It’ll be reassuring to any Seahawks fan concerned about the offensive line that this is a decent class at every position.
Plenty of tackles are going to go early — and once they’re gone there isn’t much left. Laremy Tunsil, Taylor Decker and Ronnie Stanley almost certainly won’t make it to #26. Jason Spriggs’ expected performance at the combine could push him into the top-20. Jack Conklin still figures to go in round one and Shon Coleman deserves a first frame grade.
A rush on the position could lead to a high upside project like Le’Raven Clark going earlier than he probably should. Germain Ifedi is likely to get bumped up too. After that the best option might be Ole Miss’ Fahn Cooper and Nebraska’s Alex Lewis.
The Seahawks could feel obliged to take a tackle in round one if they lose Russell Okung. If they fear a day one rush they might have to come up with a different plan — either finding a way to keep Okung or signing a veteran replacement.
If they pull this off they can focus on another area in round one (D-line, linebacker, cornerback or even running back) knowing there are plenty of interior options to come in rounds 2-4.
I hadn’t had the opportunity to check out Arizona State left guard Christian Westerman until today. He needs to be added to the watch list.
There is a slight caveat. Westerman’s calling card is gritty athleticism, not size and power. The Seahawks have generally gone for his type at right guard. Whether they re-sign J.R. Sweezy or promote Mark Glowinski — it’s one of the positions where they at least have some kind of an answer. The same can’t necessarily be said for left guard (Justin Britt struggled) or right tackle (they might need to move Garry Gilliam to the blindside).
I’m not sure how open they are to starting a different type of left guard. Generally they’ve gone for converted tackles with major size and power — signing Robert Gallery, moving on to James Carpenter, trying Alvin Bailey and then settling on Britt. Terry Poole was drafted to compete at guard last year and he’s listed at 6-5 and 307lbs — a considerable difference to Britt (325lbs) and Carpenter (321lbs).
Westerman’s tape hints at a player that might be worth serious consideration at left guard — even if he’s only 6-3 and 296lbs. So why might they look beyond his size?
For starters he’s a good athlete and a former major national recruit. He generated interest from all the top schools — Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Texas and USC. He committed to Auburn before eventually transferring home to Arizona State.
You can tell he’s an athlete — his back pedal and set is very good and he anchors well off his back foot. He loves to get to the second level and unlike many prospects — knows how to lock on and make a block. He also appears to sit well in his set as a natural knee bender.
Westerman’s a good wrestler in a phone-booth and knows how to contain. You don’t have to block a guy for five seconds or put him on the turf to win — sometimes a subtle turn is enough to create a lane. He also has very busy feet in pass protection.
There is an edge to his game. Against USC he drove a DL to the ground and finished. He pulls very well as you’d expect given his mobility. Westerman gets that initial jolt at the POA and turns the defensive lineman.
I’ve seen his power questioned in places but I didn’t see any evidence of that. He seems to have excellent upper body strength and his ability to get movement off the LOS is no worse than most of the top-tier prospects in this class. Is there a lack of a big initial punch? Yes — but that’s not really any different to the Martin’s, Kelly’s or Whitehair’s.
Need convincing about his natural strength? How about this:
I can bench just over my own body weight. The thought of benching 315lbs makes me want to cry. Even if you think he’s not showing a comparable level of game strength — you know the potential is there.
On the downside there wasn’t any real evidence of a successful combo block. Conklin and Tretola do this very well, getting initial contact before quickly moving onto a second target. If you execute well here you can create wide open lanes and make a lot of money in the pro’s. It’s an area Westerman can improve and a reason why Conklin and Tretola will interest a lot of teams.
There were a couple of occasions where he adjusted to a stunt or blitz — you don’t often see this level of recognition in college. Having read up on Westerman after watching the games he’s been praised for his work ethic and technical awareness.
Length isn’t an issue (33.5 inch arms) and there’s plenty of upside here. He might not be a converted tackle with massive size but his attitude, athleticism and strength will be appealing. He’s not an overachiever in college who made himself great — he’s a former four-star recruit who always expected to perform.
Scouts Inc are grading him in round four and Tony Pauline has him in round five. From what I watched today I think he’s destined to rise after the combine, possibly into the second or third round.
If the Seahawks don’t address the offensive line in round one — or even if they do — there are good options to fill out the interior beyond the first day. Westerman could be an outsider for the #56 pick and if you can get him any later than that — consider it a high-upside steal.
This week I appeared on Real in the Field Gulls with Danny and Kenny. You can check it out below (we get into plenty of draft talk). Don’t forget our draft podcast as well — if you missed it earlier in the week here’s the link.
Most fans will react very positively to this. Rankins is the best interior rusher in the class with tremendous upside and quickness. Collins would provide a formidable duo with Thomas Rawls in the backfield. Carroo adds depth at receiver (he has major character flags that need to be investigated) and Dahl can compete for any of the interior line spots (he’s best suited to right guard). Redmond would need to have 32-inch arms to pass the length test but he had first round potential before a serious injury in 2015. He could fall in a similar way to Walter Thurmond.
This mock probably assumes the Seahawks invest in the offensive line during free agency. The Redmond pick suggests a scenario where they also failed to retain Jeremy Lane.
Overall it’s a nice collection of talent. There’s a pretty good chance the Seahawks are going to take a defensive lineman, a running back and an O-liner in the first four rounds. The pick at receiver could happen — they could also look at linebacker or further help on the O-line.
If Nkemdiche drops all the way to #26 despite his incredible upside and potential — there’s every chance he’ll keep falling. He underachieved at college and the Seahawks have generally not drafted underachievers. Nkemdiche was supposed to be the next big thing — another Jadeveon Clowney. That never quite happened at Ole Miss.
Even so, Nkemdiche does possess more upside than arguably any other player in the draft. If he focuses on football and wants to be great — he can be one of the best defensive players in the league. He could easily go in the top-15 or sink into round two like Randy Gregory. His stock is wide open.
Kiper interestingly puts Alabama center Ryan Kelly at #18 and finds a home for fast riser Jihad Ward in the first frame. Available to the Seahawks: Darron Lee (LB, Ohio State), Taylor Decker (T, Ohio State), Mackensie Alexander (CB, Clemson), Jason Spriggs (T, Indiana), Shon Coleman (T, Auburn), Corey Coleman (WR, Baylor), Andrew Billings (DT, Baylor), Vernon Butler (DT, Louisiana Tech) Derrick Henry (RB, Alabama), Nick Martin (C, Notre Dame) and Leonard Floyd (LB, Georgia).
Rankins played well enough at the Senior Bowl to secure a top-15 grade. He’s not on the same level as Aaron Donald but they’re the same type of player. Donald was the #13 pick in 2014. Rankins might go later — but twelve picks later might be a stretch.
Zierlein’s mock is enticing for the Seahawks. Both Rankins and Taylor Decker (T, Ohio State) are sitting there at #26. So is Darron Lee (LB, Ohio State), Eli Apple (CB, Ohio State) and Derrick Henry (RB, Alabama). There’s an answer for all of Seattle’s key needs in the form of a ‘Seahawky’ type — athletic and productive. Talk about a best case scenario.
The St. Louis Los Angeles Rams released defensive end Chris Long today, along with James Laurinaitus and Jared Cook. They now have around $60m in free cap room to relaunch the franchise in L.A.
Could Long join the Seahawks? He wouldn’t count against their compensatory picks in 2017 having been released. He only turns 31 this year (it’s not like he’s turning 32 or anthing…). A couple of injury-hit, unproductive seasons (four sacks in 11 starts in the last two years) might limit his earning power.
