Author: Rob Staton (Page 192 of 425)

If you like quality defensive tackle play, Saturday was a treat.

Alabama’s Quinnen Williams put on a performance as good as you’ll ever see from a college DT. Auburn’s Derrick Brown dominated against Texas A&M. Clemson’s Christian Wilkins also put on a tremendous show — aided by his team mate Dexter Lawrence.

Let’s start with Williams.

Alabama beats LSU 29-0

There’s only one team capable of stopping Alabama this year. It’s Clemson. Just put them both in the playoff final now.

Quinnen Williams is a redshirt sophomore and not many Alabama players declare after a single season as a starter. It’ll be interesting to see which way Williams is leaning because against LSU, he was unblockable.

In the first half he took on a double team, disengaged and then sacked the quarterback for a six yard loss. On the second play of the second half he shook off the center with ease and sprinted into the backfield before dumping the QB on his backside.

In possibly the worst play call of the night, LSU had their quarterback run a QB draw up the gut. It was never on. Williams disengaged his blocker with a fantastic pull/push move and hammered the quarterback for a TFL. The same drive was ended when Williams stunted to the right, shoved off the running back’s attempted block and dumped the QB (who had to try and scramble) at the LOS for no gain.

With 1:34 left in the third quarter, Williams worked along the LOS to pursue the running back and hit him out of bounds. It’s an underrated play that teams will love. Having the athleticism and will to get on the move and stretch out running plays (and make the tackle) is a huge plus.

He had his third sack with 14:14 left in the game. Williams swims to get free of the right guard. The center notices the trouble and steps across to help. So Williams swims him too. He gets into the backfield and throws the QB to the ground. The assist goes to Isaiah Buggs for driving a double team into the quarterback from the edge, forcing him up and into the pocket where Williams was waiting.

I’m still not sure Williams will declare. Not many redshirt sophomores leave Alabama. Yet he’s played well enough this year for it to be a consideration. If he does turn pro, he has every chance of being a very early pick on this evidence.

Buggs and Raekwon Davis also played very well. Buggs had numerous pressures off the edge and also worked well on his snaps kicking inside. Davis, in the fourth quarter, drew a holding call and also shook off a block with a great swim move to force a pressure. Davis’ combination of size and athleticism will secure a place in the top half of round one. Buggs looks like a top-50 type.

Last week we highlighted how well Christian Miller is playing. Here he had one terrific rush against the left tackle to force a punt on third down. He exploded off the snap and ran by the LT before he’d even set his feet properly. He had no chance to halt his path to the QB. Miller also had a nice rush right at the end of the game — beating the tackle and hitting the QB from behind to force an incompletion.

Miller is a fantastic athlete with great quickness. He’s someone to keep in your mind. This isn’t a particularly deep draft class and as long as the health checks are right at the combine — Miller could go earlier than many are projecting.

Mack Wilson, the middle linebacker, benefits from Alabama’s talented D-line. He’s always kept clean. It enables him to roam around and make plays. He ended LSU’s final chance of points with a leaping interception in the end zone. It was a remarkable grab. This might be Alabama’s most talented defensive group, even with all the first round picks from previous years.

LSU played the first half against Alabama without Devin White. A dubious targeting call in LSU’s last game ruled him out for the first two quarters. It got worse. Ten minutes into the game, their second best defender — safety Grant Delpit — was flagged for targeting. And yet on review they overturned the call. It felt like a ‘make up’ call for a fortnight ago. Delpit’s hit was worse than White’s. There was absolutely zero reason to overturn it. I don’t want to see Delpit out of the game bu it very much felt like they didn’t want White and Delpit out at the same time. Not that it would’ve made much difference. LSU’s defense is very good but once again they were let down by an impotent offense.

Derrick Brown is legit

In a year dominated by talented defensive linemen, Auburn defensive tackle Derrick Brown is near the top of the list. He was absolutely fantastic against Texas A&M, ending the game with with a sack and 2.5 TFL’s. That barely tells the story of his great day.

In the first quarter he put two offensive linemen on the turf D.J. Fluker style. He consistently controlled the LOS and carried two blockers. When he left the field for the first time as part of the rotation, Texas A&M immediately had a big gain in the running game.

On one play he drove his blocker deep into the backfield then shook him off with an inside spin move to pressure the quarterback. With 10:32 left in the game, Brown shot the A-gap and was far too quick for the guard who was desperately trying not to hold. He flew into the backfield, forced a bad throw and the subsequent field goal was missed (proving crucial in the end).

With 4:35 left he took on a guard and the full back at the same time and drove both into the running back to make a stop for no gain.

None of this compares to what should’ve been the play of the day. With 2:31 left, Auburn trailed 24-21. They needed a stop to extend the game. Brown engaged the center at the LOS and bull-rushed him seven yards into the backfield. He drove him straight into the QB’s lap. With his left arm he disengages and hits the QB, forcing a fumble. The ball fell right to a team mate on the D-line and somehow (I’m still not sure how) he didn’t manage to fall on the ball allowing a Texas A&M lineman to recover. Auburn still got the ball back and drove downfield to win the game — but this should’ve been the play. It was a major highlight reel moment for Brown and a play NFL teams will salivate over.

After Auburn took the lead 28-24 with seconds to go, Brown stunted to the outside then leapt into the air to tip a swing pass to the sideline for an incompletion.

This was a masterclass. Brown was aggressive, strong and set the tone. He’s quick and mobile for his great size. He can do it all — absorb blocks, line-up at the one, three or five, shoot gaps with quickness and get-off and drive blockers with a terrific bull rush.

He’s a cast-iron high first round pick and thoroughly deserves a home in the top-20.

Clemson quartet continue to wow

Let’s call it the Deshaun Watson effect. A couple of years ago everyone went cold on Watson. People started to knock him and nitpick. He went from possible #1 overall pick to late first rounder (if not worse). The group think was tiresome. Familiarity was breeding contempt.

It happens every year.

Highly touted prospects who return to school create ridiculous expectations. People expect the world. They’ve heard so much about these players, they expect outstanding performances every week. Maybe even every snap.

