Author: Rob Staton (Page 325 of 423)

The Seahawks have drafted Christine Michael, running back out of Texas A&M, with the #62 pick. They drafted Penn State defensive tackle Jordan Hill at #87.

Right, change of plan. Cover it Live have stopped running their free service. Who knew? It was only allowing 50 people into the room instead of the thousands we’ve had the last two years. I checked the cost and it’s not cheap. So I’m going to have to cancel that portion of the LIVE BLOG. Instead I’ll update the picks on here with commentary. Please use the comments section for reaction. Not ideal.

#33 Jacksonville Jaguars select Jonathan Cyprien (S, Florida International)
The Jaguars start things off with a functional safety. This is a pure Gus Bradley pick. And a smart one. Grade: B

Tennessee trades up to #34, San Francisco moves down to #40

#34 Tennessee Titans select Justin Hunter (WR, Tennessee)
The Titans move up to get a receiver for Jake Locker. Hunter is inconsistent with some upside. Can you rely on him? Grade: B-

#35 Philadelphia Eagles select Zach Ertz (TE, Stanford)
This is great value for the Eagles. Chip Kelly knows all about Ertz. Grade: A

**Contract news** Following on from the Packers re-signing Aaron Rodgers earlier today, reports are emerging that Cincinnati has agreed terms with tackle Andre Smith.

#36 Detroit Lions select Darius Slay (CB, Mississippi State)
They needed a corner and had the pick of the bunch. Slay is fast but much less physical than Johnthan Banks. I prefer Blidi Wreh-Wilson. Grade: C+

#37 Cincinnati Bengals select Gio Bernard (RB, North Carolina)
I like Bernard. They picked him over Eddie Lacy and Jonathan Franklin. Grade: B-

San Diego trades up to #38, Arizona moves down to #45

#38 San Diego Chargers select Manti Te’o (LB, Notre Dame)
So Te’o finally leaves the board. San Diego trades up to get him, while only spending a 4th rounder to make the move. It’s a nice fit for their defense. Grade: B

#39 New York Jets select Geno Smith (QB, West Virginia)
There you go. The Jets are killing the draft. Dee Milliner, Sheldon Richardson and Geno Smith. Superb. Grade: A+

#40 San Francisco 49ers select Tank Carradine (DE, Florida State)
If he’s healthy, this is a dangerous pick. Very low gamble at #40. Adds another dimension to the pass rush for the Niners. They turned Alex Smith into a Tank. Grade: A

#41 Buffalo Bills select Robert Woods (WR, USC)
Great pick for the Bills. Woods is incredible value here. They needed to get a weapon for E.J. Manuel. Grade: A+

#42 Oakland Raiders select Menelik Watson (T, Florida State)
This guy is from England, so all power to him. But he was just announced as ‘Men Lick, Washington’. Grade: B-

#43 Tampa Bay Buccaneers select Johnthan Banks (CB, Mississippi State)
Do the Buccs realise they also have to field an offense, plus a defensive line? It’s all going on the secondary. Grade: C-

Players still available: Eddie Lacy, Arthur Brown, Keenan Allen, Margus Hunt, Matt Barkley, Jamar Taylor, Blidi Wreh-Wilson, Terron Armstead, Khaseem Greene, Jesse Williams, Christine Michael.

#44 Carolina Panthers select Kawann Short (DT, Purdue)
Wow. They had a need at tackle, but they picked up Star Lotulelei yesterday. I always liked Short, but struggled to find a fit. His first NFL game? Vs Seattle. Grade: B-

#45 Arizona Cardinals select Kevin Minter (LB, LSU)
He’s not a pass rusher but this is a solid pick here. Ten more players to go before Seattle is on the clock. Grade: B-

#46 Buffalo Bills select Kiko Alonso (LB, Oregon)
I know some people love this guy, but I’m not sold here. For me there were better players available like Arthur Brown. Grade: D+

#47 Dallas Cowboys select Gavin Escobar (TE, San Diego State)
Solid pick-up for the Cowboys. They’re relying on Monte Kiffin to work with what he has. Grade: B+

Eight picks to go. Arthur Brown, Khaseem Greene, Sio Moore all still available if Seattle wants to go linebacker. Terron Armstead is still there. Jesse Williams is still there. Lot’s of talent for the #56 pick.

#48 Pittsburgh Steelers select Le’Veon Bell (RB, Michigan State)
Wow. Eddie Lacy’s terrible off-season is having a big impact. Bell is the first power back off the board. Grade: C

#49 New York Giants select Johnathan Hankins (DT, Ohio State)
Big tackle with a sloppy build. Needs to get in better shape to max out his talent. Grade: C+

#50 Chicago Bears select Jon Bostic (LB, Florida)
Another shocker. I had Bostic as a sleeper for the Seahawks and I liked his upside. The shock is the other linebackers who remain on the board. Grade: C+

#51 Washington Redskins select David Amerson (CB, NC State)
Another player off the board I had no interest in for Seattle. Nice size/speed. Awful tape. Grade: D

#52 New England select Jamie Collins (LB, Southern Miss)
What was Kevin Faulk wearing? Good pass rusher but hit and miss tape. Grade: C+

#53 Cincinnati Bengals select Margus Hunt (DE, SMU)
Surprised they didn’t go linebacker here. I like the pick, they have a lot of pass rushing options. If they didn’t have a rank average quarterback they’d be a definite Super Bowl contender. Grade: B+

#54 Miami Dolphins select Jamar Taylor (CB, Boise State)
Good player who was late to the part in terms of hype. The Dolphins needed a corner badly. Grade: B+

San Francisco trades ABOVE THE SEAHAWKS, swaps picks with Green Bay!

In 2010, two teams moved ahead of Seattle to draft running backs. I remember at the time wondering if the Seahawks would’ve taken Ben Tate or Montario Hardesty had the Texans and Browns not moved up. Have the Niners moved above the Seahawks to specifically target a certain player?