He’s in a similar place to Jared Allen when he hit the market — and the Seahawks had serious interest there before he joined Chicago. Adding another rotational pass rusher would benefit the Seahawks — creating the kind of trio they had in 2013 (Clemons-Avril-Bennett). It could also make up for the almost inevitable departure of Bruce Irvin. Although he wasn’t ever a sack-machine, Irvin did collect 12 in 2014-2015.
Long has the kind of personality you can imagine fitting into Seattle’s locker room. However, with a real desire to keep the existing roster together and enough room to probably only keep four players on $4-5m APY — they might struggle to fit Long into the equation. They can backload a contract for Jeremy Lane or Jermaine Kearse and limit the 2016 cap hit — that’ll be harder to do for players like Okung, Mebane, Rubin etc.
As for the Rams — moving Laurinaitus opens up a hole at linebacker. At #15 they’ll be well placed to get one of Jaylon Smith or Darron Lee. Edge rusher is also a possibility now too.
By now you’ve heard about the great depth on the D-line in this years draft. Unfortunately, it’s not a great class for interior pass rushers. You can find size, power, several nose tackle prospects with upside and players with eye-catching athleticism considering their bulk. Pass rushers? Not as good.
Sheldon Rankins is destined to go in the top-20 as the best available interior rusher. After that the options are thin. And it’s why I keep coming back to Ohio State’s Adolphus Washington.
He’s probably the best pass-rushing defensive tackle in the class.
No other prospect has Washington’s skill set. He’s very athletic and quick off the snap, uses a good head-fake to disguise his intentions and has the length (34 inch arms) to keep blockers off his frame. He has a good counter to get off blocks and finish. He uses the swim/rip and he’ll shoot a gap given half a chance.
There are issues too and I’m unconvinced he’ll be an every down starter in the league. Can he play a full game with stoutness against the run? Rankins is built like a tank in the lower body and he’s difficult to move — Washington’s lower body is thinner and more akin to an edge rusher. He’s not a power-rusher and doesn’t have a great bull rush. His play can be streaky — but that’s testament to what he is. An interior pass-rush specialist.
The team that drafts Washington is likely to fit him into a rotation and ask him to produce on the money downs. That’s exactly what the Seahawks need.
I’ve noticed a lot of talk in the comments section about finding an every down defensive tackle that can offer more pass-rush. The problem here is twofold:
1. Those players are very rare and usually drafted in the top-15 (Ndamukong Suh, Gerald McCoy, Aaron Donald, Sheldon Richardson etc).
2. The Seahawks’ base defense is setup to predominantly stop the run.
The second point is the key one here. In 2013 when Seattle won the Super Bowl, they were starting Red Bryant, Brandon Mebane and Tony McDaniel in base. Take away the running game, make an offense one-dimensional and then tee-off with your pass rushers (McDonald, Avril, Bennett, Clemons) combined with an opportunistic secondary.
It’s a plan that not only won this team a Championship — it should’ve won another the following year. And it probably would’ve done but for an enormous list of injuries on defense by the end of the New England Super Bowl.
The big difference between 2015 and 2013/2014 is as follows:
2013: Clinton McDonald — 5.5 sacks
2014: Jordan Hill — 5.5 sacks
2015: Jordan Hill — 0 sacks
The Seahawks lacked that one productive interior rusher who produced in key situations. Overall Seattle actually had more sacks in 2015 (46) than they did in 2014 (42) and 2013 (44). Yet without that inside rusher on third down or obvious passing downs — they were unable to force as many turnovers or mistakes.
Let’s not get into the mindset that the defensive plan started to fail. I’ve seen it suggested they need to switch things around in base — but really there’s no evidence for that. Which other team starts a 330lbs three technique as Seattle did in 2015? The result? Zero 100-yard rushers against the Seahawks during the regular season. That’s quite an achievement.
Seattle prioritises gap control, discipline and doing your job. T.Y. McGill flashed as a pass rusher in pre-season but received a lukewarm response from Pete Carroll when asked to review his performance. The reason? He wasn’t doing the job he was asked to do. He was cut before the season and landed with the Colts.
By taking away the run you force teams to become one-dimensional against a fearsome secondary. You’re playing to not only the strength of your team but also the identity. Run the ball, stop the run. Force turnovers. Protect the ball.
Until they are in position to draft someone like Sheldon Rankins who could play early downs and control the run — they’re likely to persevere with the current plan. And why not? They just need to find a way to replace the production they had from McDonald and Hill in 2013/2014.
Hill is still on the roster and facing a contract year. He might be able to recreate his late 2014 form and provide the answer. Yet much like the situation at running back — the Seahawks are unlikely to just ‘hope for the best’ that they already have the answer. This is a team built on competition.
They also need greater depth on the D-line. In 2013 they had a substantial rotation and it was an underrated part of their success.
If there’s a determination to add another interior-rush specialist — Adolphus Washington could be the best bet. Let’s look at the tape…
I cannot embed the video linked above so you’ll have to watch it on YouTube. This was a close one for Ohio State (they won 20-13). Washington was, without doubt, the MVP on the day. Here are my notes:
0:17 — Washington fakes the B-gap rush with great head-use and then beats the right guard with pure quickness and hands to shrug him off. He explodes into the backfield, hits the quarterback as he throws forcing an interception by Eli Apple. Splash play.
2:16 — Washington shoots through the C-gap, leaving the tackle for dead with great quickness using his length to shield him off, meets the running back in the backfield and misses the tackle. He should wrap-up for a TFL but had the quickness and explosion off the snap to get into the backfield immediately. You can teach tackle form. You can’t teach quicks at 297lbs.
2:48 — Washington explodes through the B-gap on third and 2 to bring down the QB short of the first down marker. This is another example of his quickness and ability to shoot through gaps with natural athleticism.
3:11 — On 3rd and 4 the running back darts up the middle. They bring the centre across to Washington and he just throws him off with ease for a clear path to the running back. He stops him short of the marker and throws the RB to the ground after for good measure. This is all about length and power, with the discipline to fill the gap they were looking to create by pulling the centre. Washington destroys this play singlehanded.
4:00 — Washington rushes the B-gap, rounding the right guard with fantastic speed (similar to an edge rusher). You cannot block Washington 1v1 with a guard like this. He will win every time. He explodes into the backfield for a big sack (loss of eight yards). Look at the hand use here combined with the speed. That’s what 34-inch arms does for you.
4:45 — Washington meets the centre in a run play, shrugs him off with more fantastic hand use forcing the running back to bounce outside right into the arms of Joey Bosa. This is pure power, handling the line of scrimmage.
5:05 — It’s fourth and ten in a one score game. Washington pushes the right guard into the grill of the quarterback forcing an inaccurate throw. Incomplete. Game over. Another splash play.
There isn’t another defensive tackle in this draft with tape similar to this. There’s a lot of good hustle (Austin Johnson), there’s better control of the LOS with power and size (Jarran Reed, Vernon Butler, Kenny Clark). You see power (Andrew Billings) and the athleticism/frame of a Greek God (A’Shawn Robinson). Yet not even Sheldon Rankins has tape where he consistently wins with quickness like this.
There are other games where Washington is less impactful, of course. That’s the very nature of this type of player. Clinton McDonald in 2013 didn’t have a fantastic game every week. Nobody is going to mistake Washington for Aaron Donald and he’s unlikely to have 10-12 sacks in a season. Is he capable of 5-7 to help a defense that emphasises stopping the run? Possibly.