We’re now seeing the same thing with Clelin Ferrell, Christian Wilkins and Dexter Lawrence. Fantastic prospects who are having great seasons. Yet if you look at the various mock drafts online, you’d think they’d been struggling.

Nonsense.

Today Clemson’s D-line flat out embarrassed Louisville.

Top-45 prospect Austin Bryant started things off with a sack by dominating a tight end. You can’t block Bryant with a TE. For some reason Louisville did it twice early in the game and he won both battles with ease.

Dexter Lawrence quickly followed with a fantastic bull rush, driving the guard into the backfield. Lawrence regularly occupied two blocks to make life easier for his team mates.

On one play with 9:28 left in the first quarter, Clelin Ferrell flew by the left tackle who barely got a finger on him. It was a perfect display of quickness, explosive athleticism and suddenness. Austin Bryant met Ferrell in the backfield after being given the TE as a blocker again. The QB was lucky to dodge both players before being hammered by a linebacker for a two yard loss.

On the next play Christian Wilkins shot through the A gap to make a TFL on the running back. On the same drive, Wilkins shot the B gap and wasn’t fooled by a play-action fake. He used a great rip move to get off his blocker and met the quarterback 10 yards deep in the backfield — forcing a throw away. Clelin Ferrell then blew up a running play, forcing the running back to cut back inside where Christian Wilkins was waiting for another TFL.

With 13:27 left in the second quarter, Wilkins stunted to the outside, got around the right tackle and hit the quarterback forcing a fumble (recovered by Louisville). Wilkins had another TFL when both he and Austin Bryant side-stepped blocks and met the running back in the backfield.

Finally with 13:32 left in the third quarter, Wilkins used a swim move to beat the centre and hit the RB in the backfield for yet another TFL. Two plays later, Wilkins and Ferrell shared a sack. It was a well designed play. Dexter Lawrence worked to the outside from defensive tackle allowing Ferrell to stunt inside. He exploded through the gap created by Lawrence’s unexpected outside move. Wilkins just flat out beat his blocker with speed and a swim move.

If you don’t think these four are playing well and worthy of a high grade, I don’t really know what to say. Ferrell is destined for the top-five. Wilkins is destined for the top-20. Lawrence should be a high pick. Bryant could go in the 25-50 range. Today was a masterclass.

For the second week in a row, Clemson put Wilkins at running back and Lawrence at full back in the red zone. Wilkins scored a touchdown last week. On Saturday it was the turn of Lawrence. He barrelled in for a two-yard score.

Elsewhere…

— Dre’Mont Jones collected another sack in Ohio State’s narrow victory over Nebraska. He’s up to 6.5 for the season — a major improvement on last year.

— Georgia linebacker D’Andre Walker limped out of the Kentucky game early with an ankle injury but thankfully returned to the game. Kentucky’s Josh Allen recovered a fumble following a high snap from the center. He barely had an impact apart from that and on multiple occasions Georgia had success running right at his side of the line (they ended the night with 331 rushing yards). One of the big differences between Walker and Allen is run defense. Walker controls his side of the line, uses his arms well and sets the edge. Allen isn’t as strong vs the run. Georgia DE Jonathan Ledbetter hasn’t had the production this year but he’s a name to keep on your radar. He had his first sack of the season and two TFL’s against Kentucky.

— Drew Lock led Missouri to a big upset win against Florida. He played well. Get ready for the Lock hype. In a year without a clear #1 quarterback, Lock could easily fill the void. Florida’s pass rush was surprisingly stymied by Mizzou, with Jachai Polite recording one TFL and no sacks while Jabari Zuniga didn’t make any plays in the backfield. Chauncey Gardner-Johnson — a safety converted to nickel this year — had seven tackles, a sack and two TFL’s.

— Rashan Gary has missed some time with an injury but he returned against Penn State, recording a couple of tackles. Chase Winovich added to his productive year with another sack, beating the right tackle with a nice B gap pressure. He also recovered a fumble in a blowout win. The combine is vital for Winovich but he looked very quick in this game — quicker than the other times I’ve watched him.

— Zach Allen failed to record a sack or TFL during Boston College’s latest win (vs Virginia Tech) but he did deflect two passes and have two quarterback hurries.

— Florida State lost again but the one consistent performer this year has been Brian Burns. He didn’t record any sacks against NC State but he did manage two TFL’s.

— For the first time this season, Washington State were broadcast on British TV. A lot of people have been asking for a thought on Gardner Minshew recently. It’s my first opportunity to watch him and it’d be unfair to judge solely on one game. There are some things to like. He looks off defenders, makes use of the pocket and seems relatively accurate (although there were some misses too). Yet physically he’s a long way off the ideal, the offense is a whole lot of checkdowns, passes into the flat and bubble screens. You can’t watch this tape and find evidence of 5-7 NFL throws. Minshew appears to have been having a great year and has elevated Washington State and created a high level of excitement in the process. But I’m not sure I just watched a pro quarterback. That said, you’ve got to love his character and energy.

— Washington cornerback Byron Murphy had his first interception of the season against Stanford. Murphy is undersized at CB but he’s sudden, quick to the ball and extremely physical. I’d love to see if he can convert to free safety.

You can now support Seahawks Draft Blog via Patreon by clicking the tab below.

Become a Patron!

We’re well into the college season now so what can we say about the prospective 2019 draft class?

Not a lot, unfortunately.

It’s clear where the strength is — defensive front seven. That’s not such a bad thing for the Seahawks. It’s likely to be their focus in round one.

Apart from that? Here’s the early outlook:

— It’s very possible there won’t be a quarterback worth drafting in round one, let alone in the top-10.

— The top offensive lineman, Wisconsin’s David Edwards, is a right tackle. There isn’t a top-tier left tackle prospect destined for the top-10 and the depth is mediocre.

— LSU cornerback Greedy Williams could go early and Washington’s Byron Murphy looks the part. Neither player is a sure-fire top-10 prospect though. They might go early by default.

— The skill positions look particularly weak in terms of the first round. There’s no Saquon Barkley or Leonard Fournette destined for the top-five and there’s no receiver worthy of a high grade either.