#55 San Francisco selects Vance McDonald (TE, Rice)
So, were the Seahawks targeting McDonald? He’s an athletic, joker-stile tight end. But he did not look a natural catcher. The tape was bog standard. Grade: C

THE SEAHAWKS HAVE TRADED THE #55 PICK TO BALTIMORE!!
The Seahawks move the #56 to the Ravens for the #62 pick, the #165 pick (round five) and the #199 pick (round six).

#56 Baltimore Ravens select Arthur Brown (LB, Kansas State)
The Seahawks pass up the chance to take Arthur Brown themselvs, and Baltimore makes another great pick. Every year. Ozzie Newsome. You are the king. Grade: A+

#57 Houston Texas select D.J. Swearinger (S, South Carolina)
Talented safety. Smart choice, emphasising the value late in the second. Grade: B+

Players still available: Eddie Lacy, Keenan Allen, Matt Barkley, Blidi Wreh-Wilson, Terron Armstead, Khaseem Greene, Jesse Williams, Christine Michael.

#58 Denver Broncos select Montee Ball (RB, Wisconsin)
Love this pick. Underrated player. More of a playmaker than you think. Eddie Lacy is sinking big time. Grade: B

#59 New England select Aaron Dobson (WR, Marshall)
The third most productive receiver for Marshall in 2012. Grade: D

#60 Atlanta Falcons select Robert Alford (CB, SE Louisiana)
I think there are better corners available, but a lot of people like this guy. Two corners so far for the Falcons. Grade: C+

#61 Green Bay Packers select Eddie Lacy (RB, Alabama)
Great value for the Packers here. This is no gamble. Grade: A-

SEAHAWKS ARE ON THE CLOCK

#62 Seattle Seahawks select Christine Michael (RB, Texas A&M)
BOOM

(polls)

For the last couple of weeks we narrowed down the options at #56 and considered Quinton Patton, Khaseem Greene and Christine Michael as the three most likely players to target. As it turns out, all three were available. And the Seahawks drafted Michael.

Pete Carroll stock piled running backs at USC. This shouldn’t be a surprise. This will help keep Marshawn Lynch effective, it will maintain a relentless running game and provide some kick-return relief for Percy Harvin.

I’ll have more thoughts on the pick and the choice in round three later, but to get a player of this talent at #62 is another great job by this front office. An impact player.

There’s still some incredible value heading into round three. And with ten picks on day three, maybe the Seahawks do look to move up here?

ROUND THREE

#63 Kansas City select Travis Kelce (TE, Cincinnati)
Character concerns, but athletic and should have a quick impact in KC. Grade: B+

#64 Jacksonville select Dwayne Gratz (CB, Connecticut)
The Jaguars are rebuilding their secondary. I can’t believe Wreh-Wilson is still available. Grade B

#65 Detriot Lions select Larry Warford (G, Kentucky)
Fantastic value here. A home run pick. Grade: A

#66 Oakland Raiders select Sio Moore (LB, Connecticut)
I prefer Khaseem Greene. But I’m not in the Raiders war room. Grade: B-

#67 Philadelphia Eagles select Bennie Logan (DT, LSU)
I’m not a fan of Logan and I’m not sure how he fits into the 3-4. Grade: D

#68 Cleveland Browns select Leon McFadden (CB, San Diego State)
Apparently this is the 2013th draft. Who knew? Grade: C

#69 Arizona Cardinals select Tyrann Mathieu (CB, LSU)
So there we go. Good for him that Patrick Peterson is also in Arizona. He stayed with his family to get away from the trouble in Louisiana. Grade: C

#70 Tennessee Titans select Blidi Wreh-Wilson (CB, Connecticut)
Great pick. He fell. The Titans benefit. Grade: A-

#71 St. Louis Rams select T.J. McDonald (S, USC)
The Rams needed to get a safety. I like McDonald and he suffered last year playing in a defense that had no idea how to deal with speed. Grade: B-

Players still available: Keenan Allen, Matt Barkley, Terron Armstead, Khaseem Greene, Jesse Williams, Quinton Patton. I feel bad for Matt Barkley right now.

#72 New York Jets select Brian Winters (G, Kent State)
Great pick. There was talk he could go in the second. Again, kudos to the Jets. If they get Chris Ivory… Grade: A

#73 Tampa Bay Buccaneers select Mike Glennon (QB, NC State)
I can’t believe Matt Barkley is still available. A lot of others will be surprised Ryan Nassib is too. This puts Josh Freeman on notice. Grade: C

#74 Dallas Cowboys select Terrance Williams (WR, Baylor)
Pure body catcher. Not as fast as advertised. Suits the Dallas offense but needs to improve catching technique.

#75 New Orleans select Terron Armstead (T, Arkansas Pine-Bluff)
Great pick. They had a need at tackle. You can’t ignore his upside in this range. Grade: A

In case anyone cares, I had Christine Michael as the 17th best player in the draft and the #1 running back. You can see the full list here.

Here’s area scout Matt Berry discussing the Michael pick:

#76 San Diego Chargers select Keenan Allen (WR, California)
It was only a matter of time. They needed a receiver like this. Grade: B+

#77 Miami Dolphins select Dallas Thomas (G, Tennessee)
Great choice. Thomas is too good to go in this range, considering who went in the first two rounds. He can play tackle or guard. Grade: A

#78 Buffalo Bills select Marquise Goodwin (WR, Texas)
I’m a big Robert Woods guy, but I hate the other picks made by Buffalo. It’s like they’re taking this whole read-option thing too seriously. Grade: D

#79 Pittsburgh Steelers select Markus Wheaton (WR, Oregon State)
The Steelers and Ravens just ‘get it’. Awesome pick. Grade: A+

#80 Dallas Cowboys select J.J. Wilcox (S, Georgia Southern)
I’m surprised they left it this late to get a safety. Grade: C+

#81 New York Giants select Damontre Moore (DE, Texas A&M)
Expected him to go in round three. Worth the risk here. Grade: C

New Orleans trades up to #82, swapping picks with the Chicago Bears

#82 New Orleans select John Jenkins (DT, Georgia)
They’re switching to the 3-4. Credit to the Saints, they’re filling big needs. Grade: B

#83 New England select Logan Ryan (CB, Rutgers)
The best Patriots pick so far in my opinion. Grade: B

#84 Cincinnati Bengals select Shawn Williams (S, Georgia)
When you can get a safety as good as this in round three, it’s understandable why they waited. Grade: A-

#85 Washington Redskins select Jordan Reed (TE, Florida)
A nice get for the Skins here. Mobile and will constantly look for ways to get open when the QB is on the move. Grade: B

#86 Indianapolis Colts select Hugh Thornton (G, Illinois)
Nope, I don’t know anything about him either. Grade: C

SEAHAWKS ARE ON THE CLOCK

#87 Seattle Seahawks select Jordan Hill (DT, Penn State)
There’s your answer at defensive tackle. AND — a pure three technique. Loved him on tape and another guy we’ve talked about. Flashes some Geno Atkins.

