — but blamed the media, rather than own what appears to be an ill-judged remark and a very avoidable own goal

— Jadarian Price, who has had a challenging start to his NFL career with two fumbles, is now set to miss at least the next four games with a chest injury after being place on injured reserve. It means that the Seahawks, currently, are getting virtually nothing out of their 2027 draft class

I don’t know about you — but I could do with a win against the Chargers to cleanse my palate.

My late-September thoughts on the 2027 draft class

September 28, 2026 / / 0 Comments

We’re now four weeks into the college football season and we’re starting to get a clearer picture of what this class is (and isn’t).

I wanted to run through a few thoughts today…

Finally, reality is hitting with the quarterbacks

Todd McShay admitted on Saturday that the 2027 group is overrated. Other draft media pundits, who spent all summer telling everyone this would be a legendary class of quarterbacks, are similarly facing up to reality.

I don’t currently have a single quarterback graded firmly in round one. Ole Miss’ Trinidad Chambliss has the top ranking based on his performances so far — but that doesn’t necessarily mean he should be viewed as a clear top-10 (or even first round) pick. He has shown an ability to throw with anticipation, accuracy and timing. He has a decent arm. He’s incredibly elusive and can create magical plays. He best compares to Russell Wilson — yet Wilson was such a rare commodity, it will be difficult to determine exactly the range where Chambliss deserves to be placed. Luckily we have a lot more games to see before needing to make any conclusion.

Oklahoma State’s Drew Mestermaker, whilst throwing five interceptions in four games, is delivering a range of highly impressive passes that warrant attention. Currently, he should be second to Chambliss on the list.

Look at this throw against West Virginia. This is almost effortless from Mestermaker — with very little base, he delivers a perfect throw in a crowded pocket 50-yards downfield and hits Wyatt Young in stride, almost like it was a hand-off:

 
I’m willing to accept the high number of turnovers so far because Mestermaker is not an experienced starter. Depending on how this season plays out, he should consider staying at Oklahoma State for another season to continue his development. Yet there is clear natural throwing talent here, not to mention major athletic upside.

Here are some other throws from the West Virginia game:

He also had a 75-yard run against Oregon:

Despite my initial scepticism based on his North Texas tape, Mestermaker has a chance to make it. He will be an interesting one to follow in the coming weeks.

Saturday’s disgraceful hit by USC’s Desman Stephens on Oregon’s Dante Moore could, sadly, have lasting ramifications. An MRI scan came back negative but we’ll need to see how such a horrifying scene from Saturday’s game impacts Moore.

When he has been on the field, I still think he reminds me a little bit too much of Josh Freeman. He has the size and an arm but there’s very little ‘wow’ factor with his play, he is not a mad improviser and features very much within his system. He was poor against Oklahoma State — and although I find it hard to hold this against Moore personally, we should at least acknowledge that his backup, Dylan Raiola, similarly played a very efficient and productive brand of football within this offense. They didn’t miss a beat without him.

Darien Mensah is a neat and tidy player benefitting from the brilliance of Malachi Toney and a paper-thin schedule so far for Miami. For me, he remains the same mid-round talent everyone broadly considered him to be when he was at Duke a year ago. Toney is an exceptional talent and destined to be a top-five pick next year. Without Toney in the second half against Wake Forest, Mensah toiled. I wouldn’t consider him to be a high pick — and we’ve seen how recent Miami quarterbacks have elevated their stock beyond their means (see: Cam Ward).

Nico Iamaleava has not really had to push himself at UCLA, who are winning without their quarterback putting up big numbers. He is still a very naturally gifted player but it is difficult to watch him currently and feel like he warrants buzz as an early draft pick.

I wouldn’t expect CJ Carr to turn pro after two seasons starting at Notre Dame, unless they go on an epic playoff run, he excels and wishes to strike while the iron’s hot. Sam Leavitt can’t stay healthy, continues to turn the ball over and doesn’t look like a future NFL starter in my opinion. LaNorris Sellers is virtually undraftable at this stage, despite his physical talent, based on the way he is playing and has played over the last 12 months. His best choice would be to stay in school next year, try a change of scenery (probably Miami) and hope to rebuild his stock.

And then there’s Arch Manning. Finally the penny has dropped. As we’ve been saying for what feels like an eternity — if his name was Arch Smith, we wouldn’t be talking about him as an attractive NFL prospect. He continues to be hesitant and inaccurate, he badly lacks composure in the pocket, he makes some horrendous throws that lead to turnovers or near turnovers and we are seriously overestimating his athletic upside as a compensatory factor.