The Seahawks have almost no shot of signing Denver’s Malik Jackson in the open market. After Derek Wolfe signed a deal worth $9.157m APY, Jackson is likely to get something similar. The nearest thing to Jackson in this draft is Adolphus Washington.
Jackson is smaller (284lbs vs 297lbs) but they both win with quickness and have 34-inch arms. That length cannot be underestimated here — it’s a difference maker especially when you’ve got the speed skill-set to shoot gaps and can consistently keep blockers off your frame.
There are some character issues with Washington that need to be investigated. He was arrested for solicitation in a prostitution sting in December and subsequently suspended for the Fiesta Bowl. Assuming he isn’t marked down due to red flags, he has every chance to crack the top-45.
For the Seahawks they might be unlikely to target him at #26 but he could be an option if the trade down or if the red flags move him into the second or third round.
If you’re main desire is to see a dynamic interior pass rusher added to the roster via the draft — Washington is one guy to keep a very close eye on.
This week Kenneth and I get into Derrick Henry, the likelihood of the Seahawks drafting a running back in the first three rounds, Daniel Jeremiah’s latest mock draft and we compare existing Seahawks to players in the 2016 draft.
Daniel Jeremiah has A’Shawn Robinson landing in Seattle
Daniel Jeremiah has published his second mock draft via NFL.com. It’s been pointed out a few times that my own projections tend to represent ‘worst case scenarios’ for the Seahawks. The players we like are usually gone by #26. We’ll continue to compare the mocks on this blog with those in the national domain to see if we’re ruling out prospects that could be available to Seattle.
There’s a lot of movement between Jeremiah’s first and second mock drafts:
— Eli Apple (CB, Ohio State) drops from #9 to #30
— Noah Spence (DE, Eastern Kentucky) wasn’t included in the first round initially but is now the #10 overall pick
— Darron Lee (LB, Ohio State) makes the jump from #24 overall to #11
— Sheldon Rankins (DT, Louisville) moves up from #21 overall to #12 overall
— Vernon Butler (DT, Louisiana Tech) leaps from #26 up to #13
— Leonard Floyd (OLB, Georgia) wasn’t included last time but is now the #17 pick
— Kamalei Correa (DE, Boise State) replaces Kyler Fackrell (OLB, Utah State) in the first round, going to Arizona at #29
— Jarran Reed (DT, Alabama) drops from #19 to #28
A lot of these trends are to be expected. Rankins, Spence and Butler bolstered their stock at the Senior Bowl. Darron Lee has always been a top-15 talent and is finally getting the recognition. Floyd has freaky athleticism and an underwhelming college career — but he has first round upside.
The big shock is Eli Apple dropping from a top-ten pick to the penultimate pick in round one. There’s no obvious reason for this given Apple didn’t attend the Senior Bowl and hasn’t picked up an injury.
Perhaps he’s not hearing a lot of buzz about Apple? It’s interesting to note the mock overall is based on inside chatter. He previously worked in the NFL for Baltimore, Cleveland and Philadelphia.
So what about Seattle’s pick at #26? Here’s Jeremiah’s selection:
A’Shawn Robinson (DT, Alabama)
The Seahawks could take some hits in free agency at the position and Robinson has enormous upside.
Jeremiah previously had Seattle taking Vernon Butler in his first mock draft.
It’s true that the Seahawks face a dilemma if they lose Brandon Mebane and/or Athyba Rubin. There’s no ready made replacement on the roster. They’ve plugged veteran defensive linemen into their system before with some success. They’ve not had to look for two new starters though.
Robinson looks like a special athlete so that’s one box ticked for the Seahawks. He carries 312lbs on a 6-4 frame better than any prospect I think I’ve ever seen. Minimal bad weight, incredible definition. Robinson was a grown man in college and helped anchor Alabama’s brilliant D-line.
Seattle could plug him into their base defense pretty quickly and I’ve no doubt he’d excel. Gap discipline, run defense, doing his job. These are all things Robinson is capable of. To that extent he would make a solid pick.
It’d also be a cheap move in terms of salary. Breshad Perriman, the #26 pick a year ago, had a rookie cap hit of $1.5m. His deal costs $2.7m in 2018. Ahtyba Rubin’s salary in 2015 cost $2.6m. Brandon Mebane cost $5.7m.
That said, Rubin is 30 in July and Mebane recently turned 31. Both players could be re-signed on a relatively team-friendly contract. Given Seattle’s production vs the run in 2015 (zero 100-yard rushers in the regular season) — they probably want to keep both.
If they can’t and are able to add some pieces to the offensive line in free agency — Robinson could come into play. They might even draft Robinson to add depth or provide some long term security — although they’ve generally looked for impact players in round one.
The issue with Robinson as a prospect is the way he appeared to play within himself at Alabama. For all his size and athleticism, he offered almost nothing as a pass-rusher and had barely any splash plays. Putting a highlight reel together of his best plays must be a real chore. Given his massive potential and freakish physical skills — you’d expect so much more.
Perhaps at the next level he’ll be able to take the next step? Or maybe he’ll just always be a nice anchor against the run who can fit at the one or three technique and provide solid football for a few years? The question is — will the Seahawks see that as worthy of a first round pick?
Eli Apple (CB, Ohio State)
Terrific corner prospect with length and speed. Will need to show he has +32-inch arms to fit Seattle’s size ideal. Doesn’t get beat over the top and keeps everything in front. A disciplined, intelligent cornerback.
Jarran Reed (DT, Alabama)
Much less upside than A’Shawn Robinson but more of a finished product. Doesn’t have Robinson’s upside but he’ll be a real force against the run and should be able to have a quick impact at the next level.
Jason Spriggs (T, Indiana)
A bit stiff at times and gets beat too often with the inside counter. Given his size and length he can’t get beat inside and technically he needs a lot of work. On the plus side he has the size and athleticism teams love at offensive tackle.
Andrew Billings (DT, Baylor)
Powerful interior pass rusher but perhaps not the best fit for the Seahawks. His gap discipline is non-existent and he freelances too much trying to find a route into the backfield. On the turf too often. Needs coaching to max-out his potential.
Kyler Fackrell (OLB, Utah State)
Splash-play specialist. Constantly busy and working into the backfield to impact the quarterback. Might be a bit of a tweener — does he have the athleticism to play OLB or the size to be a natural end? What is his best fit?
Eli Apple stands out as a nice option and he could be an ideal fit for Seattle’s scheme. There’s no Sheldon Rankins or Noah Spence though — and it’s probably time to accept both will be going in the top-15 with little chance of a drop into the 20’s.
The Seahawks would have a chance to draft an offensive lineman with Jason Spriggs, Shon Coleman, Nick Martin, Ryan Kelly and Cody Whitehair all available. That said — do any provide the kind of elite athleticism and major upside they’ve often targeted in round one? Would Eli Apple, A’Shawn Robinson or — yes — Derrick Henry be more likely due to their combination of physical skills and college achievements? Especially if some of the O-liners above have a chance to linger until the end of round two?
D-line
Vernon Butler (Round 2)
Sheldon Rankins (Round 2)
Jarran Reed (Round 2)
Adolphus Washington (Round 2-3)
Austin Johnson (Round 3)
Jihad Ward (Round 3)
Darius Latham (Round 3-4)
Sheldon Day (Round 4)
Chris Jones (Round 4)
Ronald Blair (Round 5)
Willie Henry (Round 5)
Running back
Devontae Booker (Round 2)
Kenneth Dixon (Round 2)
Derrick Henry (Round 2)
Alex Collins (Round 3)
Paul Perkins (Round 3)
C.J. Prosise (Round 4)
Jordan Howard (Round 5-6)
Some of the rankings are quite eye-catching — Jordan Howard in day three, Sebastien Tretola as a late round flier, Sheldon Rankins in round two.