#88 San Francisco 49ers select Corey Lemonier (DE, Auburn)
Hard to argue with this. Amazing value for the 49ers. Grade: A

#89 Houston Texas select Brennan Williams (T, North Carolina)
The value in this range is pretty stunning. Grade: A

#90 Denver Broncos select Kayvon Webster (CB, USF)
I’m stumped, not watched the guy. Grade: N/A

#91 New England Patriots select Duron Harmon (S, Rutgers)
I’m surprised Khaseem Greene is hanging around. Smart pick. Grade: B

#92 St. Louis Rams select Steadman Bailey (WR, West Virginia)
So Tavon Austin and Steadman Bailey are reunited in St. Louis. Now I’m scared. Grade: A+

#93 Miami Dolphins select Will Davis (CB, Utah State)
This guy did a great job against Quinton Patton, who remains on the board. Grade: B+

#94 Baltimore Ravens select Brandon Williams (DT, Missouri Southern)
Big body but hard to judge on the tape that was available. Grade: C

Jordan Hill speaks to the media after being picked by Seattle:

#95 Houston Texans select Sam Montgomery (DE, LSU)
About where he was expected to go. Character concerns killed his stock.

#96 Kansas City select Knile Davis (RB, Arkansas)
Loved his 2010 tape. Fumbles an issue. What’s the issue with Jonathan Franklin? Grade: B

#97 Tennessee Titans select Zaviar Gooden (LB, Missouri)
And that’s that. The end of day two. Grade: C-

Again, apologies for the lack of Cover it Live coverage. We’d done it for the last two years. Would’ve been great to do it again. But they want money. I’ll have a post on the blog shortly reviewing day two.

This is going to be a pretty frustrating day for Seahawks fans. At least to start with.

While the first round of the draft offered marginal value in the top 15-20, the second round looks fairly deep. Not that my own ‘board’ is any kind of benchmark, but six of the top twenty players are still available. Thirteen of the top-32 are still hanging around.

On face value that looks great. The assumption is Seattle will get a pretty good player at #56. And you know what? They probably will. But the frustrating part will be checking off all the players that don’t make it to #56.

Some of the bigger names will fall early. That’s to be expected. It’s when you start getting into the late 40’s and more modest — albeit attractive — names start to disappear. It’s when the Green Bay Packers draft that guy you really wanted one pick before Seattle that the frustration will kick in. It’ll be a difficult watch right up until the #56 pick. And then they’ll make the choice and you’ll probably feel better about yourself. So at least there’s that.

Will they move up or down? I’m not so sure. Falling back into round three for the sake of an extra pick or two seems relatively unnecessary with ten picks already stashed. They’ve also shown a lack of interest in moving up in the past.

I’ve seen it suggested a few times that ten rookies won’t make the team this year, so why not move up? That’s all well and good, but it kind of misses the point. The object isn’t to narrow your options by making less picks and therefore gambling on fewer players. It’s to continue to breed competition. Seahawks fans need to be ready for more 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th round guys getting cut before they even face a snap. It’ll probably happen. But keeping your picks and spreading your net wide is also more likely to uncover the next Richard Sherman or Kam Chancellor.

So what happens in round two?

A lot of people expect a run on cornerbacks. It could start straight off the bat with Jacksonville at #33 and follow into San Francisco at #34, Philadelphia at #35 and Detroit at #36. They probably don’t all go corner, but supply meets demand here. Blidi Wreh-Wilson, Jamar Taylor, Darius Slay, Johnthan Banks and maybe others could go quickly.

Nobody moved into the late first to take a quarterback, so it’ll be interesting to see where Geno Smith, Matt Barkley, Ryan Nassib and others fall. Again, Jacksonville at #33 and Philadelphia at #35 are possible landing spots. You can’t rule out the Jets taking a quarterback at #39. Tampa Bay are a wild card at #43 given their lack of enthusiasm over contract talks with Josh Freeman.

No running backs went in the first frame so will we see a little run there? Eddie Lacy, Jonathan Franklin and Christine Michael could leave the board within the top half of round two.

All of this could be good news for Seattle, at least initially, if it forces others down the board. But waiting to #56 is such a chore and that’s why it’ll be a frustrating day until they finally make a selection.

Teams to watch

San Francisco (#34)
Aside from the fact they’re a division rival, they could be looking at potential Seahawks targets. I thought the move up to get Eric Reid was thoroughly underwhelming. Seattle basically got the same player for a 5th round choice in 2010. They have a ton of picks coming up including one at #34. They could add a defensive lineman, pass rusher, corner or even Zach Ertz the tight end.

New York Giants (#49)
Having drafted Justin Pugh in round one, they’re almost certainly going defense here. That could be bad news for the Seahawks who pick seven places after the Giants. Any defensive lineman — including the tackles — is an option here. The linebackers Arthur Brown, Khaseem Greene and Sio Moore are all possibilities. The one saving grace is that New York can basically upgrade any area of their defense, so Seattle could still dodge a bullet.

Green Bay (#55)
I’m disturbed by Green Bay’s presence right in front of the Seahawks. If you’re hoping for a defensive lineman like Jesse Williams at #56, then it’s good news they took Datone Jones in round one yesterday. If you’re one of those people who has a crush on a playmaker like Christine Michael or Quinton Patton, you might spend Seattle’s time on the clock cursing your luck.