Let’s be clear — he’s a good athlete. He does not possess ‘elite’ tools. The way some people carry on you’d think we were watching Wyoming Josh Allen. Manning is not close to that level of physical upside — and this assumption that composure, timing and accuracy will emerge in time due to having two famous uncles and a grandfather means very little. Through one-and-a-bit seasons as the starter in Texas, he does not look like a future NFL starter. He’s not a first round pick, let alone a high first round pick.

Without major improvement, Manning should continue to earn a fortune playing college football — working to improve his game. I don’t think he will declare.

So that’s really it. Hardly the super-class of quarterbacks many were projecting as early as a fortnight ago.

The idea that bad NFL teams picking at the top of round one would squander the opportunity to draft an outstanding talent like Jeremiah Smith or Leonard Moore in preference of tapping into this quarterback group is insane.

Once again the media, so desperate for quarterback headlines, have hyped up a class and have let down their audience. How many times does this have to happen? Pick a ‘big name’ draft pundit. They virtually all had Manning in their top-five. It’s not good enough.

The good news about the 2027 draft

This is a very interesting class overall. We don’t need to force the quarterbacks into the narrative to create entertainment. We’re good.

I have tentative first or fringe first round grades on 26 players currently. I don’t even have some of the more hyped up players included within that list (eg, Cam Coleman, Trevor Goosby, Yhonzae Pierre — more on them later).

I also haven’t watched every player and there’s still time for new names to emerge or for others to improve their stock.

This is a massive difference to the last draft. It has the makings of a deep class with top-end talent in round one.

The receivers lead the way

Everyone knows about Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith and frankly, he should be the #1 overall pick in 2027 and it shouldn’t even be a debate. Stop over-drafting quarterbacks for the sake of it and take the second coming of Julio Jones instead.

Behind Smith, there are a cluster of really talented alternatives.

Alabama’s Ryan Coleman-Williams remains a legit first round talent and, for me at least, WR2. I appreciate people will point to his drops — and I accept it’s a problem that needs rectifying. However, there simply aren’t many players like him on Planet Earth.

He is so incredibly dynamic, sudden and electrifying. Speed, quickness and agility wins in the NFL and RCW is just on a different level. You can see on the field his reported +23mph GPS speed, a 44-inch vertical and 11-2 broad. I genuinely believe he has the talent to be one of the NFL’s best playmakers.

There’s a great example from the weekend against South Carolina. Watch the video below. Initially, he shows a quick move to avoid any kind of contact with the LOS defender (who I don’t believe it trying to jam him — but if he was, RCW looks quick enough to beat it). In no time at all he’s in a position to occupy the safety’s attention. He perfectly pulls off a stutter-step then explodes towards the end zone. He’s open, he catches the football and it’s a 35-yard score:

Look at the quickness, look at the sharpness in how he operates (the initial move, the fake, the acceleration). This is stuff you can’t teach. Think of the top speed receivers in the league over the last decade — they share these kind of qualities.

There has been some improvement on the drops in the last three games (zero recorded). It’s still a concern to acknowledge, embrace and know it could be an issue at the next level. His catching technique needs a lot of work. Yet we’re talking about a player who would be a top-10 lock without this issue. I’m willing to spend a whole summer working on his one technical problem to unlock the unbelievable talent on offer. You don’t often get a chance to draft someone this good.

Ryan Coleman-Williams is rare. I am prepared to take a chance on rare. And this isn’t the over-used ‘rare qualities’ that loads of players get labelled with. I’m talking about a level of talent and upside that is only a notch below Jeremiah Smith and Malachi Toney within college football. If he falls due to the drops, I think good teams should be ready to roll the dice.

For what it’s worth, he is constantly praised for his maturity and he’s a team captain at Alabama.

I would also consider Ole Miss’ Deuce Alexander someone of great interest. Again, you can’t teach remarkable speed. His ability to explode off the snap and challenge defensive backs is not typical. If you sit deep in zone he will drive on his man and is a constant threat on the double-move, breaking back to the QB to accept the often offered deep cushion or he’ll simply run by you. He’s so sudden and quick he’s extremely difficult to cover over the middle and good luck covering him in man. He’s too fast. He can sell the deep route and break back inside with such quickness, he often leaves defenders in constant stress.