It emphasises the extreme D-line depth available in the middle rounds. With so many offensive tackles graded in round one — according to Pauline’s grades you might need one early or miss out altogether. That won’t be the case on the D-line.
Per Pauline, you could find Deion Jones (LB, LSU) and Adolphus Washington (DT, Ohio State) in the late third. That would free you up to go O-line and RB with your first two picks. If the Seahawks wanted to target Alex Collins or Paul Perkins — they’ll probably have to do it at #56 or after a small move down.
If you combine Jeremiah’s projection and Pauline’s notes — you can kind of formulate a plan for how the Seahawks might approach this. Look for offense early (OL, RB) unless one of the top DT’s falls to #26 (Rankins, Robinson). Then try and add some depth on the D-line in rounds 3-4.
That kind of plan also works with their previous draft trends. They haven’t taken a defensive tackle before round three — but they have drafted for the O-line and running back in the first two rounds.
The one issue might be replacing Bruce Irvin. It doesn’t look like a great class for athletic linebackers. Deion Jones is likely to be the best available. It’s a position to watch at the combine — but they might also look to convert a safety into the role.
I deliberately started the piece by making it clear I didn’t expect the Seahawks to draft Henry at #26. There are currently too many needs elsewhere and with a deep class at running back, they could find an option in rounds two or three (Alex Collins or Paul Perkins, for example).
However, the comments section lit up quite quickly with people suggesting there was zero chance of Henry being taken by the Seahawks. Today I wanted to make a few points on why it’d be a mistake to rule anything out.
The Seahawks are unpredictable
We’re in mid February. A mock draft placing James Carpenter to Seattle five years ago would’ve been met with disdain. Who expected Bruce Irvin to be the #15 pick in 2012? Did anyone see the Percy Harvin or Jimmy Graham trades coming? And when a lot of people (myself included) expected the team to draft a big target in 2014 — who suggested 6-0, 175lbs Paul Richardson?
It’s almost like this front office thrives on being unconventional. Signing Matt Flynn to a multi-million dollar contract and starting the third round rookie instead. Having the intestinal fortitude to cut Harvin and admit their mistake. Making defense and the run your identity when the rest of the league is throwing forty times a game.
This team does things differently. They do the unpredictable.
The Seahawks have constantly added running backs
As soon as Pete Carroll moved to Seattle he made it clear they were going to run the ball. Nothing has changed in that regard. And they’ve placed a high priority on the running back position.
In year one they traded for LenDale White, Leon Washington and Marshawn Lynch. Scarred by an ugly performance in Cleveland when Lynch was injured in 2011 — they drafted Robert Turbin in 2012 to add support. In 2013 — with Lynch and Turbin still on the roster and on long term contracts — they spent a second round pick on Christine Michael and a sixth round pick on Spencer Ware. The top player on their draft board in 2015? Todd Gurley.
They’ve aggressively bolstered this position because it’s the identity of the team. Run the ball, stop the run. Make explosive plays in the passing game, limit them on defense. Protect the ball. That’s Seahawks football.
Thomas Rawls is a terrific player but there’s every chance the Seahawks will give him a long term partner while providing security to a position they value greatly. It doesn’t have to be a first or second round pick — but it could be.
Again — if they’re willing to spend what was their first pick in the 2013 draft on a running back when they still had Lynch and Turbin as the clear #1 and #2 — we shouldn’t rule out the possibility they’ll spend a high pick to add a partner for Rawls to create a 1-2 punch in the post-Lynch era.
Moving on from Lynch is a big deal. He provided a reliable, durable heart-and-soul type to lead the offense. It might not be a job for one man going forward.
The Seahawks love freaky athletes with production
Christine Michael was drafted mostly thanks to a combine performance for the ages. He ran a 4.54 and jumped 43 inches at 5-10 and 220lbs. If Henry tops that performance at 6-3 and 242lbs — watch out.
If he does as well as Bucky Brooks is predicting he’ll probably be off the board by #26. Someone else will tap into that upside. If he makes it to the Seahawks after a freakish display — all bets are off.
Carroll and John Schneider have consistently drafted elite, unique athletes that produced in college:
2010 — Earl Thomas had eight interceptions in his final season at Texas
2010 — Golden Tate won the Biletnikoff
2011 — James Carpenter was arguably the best run blocking tackle in college
2012 — Bruce Irvin had 22.5 sacks in two seasons at West Virginia
2012 — Bobby Wagner had four sacks as a senior and 478 (!!!) career tackles
2014 — Paul Richardson had 1343 and 10 touchdowns in his final year at Colorado
2015 — Frank Clark’s tape was actually really good with many splash plays
Earl Thomas — 4.43 forty yard dash
Golden Tate — 4.42 forty yard dash
James Carpenter — massive size (34 inch arms, 321bs)
Bruce Irvin — 4.50 forty yard dash and an elite 1.55 10-yard split
Bobby Wagner — 4.46 forty yard dash
Paul Richardson — 4.40 forty yard dash, 38 inch vertical
Frank Clark — 4.64 forty yard dash, a 1.59 10-yard split and a 38.5 inch vertical
The chances are the Seahawks pick at #26 will be mightily productive in college and a SPARQy athlete.
It still doesn’t mean it’ll definitely happen. In my last mock I paired them with Jack Conklin (T, Michigan State). Conklin has had a fine if undecorated career. He’s not a big time athlete. He is a fantastic, physical run-blocker — and that could be enough to entice them given their self-confessed priority to produce a consistent O-line.
That said, if they’re able to make some moves in free agency — it opens the door for other positions at #26. After all, they addressed their pass-rush need with a shock double-move for Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett three years ago. Can they pull off something similar with the O-line?
If so — why would we rule out a prospect who essentially fits the criteria perfectly of a major athlete with excellent production? Henry won the Heisman at Alabama, setting records along the way. It doesn’t get much more unique than a 242lbs monster running in the 4.4’s if he puts in that type of performance. If he runs in the 4.6’s and jumps a 35-inch vertical we’ll be having a very different conversation.
Henry is often compared to Brandon Jacobs. I don’t see it personally — Jacobs was an inside thumper with incredible size and value in the short-yardage game. Henry’s ability at the second level is rare. He’s excellent in space, very difficult to bring down and has the breakaway speed to turn a big run into a touchdown run. For all the complaints about his short-game — he’s a dynamic playmaker if you give him even a hint of a crease.
By this point you’re probably thinking I’m starting to petition for Henry in Seattle. I’ll stress that this isn’t the case. Yet I don’t think we’d be doing this blog justice to focus exclusively on the offensive and defensive line — or take the position that anything else simply won’t happen. Personally I think they will take a running back in the first four rounds. In my last mock draft I had them selecting Alex Collins in round two — and I feel pretty good about that projection.
We should still keep a close eye on Derrick Henry’s workout at the combine. Let’s see if Brooks’ prediction comes true. And if he lights up Indianapolis — don’t be too shocked if the thing people are saying won’t happen — might just.
If someone asked me the question, “Do you think the Seahawks will draft Derrick Henry?” — my answer would be ‘no’. I think he’s very unlikely to last until pick #56 meaning they’d have to take him in round one.
I’m not convinced the Seahawks have the cap room to fully address their self-confessed off-season priorities (OL, DL). The likely options at #26 on the O-line and D-line will appeal one way or another. I think Alex Collins or Paul Perkins would present better value in rounds 2-3.