Prospects to watch

Keenan Allen (WR, California)
He had a nightmarish off-season that included a couple of injury setbacks, a forty yard dash in the 4.7’s and then reports surfaced claiming he’d failed a drugs test at the combine (Allen’s rep’s have denied it). I’ve never been crazy about Allen. DeAndre Hopkins — who rightly went in round one to Houston — is heavier and faster with a bigger wingspan and hands. The difference in height is an inch. Comparing the tape, Hopkins looks the better player. I appreciate the superior environment he had within Clemson’s offense, but I took that into account. Allen’s bark is greater than his bite. And yet there will come a point in round two where you have to consider pulling the trigger. How long does he last today?

Margus Hunt (DE, SMU)
He came into this draft as the guy with the most unique draft stock. If he’d gone in round one, you’d kind of understand it. You wouldn’t be shocked. And yet if he’s still there on day three, I equally won’t be surprised. He could go anywhere. When he’s come up against over-matched opponents he’s looked devastating, but I guess that’s to be expected. On other occasions, the tape doesn’t look quite so good. His inability to set an edge at the Senior Bowl was beyond ugly and he had no impact as a pass rusher during the game. However, there just aren’t that many guys with his athletic quality and upside. If he was approaching his 22nd birthday instead of his 26th, he probably finds a home in round one.

Ryan Nassib (QB, Syracuse)
His college coach at Syracuse clearly didn’t bang the table for his guy. Doug Marrone’s Bills were the only team to take a quarterback in round one — and they passed on Nassib for E.J. Manuel. Most people will accept that was a reach to fill a need. And Marrone was more willing to roll the dice with Manuel than his former protégé. That to me should set off alarm bells across the NFL. Reports during the week suggested Jacksonville would take him at #33 if he was still available. But in light of Buffalo’s decision, I’d be really second guessing myself today if I was thinking about drafting Nassib. I was never a big fan — I’d given him a mid-round grade. I’m fascinated to see what happens with this guy.

Options for the Seahawks at #56

Not much has changed after round one, all the usual suspects are still available. Linebacker remains a need and three candidates — Khaseem Greene, Arthur Brown and Sio Moore — are still on the board. I think Jesse Williams’ one-dimensional game and top heavy frame will put enough teams off that he could fall into range for the Seahawks. Skill players like Quinton Patton and Christine Michael are intriguing and worthy of consideration even if they don’t fill immediate needs. Will Terron Armstead drop into range and has he got the kind of upside this team looks for to be a possible long term addition to the offensive line? Will they consider a tight end, with several athletic ‘Joker’ types likely to be available at #56? Is Travis Kelce an option? Is there a surprise out there that few people expect?

Tyrann Mathieu ‘no-showed’ Seahawks

According to Jay Glazer, Mathieu didn’t show up for a scheduled meeting with the Seahawks. And thus, it seems we can finally stop talking about this guy.

Huddle Report Update

I was invited to enter my final mock draft into the Huddle Report’s annual rankings. For anyone who cares — and I suspect very few of you do — I finished 8th out of 114 entrants. Which makes me the king of the mocks, if seven others abdicate or contract syphilis.

Second round mock draft

#33 Jacksonville – Johnthan Banks (CB, Mississippi State)
#34 San Francisco – Zach Ertz (TE, Stanford)
#35 Philadelphia – Jamar Taylor (CB, Boise State)
#36 Detroit – Menelik Watson (T, Florida State)
#37 Cincinnati – Jonathan Cyprien (S, Florida International)
#38 Arizona – Tank Carradine (DE, Florida State)
#39 New York Jets – Geno Smith (QB, West Virginia)
#40 Tennessee – Blidi Wreh-Wilson (CB, Connecticut)
#41 Buffalo – Justin Hunter (WR, Tennessee)
#42 Oakland – Larry Warford (G, Kentucky)
#43 Tampa Bay – Matt Barkley (QB, USC)
#44 Carolina – Robert Woods (WR, USC)
#45 San Diego – Terron Armstead (T, Arkansas Pine-Bluff)
#46 Buffalo – Arthur Brown (LB, Kansas State)
#47 Dallas – D.J. Swearinger (S, South Carolina)
#48 Pittsburgh – Eddie Lacy (RB, Alabama)
#49 New York Giants – Margus Hunt (DE, SMU)
#50 Chicago – Manti Te’o (LB, Notre Dame)
#51 Washington – Darius Slay (CB, Mississippi State)
#52 New England – Khaseem Greene (LB, Rutgers)
#53 Cincinnati – Jonathan Franklin (RB, UCLA)
#54 Kansas City (from Miami) – Kevin Minter (LB, LSU)
#55 Green Bay – Quinton Patton (WR, Louisiana Tech)
#56 Seattle – Jesse Williams (DT, Alabama)
#57 Houston – Sio Moore (LB, Connecticut)
#58 Denver – Christine Michael (RB, Texas A&M)
#59 New England – Keenan Allen (WR, California)
#60 Atlanta – Travis Kelce (TE, Cincinnati)
#61 San Francisco – Johnathan Hankins (DT, Ohio State)
#62 Baltimore – Jamie Collins (LB, Southern Miss)

Seahawks third round pick: Denard Robinson (RB, Michigan)

The plan for today

I’ll be live blogging throughout rounds 2-3 via Cover it Live. I hope you’ll join us.

Best day one team – New York Jets

John Idzik appreciates the job he’s taken on. Yes, they could’ve splurged on offensive frills like a quarterback (Geno Smith) or a tight end (Tyler Eifert). Instead, they selected the two players I personally thought were the best in the draft. They simply had no choice but to trade Revis, cutting their loses. They couldn’t franchise him next year. They had no bargaining power. And yet they still got a first round pick out of Tampa Bay. It doesn’t matter how good Revis is, that wasn’t easy. Now they’ll swap in Milliner — a complete cornerback in my view — and add Richardson, who could be the next Darnell Dockett. They could still draft a quarterback at #39. They had a superb first day accumulating talent — the way a rebuild needs to be done.