Look at this double-move against Florida:

For me, his speed/suddenness is good enough to call special and I think he warrants a lot more attention than he’s getting.

Indiana’s Charlie Becker and Oregon’s Evan Stewart also carry major intrigue. Becker has such a complete game — and while he doesn’t quite have the dynamism of Coleman-Williams and Alexander, he just does everything at a high level. Stewart, is another explosive athlete — a speed receiver who has returned this season and looks back to his best.

I think Rutgers’ KJ Duff, Arizona State’s Reed Harris, Florida State’s Duce Robinson, Texas’ Cam Coleman and Oklahoma State’s Wyatt Young are capable of getting into the mix — depending on how the rest of the year and testing plays out. Of the group, Coleman is the one who has flattered to deceive the most relative to his consensus draft stock. He clearly has some natural talent — I’m just not sure he has the special qualities.

This is a deep, talented class of receivers. It’s exciting.

Who looks like they could be a top-10 pick?

Aside from Jeremiah Smith and Leonard Moore — who should be #1 and #2 off the board if we take away the endless desperate need to overdraft quarterbacks — there are a few others making their case.

Texas pass rusher Colin Simmons had six sacks against Tennessee and is tailor made to be a top-end, high-quality NFL pass rusher. He has all of the tools required to make it big at the next level. Meanwhile, South Carolina’s Dylan Stewart is widely viewed as a prototype for the position — long, strong, quick. He is a factory made NFL EDGE.

Stewart’s stock has taken a knock this week after he was suspended indefinitely by the Gamecocks for a petulant display against Alabama. He was slow coming off the field at times, angering his Head Coach. He refused to be subbed out of the game at one point. On another, he was heading to the bench and had to be ushered back to the sideline by a coach. Then he punched an Alabama player.

I spoke to a well-placed source recently who suggested that there’s a view some share that he’s not the sharpest tool in the box. Evidence for this is stuff like his ridiculous ‘machine gun’ celebration as he stood over Jaxson Dart, which you can see in the video below along with the issues from Saturday:

As of right now, I wouldn’t expect this to have much impact on Stewart’s stock. To me this feels a lot like a maturity issue, perhaps mixed in with some entitlement as a player who has been talked about as a future high pick since leaving High School. I would imagine he’s also very well paid.

There simply aren’t many players with his talent and physique. So unless this situation escalates, I would imagine teams will eventually dig deep into his personality, he will work overtime to repair his image and he will still be taken very early. We’ll see.

Simmons, meanwhile, provoked his mother to apologise on social media after a bizarre urinating celebration after one of his sacks against Tennessee. Goodness knows what he was thinking — but it provoked a penalty flag and he too may have some maturing to do. Even so — both have to be considered as likely top-10 picks alongside Smith and Moore.

Georgia linebacker Chris Cole is going to be a top-10 pick. I am absolutely certain of that. There are simply not many players capable of doing what he can do on a football field. His closing speed has to be seen to be believed — he gallops like a race horse. He could set records for his position in the forty at the combine. He can cover 1v1, carry the seam, drop immediately to eliminate throwing lanes. He only missed four tackles in 2025 (although he missed two against Oklahoma at the weekend, his first misses of the season). His pursuit skills are reminiscent of an Apex Predator chasing down its prey. When he reaches the point of contact, if you’re square on, he won’t take any prisoners.

His interviews are also very impressive — he is a charming individual and speaks very well. I am completely sure the NFL will see him as a can’t-miss prospect.

Rest assured John Schneider will have been very impressed, given he reportedly attended the Oklahoma vs Georgia game in person.

Ole Miss defensive tackle Will Echoles might’ve struggled, along with everyone else, to get an angle on the Florida Gators’ running attack on Saturday. Despite that, he has all of the characteristics of a highly draftable interior defender.

Kewan Lacy (RB, Ole Miss), Jadan Baugh (RB, Florida) and Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asu (LB, Notre Dame) can all make a case to be among the ten-or-so most talented draft-eligible players for 2027 — yet positional value could work against them. All three are exceptional talents.

Who else is standing out?

Oregon tight end Jamari Johnson looks every bit as good as LSU’s Trey’Dez Green. Both are excellent talents as receivers. Johnson needs to play consistently for the rest of the season to secure a high, likely legit first round grade. Against USC at the weekend he was absolutely phenomenal. He hurdled defenders, pulled off a miraculous one-handed grab, busted seams galore and was virtually uncoverable.