“He’s an explosive athlete having been around him in High School. I know he’s going to be a guy that clocks extreme times — probably a 4.4 in the forty and a 42-inch vertical.”
Henry is 6-3 and 242lbs. If he runs in the 4.4’s and jumps a 42-inch vertical he might be the only human being on the planet capable of that achievement.
The Seahawks drafted Christine Michael in 2013 with a second round pick after a super-human combine performance. Michael is 5-10 and 220lbs and ran a 4.54 and jumped a 43-inch vertical. For Henry to get into that range weighing 22lbs more would be quite incredible.
They’d have to be interested. Even if they didn’t take him.
Such a performance would make Henry a rare case. A truly unique, explosive athlete. We know how much the Seahawks love difference making athleticism. And while Thomas Rawls is a fantastic, dynamic player for the Seahawks — creating a relatively cheap one-two punch with Henry could keep them atop the rushing rankings in the post-Marshawn Lynch era.
Breshad Perriman, the #26 pick in 2015, had a cap hit of $1.5m in his rookie year. It rises to $2.7m in year four. Getting Henry at such a price alongside Rawls would give Seattle the kind of bang-for-their-buck they previously got from Russell Wilson’s rookie deal.
The Seahawks don’t just like difference-making athleticism. They love production too. Henry did it all in High School and went on to win the Heisman and a National Championship with Alabama.
That’s not to say Henry doesn’t have issues. He’s top-heavy with long legs. Too often in college a glancing blow knocked him off balance and ended the run. He’s not a yards-after-contact specialist despite his size. He’s a totally unique player — built like a tank with the breakaway speed of a cheetah.
Give him a crease and it’s over. Give him an athletic, tough, physical O-line and he could be a superstar.
I’m not suggesting the Seahawks should or will draft Henry in round one if Brooks’ prediction is accurate. If they lose Russell Okung and J.R. Sweezy in free agency they’ll need to plug holes in the O-line before anything else. They’d probably need to rebuild the line with veterans and/or feel good about the mid-round depth. To be fair, there are some nice options (Tretola, Glasgow, Dahl).
A lot of people responded with terrified gasps when I projected Alex Collins to the Seahawks in round two yesterday. I understand the lack of interest in taking a running back early. This thread, like the one yesterday, is considering a scenario based on what we know about Pete Carroll’s Seahawks. After all, Todd Gurley was the #1 player on their draft board a year ago. We’ll consider many different scenarios between now and the draft.
Let me finish with this thought. Remember the mock last week where I asked you guys to give me a name for #26? In that projection all of the top tackles were off the board. So was Sheldon Rankins. If such a scenario occurs they’re going to have to draft someone if they can’t move down. History tells us it’s likely to be a unique, SPARQy athlete with production. An impact player.
If Henry runs a 4.4 and jumps a 42-inch vertical — it’ll catch Seattle’s eye. It might even push him into the top-20 (and another player closer to the Seahawks).
A few days ago we looked at options for the Seahawks at #26 in a sort of ‘worst case’ scenario. Here’s a complete two-round mock draft with thoughts on Seattle’s picks.
Round one
#1 Tennessee — Laremy Tunsil (T, Ole Miss)
The Titans have a nondescript defense and two top-12 picks on their offensive line already. So of course they’ll draft Tunsil at #1.
#2 Cleveland — Paxton Lynch (QB, Memphis)
With his combination of accuracy, mobility, size and arm strength — Lynch provides the greater upside of the top three QB’s.
#3 San Diego — Carson Wentz (QB, North Dakota State)
How interested is Philip Rivers and his ever-growing family in moving to LA? Time to start planning for the future, perhaps?
#4 Dallas — Jaylen Ramsey (CB, Florida State)
I can see why some teams are wary of Ramsey but he’s a physical corner with the ability to play safety.
#5 Jacksonville — Myles Jack (LB, UCLA)
The Jaguars need to keep adding pieces to their defense. Jack can play all three linebacker positions. Fantastic athlete.
#6 Baltimore — Joey Bosa (DE, Ohio State)
This would be a no-brainer for the Ravens. A pass-rusher to help kick-start that defense.
#7 San Francisco — Jared Goff (QB, California)
Right now the 49ers don’t have a good option at quarterback. Reports say their relationship with Colin Kaepernick is still strained.
#8 Miamia — DeForest Buckner (DE, Oregon)
D-line, linebacker and cornerback. Three need positions and the Dolphins will have options at all three in this spot.
#9 Tampa Bay — Eli Apple (CB, Ohio State)
Cornerback is a huge need for the Buccs and Apple is a fantastic prospect destined for big things.
#10 New York Giants — Darron Lee (LB, Ohio State)
The Giants tend to do things differently in this range and were right to draft Odell Beckham Jr and Ereck Flowers. Here’s another underrated player for them in Lee.
#11 Chicago — Mackensie Alexander (CB, Clemson)
Any pick on the defense makes sense. Alexander slots into the line-up immediately. Big character.
#12 New Orleans — Noah Spence (DE, Eastern Kentucky)
There isn’t another player like Spence in the draft and that should ensure he gets picked up early.
#13 Philadelphia — Taylor Decker (T, Ohio State)
Underrated tackle. Very athletic, strong and gritty. He can slot straight in across from Lane Johnson.
#14 Oakland — Robert Nkemdiche (DE, Ole Miss)
Line him up inside and out. The Raiders might be willing to take a chance on his character to add another dynamic defender.
#15 Los Angeles — Jaylon Smith (LB, Notre Dame)
The Rams waited it out for Todd Gurley and were rewarded. Will they do the same with the ultra-talented Smith?
#16 Detroit — Ronnie Stanley (T, Notre Dame)
They could add a defensive lineman but tackle is a need. Stanley can be overly passive but he has the physical profile to be a good pass-protector.
#17 Atlanta — Sheldon Rankins (DT, Louisville)
Fantastic get-off, quick-twitch interior lineman who dominated the Senior Bowl practises. Just the type of player Atlanta’s defense lacks.
#18 Indianapolis — Ezekiel Elliott (RB, Ohio State)
They’ve shied away from obvious needs in recent years to make surprise picks. Elliott is the real deal.
#19 Buffalo — A’shawn Robinson (DT, Alabama)
He plays within himself and should be better — but he has incredible upside and fits as a 3-4 DE.
#20 New York Jets — Jason Spriggs (T, Indiana)
A good combine to follow up a solid Senior Bowl could have teams moving quickly to snap up Spriggs’ athleticism and size.
#21 Washington — Jarran Reed (DT, Alabama)
Scot McCloughan is trying to create a tough, physically imposing football team with plus athleticism. Reed would provide a real edge to their D-line.
#22 Houston — Corey Coleman (WR, Baylor)
He could be the big winner at the combine, forcing his way into the top-tier of players. Explosive, physical playmaker.
#23 Minnesota — Laquon Treadwell (WR, Ole Miss)
The Vikings need a consistent target for Teddy Bridgewater. Treadwell can provide that. Value pick.
#24 Cincinnati — Andrew Billings (DT, Baylor)
The Bengals pair Billings with Geno Atkins up front to provide a formidable duo at defensive tackle.
#25 Pittsburgh — Kyler Fackrell (LB, Utah State)
We know the Steelers love to draft linebackers in round one. They need a pass rusher who gets home. That’s Fackrell.
#26 Seattle — Jack Conklin (T, Michigan State)
Tough, physical and excels in the run game. Conklin could move inside to left guard or start at right tackle.