There will be good players available. Nick Bosa and Clelin Ferrell are high picks in any draft. It’s not often you have such a wealth of talent on the defensive line and the depth is terrific. LSU’s Devin White is a fantastic inside linebacker prospect and Christian Wilkins is going to go very early as a highly athletic, ideal interior defender. Everyone knows about Ed Oliver, Brian Burns and Jachai Polite by now. Zach Allen, Raekwon Davis, Dexter Lawrence, Rashan Gary and Derrick Brown could all find a home in the top-15. Georgia’s D’Andre Walker is underrated and Kentucky’s Josh Allen is having a big season.

But here’s the issue. Without a cluster of options at different ‘premium’ positions, teams at the top are going to struggle to find value. A team in desperate need of a franchise quarterback likely won’t find a solution early in this draft. If you want a blind-side protecter at left tackle, good luck. If you want a dynamic corner or a #1 receiver — where are the options?

So we’ll likely see a number of defensive linemen and linebackers touted for the first round.

When the national focus turns towards the draft in January, I suspect we’ll hear a lot about this being a bad draft. Usually a good class includes at least a few QB’s, some skill position players and at least one good left tackle. The cupboard is bare.

It’s not a good year to pick in the top-10 either. The value at #5-10 might be similar to the value in the teens or 20’s.

And for anyone questioning Nick Bosa’s decision to sit the rest of the season out after surgery. Let’s be right here. There’s practically nobody competing to be the #1 pick right now. The only thing stopping him is another injury or another surgery. Question his decision if you want but realise the stakes. He’s virtually a lock to be the top choice in 2019.

Here’s a (very early) possible top-15:

1 New York Giants — Nick Bosa (DE, Ohio State)
2 San Francisco — Clelin Ferrell (DE, Clemson)
3 Oakland — Ed Oliver (DT, Houston)
4 Buffalo — Christian Wilkins (DT, Clemson)
5 Arizona — Devin White (LB, LSU)
6 Cleveland — Brian Burns (DE, Florida State)
7 Indianapolis — Raekwon Davis (DT, Alabama)
8 New York Jets — David Edwards (T, Wisconsin)
9 Jacksonville — Jachai Polite (DE, Florida)
10 Denver — Greedy Williams (CB, LSU)
11 Tennessee — Zach Allen (DE, Boston College)
12 Oakland — Rashan Gary (DE, Michigan)
13 Detroit — Derrick Brown (DT, Auburn)
14 Tampa Bay — D’Andre Walker (LB, Georgia)
15 Atlanta — Dexter Lawrence (DT, Clemson)

You might argue it’s unrealistic to see a top-15 so dominated by the defensive front seven. What’s the alternative though? Is a team going to make Missouri’s Drew Lock a top-10 quarterback? Is Ole Miss’ Greg Little really a left tackle or does he have to kick inside?

The Seahawks currently only have four picks in the 2019 draft. They’re unlikely to get much, if anything, in terms of comp picks. They don’t really have the trade options to generate more picks in the off-season.

It might not be the worst draft to have minimal stock. It’s just not particularly exciting. We’ll see if the combine throws up some intriguing athletes with upside. We’ll see if the Senior Bowl can shine a light on some under the radar prospects.

Increasingly it appears the Seahawks (and their estimated $60m in cap space for 2019) are best served re-signing their cluster of free agents. Frank Clark, D.J. Fluker, J.R. Sweezy, Justin Coleman and K.J. Wright (and/or Mychal Kendricks). They’re unlikely to have the spending power to be major players in free agency. They should have enough to make a few choice additions — similar to what we witnessed in 2018.

And then you make the most of your minimal draft stock with the priority likely to be another pass rusher, interior of EDGE.

It probably won’t be an exciting off-season. It doesn’t necessarily need to be. It seems like a lot of the hard work was done this year in changing the culture and reclaiming Seattle’s identity. They’re on the right track.

You can now support Seahawks Draft Blog via Patreon by clicking the tab below.

Become a Patron!

Run the ball, stop the run, make explosive plays, create turnovers, win the field position battle.

Complete the circle. Play Seahawks football.

That’s the Pete Carroll way.

The Seahawks have found themselves again.

It’s been a few years. But here they are. Doing everything they want to do and more.

They ran for 176 yards and held Detroit to 34. They shut down Kerryon Johnson and took away Detroit’s ability to run. Johnson joins Ezekiel Elliott, David Johnson, Todd Gurley and Marshawn Lynch on Seattle’s hit list. All were limited.

Russell Wilson was efficient yet explosive. The perfect point guard. And yet again he was well protected by a fierce offensive line that continues to excel as one of the NFL’s best.

The Seahawks forced three turnovers and will likely end the week leading the league in takeaways.

They dominated time of possession (34:55 vs 25:05) and controlled the game.

Whenever they needed a play, someone stepped up and made one. This group is playing with energy. They’re physical. They’re the bully again. It’s taken years but they’re back. The bullies are back.

We’re also seeing new stars emerge. Frank Clark had another sack, Jarran Reed continues to play at an exceptional level, Chris Carson and David Moore are showing star quality as two former seventh round picks, the entire O-line set the tone (and there isn’t a weak link) and Tyler Lockett scores every week.

We’re even seeing gradual improvement in some of the weaker areas of the team. Take the pass rush. Players like Jacob Martin are stepping up. Dion Jordan had some good snaps today.

They look like a contender for the playoffs. And they’re playing a brand of football that wins in the post-season.

Yes they face a gauntlet of top-tier quarterbacks in the coming weeks. Yes we’ll learn a lot about this team in November. This was a big test too and the Seahawks answered. They didn’t just beat Detroit. They dominated them — on the road, in a 10am game, against a good QB and a team that has already beaten New England and Green Bay at home.

Pete Carroll is doing it again. I’m happy to admit after a disappointing 0-2 start I wondered where this team was going. They weren’t doing any of the things they set out to achieve.

