Author: Rob Staton (Page 340 of 424)

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

What would the Seahawks look for in a WR/TE?

December 13, 2012 / Rob Staton

Brandon Coleman would give the 2013 draft class some star power

Yesterday I wrote a piece about Cordarrelle Patterson and why he’s such an enigma. It got me wondering – what would the Seahawks look for in a receiver? There are so many different types of wide-out eligible for the 2013 draft, so what could they look for?

Adding to the mystery is the variety with which Seattle has chosen wide-outs during the Carroll/Schneider era. They looked at big pass-catchers (Brandon Marshall, Vincent Jackson) while utilising Mike Williams (6-5) as a primary receiver in 2010. He was essentially replaced by Sidney Rice (6-4). On the other hand, they spent a second round pick on Golden Tate (5-10) and he’s since developed into an integral part of the offense. Doug Baldwin (5-10) has also featured heavily as a third-down target, while others such as Charly Martin (6-1), Jermaine Kears (6-2), Braylon Edwards (6-3), Terrell Owens (6-3) and Ben Obomanu (6-1) have seen time on the field.

They’ve also spent big on the tight end position, investing millions in Zach Miller while also bringing along USC-grown Anthony McCoy. Kellen Winslow essentially had a ‘trial’ during pre-season and Evan Moore has taken some snaps after replacing Winslow on the roster. Seattle likes to use 2TE sets and we could see more of that implemented into the offense going forward.

There’s a variety of shapes and sizes there, making it hard to pin-down what the Seahawks might look for if they want to draft another target for Russell Wilson. Clearly, to me at least, they need to add some depth. Why else were they playing around with T.O.? Why else were they looking at Winslow and keeping Braylon Edwards on the roster until this week? There’s room for at least one more legit target and it was one of the few need areas the front office were unable to solve during the 2012 off-season.

Fortunately, the 2013 class looks rich in depth if not elite talent. There’s no A.J. Green or Julio Jones, but there’s a lot of talent to be had in the late first or second round. Working out who might interest the Seahawks is the hard part, especially since this is a front office that likes to keep you guessing.

Let’s go through some of the options…

Brandon Coleman (WR, Rutgers)

Size: 6-6, 225lbs

Speed: Capable of running away from defenders. Certainly above average for his size

Notes: Coleman has Megatron-type potential and if he declares for the 2013 draft, he has as much chance as anyone to crack the top-ten. He could be a superstar at receiver.

DeAndre Hopkins (WR, Clemson)

Size: 6-1, 200lbs

Speed: Not elite by any means and he won’t run away from defensive backs on a deep route. Still quicker than fast and very sharp getting into his breaks.

Notes: Hopkins isn’t a physically dominating player, but he’s one of the smoothest receivers you’ll ever meet. He runs routes effortlessly, understands the Clemson offense and is Mr. Consistent. Fantastic production in 2012.

Markus Wheaton (WR, Oregon State)

Size: 5-11, 185lbs

Speed: He beat DeAnthony Thomas in a 100m race this year. Wheaton’s speed is one of his greatest assets.

Notes: Despite lacking size he’s very competitive and willing to get involved as a blocker. He’s a consistent playmaker and a big YAC threat. Compares very well to Pittsburgh’s Mike Wallace.

Cordarrelle Patterson (WR, Tennessee)

Size: 6-3, 205lbs

Speed: He could run a 4.3 at the combine.

Notes: X-factor player who scores cheap points. He’ll be an instant threat as a kick returner. He’s also inconsistent and undercooked. Still, only Brandon Coleman has more upside.

Zach Ertz (TE, Stanford)

Size: 6-6, 252lbs

Speed: As you’d expect for a tight end.

Notes: I’ve seen some people suggest he’s not a great run blocker, something I can’t agree with. Ertz is the total package at tight end and can stay on the field for any play call.

Tavon Austin (WR, West Virginia)

Size: 5-8, 173lbs

Speed: Maybe even quicker than Markus Wheaton. He shifts through the gears with ease.

Notes: Size will concern some people, but Austin’s speed will intrigue others. He’ll need a package of plays and he goes beyond conventional thinking – but he’s fun to watch and scores touchdowns.

Robert Woods (WR, USC)

Size: 6-1, 190lbs

Speed: He doesn’t have explosive speed, but he has other qualities that make up for it.

Notes: Woods has improved his consistency this year, he’s competitive and chirpy and can make big plays with the ball in his hands. He’s underrated due to a lack of size.

Keenan Allen (WR, California)

Size: 6-3, 206lbs

Speed: He ran in the 4.5’s and 4.6’s at high school and has since added 20lbs. This could be an issue.