Pick-by-pick thoughts

#1 Kansas City – Eric Fisher T
The Dolphins are unlikely to trade for Branden Albert after moving up in round one. So I’m not convinced this isn’t just a sideways step. However — surprisingly for a team picking first overall — they didn’t have a ton of needs.

#2 Jacksonville – Luke Joeckel T
The Jaguars now have expensive book-end tackles, but no pass rush, very little offensive threat and a porous secondary. There seems to be very little immediate improvement here.

#3 Miami – Dion Jordan DE
I like the aggressive move. They’re rock solid up the middle and now have two players capable of causing havoc off the edge. It’s a costly move, however. And they still need to rebuild their secondary and find a left tackle.

#4 Philadelphia – Lane Johnson T
Great fit for the Eagles and more of a need for Philly than Fisher and Joeckel were at #1 and #2. Pure technician with major athletic upside.

#5 Detroit – Ziggy Ansah DE
His lack of experience and polish could be masked playing alongside Suh and Fairley. However, how much better are the Lions for swapping Cliff Avril for Ansah?

#6 Cleveland – Barkevious Mingo DE
As a fan of Jabaal Sheard, I don’t get this. They clearly don’t like Sheard in the 3-4.

#7 Arizona – Jonathan Cooper G
Love the player but how much better are the Cardinals today for drafting a guard at #7?

#8 St. Louis – Tavon Austin WR
A bold move up the board. My fear with Austin is he’ll be a gimmick. However, it seems the game is evolving and shifting towards players like this.

#9 New York Jets – Dee Milliner CB
The first of two terrific picks for the Jets. Bravo.

#10 Tennessee – Chance Warmack G
They’ve placed an unusual amount of stock in the guard position this off-season.

#11 San Diego – D.J. Fluker T
Long arms, but struggles against speed.

#12 Oakland – D.J. Hayden CB
An eye-opener. Hayden has been rising. They did well to get back a second round pick from Miami.

#13 New York Jets – Sheldon Richardson DT
An inspired choice. John Idzik is off to a great start. If Jets fans don’t like these moves, they need to get a grip of reality.

#14 Carolina – Star Lotulelei DT
The obvious choice given their huge need at defensive tackle.

#15 New Orleans – Kenny Vaccaro S
They still need a pass rusher, but the Saints really couldn’t go wrong whatever defensive player they drafted.

#16 Buffalo – E.J. Manuel QB
A mind blowing pick. I just don’t understand the thought process. Two Florida State quarterbacks have gone #12 and #16 in the last two years. Are they using hypnosis at FSU?

#17 Pittsburgh – Jarvis Jones OLB
The perfect fit when it comes to scheme. Love it.

#18 San Francisco – Eric Reid S
I don’t get it personally. Reid is not the type of player I’d move up for. I think there were better options here.

#19 New York Giants – Justin Pugh G
They were always destined to draft for the trenches and clearly bought into Pugh’s character and versatility.

#20 Chicago – Kyle Long G
I think they probably would’ve liked Pugh, but this isn’t a bad consolation for the Bears and fills a huge hole.

#21 Cincinnati – Tyler Eifert TE
It looks good on paper, but they now have two highly drafted tight ends and an elite receiver, but only a rank average quarterback.

#22 Atlanta – Desmond Trufant CB
Good for him. The Falcons moved up to acquire a needed cornerback.

#23 Minnesota – Sharrif Floyd DT
Mental note – never let the media write a mock draft for you.

#24 Indianapolis – Bjoern Werner DE
The most bizarre pick of the first round. How does he fit into a 3-4? Will he add weight to fit at the five technique?

#25 Minnesota – Xavier Rhodes CB
I’m not a huge Rhodes fan but this makes sense.

#26 Green Bay – Datone Jones DE
Great pick for the Packers. They needed a defensive end with some speed and mobility. He could be a star at Lambeau.

#27 Houston – DeAndre Hopkins WR
Just a really solid get for the Texans. He will win them a game or two this year.

#28 Denver – Sylvester Williams DT
Nice player, very technically educated and understands his role. Sounds like he enjoys film study.

#29 Minnesota – Cordarrelle Patterson WR
They needed to do something after trading Percy Harvin. That offense needed a spark.

#30 St. Louis – Alec Ogletree LB
I’m a fan of the player, particularly his performance versus Ole Miss last year. However, the character concerns are very real.

#31 Dallas – Travis Frederick C
I know a Dallas fan and he told me months ago to pencil in a center for the Cowboys. If only I’d listened…

#32 Baltimore – Matt Elam S
I really like this guy and once against the Ravens make a really good pick.

What’s left?

The answer is plenty. Terron Armstead (T), Arthur Brown (LB), Khaseem Greene (LB), Jesse Williams (DT), Quinton Patton (WR), Christine Michael (RB), Eddie Lacy (RB), Matt Barkley (QB), Geno Smith (QB), Tank Carradine (DE), Margus Hunt (DE), Zach Ertz (TE)… to name a few. The Seahawks are going to get a good player at #56.

I don’t usually do these. I never want to be one of those people that claims to have a ‘top-500 board’ so they can do things like call Russell Wilson the worst pick in the draft.

However, someone requested a format so they could tick guys off when they leave the board. I’ve done a top-70. By the end of round one we’ll see who remains. Of course, you might have very little interest in who I think are the best seventy prospects in the draft. In that case, feel free to gloss over this. But hopefully you will care enough to join us from 4:30PST for our live coverage of the first round.