The Dallas game was a turning point. Now they’re growing with every passing week. Can they carry this on? They’re 4-1 in their last five and the only loss was the back-and-forth contest with the brilliant Rams. Nobody is going to look forward to a game against this version of the Seahawks. They’ll be competitive as long as they stay relatively healthy.

And for all those who doubt the method or call it outdated. How can you call this a bad way to try and play the game? Is there a better way to watch a team win than what we witnessed today? Especially on the road?

The Seahawks look like the Seahawks now.

Not bad for the ‘Titanic’.

You can now support Seahawks Draft Blog via Patreon by clicking the tab below.

Become a Patron!

— The Clemson vs Florida State game should’ve been a great opportunity to watch several prospective first round defensive linemen. Instead, it turned into a shellacking. Clemson dominated FSU to the point of embarrassment. And aside from freshman QB Trevor Lawrence and sophomore WR Tee Higgings, this was all about the D-line again.

Christian Wilkins is rare. A lot of people want to try and tell you he isn’t. I say he is. Highly athletic, perfect frame, explosive, quick. I’d expect a big combine performance. He knifed into the backfield on two key occasions today, hitting the quarterback’s arm to force an interception on one play and another QB hit led to an incompletion on third down.

There aren’t many really athletic, prototype three-techniques. His squatty frame enables him to control the interior and win with leverage. He’s strong and powerful and doesn’t get overwhelmed. He offers some pass rush. He’s an any down-or-distance interior DL. Those are valuable.

Dexter Lawrence is an athletic nose tackle who doesn’t come off the field all that often. He controls the LOS but has surprising quickness. A reminder that at 335lbs he ran a 5.03 at the SPARQ workouts. If he runs a sub-5.00 at the combine, he’s going to go as high as Vita Vea. These types of players go early.

The best review of how easy this was for Clemson was their willingness to run Lawrence at full back and Wilkins at running back on a red zone play. Wilkins got the ball and sauntered in untouched for a TD. The FSU D-line practically avoided Lawrence who was looking for someone, anyone, to block.

Clelin Ferrell had a sack, Austin Bryant also had his best game for a few weeks. This is a great group and it’s testament to their character that they returned — together — to have one more year at Clemson. If anyone can stop Alabama it’ll be this team and it’ll be because of the sheer quality and talent on this NFL D-line.

So what about FSU’s Brian Burns? It was hard to judge him really. The game got out of control so fast. Even so, he had a couple of nice speed rushes. On one play he drew a holding call and on another he hit Trevor Lawrence (only for the freshman QB to still complete a nice pass to Higgins).

Burns looks skinny in his legs. The speed and length is evident. It still looks like he could do with adding some weight. Is he going to be able to anchor and set the edge? Can he win with speed-to-power or is he going to be like a lot of FSU DE’s and rely on speed and quickness? Burns is extremely talented but he might need to fill out his frame before he can repeat this level of success at the next level. An explosive combine performance would allay some of those concerns.

— Another DE making a big impression this year is Boston College’s Zach Allen. He’s big. He’s listed at 6-5 and 285lbs. At times last season it was difficult to work out what his best position would be. Does he kick inside? Is he a five technique? This season he’s been a revelation — as a speed rusher. His get-off looks significantly better. His ability to dip and lean is impressive. He’s making plays on stunts and with hand use, disengaging and finishing.

Allen has done it all this season.

He’s played so well you start to wonder what he’ll do at the combine. Initially I thought he was a mediocre athlete and a bit of an overachiever. On his 2018 tape, he looks so much more. Here’s his sack against Miami (second video):

Sack de Zach Allen. Otra buena reacción al snap, el club no le sale bien pero el rip final con el combo potencia-velocidad le permiten llegar al QB. pic.twitter.com/l5dl4LtatT

— Pablo Fernández (@PabloFR_) October 27, 2018

The right tackle tries to get his hands on Allen but he’s too quick. It’s a weak contact, there’s no jolt and the tackle can’t square up. His technique is poor (no kick-slide, no real effort to extend Allen’s path to the QB) but this is where you want to see a major athletic difference. At this level in college. You want to identify the guys who exploit bad technique by just being better. And that’s what Allen does here. Too quick, too good. Sack.

Already this season he has 12.5 TFL’s, 5.5 sacks, an interception, a blocked kick and a forced fumble. He’s dominated and if he performs well at the combine — he could be a very early pick. Allen’s combine performance will be one of the most important in Indianapolis.

— We’re nine weeks in and still Georgia’s D’Andre Walker isn’t getting enough attention. He’s so quick, agile and athletic. He can play the EDGE, he can play in space, he can play SAM. He’s intense and helps set the tone. He’s not the biggest but watch him handle his business in the running game. He ran a 4.16 short shuttle at the SPARQ combine. Leighton Vander Esch ran a 4.15, as did Vic Beasley. That’s the kind of agility he has. Against Florida he flashed that quickness to identify an option/pitch, stretch the play out and make the TFL. He’s also a fantastic special teamer.

— We’ve spent a lot of time talking about Florida’s Jachai Polite. In the Georgia game, team mate Jabari Zuniga gave a gentle reminder that he is also very talented. He has good size, he’s quick. He can handle his business as a speed rusher but also win with power. Look at how quick he covers ground:

@JabariZuniga ✈️around the field. He’s gonna eat well on Sundays pic.twitter.com/WpxCAvBqxH

— GatorNation 🅥 (@NYGATOR1) October 27, 2018

Polite has a chance to go early but keep an eye on Zuniga. He’s very much one to monitor for the next level. As for Polite’s performance — he was quiet until the final quarter. He had a nice speed rush against the Georgia right tackle and just couldn’t get to the QB in time to prevent a third down conversion. He also blew-up a two-point conversion by reading the run play and exploding into the backfield to bring down the ball-carrier.