#27 Kansas City — Vernon Hargreaves (CB, Florida)
The Chiefs might need to replace Sean Smith. This is the range I think Hargreaves falls.
#28 Green Bay — Vernon Butler (DT, Louisiana Tech)
Butler combines length, strength, size and mobility. He lacks Muhammad Wilkerson’s college production but he’s similar physically.
#29 Arizona — Nick Martin (C, Notre Dame)
He just gets the job done. He’ll come into the league and start immediately. He’ll be as steady as his brother in Dallas.
#30 Carolina — Darian Thompson (S, Boise State)
He misses the odd tackle but Thompson’s range, ability to play in the box and playmaking skills are enticing.
#31 Denver — Shon Coleman (T, Auburn)
Maybe age will be an issue? I’m a huge Coleman fan. The Broncos were willing to draft 25-year-old rookie Sly Williams in round one.
Round two
#32 Cleveland — Will Fuller (WR, Notre Dame)
A dynamic weapon to compliment Josh Gordon and Gary Barnidge.
#33 Tennessee — Leonard Floyd (OLB, Georgia)
Athletic, rangy outside linebacker. Can improve as a pass-rusher.
#34 Dallas — Derrick Henry (RB, Alabama)
Doesn’t it seem inevitable? He’s a good fit for their scheme.
#35 San Diego — Keanu Neal (S, Florida)
Favoured in league circles and the Chargers need to replace Eric Weddle.
#36 Baltimore — Tyler Boyd (WR, Pittsburgh)
Underrated, prolific playmaker. The heart and soul of Pitt’s offense for two years.
#37 San Francisco — Cody Whitehair (T, Kansas State)
A no-nonsense lineman who will switch to guard or center in the NFL.
#38 Miami — Kendall Fuller (CB, Virginia Tech)
Having addressed the D-line in round one, Miami go for a talented corner here.
#39 Jacksonville — Shaq Lawson (DE, Clemson)
Powerful DE who can play inside and out and compliment Dante Fowler.
#40 New York Giants — Chris Jones (DT, Mississippi State)
A former 5-star recruit with major athletic potential.
#41 Chicago — Reggie Ragland (LB, Alabama)
Ideally suited to play in the 3-4, Ragland would make plays for Vic Fangio.
#42 Tampa Bay — Adolphus Washington (DT, Ohio State)
Dynamic interior rusher. Washington is streaky and needs to be more consistent.
#43 Los Angeles — Michael Thomas (WR, Ohio State)
A big target with surprising agility. He could go much earlier.
#44 Oakland — Su’a Cravens (S, USC)
They need to rebuild their secondary. Cravens is a versatile defender.
#45 Los Angeles — Kevin Dodd (DE, Clemson)
They love to collect pass-rushers and might need to replace Chris Long.
#46 Detroit — Kenny Clark (DT, UCLA)
The Lions add another piece to their new-look defensive front.
#47 New Orleans — Austin Johnson (DT, Penn State)
The Saints need an athletic nose tackle. Johnson has a fantastic motor.
#48 Indianapolis — Jonathan Bullard (DT, Florida)
His effort is superb but is he special enough to go earlier?
#49 Buffalo — Jordan Jenkins (OLB, Georgia)
They need another edge rusher with experience in this type of scheme.
#50 Atlanta — Deion Jones (LB, LSU)
Dan Quinn copies the Seahawks and goes for elite speed and playmaking at LB.
#51 New York Jets — Hunter Henry (TE, Arkansas)
Arguably the best all-round TE in the class. The Jets keep adding weapons.
#52 Houston — Christian Hackenburg (QB, Penn State)
Bill O’Brien takes a chance on his former protégé.
#53 Washington — Ryan Kelly (C, Alabama)
The quest to get tougher in the trenches continues.
#54 Minnesota — Germain Ifedi (T, Mississippi State)
Underrated, powerful tackle in excellent shape. Could play left guard too.
#55 Cincinnati — William Jackson (CB, Houston)
This guy can play. Great size/speed/length. Could rise much higher.
#56 Seattle — Alex Collins (RB, Arkansas)
Seeks contact, former four-star athlete, keeps moving after contact.
#57 Green Bay — Braxton Miller (WR, Ohio State)
Give him a bit of time and he could be superb.
#58 Pittsburgh — Darius Latham (DT, Indiana)
A 6-5, 300lbs basketball player for the Steelers defensive front.
#59 Kansas City — Joshua Perry (LB, Ohio State)
Every time you watch Ohio State, Perry shines. Incredibly tough. Leader.
#60 New England — Josh Doctson (WR, TCU)
Tall and wiry but makes plays. The Pats need to upgrade Brandon LeFell.
#61 Arizona — Kamalei Correa (DE, Boise State)
Athletic edge rusher ideally suited to OLB in the 3-4.
#62 Denver — Connor Cook (QB, Michigan State)
The Broncos take a punt on Cook to compete for the gig in Denver.
#63 Carolina — Shilique Calhoun (DE, Michigan State)
A frustrating player to watch at times — but with bags of upside.
Jack Conklin to the Seahawks
Whether it’s James Carpenter, Justin Britt or Terry Poole — the Seahawks are attracted to using guards with tackle experience. They seem to like size at left guard (Conklin is listed at 6-6 and 325lbs) and they emphasise run blocking. Conklin ticks every box. They might try him at right tackle first (like Carpenter and Britt) but this could be their best opportunity to get some size and nastiness back into the interior O-line.
A running back in round two?
Hear me out. The value on the D-line at #56 in this projection wasn’t any better than it’s likely to be in the late third. There will be options in the next round. Pete Carroll at USC liked to collect talented running backs and use them all. He hasn’t needed to do that in Seattle due to the brilliance of Marshawn Lynch. Thomas Rawls will be the #1 in 2015 all being well but adding another to the group would be wise — especially someone with the physicality they’ve lost in Lynch. Yes Christine Michael will be back — but let’s not forget he was essentially dumped by three teams in 2015 before a late season revival.
There’s likely to be a run in round three on running backs where the likes of Alex Collins, Jordan Howard, Devontae Booker, Paul Perkins and Kenneth Dixon come off the board. By taking one at #56 they can secure the guy they want. The projection here says it’s Collins (I was tempted to stick with UCLA’s Perkins). He seeks contact and doesn’t go out of bounds, keeps moving after contact, has the ability to find a gap and explode for big gains and has some pass-protection upside (search online to see him blow up A’Shawn Robinson).
Collins is no slouch either — he’s a former four-star recruit in High School and had interest from schools like Florida.
Collins isn’t Marshawn Lynch (he does a good impression at 0:53 in the video above) but his physical style would be a nice compliment to Thomas Rawls. He can carry the load if needed and you’ve secured him for four years on a cheap contract.
Senquez Golson, the #56 pick in 2015, has a contract worth $1m APY. His rookie cap hit was $727,462. That’s value at a position where you get an immediate return.
The Seahawks put a ton of emphasis on their running game. Look at their investment at the position so far — trading for LenDale White, Leon Washington and Marshawn Lynch, drafting Robert Turbin, Christine Michael and Spencer Ware. They’ve always been conscious of the position.
Some people will cringe at this — but if you consider waiting until the late third and your favourite 2-3 backs are gone and you’re left hoping Rawls stays healthy and Michael stays consistent — you might not hate this quite as much. They could possibly trade down into the early third round before making a pick like this.
In this projection I’d have the Seahawks taking Graham Glasgow and either Ronald Blair III or Willie Henry in round three. Glasgow to compete at either guard or center and Blair III/Henry to add some help to the interior D-line. There’d be plenty of alternatives on the D-line too.