Notes: Allen lacks balance and control, he’s also not a quick receiver. On the plus side, he has decent size and plays with real intensity.

Justin Hunter (WR, Tennessee)

Size: 6-4, 205lbs

Speed: It’s good enough.

Notes: He has a playing style and frame similar to A.J. Green. But yeah, he isn’t A.J. Green.

Tyler Eifert (TE, Notre Dame)

Size: 6-6, 251lbs

Speed: What you’d expect from a tight end.

Notes: He’s not a great blocker. He’ll go in the same kind of range as John Carlson and Kyle Rudolph.

This is just a sample, you could throw other names into the mix too. I’m not crazy about Terrance Williams at Baylor as an early pick which is why I left him out.

From the group, I think you can make a case for all. The Seahawks have looked for size at receiver and seem to like players who can win jump balls. When they drafted Golden Tate they cited his ability to compete for the ball in the air despite his size, and we’ve seen evidence of that this season.

At the same time, this is a quick-hitting passing offense that likes to take shots on play action. Getting separation downfield will help those big plays come off more often. Tate and Sidney Rice are no slouches, but there’s no true burner on the team and that’s maybe something they’ll look for regardless of size.

I also think they’d like to run a lot more 2TE sets similar to what we see at Stanford in the PAC-12. Anthony McCoy keeps showing flashes of quality that make you want to believe he can step up and become more of a consistent feature. But the fact is, the Seahawks are still using Zach Miller mostly for blocking and they’re not getting a great deal of production from the #2. A guy like Zach Ertz – who blocks as well as Miller and is a similar threat as a receiver – could help that situation and open up the offense. If you can use a formation that makes it look like you’ll run more often then not, the play action game will really threaten.

I’ll give you my take.

I like Markus Wheaton, DeAndre Hopkins and Robert Woods. A lot. And I think they’d find a way to be productive for this offense. I also think there’s a chance this team would entertain any of the three. Wheaton has the speed, Hopkins the polish and Woods the connection with Pete Carroll. However, I think three players stand out more than any others here.

Brandon Coleman could be a star in this league. He has the size and reach to win jump balls and he’s destined to be a real threat in the red zone. How do you over throw a 6-6 receiver with his wingspan? He’s an exceptionally big target with surprising speed. Look for any highlights of this guy and you’ll see him running away from defensive backs. Click here to see his 85-yard touchdown run against Louisville. He’s a 4.5 runner at 6-6 with YAC potential and I think he can run deep routes. If he declares – and he’s not indicated either way what his intentions are – then I suspect he’ll be rated very highly. A lack of pure production at Rutgers could push him into Seattle’s path. Stranger things have happened. Demaryius Thomas would’ve been a much earlier pick had he not played in the triple-option at Georgia Tech.

Zach Ertz would really open up Seattle’s offense. You could book-end Ertz with Zach Miller, play two receivers and give a run-look on most downs. It’ll give linebackers nightmares wondering whether they need to plug gaps against Mashawn Lynch or get into coverage to monitor two productive tight ends. This would probably keep things honest for Russell Wilson while also buying him time in the pocket. And he’d also have two reliable check-down options on third down – something that was an issue when Doug Baldwin was injured. The Seahawks showed a lot of interest on Coby Fleener’s pro-day last off-season. For me, Ertz is a superior player.

Cordarrelle Patterson is a pure difference maker. There aren’t many guys at 6-3/6-4 with his run-away speed and playmaking quality. He can score cheap points, change momentum and keep defenses guessing. Sure, he’s raw and needs to iron out a few kinks. He also has explosive ability to make big plays. And as we’ve seen this year more than any other, the Seahawks want quick strikes in their passing game. They seem to want to get defenses committing to the run only to beat them down field on play action. They want guys who can work within a trick play or package to get things rolling. Patterson might be one or two years away from being a consistent player you can rely on, but any time he’s on the field – even in year one – he’s a threat to score. And the Seahawks are a good enough team these days to consider a luxury like that. They’ve also shown they aren’t afraid to draft former JUCO prospects in round one (James Carpenter, Bruce Irvin).

This isn’t me committing to these three or saying the others are unlikely. I could sit here and make a case for drafting any of these guys. And as I mentioned, I have first round grades on Wheaton, Hopkins and Woods. I’m not totally convinced the Seahawks will target receivers in the first round, given John Schneider’s Green Bay background where they consistently hit on players taken in the second round. Yet I’m also not convinced they’ll avoid the position ‘just because’. It’s a need. And if value meets need in round one, there’s every chance they’ll make a move here.

I’ve included a video below for anyone wanting to learn more about Brandon Coleman. I wrote a piece about his potential a few weeks ago (click here) but the video has some background on his high-school recruitment and character.