— I don’t think Arizona State receiver N’Keal Harry is a first round prospect (unlike many) but this was still pretty special:

This. Just. Happened. N’Keal Harry with some of that @DeAndreHopkins witchcraft. pic.twitter.com/Ze5Gyiw0kw

— Lance Zierlein (@LanceZierlein) October 27, 2018

— I failed to mention this last week so wanted to add it here today. Alabama’s Christian Miller might go a bit earlier than people are projecting. He’s having an excellent season with 5.5 sacks and eight TFL’s. He has a further eight QB hurries. Miller is well sized (6-4, 244lbs) for the linebacker position and has an explosive physical profile. At the SPARQ combine he ran a 4.18 short shuttle, jumped a 39-inch vertical and recorded a 124.17 SPARQ score. He’s a great athlete, productive and capable of making plays in space and playing up at the line. A lot of people are projecting him as a mid-round pick but don’t be surprised if he goes a little higher than that.

— Kentucky’s Josh Allen is making a strong case to go in round one. The combine will be important for him. He had another big game today (vs Missouri):

Josh Allen strip sack. Rinse and repeat. pic.twitter.com/m8JmkZKgzr

— Scott Charlton (@Scott_Charlton) October 27, 2018

Josh Allen rings the cash register again. pic.twitter.com/GCVurbeEiS

— Scott Charlton (@Scott_Charlton) October 27, 2018

And this might be another name to keep an eye on from Kentucky…

Scouts are wearing out the rewind button when they watch @UKFootball defensive tape. Another interesting senior is CB #8 Derrick Baity (@uk_db29). Most long-bodied corners are mechanical or sticky in transition but Baity is efficient and he has makeup speed when he needs it. pic.twitter.com/40nDcNagxc

— Jim Nagy (@JimNagy_SB) October 27, 2018

You can now support Seahawks Draft Blog via Patreon by clicking the tab below.

Become a Patron!

— It hasn’t been an amazing college football season so far. There’s been a distinct lack of high-power match-ups. Some teams have been disappointing. No new quarterbacks have really emerged. But there’s usually one thing you can rely on — a fierce battle between Alabama and LSU. In two weeks the pair meet and they’ll both be top-four teams. It should be a contest to savour. LSU are at home too — it’ll be Alabama’s first proper test. Yet their chances of winning have been severely hit because of this:

Here's the targeting call that got #LSU LB Devin White ejected and will force him to miss the first half vs Alabama. pic.twitter.com/qKKtF6QBmy

— Shea Dixon (@Sheadixon) October 21, 2018

How is that a targeting penalty? By all means call it roughing the passer if you must. I don’t agree but the game’s going that way. Flag it. Who cares? LSU were beating Mississippi State handsomely anyway. However, by calling it ‘targeting’ (then reviewing the play and confirming it), brilliant linebacker Devin White will now be forced to miss the first half of the Alabama game.

LSU has a bye next week. Alabama is their next opponent. White misses the first half.

What a perfect example of college football shooting itself in the foot.

White could go in the top-five in the draft. He’s a sensational athlete, a pillar of consistency and a pure playmaker for LSU. He’ll immediately become one of the top middle linebackers when he enters the NFL. White is a fantastic prospect and would’ve given LSU a shot to limit Alabama’s fierce running game.

Instead, LSU has to do without him for a half. We all suffer for this, not just LSU.

Targeting calls are an important part of the game. Head-shots need to be eliminated. Player safety is vital.

The thing is, we can all see that was NOT a dangerous head-shot by White. We want to see Alabama’s strongest team play LSU’s strongest team. Now we won’t, at least not until the second half. And that sucks.

— Another LSU stud will be a high pick in the 2020 draft. Safety Grant Delpit isn’t eligible for 2019 but he’s having an incredible year. Against Mississippi State he had ten tackles, two interceptions and a sack. For the season he has five picks and four sacks. He’s 6-3 and 205lbs and the best playmaking DB in college football. What is he like as an athlete? He recorded a 114.54 score at the SPARQ combine including a 4.04 short shuttle and a 37-inch vertical. You’ll see Delpit talked about a lot for the draft next year. Here’s one of his two picks yesterday:

Grant Delpit! 🔒🔒🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/VG7m9hKZ91

— WeAreDBnation (@WeAreDBNation1) October 20, 2018

— Kentucky linebacker Josh Allen recorded two more sacks (and a forced fumble) in a win over Vanderbilt. He now has eight sacks for the season. Allen is difficult to project. He doesn’t look like a freakish athlete necessarily but he’s ultra-productive and does a good job rushing the edge. His combine will be interesting. If he tests well, with his big 2018 season, he could go very early. At the moment the 20-45 range seems possible. Don’t sleep on Kentucky running back Benny Snell Jr either. He could equally be a top-45 pick.

— Isaiah Buggs had another sack for Alabama in an easy win against Tennessee. That’s now 8.5 for the season for Buggs. I’ve been wondering recently whether he’ll move inside to become a situational interior rusher in the NFL. He’s big and difficult to move in the running game. He’s also really ramped up his production in 2018 as a pass rusher. Former Seahawks scout Jim Nagy tweeted about Buggs before the Tennessee game — so I asked him about a possible move inside:

I think that’s where he’s going to end up as a pro. Lacks arm length to play on the edge at the next level.

— Jim Nagy (@JimNagy_SB) October 20, 2018

— Quinnen Williams had another TFL for Alabama, crashing down across the line to hammer the running back. I like Williams and he’s having a big year. Personally, I think he’ll be better served staying at Alabama. He looks the part but can he get bigger and retain some quickness? To me he looks like a prospect still developing. There aren’t many redshirt sophomores who turn pro from ‘Bama. I don’t think he will either. And at this stage, I’d still prefer to take my chances on Raekwon Davis.

— We’ve reached that point with the Clemson D-line. You know what I’m talking about. The part of the year where people on Twitter start criticising them because they don’t get four sacks a game each. Clelin Ferrell, Dexter Lawrence, Christian Wilkins and Austin Bryant are all really good. There’s no need to fight that. Ferrell had 2.5 TFL’s against NC State, Lawrence and Bryant also contributed to a TFL. All four have a chance to go early in the draft and they’ve kept Clemson unbeaten to this point. They destroyed previously unbeaten NC State 41-7 on Saturday.