#1 Sheldon Richardson (DT, Missouri)
#2 Dee Mlliner (CB, Alabama)
#3 Dion Jordan (DE, Oregon)
#4 Jonathan Cooper (G, North Carolina)
#5 Luke Joeckel (T, Texas A&M)
#6 Chance Warmack (G, Alabama)
#7 Jarvis Jones (LB, Georgia)
#8 Matt Barkley (QB, USC)
#9 Eric Fisher (T, Central Michigan)
#10 DeAndre Hopkins (WR, Clemson)
#11 Star Lotulelei (DT, Utah)
#12 Datone Jones (DE, UCLA)
#13 Khaseem Greene (LB, Rutgers)
#14 Arthur Brown (LB, Kansas State)
#15 Sylvester Williams (DT, North Carolina)
#16 Matt Elam (S, Florida)
#17 Christine Michael (RB, Texas A&M)
#18 Robert Woods (WR, USC)
#19 Zach Ertz (TE, Stanford)
#20 Ziggy Ansah (DE, BYU)
#21 Sharrif Floyd (DT, Florida)
#22 Lane Johnson (T, Oklahoma)
#23 Eddie Lacy (RB, Alabama)
#24 Quinton Patton (WR, Louisiana Tech)
#25 Kenny Vaccaro (S, Texas)
#26 Bjoern Werner (DE, Florida State)
#27 John Simon (DE, Ohio State)
#28 Terron Armstead (T, Arkansas Pine-Bluff)
#29 Tavon Austin (WR, West Virginia)
#30 Margus Hunt (DE, SMU)
#31 Geno Smith (QB, West Virginia)
#32 Sanders Commings (CB, Georgia)
#33 Ryan Swope (WR, Texas A&M)
#34 Marcus Lattimore (RB, South Carolina)
#35 Kyle Long (G, Oregon)
#36 Tank Carradine (DE, Florida State)
#37 Alec Ogletree (LB, Georgia)
#38 Barkevious Mingo (DE, LSU)
#39 Tyler Eifert (TE, Notre Dame)
#40 Blidi Wreh-Wilson (CB, Connecticut)
#41 Cordarrelle Patterson (WR, Tennessee)
#42 D.J. Fluker (T, Alabama)
#43 Jesse Williams (DT, Alabama)
#44 Gavin Escobar (TE, San Diego State)
#45 Steadman Bailey (WR, West Virginia)
#46 Stepfan Taylor (RB, Stanford)
#47 Brennan Williams (T, North Carolina)
#48 Tyler Wilson (QB, Arkansas)
#49 Corey Lemonier (DE, Auburn)
#50 Markus Wheaton (WR, Oregon State)
#51 D.J. Swearinger (S, South Carolina)
#52 Will Davis (CB, Utah State)
#53 Baccari Rambo (S, Georgia)
#54 Larry Warford (G, Kentucky)
#55 Kawann Short (DT, Purdue)
#56 Justin Pugh (G, Syracuse)
#57 Jonathan Franklin (RB, UCLA)
#58 Johnthan Banks (CB, Mississippi State)
#59 Menelik Watson (T, Florida State)
#60 Kevin Minter (LB, LSU)
#61 Dallas Thomas (G, Tennessee)
#62 Philip Thomas (S, Fresno State)
#63 Justin Hunter (WR, Tennessee)
#64 Tyler Bray (QB, Tennessee)
#65 Denard Robinson (RB, Michigan)
#66 Jordan Mills (T, Louisiana tech)
#67 John Jenkins (DT, Georgia)
#68 Jonathan Cyprien (S, Florida International)
#69 Keenan Allen (WR, California)
#70 Jordan Reed (TE, Florida)

What we’re doing on Seahawks Draft Blog this week

On Thursday I’m going to do another Google Hangout during the first round. If you want to listen in and interact with fellow Seahawks fans, you can watch us on here or at Fieldgulls. It might not have the production value of ESPN or the NFL Network, but at least you won’t get overkill coverage of Manti Te’o (Kiper), hear why every prospect is “awesome” (Gruden), have to face anything that Bill Polian says (Polian), or get Adam Schefter tipping picks. Actually, all of those guys are on ESPN. So, errr, the NFL Network is too loud. But try and make it if you can.

On day two I’ll do a live blog via Cover it live where we can discuss the Seahawks picks as they happen. Day three will be an open thread. Both myself and Kip will chime in with pieces on the players drafted too. I hope you’ll join us.

Joeckel and Fisher #1 and #2?

Adam Schefter is reporting that there’s a “feeling” Luke Joeckel and Eric Fisher will be the two players drafted at #1 and #2 on Thursday. I have a couple of theories here.

Yesterday I put together a mock draft that included trades, with the Arizona Cardinals (#7) swapping picks with Oakland (#3) in order to draft Fisher. Funnily enough there’s been talk today of a possible ‘gentleman’s agreement’ between the teams that would see such a trade take place if one of the top two tackle’s gets by Jacksonville. There’s also been speculation that Oakland really wants to move down, but keep a position within the top seven picks.

Maybe the Jaguars want in on the action?

Today’s report from Schefter could just represent a decision within the teams front office that they’re going to take whichever tackle Kansas City snubs. I still find that difficult to take. They have a left tackle in Eugene Monroe. He’s not Walter Jones, but he’s not enough of an issue that you’d need to replace him. He is a free agent next year but why not just pay him? Thus avoiding the need to waste time fixing one of the few unbroken pieces of the Jaguars roster? This is a team, after all, that can quite accurately be described as ‘hopeless’.

If the intention is to draft Joeckel or Fisher to play right tackle, that’s a wasted pick in my view. It won’t significantly aid the offense. They’ll still have to address the lack of pass rush, the lack of a secondary and the lack of — most importantly — a quarterback they can really trust.

They might just grade Joeckel and Fisher so highly they feel obliged to take either one of them. Or perhaps, just maybe, they’re trying to muscle in on any possible deal to move down? If the Cardinals are serious, they might be willing to cough up their second round pick to tie down the long term future at left tackle. That’s the #38 overall selection. And if they’re willing to deal with Oakland, why not the Jags? This could be a classic calling of Arizona’s bluff. And if it worked, suddenly the Jaguars are picking #7 overall with the #33 and #38 picks to come. That’s how you rebuild a lousy roster.