Cordarrelle Patterson still intriguing, exciting and concerning

December 12, 2012 / Rob Staton

Cordarrelle Patterson is a real head scratcher. Let’s start with the positives…

Elite size (6-3) and speed (could run a 4.3). Patterson looks the part of a true difference maker. In his first and likely only year at Tennessee, he set the SEC single-season record for combined kick=off and punt return yards at 27.6 per-attempt. His kick-off return average of 28 yards per-attempt ranks second all-time in the SEC for a single-season. He set a new school record for all-purpose yards in a season with 1,858. His 154.8 all-purpose yards per game led the SEC and ranked in the top-20 in the nation.

Patterson scored ten total touchdowns in 2012. Five as a receiver, three as a runner and one each on punt and kick off returns. He also completed a 28-yard pass.

Not even Tavon Austin can match up to this guy as a pure X-Factor player. Put the ball in his hands and he has a chance to score. He runs reverses, he takes snaps in the backfield, he can run deep routes, he gets separation, he has a great wingspan. There aren’t any Cordarrelle Patterson’s in the NFL right now. He is unique.

Add all of this together and you start to think he’ll be a top-15 pick. Then we come onto the negatives…

He has a lot of great plays in the highlights video at the top of this piece. What the video doesn’t include are the careless plays he had this year… Such as the sure-fire touchdown he had against Georgia, dropped to the ground in a moment of madness. Perfectly thrown pass by Tyler Bray. Five yards of separation on a downfield route. Only green grass and a nice big end zone in front. Ball dropped by Patterson, points squandered.

Then there’s the pick-six against Akron, where he simply didn’t show any enthusiasm breaking into his route and allowed the defensive back to get leverage and break on the football. He gave up and lost out. The quarterback takes the statistical hit, but the responsibility was on the receiver.

Patterson started the year in good form acting as a receiver. In the first three games he totalled 239 yards and two touchdowns against NC State, Georgia State and Florida. Eventually defensive coordinators watched the tape and decided to get physical. Against bigger, more aggressive corners he struggled. In the next five games he failed to top 31 yards, averaging two catches a game and only one touchdown. It took a 219-yard performance against a woeful Troy defense to break this slump and he went on to end the season strongly.

There were games where he just looked disinterested and disjointed, like he was waiting for a chance rather than creating one. So while he looked great when asked to return a kick-off or feature in the backfield, these were manufactured carries. Was it too much to ask to see this big, 6-3 receiver with elite speed actually make things happen?

The final concern comes with his personality. It’s hard to measure these things based purely on interviews, but Patterson isn’t a great talker. Watch Markus Wheaton and DeAndre Hopkins speak and you’ll find players willing to talk routes and praise their team-mates. Patterson doesn’t really show any of that. He’s incredibly raw, nervous and comes across a little immature. That doesn’t mean he’s going to be the next great diva of the wide-receiver fraternity. It might mean he finds it difficult to grasp a pro-offense quickly and avoid mental mistakes in key games. It could mean the attention and financial reward that comes with the NFL will be a major culture shock.

This is the classic ‘sods law’ problem with Patterson. He has everything needed to be a sensational pro-talent who breaks records and enjoys a fine career. He also has everything required to become an epic bust. Teams will have to judge whether they trust explosive physical skills and massive upside to overcome some of the negatives. Can you put him next to a team leader – such as a driven quarterback who works harder than anyone else on the team (eg – Russell Wilson) – and expect to see a maturation? And are you prepared to be patient and live with the occasional glaring error for the sake of longer term success?

I don’t want to overplay the maturity issues too much. After all, this is a guy with only a years experience in college football as a JUCO transfer. He was essentially a freshman this year. He also doesn’t have any major character red flags or run-ins with the law. You could argue he just needs time to develop into a professional adult.

If a head coach is given Patterson to work with as a prospective first or second round pick, he’d have to take baby steps. Let him return kicks so you feel some immediate impact. Create a handful of designed packages to get the ball in his hands. Don’t ask him to run too many complex routes in year one and make sure he’s studying that playbook and working overtime with the quarterback whenever possible.

Manage this guy properly and you could end up with a superstar. He’s big, fast, elusive and scores cheap points. Harness that into a more consistent and rounded football player and you’ll look pretty smart drafting him early. Try and give him too much to do too soon and he’ll become a luxury. Cordarrelle Patterson is an exciting prospect. He’ll have a higher ceiling and a lower floor than probably any other offensive player eligible for 2013. The question is – are you prepared to take the risk?