— I didn’t have access to the Colorado vs Washington game. We always said this run would be interesting in determining Steven Montez’s draft stock. The Buffs have now lost to both USC and Washington and Montez didn’t play particularly well. It’s worth noting he was missing his best target against the Huskies. But if he was going to elevate his play into the high portion of round one, he likely needed to keep winning big in a weaker PAC-12. I still really like Montez though. He might be best served returning in 2020 and turning pro at the same time as Laviska Shenault Jr.

— I spent some time watching Washington corner Byron Murphy last week and was wowed by his potential. I just wonder if he’d make a fantastic safety. He’s not the biggest (5-11, 182lbs) but he has that gliding running ability, he’s so quick to the ball. He’s physical and will deliver a jolting hit. Every snap I watched at corner — I kept thinking, ‘I’d love to see him at safety’. Isaiah Buggs to DT, Byron Murphy to S and Greg Little inside to guard. Those are three moves I’d like to see.

— Florida State’s Brian Burns has a legit shot to go in the top-12. He’s been outstanding this season. Two more sacks against Wake Forest take his total to nine for the year. Quickness, physicality, effort, balance, length. Burns looks like the complete package. He basically changed the game for FSU. They were 10-0 down and Wake Forest were driving for another score. A big sack working the edge with a speed rush (at the 4:17 mark in the video below) forced a turnover on downs and changed the game. The left tackle had no chance. FSU went on to score 38 unanswered points after Burns’ game-changing play. His second sack comes at the 13:06 mark.

— Houston’s Ed Oliver got his first sack of the season last week and added his second on Saturday against Navy. Where he plays at the next level (and how early he ends up going) will be a consistent talking point in the off-season.

— Auburn’s Derrick Brown is almost certain to be a high pick too. He had an explosive performance against Ole Miss, including a vital TFL. He has the size and power to control the LOS on early downs but enough speed and quickness to offer some pass rush. He’s a fantastic prospect.

You can now support Seahawks Draft Blog via Patreon by clicking the tab below.

Become a Patron!

Note — after publishing this piece, the news broke that Paul Allen had sadly passed away. Paul leaves an incredible legacy. A great man. He will be missed by many.

Before getting into some post-London thoughts on the future, culture, the running game and Frank Clark — here’s two interviews I conducted with D.J. Fluker and Justin Britt after the game:

My biggest takeaway from London

I went to London this week with an aim. I wanted a better understanding of two factors:

1. How important it is to establish a vision and commit to it

2. How the run helps create Seattle’s culture

There isn’t just one way of winning in the NFL. The key to success is talent, a clear plan and execution. At the moment, the Seahawks are delivering. They know what they want to do. And they’re doing it.

Having had the opportunity to ask a few questions of Pete Carroll and speak to some of the players, something is clearer to me. The preference for running the ball isn’t just about some dogged determination to have a certain approach on offense. It’s about culture. The Seahawks want to be more physical than the opponent. In every facet. They want to connect the defense and special teams to the offense. And Carroll believes the way to complete that circle is to run the ball with toughness and consistency.

On Thursday, I asked Carroll how the recent commitment to the run was helping his team and impacting the opponent (3:57 in the video here):

“…because the running game does fit with the defense and does fit with special teams — it all does fit together — and when you can close the circle with a really aggressive tough running game, then you can really make your style known. It’s a great formula, it’s always been a winning formula for us. We were just a little bit out of it the first couple of weeks of the season, then we got going, got back on track. And we can feel the connection of the whole team in how we’re trying to win our football games. It does affect them (the opponent), it’s a good observation, it does affect the entire style of the way we play.”

Everything connects. The sack or the big hit on defense combines with the tough running and controlling field position. Every unit can support the other. It creates a bond, a connection — and defines who you are.

I asked Carroll after the game yesterday if their success limiting Ezekiel Elliott, David Johnson, Todd Gurley and Marshawn Lynch was as important as their recent establishing of the run. His answer revealed a lot about their whole approach:

“It’s always been the hallmark of what we’ve done in the past. Stopping that running game is so important… the good backs that you talked about, we’ve faced some really good guys, and our guys have taken that challenge and that’s how it fits together. It’s stopping the run on defense, no big plays — that we were able to do today — and then you circle it in with running the football like that and that attitude that prevails. That makes us the Seahawks. And that’s what we’ve been after forever. It’s been a while, really the last couple of years it’s been hard to find it. We’ve had so many issues with our running back situation and what’s going on up front but that’s not our issue any more. We’re in great shape and Duane Brown and Fluke and Britt and all those guys are doing a fantastic job up front. Sweezy’s been a great addition for us and of course Ifedi’s doing well too. So, fired up about it.”

(To watch the question and answer, click here and fast forward to 5:50):

It’s not old-fashioned, out-dated or stubborn. It’s culture. And it’s one way to build a successful football team.

There isn’t a single sport where every team wins and competes in the same way. It’s practically impossible. Not every team has an identical collection of talent or types of players. I cover soccer for a living. The Spanish national team is very different to the German or French. These three countries have won the last three World Cups. They’ve all done it differently.

There’s never going to be only one way of doing things. It’d be a duller sport if that were the case. Not everyone will be the Rams or Chiefs — in the same way not everyone could be the 2013 Seahawks. Having sat down and talked to D.J. Fluker and Justin Britt, asked Carroll different questions about running the ball and stopping the run — it’s clear to me. They have a conviction to play this way and their preference is to play this way. It suits them. The players and staff.

Everything is connected again. They believe in this approach, they’re enjoying it. And they’re moving in the right direction.

The Seahawks will invest in their new core

I previously thought the Seahawks would be big spenders in the off-season. I thought they might invest in a free agent pass rusher (Jadeveon Clowney arguably being the most appealing target). I’ve changed my mind since the weekend.

Frank Clark’s price tag rises every week. Yes, he was playing a bad Oakland O-line starting two rookie tackles (and missing two key starters). However, Clark is taking the next step. He is flourishing as the star pass rusher on the team. He’s always had the physical talent to dominate and now he’s playing consistently well.

One way or another, Clark is going to be in Seattle next season. They won’t let him walk. He’ll either sign a big extension or he’ll be franchised. Ideally they spend the next week during the bye sorting out his long term future. If not, it’ll happen down the line. They can’t afford to let him walk — even if it costs a hefty sum.