It’s just a thought, but it wouldn’t surprise if the Jaguars were being a little devious here. Either that or we know who the top two guys are on Thursday. Assuming the Jags do take Joeckel or Fisher, we could be looking at a top five like this:

#1 Kansas City – Luke Joeckel
#2 Jacksonville – Eric Fisher
#3 Oakland – Sharrif Floyd
#4 Philadelphia – Lane Johnson
#5 Detroit – Ziggy Ansah

I maintain a nagging feeling that the Cardinals will move into the top five to get their tackle. Simply put, it makes too much sense not to. I’ve not represented that here.

Dion Jordan becomes the X-factor in this scenario. Does Chip Kelly take him at #4 over an offensive lineman? I’m not sure, because Lane Johnson is pretty much a perfect fit for his offense (as is Fisher — both athletic guys). I prefer Jordan as a LEO or 3-4 linebacker than a pure 4-3 end, so does that push Detroit to Ziggy Ansah instead?

At #6 I expect Cleveland to take Dee Milliner unless they can trade down. Arizona could select Jordan if he’s there at #7, but they’re also being heavily linked with Chance Warmack and Jonathan Cooper. Buffalo appear destined to go quarterback. The Jets at #9 are a legitimate option for Jordan. That might be his floor.

If he gets out of the top five, he could be a trade target. With the Atlanta Falcons considering a move up, Jordan, Milliner and Sheldon Richardson seem the most likely targets.

Tyrann Mathieu misses meetings

According to Jason La Canfora, the former LSU cornerback has been suffering with sickness and had to cancel two meetings with teams. La Canfora insinuates that for most players, that would be OK. But this is Tyrann Mathieu. The guy who needs to convince anyone who’ll listen that he’s a changed man.

For what it’s worth, he’s still given a day-two grade by La Canfora (who only refers to him by the tiresome ‘Honey Badger’ nickname). I have mixed views on this. Part of me thinks, ‘big deal’. Part of me also thinks, ‘I hate it when people refer to him as HB, or Honey, or Badger’. But then I think back to the one significant job interview I’ve had in my life. I’m not sure anything would’ve stopped me making it that day. I’ve had flu in the past, food poisoning, the usual things we all go through. Although it’s easy to sit here and say this without knowing the issue, I think I probably would’ve made sure I was at those meetings. I think most people would agree there.

Let’s say it’s food poisoning and Mathieu either vomits or soils himself in the meeting room. In most cases, that would clearly be a major negative. In this case, it’d probably be a great example of how badly he wants to prove he’s turning over a new leaf. We can analyse these things to the Nth degree sometimes. Maybe I just jumped the shark by referring to a man soiling himself in public as a draft positive. Even so, I do get a bad vibe on this one and that would impact my own grade on Mathieu. And yet nothing surprises me with this team and I wouldn’t be shocked if they were the side on day two to draft him. I don’t expect it, however.

Seahawks linked to Nick Kasa

The Colorado tight end is apparently interesting Seattle as a possible mid-round tight end option. Tony Pauline describes the interest as “heavy”. Take a look for yourself. Below you’ll find his tape vs Washington State and Arizona State:

Mock draft with trades

We’ve done a few of these this year already. I’ve tried to base it on some of the information that’s emerged in the last 24-48 hours. My final mock draft will be published on Wednesday, without trades.

#1 Kansas City – Luke Joeckel
#2 Jacksonville – Dion Jordan
#3 Arizona (from Oakland) – Eric Fisher
#4 Philadelphia – Lane Johnson
#5 Detroit – Ziggy Ansah
#6 Cleveland – Dee Milliner
#7 Oakland (from Arizona) – Sharrif Floyd
#8 St. Louis (from Buffalo) – Tavon Austin
#9 New York Jets – Chance Warmack
#10 Tennessee – Jonathan Cooper
#11 San Diego – Star Lotulelei
#12 Miami – D.J. Fluker
#13 Atlanta (from New York Jets) – Sheldon Richardson
#14 Carolina – D.J. Hayden
#15 New Orleans – Barkevious Mingo
#16 Buffalo (from St. Louis) – Matt Barkley
#17 San Francisco (from Pittsburgh) – Datone Jones
#18 Dallas – Sylvester Williams
#19 New York Giants – Tank Carradine
#20 Chicago – Justin Pugh
#21 Cincinnati – Kenny Vaccaro
#22 St. Louis – Kyle Long
#23 Minnesota – Xavier Rhodes
#24 Indianapolis – Desmond Trufant
#25 Minnesota – Bjoern Werner
#26 Green Bay – Tyler Eifert
#27 Houston – Justin Hunter
#28 Detroit (from Denver) – Terron Armstead
#29 San Diego (from New England) – Menelik Watson
#30 New York Jets (from Atlanta) – Geno Smith
#31 Pittsburgh (from San Francisco) – Jarvis Jones
#32 Philadelphia (from Baltimore) – Blidi Wreh-Wilson

Here are the deals…

Arizona moves from #7 to #3, trading with Oakland
The Raiders are happy to move down, while the Cardinals leapfrog Philadelphia to get Eric Fisher.

St. Louis moves from #16 to #8, trading with Buffalo
The Rams need a weapon and probably won’t get Tavon Austin at #16. The Bills appear to be settling on one of Matt Barkley or Ryan Nassib. Both players should be available in the middle of the first round. A deal suits both parties.

Atlanta moves from #30 to #13, trading with the New York Jets
After dealing Darrelle Revis to the Buccs, New York immediately put the feelers out to trade down. The Falcons have been linked with a move up the board for the last week or so. I suspect they’ll consider it if Dion Jordan, Dee Milliner or Sheldon Richardson falls out of the top ten.

San Francisco moves from #31 to #17, trading with Pittsburgh
The 49ers are another team that has been linked with a possible first round trade. They have so many picks, it makes sense. Defensive line seems like the most likely target.

Detroit moves from #36 to #28, trading with Denver
The Broncos moved out of round one last year and history could repeat itself here. The Lions, having taken Ziggy Ansah in round one, move back into the first to get a left tackle.

San Diego moves from #45 to #28, trading with New England
The Chargers don’t give off an aggressive vibe, but they might have to be if they want to get a left tackle. It’s a vital need. They must do a better job protecting Philip Rivers.