The one pressing concern in this scenario could be linebacker. Assuming they lose Bruce Irvin, they’d probably like to at least add some further competition to Kevin Pierre-Louis, Brock Coyle and Mike Morgan. They might be able to do that with an athletic safety convert or take a chance on Travis Feeney. This draft is not flush with athletic outside linebackers. The options are very limited once Jaylon Smith, Darron Lee, Myles Jack and Deion Jones are off the board. Keep that in mind for round one if the Seahawks are able to bolster the O-line and D-line in free agency.
If the Seahawks want to be tougher in the trenches and more physical — Conklin, Collins, Glasgow and Blair III/Henry would improve that situation. By retaining Brandon Mebane and Athyba Rubin and possibly adding another veteran defensive and offensive lineman — the Seahawks might be able to address their biggest off-season priorities.
“Don’t get me started on Rankins. He is a top 10 talent in this draft. He is a true upfield disruptor who is smooth, quick and versatile with his hands to win the balance advantage. I’ll go as far to say that Rankins could be this year’s Kawann Short. The Seahawks love disruption, and Rankins would offer it.”
“He generally does a great job getting off blocks using nice hands and flashing great athleticism for his size. He’ll shoot a gap effectively and gets a nice quick burst off the snap. He’s shown decent ability on stunts to skip wide and attack from a different angle. You see the swim, club and spin moves — so he’ll be creative and keep an offensive lineman guessing. When he gets low and drives into his blocker he can flash a solid bull rush. Sometimes he gets too high and loses leverage but this is coachable.”
Short lived in the backfield at Purdue and there isn’t a player with his pass-rushing technique in this draft class. He fell into round two (pick #44) and has since developed into one of the top defensive tackles in the league.
Surely if a player of that quality can drop all the way to #44 — Rankins could suffer a similar fate?
Doubtful.
#1 — Age
Short was a 24-year-old rookie. He turned 27 a few days ago. These are the peak years of his career — and he’s still on his rookie contract. Sly Williams (in Short’s draft class) also fell to the late first round (he was a 25-year-old rookie). Sharrif Floyd was a weaker pass-rusher than both in college — but he was 21 in his rookie year.
Sheldon Rankins is 21. He turns 22 on April 2nd. Age is a factor.
#2 — Motor
There were always concerns about Short’s effort at Purdue. A 2012 game against Ohio State still sticks in the memory to this day. As good as he is/was — he mailed it in against the Buckeyes. Teams often focus on the tape vs your best three opponents. That was a bad showing.
Here’s what I noted in the article endorsing him for the Seahawks in round one:
Unlike Sheldon Richardson and Sharrif Floyd, the motor seems to stop running when the play moves away from his part of the field. Richardson turns into a linebacker when the play kicks out wide, tracking the ball carrier and often being the one to make the decisive tackle. Short, more often than not, shuts down and doesn’t make the effort.
Nobody is going to doubt Sheldon Rankins’ motor. After watching three Louisville games since the Senior Bowl — Rankins just keeps on going. He hustles to the ball-carrier, keeps his feet moving and doesn’t take plays off. Teams are really going to the like the effort they see on tape. It’s similar to Austin Johnson at Penn State who will also likely go early.
Rankins proved he’s athletic when he turned up in Mobile and lit up the competition in practise. Couple that with a relentless motor and it’s a far cry from Short’s inconsistent effort.
#3 — Conditioning
Short always looked big at Purdue — like he was carrying extra weight. This was a noted concern going into the draft. When Short attended the Senior Bowl in 2013 he looked a lot leaner — having shed around 10-15lbs. It would’ve concerned teams, however, that they were going to need to monitor this situation during his career.
Rankins is a compact, cannonball of a defensive lineman. For some schemes he’ll be undersized at 6-1 and 304lbs and it’s hard to imagine him fitting in a 3-4 defense. For the 4-3 teams he’s the ideal size for a three-technique.
Must have the girth, strength, ballast to hold off the guard, or to step into a tackles’ block without being knocked off the line of scrimmage.
Quick, strong hands to grab and pull are critical. This is common with the great tackles. The hands, the arms, the upper body strength and then the quick feet to take advantage of a moving man, just getting him off balance.
You are looking for somebody who can move down the line of scrimmage and make a tackle, pursuing a ball-carrier. That would be lateral quickness in a short area, being able to get underway and move over and through people. If you get knocked off the line, or get knocked sideways or knocked off balance, you cannot play this position. You must be able to work your way through people, so that kind of strength is a must.
The best defensive tackles move the offensive guard back into the quarterback. They won’t have nearly as many sacks as others, but if they can move the guard back into the quarterback, then the quarterback has to avoid his own lineman as if he were a pass rusher before he throws the ball. So this is a key ability.
Not only is Rankins close to the size ideal, he also ticks a lot of boxes here. He moves down the LOS easily, working his way through traffic. He’s powerful at the point of attack with the ability to shoot gaps. His compact frame provides the “ballast” and “girth” Walsh refers to.
It’s also worth noting the bit about, “they won’t have nearly as many sacks as others.” For all the talk of needing more pass rush in the interior — Seattle’s preference for stoutness up front is perhaps indicative of Walsh’s influence on Carroll. The one key difference is Carroll’s willingness to sign bigger defensive tackles to achieve the same goal (Athbya Rubin is surely the only 330lbs three-technique in the NFL).
For teams with a similar mentality (eg — Atlanta with Dan Quinn) — Rankins will be just as ideal. The thought of him slipping beyond the Falcons and through to #26 feels like wishful thinking. As good as Kawann Short is — there just aren’t the same kind of question marks with Sheldon Rankins.
One final note. This interaction on Twitter is quite interesting…
Interesting. Hearing similar things. Reflection on work ethic & greater technique needed to be successful vs NFL OL. https://t.co/4s885vevWN
This is a very deep defensive line class with plenty of big name, star power. It’s also a group filled with compromises.
The more secure, polished defensive linemen will go early. Rankins falls into that category.
If you want an alternative that might be available to Seattle — keep an eye on Ohio State’s Adolphus Washington. He flashed during the Senior Bowl practises with some impressive speed, get-off and hand-use. He was streaky in college but had enough splash plays to be interesting. He might be the best interior rusher in this class. He lacks Rankins’ powerful base and size in the lower body. He is extremely quick.
He also has 34 inch arms (impressive length) and good size with minimal bad weight (6-3, 297lbs).
This is what he’s capable of…
Works to get off the block with great hands, power and speed. Finishes with a sack. He’s too strong and quick for Brian Allen (Jack’s brother):
Good use of length to keep Jack Allen away from his frame, excellent counter move after Allen recovers to spin into the quarterback. Would’ve been a splash play in a game:
Draws a double team, reads the play to notice the dump-off before intercepting the pass for a pick-six:
This is how to shoot a gap in the run game:
Fast forward the video below to 11:40 for two snaps of Adolphus Washington vs Joshua Garnett. On the first play Washington tries to bull-rush Garnett who just about contains him (he’s pushed back into the pocket). On the next play Washington wins with a beautiful spin move. Fast forward to 16:15 to watch Washington have Joe Dahl’s lunch money. Dahl does a much better job on the second 1v1.
Jack Conklin could fall into the bottom third of round one — but will he last until #26?
I’m mixing things up today.
There are some big changes from my previous mocks. I’ve also decided against picking for the Seahawks. I’ll offer some suggestions but I’ll leave it up to you to discuss. Who would you take at #26 considering the options available?