Clark will likely be their splurge. He’s the one they’ll spend the big money on. And with D.J. Fluker and J.R. Sweezy also priority re-signs, the chances of a big free agent splash seem increasingly slim. They have money to spend but they’ll also need to plan ahead for Jarran Reed’s second contract, a Russell Wilson extension and anything else they need to do.

It doesn’t prevent them from being active in free agency. They probably just take a calculated approach. It’s worth noting how significant this most recent off-season has been. While many over-analyse the decision to spend a first round pick on Rashaad Penny, let’s look at who they acquired in 2018:

D.J. Fluker
J.R. Sweezy
Tre Flowers
Will Dissly
Michael Dickson
Barkevious Mingo

All six players appear destined to be part of a new developing core. There’s plenty of time for Penny, Rasheem Green, Shaquem Griffin, Jacob Martin and Poona Ford to warrant similar consideration. And this follows a 2017 season where Duane Brown, Chris Carson, David Moore, Shaquill Griffin, Mike Davis, Tedric Thompson and Justin Coleman were added.

For all the negativity about Seattle’s recent drafts, this is a significant step towards a decent re-set. It’s far from complete but nobody expected it to be finalised this year. They’re on their way. And even with only a few picks to use in 2019 — they’ve shown some of the old personnel magic is returning.

What would be the top draft priority as things stand?

It’s still the pass rush. The Seahawks do need help there going forward — whether it’s the interior rush or another EDGE. The front seven could use a speed rusher to compliment what they already have. They could go for another base-end to match-up with Clark or an inside/out type (unless Rasheem Green takes on that role). They could look for a defensive tackle to partner with Jarran Reed.

The 2019 class will have multiple options. Here’s a reminder of some of the names to keep on your radar:

Nick Bosa (DE, Ohio State)
Clelin Ferrell (DE, Clemson)
Devin White (LB, LSU)
Christian Wilkins (DT, Clemson)
Dexter Lawrence (DT, Clemson)
Jachai Polite (DE, Florida)
D’Andre Walker (DE/LB, Georgia)
Brian Burns (DE, Florida State)
Zach Allen (DE, Boston College)
Joe Jackson (DE, Miami)
Ed Oliver (DT, Houston)
Raekwon Davis (DT, Alabama)
Derrick Brown (DT, Auburn)
Isaiah Buggs (DE, Alabama)
Josh Allen (DE/LB, Kentucky)
Austin Bryant (DE, Clemson)

These are all pass rush or front seven defenders. This will be a draft to go defensive front seven. It’s set up perfectly for the Seahawks.

Three of the names above — Polite, Burns and Jackson — all wear the same number (#99) and feature in this highlight reel:

Finally for now, here’s a video I took of the players leaving the Wembley field yesterday:

You can now support Seahawks Draft Blog via Patreon by clicking the tab below.

Become a Patron!

Something is building here.

The commitment to the run. A new, developing core. The Seahawks, finally, establishing who they want to be.

Playing this way, nobody will enjoy facing the Seahawks. They’ll batter the bad teams and compete with the good ones. Today was a battering. Oakland were never in the game.

Firstly, Seattle’s preparation was a clear difference maker. Pete Carroll spoke glowingly about ‘The Grove’ — their Watford base providing the perfect base camp. The Seahawks arrived on Thursday, held a practise immediately and appeared focused and organised in the two media sessions.

Oakland arrived a day later and stayed in the hotel across the road from the stadium. Presumably their only physical preparation in England was a walkthrough on Saturday. Marshawn Lynch opened a pop-up Beast Mode store at 4:30pm on Saturday.

What a contrast between the two. And it showed.

The last five Wembley games have been blow-outs. Preparation is key. The Seahawks got it right this week.

It enabled them to fly around the field, hit on defense and run with authority on offense. I asked Pete Carroll after the game about their recent success vs the run. Ezekiel Elliott, David Johnson, Todd Gurley and now Marshawn Lynch — all kept in relative check.

You can hear his answer at the 5:50 mark in this video:

“That’s what makes us the Seahawks”

Carroll went on to declare he wants to be the most physical running team in the league. They’re already there. How could you argue otherwise? Three tough running backs, complimenting an offensive line that has become, officially, a team strength.

I interviewed D.J. Fluker after the game. We talked about Seattle’s offense, but also discussed his long term future. Having asked Carroll on Friday whether he wanted to extend Fluker and J.R. Sweezy’s contracts (“absolutely” being the response), I put a similar question to Seattle’s star off-season acquisition:

LISTEN: D.J. Fluker says he’d “love” to be a long term feature for the #Seahawks as Pete Carroll identifies new core. Interview here 🎤 pic.twitter.com/uFCwDy5TEG

— Rob Staton (@robstaton) October 14, 2018

Here are some quick notes:

— Frank Clark’s price tag is increasing every week. A contract extension might be a priority during this bye week. He’s always had the talent to develop into one of the NFL’s best pass rushers. Clark has arrived.

— I interviewed Justin Britt after the game. Both he and D.J. Fluker were great, by the way. Britt feels Seattle already has the most physical running game in the league, talked up the rest of the O-line and made a point of praising Brian Schottenheimer. It’s an important point. The Seahawks have found their rhythm. They look comfortable. Maybe it was always going to take a few weeks to get going? Now they’ve found their identity. And the play-caller deserves some praise.

— Wembley NFL games aren’t known for a great atmosphere. This was by far the best I’ve heard. The Seahawks fans — from Europe and the US — made this a home game for Seattle. The noise on the first Oakland drive was Century Link-esque. The noise levels only dipped when the win was pretty secure. Kudos to the Seahawks fans.

— Carroll noted he’d happily come back to London in the future. Bring it on.

— These last few days will live long in the memory. Having the opportunity to report on the Seahawks, ask questions of Pete Carroll, Russell Wilson and others. Meeting Dave Wyman was a highlight. Capped off with a win. What a week.

I’ll have more on the game and the London experience tomorrow. I’ll probably do a podcast or Google Hangout too.