Philadelphia moves from #35 to #32, trading with Baltimore
The Eagles move up, but not for a quarterback. Philly has a desperate need for a corner. They jump above Jacksonville and San Francisco to get their pick of the bunch. This could launch a run on the position at the top of round two.

Ten options at #56… according to Mike Mayock

Mike Mayock put his top-100 list on NFL.com over the last few days and I wanted to use it to look at options at #56. Of course, there’s no guarantee things will play out the way Mayock is projecting. In my mock above, one of the guys listed below is a first round pick. Mayock’s list doesn’t consider where teams are picking or need, it’s just a rankings piece.

At the same time, projecting options in the late second round is incredibly difficult because we don’t know how things are going to shake out. This at least gives us a platform. I’ve picked out ten players who are listed from #46 onwards. I used a ten pick extension, affording for the possibility of players falling. I’ve also listed four players I didn’t consider, simply because I don’t think they’ll be available at #56. Some would argue that’ll be the case for others included on the list but I did want to narrow it down.

1 – Johnthan Banks, CB Mississippi State (#48)
6-2 and 185lbs, Banks looked like a Seattle corner on tape. He’s got the height and length, but he’s also a fierce competitor. He has a nose for the ball and despite a lack of great speed (4.6’s) he’d add further quality depth to the secondary. He could also feature at safety — he was recruited to play the position before eventually making the switch to corner.

2 – Terron Armstead, T Arkansas Pine-Bluff (#61)
There’s every chance Armstead goes in the first round. If he doesn’t, it’ll be down to the level of competition he faced in college. He appears to have the skill set to play guard or tackle and you have to believe the Seahawks would want to tap into his upside. If he makes it to #56 he could be the pick. It’s a big ‘if’, though. In my mock above he’s long gone. Mayock only ranks him as a late second rounder, however.

3 – Jon Bostic, LB Florida (#65)
Bostic looked a lot more athletic than expected at the combine, running an official 4.61. Although he played inside for the Gators, he has the athletic qualities to play the WILL. Big-time leader and organiser on the field, great tackler. It’d be the kind of pick that has people surprised, but with hindsight kind of makes sense. If Mayock thinks he’s worth a grade in this range, maybe teams will agree?

4 – Khaseem Greene, LB Rutgers (#69)
A favourite for some time on this blog, no other linebacker in college football has enjoyed more personal success than Greene over the last two years. Elite production, off the charts character and the ability to force turnovers should make him a Seahawks-favourite too. Not as fast as they’d prefer, but he makes up for it in so many ways.

5 – Gavin Escobar, TE San Diego State (#76)
The only thing lacking in Escobar’s game is great speed, but he’s a giant receiver so it’s no surprise he doesn’t run in the 4.4’s. Terrific hands that absorb the football, he also runs crisp routes and finds the soft zone in coverage. Blocking can be inconsistent but he can work on that. It’s really down to whether they see past the lack of speed. Mayock offers a third round grade.

6 – William Gholston, DE Michigan State (#77)
The Seahawks seem to want length and size at defensive tackle. Gholston is 6-7 and 281lbs but could add more weight. I was never particularly enamoured with his college tape — he constantly looked like a player who could and probably should do more. Yet this would be a nice little project to see if they can turn him into a full-time interior lineman with pass-rushing upside. Maybe one for rounds 3-4 rather than at #56.

7 – Quinton Patton, WR Louisiana Tech (#78)
His attitude and personality just seems to scream, “Seahawks”. His tape is both electrifying and a little frustrating. He doesn’t make every grab, but he also makes some incredible plays and really was the defining figure in a high-production Louisiana Tech offense. There’s never anything wrong with stockpiling receivers and planning ahead. Mayock offers a conservative grade here.

8 – Christine Michael, RB Texas A&M (#87)
Recently visited with the Seahawks and seemed to enjoy himself. In fact, he virtually started campaigning on Twitter for the team to draft him. Great one-cut runner with superb balance. Looks like a NFL running back with star quality. Injury issues and falling out with the coaching staff at Texas A&M is a concern, however. Every team might think it’s a bit of a risk to take him in round two. Seattle is willing to take chances.

9 – Vance McDonald, TE Rice (#96)
Not one of my favourites. I didn’t see a natural receiver — he looked awkward catching the ball and most of his routes seemed to be wide receiver screens. Even so, he is the kind of athletic tight end I think they want to try and bring in to fit as a ‘Joker’. Whether he’s more of a third round option than a second, I’m not sure. Mayock has him as a fringe third or fourth rounder. I’d be surprised if he was taken at #56.

10 – Jesse Williams, DT Alabama (#97)
I was surprised to see Williams this low. Mayock’s given him a low third-round grade. For that reason, I kept him on this list despite a universal opinion he won’t last until even #56. He’s one-dimensional as a run stopper and he does tend to get banged up a little bit. However, Seattle first and foremost seems to want the interior lineman to play the run well. And they didn’t do that at times last year. Plugging in Williams at tackle will help.

Players not considered: Zach Ertz, Blidi Wreh-Wilson, Tank Carradine, Jamar Taylor

I will review the Sio Moore tape I have this evening. I wasn’t overly impressed as a first impression. I need to take a second look.

By the way, Kam Chancellor has agreed an extension with the Seahawks:

Kam Chancellor’s new deal is a four-year extension believed to be total $28 million with $17 million guaranteed.

— Danny 710ESPNSeattle (@BrocknDanny) April 22, 2013

A press conference has been called for 2pm today. The first of several extensions that’ll be required over the coming years.

I’m always happy to draw attention to smaller school prospects looking to get their name out there. Keep an eye on Robert Fletcher (LB/S, Wingate University) during the process of this week.

He’s 6-4 and 230lbs with four years of starting experience — three of which he acted as a team captain. In 44 games he recorded 14 TFL’s, six interceptions, 14 PBUs, 20 passes defended and four forced fumbles.

All the best to Robert as he goes about trying to make his NFL dream a reality.