He’s capable of making people miss in the open field and accelerating away from defenders — this is not typical for a tight end. He’s such a threat in the long red zone. He consistently creates separation against defensive backs and he even has YAC potential. He looks like a special athlete and even his blocking looks decent at times.

If you want to watch what was virtually a perfect game by a college football player, go and watch his tape from Saturday.

Green needs to return from his knee injury and at least show some improvement as an in-line blocker. However, he is also an extremely rare physical talent (6-7, 240lbs). Both could easily end up being top-20 picks.

Mississippi State cornerback Kelley Jones is one of the most underrated players in college football. He has immense size but isn’t stiff with it. Typically when you’re 6-4 and pushing 200lbs at cornerback, you’re going to see some hip-stiffness or a lack of an ability to transition with speed and smoothness. Here’s some of his snaps from Saturday against Missouri:

I had Jones as a fringe first rounder for 2026 and was surprised he didn’t declare. He’s playing even better this season — and you can see he’s loving his football at the moment. Of all the players on that upstart Mississippi State team, he’s the one bouncing around after big moments and appearing fired up.

Alabama’s Zabien Brown is also showing genuine signs of first round potential, whilst Clemson’s Ashton Hampton and Georgia’s Ellis Robinson IV can certainly get into the mix if they continue to play the way they have in the first month of the season. I’ve watched three games of all three so far and came away impressed. At safety, Georgia’s KJ Bolden and California’s Kingston Lopa have been standouts. Both have good size and Lopa in particular has been a playmaking machine.

LSU’s Jordan Seaton is currently the only offensive tackle I’ve watched with clear first round traits and/or the ability to remain on the left hand side. His ability to kick-slide with ease, compete with top-end athleticism and look like a legit NFL blind-side blocker have him in the first round mix if he can play with greater consistency and develop an edge. I think Iowa duo Kade Pieper and Trevor Lauck can both be top-40 players, although Pieper might end up converting from right guard to center and Lauck from left tackle to guard.

Miami’s Justin Scott has a lot of potential and British-born Emmanuel Oyebadejo has sensational physical potential. Both players just need to make more splash plays over the coming weeks.

Players who look like they could emerge as solid NFL starters

Alabama’s Yhonzae Pierre and Ohio State’s Kenyatta Jackson both look the part. They are big EDGE defenders with Demarcus Lawrence-style builds. Either could interest the Seahawks to fill the void when Lawrence retires at the end of the season. However — they need to show they are in Lawrence’s range for testing (1.63 10-yard split).

On tape, neither player is a dynamic, twitched up pass-rusher. They don’t have the great ankle flexion to bend-and-straighten at a top-end level. Neither do they possess exceptional quickness and burst off the snap. However, they will do a very solid, dependable job at OLB or EDGE defending the run, with the ability to provide some pressure from a starting position outside. They might be solid not spectacular — but there’s a value in that.

I don’t currently view Pittsburgh’s Ryan Baer, Texas’ Trevor Goosby or USC’s Elijah Paige as first round offensive tackle prospects — but all can come into the league, even if it’s at right tackle rather than the critical blind-side position, and possibly become capable starters. Indiana’s Carter Smith and Ohio State’s Austin Siereveld look like very capable guard converts (Siereveld shifted to guard this year — but moved to right tackle recently due to injuries).

Mark Fletcher at Miami and LJ Martin at Boise State are both very interesting potential day-two starters at running back, while I think people are sleeping on Ohio State safety Earl Little Jr.

I’m eager to see more from Virginia Tech tight end Luke Reynolds.

LSU’s dynamic speed-rusher Princewill Umanmielen is showing the potential to act in a rotational role as a likely day-two prospect, while Alabama’s Devan Thompkins has flashed a few times — certainly enough to make him intriguing. Will Heldt (EDGE, Clemson) is productive, long and has talent — but I’m finding it hard to determine what his actual upside is. Testing will help.

Who are the overrated players?

Most of the quarterback class, for starters.

A’mauri Washington (DT, Oregon) is a great athlete for his size but he’s not much of a football player. There’s a lot of mediocre or bad tape to go with the occasional splash play. I’m not sure we’re seeing much more than mid-round qualities from a number of talked-up defensive linemen (Clev Lubin, John Henry Daley, Matayo Uiagalelei, Damon Wilson, Bear Alexander, Ahman Moten Jr, Quincy Rhodes Jr).

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