You can now support Seahawks Draft Blog via Patreon by clicking the tab below.

Become a Patron!

Greetings from London. A lot of the talk from the Oakland press events here is that they haven’t had the best preparation. In fact there was a distinct lack of enthusiasm and organisation. ‘Shambles’ was a word that has been used. On the contrary, the Seahawks appeared to have a particularly competent strategy and plan for this trip. We’ll see if this translates into the game. Hopefully it will.

The weather is appalling in London today. Heavy rain. Yesterday was the complete opposite — sunny and unseasonably warm. It’s set up to be a day to run the ball.

I’ll be at the game so the ‘instant reaction’ post might not be quite so instant this week. However, I will be attending the press conference after and will see if I can get some player interviews. I might also consider doing a live Google Hangout too.

So how did the top draft prospects get on yesterday in CFB?

— Georgia’s D’Andre Walker remains an underrated prospect. He started the LSU game perfectly with a big sack on the first drive, showing great speed to stunt inside. The guard was holding on, desperately trying not to get flagged. Walker’s quickness and explosive athleticism could get him into round one. LSU’s brilliant Devin White, a future top-10 pick, had 13 tackles in the Tigers win (including sharing a TFL).

— Dre’Mont Jones’ big season continues. He had another sack against Minnesota and now has 5.5 for the season. He only had one sack in 2017 despite decent playing time. Jones is quick and probably the most agile interior rusher eligible for 2019. The question will be — can he play early downs and avoid getting washed out against the run (which still happens occasionally).

— We highlighted Florida’s Jachai Polite last week and he had another sack on Saturday in a victory against Vanderbilt. Polite has seven sacks in his last five games and has been unstoppable at times. He’s another player who isn’t getting as much attention as he deserves. Teams are keying in on him, identifying him as the best player on Florida’s defense. He will go early next year if he stays healthy.

— There are a number of good interior defensive linemen eligible for next years draft. Auburn’s Derrick Brown could go in the top-20. In a disappointing defeat to Tennessee, Brown recorded two TFL’s. It’s also worth noting how quarterback Jarrett Stidham has not taken the next step this season. None of the touted quarterbacks have. For me, Colorado’s Steven Montez remains the best prospect (although the Buffs lost for the first time this weekend against USC). Many people expect Justin Herbert at Oregon to stay in school. It’s hard to imagine a top-10 QB from this class as things stand.

— Boston College’s Zach Allen has been fun to watch this season. He’s a lot quicker than he looks and he’s been incredibly productive. In a victory against Louisville, Allen had three TFL’s and a sack. Very few defensive linemen have played as well as Allen in 2018. If he tests well at the combine he could go very early.

— Isaiah Buggs’ great year just keeps on rolling. He had another 1.5 sacks against Missouri to take his total to 7.5 for the season so far. Buggs is a great run defender but he’s developing into a terrific pass rusher too. Like Allen, if he tests well at the combine he could become a big riser. Team mate Raekwon Davis, another first round talent, had to apologise after the Mizzou game for punching an opponent three times.

— Ed Oliver collected his first two sacks of the season in a win against East Carolina. Oliver is extremely athletic, quick and talented. But he’s about 275lbs. And as we’ve said so many times — that is going to bother some teams. Can he play early downs? Can he even play defensive tackle at the next level? Can he control the LOS and play the run? Can he kick outside? There’s a lot to like about Oliver but there are lots of question marks too.

You can now support Seahawks Draft Blog via Patreon by clicking the tab below.

Become a Patron!

— The Seahawks are based in Watford on the outskirts of London. Several teams have stayed at ‘the Grove’ golf resort before. As noted yesterday, this is the first time they’re doing the press conferences in what was officially dubbed ‘the potting shed’ instead of the bigger room next door. It was amusing being told to ‘return to the potting shed‘ when the media access to practise ended. You half expected to see someone watering the plants during Pete Carroll’s conference.

— The music at practise today had a particularly British theme. The Rolling Stones, David Bowie & Freddie Mercury, Billy Idol. Gracefully, there was no Ed Sheeran.

— I asked Carroll whether he wanted to keep J.R. Sweezy and D.J. Fluker ‘long term’ with both players on one-year deals. Carroll’s response was an emphatic “absolutely” before adding both players were part of a developing core. This was interesting if not surprising. Both players are playing well enough to warrant longer contracts. Carroll’s reference to the core of the team, however, highlighted just how integral they’ve become. They’re not just players who happen to be doing a good job this year who you’d ideally keep. It seems they’re part of a group that is becoming the new foundation of the team.

— My question comes at the 3:42 mark (note Carroll’s amusement at hearing ‘Sweezy’ and ‘Fluker’ in a British accent):

— Russell Wilson walked into his press conference shouting, ‘apples and pears, apples and pears‘. If you’re unfamiliar with cockney rhyming slang, google it. He held back on doing a ‘cockney walk’ though which was disappointing. Wilson was very relaxed as you’d expect. I asked him how the running game has helped him in the last three games. You can watch his answer here (8:19 in):

— There was a lot of buzz in England when it was revealed the Baltimore Ravens were coming to London last year. They lost 44-7 to the Jaguars. After the game, John Harbaugh said the following:

“To be honest with you — and maybe I’ll get into trouble for saying this — don’t plan on going over there any time soon to play again. So, somebody else can have that job.”

Harbaugh also noted Jacksonville’s experience in travelling to London several times (they’ve won three straight Wembley games). It’s a big challenge for a team. The jet lag, having to travel to a different country. Even the weather (which isn’t too bad in London currently, but it’s very windy). The Seahawks aren’t guaranteed to win on Sunday but based on my brief experience at the two media days — I think they’ve at least given themselves the best possible opportunity. They arrived a day earlier than Oakland, they’re staying at a hotel with a practise facility on site. The Raiders are in a hotel across the road from the stadium (which is located in a busy industrial and commercial district). The players appear relaxed and comfortable. Hopefully this leads to a successful day at Wembley on Sunday.

You can now support Seahawks Draft Blog via Patreon by clicking the tab below.

Become a Patron!