#1 Tennessee — Laremy Tunsil (T, Ole Miss)
The Titans have a nondescript defense and two top-12 picks on their offensive line already. So of course they’ll draft Tunsil at #1.
#2 Cleveland — Paxton Lynch (QB, Memphis)
With his combination of accuracy, mobility, size and arm strength — Lynch provides the greater upside of the top three QB’s.
#3 San Diego — Carson Wentz (QB, North Dakota State)
How interested is Philip Rivers and his ever-growing family in moving to LA? Time to start planning for the future, perhaps?
#4 Dallas — Jaylen Ramsey (CB, Florida State)
I can see why some teams are wary of Ramsey but he’s a physical corner who can also convert to safety.
#5 Jacksonville — Myles Jack (LB, UCLA)
The Jaguars need to keep adding pieces to their defense. Jack can play all three linebacker positions. Fantastic athlete.
#6 Baltimore — Joey Bosa (DE, Ohio State)
This would be a no-brainer for the Ravens. A pass-rusher to help kick-start that defense over the next few years.
#7 San Francisco — Jared Goff (QB, California)
Right now the 49ers don’t have a good option at quarterback if their relationship with Colin Kaepernick is still strained.
#8 Miamia — DeForest Buckner (DE, Oregon)
The D-line, linebacker and cornerback. Three need positions and the Dolphins will have options at all three in this spot.
#9 Tampa Bay — Eli Apple (CB, Ohio State)
Cornerback is a huge need for the Buccs and Apple is a fantastic prospect destined for big things.
#10 New York Giants — Darron Lee (LB, Ohio State)
The Giants tend to do things differently in this range and were right to draft Odell Beckham Jr and Ereck Flowers. Here’s another underrated player for them in Lee.
#11 Chicago — Mackensie Alexander (CB, Clemson)
Any pick on the defense makes sense. Alexander slots into the line-up immediately and will be a big character in that defense.
#12 New Orleans — Noah Spence (DE, Eastern Kentucky)
There isn’t another player like Spence in the draft and that should ensure he gets picked up early.
#13 Philadelphia — Taylor Decker (T, Ohio State)
Underrated tackle. Very athletic, strong and gritty. He can slot straight in across from Lane Johnson.
#14 Oakland — Robert Nkemdiche (DE, Ole Miss)
Line him up inside and out. The Raiders might be willing to take a chance on his character to add another dynamic defender.
#15 Los Angeles — Jaylon Smith (LB, Notre Dame)
The Rams waited it out for Todd Gurley and were rewarded. Will they do the same with the ultra-talented Smith?
#16 Detroit — Ronnie Stanley (T, Notre Dame)
They could add a defensive lineman but tackle is a need. Stanley can be overly passive but he has the physical profile to be a good pass-protector.
#17 Atlanta — Sheldon Rankins (DT, Louisville)
Fantastic get-off, quick-twitch interior lineman who dominated the Senior Bowl practises. Just the type of player Atlanta’s defense lacks.
#18 Indianapolis — Ezekiel Elliott (RB, Ohio State)
They’ve shied away from obvious needs in recent years to make surprise picks. Elliott is the real deal.
#19 Buffalo — Andrew Billings (DT, Baylor)
They could try him at nose tackle or 3-4 DE. He seems to work better with an angle in space. He’d suit the 3-4.
#20 New York Jets — Shon Coleman (T, Auburn)
Physical, competitive, edgy O-lineman. He could play left tackle, right tackle or guard. Just a terrific football player.
#21 Washington — Jarran Reed (DT, Alabama)
Scot McCloughan is trying to create a tough, physically imposing football team with plus athleticism. Reed would provide a real edge to their D-line.
#22 Houston — Will Fuller (WR, Notre Dame)
A dynamic, explosive athlete capable of running in the 4.3’s at the combine. Players with this much big-play potential don’t last long.
#23 Minnesota — Jack Conklin (T, Michigan State)
A tough, self-made run blocking specialist. He might have to convert to guard which is probably where he’d play for Minnesota.
#24 Cincinnati — Corey Coleman (WR, Baylor)
He could be the big winner at the combine, forcing his way into the top-tier of players. Explosive, physical playmaker.
#25 Pittsburgh — Kyler Fackrell (LB, Utah State)
We know the Steelers love to draft linebackers in round one. They need a pass rusher who gets home. That’s Fackrell.
#26 Seattle — ???
In this scenario the Seahawks miss out on possible targets Shon Coleman and Jack Conklin. Both players would add the kind of physical toughness and attitude they appear to be looking for.
Tony Pauline reported this week that he expects Conklin to fall into the bottom third of round one. Jon Ledyard graded him in round three. I went back and watched three games after reading that report. I see some of the concerns especially in his footwork and ability to handle the edge vs speed. I think he’s best suited to a move inside — but would actually be a very accomplished left guard. The Seahawks have previously looked to convert tackles to guard (Poole, Carpenter, Britt).
Conklin and Coleman could be Seattle’s best options to address the left guard position in the draft with their combination of size, physicality and experience at tackle.
Who is available?
— Cody Whitehair (Kansas State), Nick Martin (Notre Dame) and Ryan Kelly (Alabama) could all fill a hole at center.
— Vernon Butler (Louisiana Tech) is on the board — he compares physically to Muhammad Wilkerson (a former #30 overall pick).
— Jason Spriggs (Indiana) is a tall, athletic left tackle with some technical issues.
— Le’Raven Clark (Texas Tech) has the perfect left tackle frame with height, size and incredible +36 inch arms but his technique is appalling. Do the Seahawks roll the dice on upside?
— Chris Jones (Mississippi State) has unique size (6-6, 308lbs) and athleticism. He’s a former #2 overall recruit in the nation. We know they love to draft first round athletes for their defense but Jones has underachieved in college.
— Adolphus Washington (Ohio State) is arguably the closest thing to Malik Jackson in this draft. He’s heavier than Jackson but has the same 34 inch arms.
— Leonard Floyd (Georgia) hasn’t delivered as a pass rusher but he’s incredibly athletic as a linebacker. He could be a possible Bruce Irvin replacement.
— I’m not a big fan personally of Vernon Hargreaves (Florida) but like Bradley Roby in 2014, he might be a productive slot corner at the next level.
— A’Shawn Robinson (Alamaba) is a fantastic athlete but is too passive and plays within himself. Watching Alex Collins destroy him in pass-pro was something else. Can he deliver on his potential?
— Austin Johnson (Penn State) is a very active defensive tackle with great mobility for his size (323lbs). His combination of motor and agility could appeal.
— Laquon Treadwell (Ole Miss) and Michael Thomas (Ohio State) are both available but are the Seahawks really going to spend another high pick on a target?
— Could the Seahawks be tempted to secure Deion Jones (LSU) — an explosive athlete at linebacker to replace Bruce Irvin? Jones had five interceptions (one returned for a TD) and 99 total tackles in 2015.
In a scenario like this they might be best served moving down and hunting for greater value. With some attractive options likely to be available in rounds 3-5, acquiring some extra picks makes sense.
It also adds weight to the growing sentiment that the Seahawks need to be active in the veteran market for offensive linemen. With most of the top tackles off the board by #26 — they’ll need a solution if Russell Okung departs. It doesn’t have to cost a fortune — but they’ll need some security.
It might also be necessary if they aren’t interested in the options at center. This isn’t a great draft for left guards that fit Seattle’s size ideal. Shon Coleman and Jack Conklin might be the two best fits for the Seahawks and they’re both off the board in this projection. Combine those two things together and how do they upgrade their interior adequately in this draft?
What should they do? Let me know in the comments section.