In terms of his skill-set he could be an option for the Seahawks. The offense is based around the run, but utilises quick strikes in the passing game. Patterson’s height, speed and ability to score cheap points would be an ideal fit. Pete Carroll has shown his willingness to draft ex-JUCO players in round one (James Carpenter, Bruce Irvin). Yet as much as his physical qualities tick all the right boxes, the character makes me want to take a step back. Carroll wants driven, passionate players who almost play with a chip on their shoulder. Does Patterson want to be great? Or will he settle for whatever situation presents itself in the NFL? That could be the determining factor here. And I’m not totally convinced Patterson desperately wants to me the leagues next great receiver. I hope I’m wrong, because he could be very, very good.

Seahawks prepared for a ‘depth’ draft?

December 11, 2012 / Rob Staton

Tennessee's Dallas Thomas could provide depth at tackle or guard

Whatever happens during the rest of this season, the Seahawks have a lot of key positions tied up. Quarterback, running back, left tackle and cornerback – four of the most important positions where the Seahawks have some of the best young talent in the NFL.

There’s also enough depth across the board so that when injuries have occurred this year, the team hasn’t really missed a beat. Sure, there are positions where upgrades are desirable. There aren’t many glaring needs though. When it’s time to start concentrating on the draft, there’s every chance the Seahawks will be able to say they’re going for the ‘best player available’ – and actually mean it.

And the best player available could be a ‘depth’ pick.

The good teams make draft for depth all the time. Pittsburgh has regularly topped up their defense over the years with players who don’t necessarily start straight away. The Ravens likewise always seem to be hunting for value, rather than chasing needs. The New York Giants are another team that for a few years now have been accumulating solid depth.

Sure, you want to get instant production from those early picks. Sometimes it’s not always possible. The good teams always stay one step ahead of the curve.

So what are some of the positions where the Seahawks could be thinking longer term?

The Seahawks don’t have a lot of depth at wide receiver and an injury to Sidney Rice or Golden Tate would hit the team hard. I suspect most fans would rather avoid the position in round one due to the stigma attached to receivers drafted early. However, if the front office wants to make life as easy as possible for Russell Wilson, they’ll need to make sure he has enough legitimate targets to throw to. And if the value is strong at the end of round one – it should be considered a very realistic option. Even if the player in question acts more as a depth/complimentary pick in his first year or two in the league.

Possible depth options: Markus Wheaton (WR, Oregon State), DeAndre Hopkins (WR, Clemson), Zach Ertz (TE, Stanford), Robert Woods (WR, USC)

The old argument says you can never have enough good cornerbacks. That could be increasingly true for Seattle if Richard Sherman loses his PED appeal and has to miss four games at the start of next season. Brandon Browner won’t be an unrestricted free agent until 2015, but he will be 29 next August. Walter Thurmond has shown real promise during his pro-career, but he’s also shown an inability to stay healthy. If there’s real value to be found at cornerback in round one, it’s another area the Seahawks might consider next April. It’s also worth noting just how well Pete Carroll and John Schneider have done finding low-cost talent at corner. So far they haven’t needed to spend an early pick and they might feel confident enough to keep looking for those late-round gems.

Possible depth options: Dee Milliner (CB, Alabama), Jonathan Banks (CB, Mississippi State), Bradley Roby (CB, Ohio State), Xavier Rhodes (CB, Florida State)

Seattle’s offensive line gets a raw deal from a lot of fans, yet Football Outsiders ranks the line 3rd overall for run blocking and 16th overall for pass protection. The Seahawks have given up 24 sacks – and only six teams have fewer this season. Breno Giacomini has become a bit of a scapegoat due to an unacceptable number of penalties, but he’s also done a better job than most people give him credit for. Right tackle has become a thankless task in the NFL and it’s not a position easily filled. Even so, I wouldn’t completely rule out further investment in the offensive line. It might have to be a pretty special player who falls to make it happen, but good teams understand value and don’t look a gift-horse in the mouth.

Possible depth options: Eric Fisher (T, Central Michigan), Taylor Lewan (T, Michigan), Dallas Thomas (G/T, Tennessee), D.J. Fluker (G/T, Alabama)

I’ve listed three examples, I’m sure you could add more. The Seahawks have improved so much in the last three years – perhaps more so than any other team in the league. And they’ll find themselves in a position next April without any desperate needs. I believe upgrading at the three-technique is the greatest overall need. Yet I wouldn’t say an aggressive move is required to fill that hole, particularly if there’s better talent on the board in other areas. It’s an enviable position to be in – one enjoyed by the ‘usual suspects’ picking in the 20’s or 30’s virtually every year. And with Carroll and Schneider’s track record in the draft so far, that could put the Seahawks in an incredibly strong position.

Monday thoughts: Seahawks #1?

December 10, 2012 / Rob Staton

Arizona State's Will Sutton - clearly a big fan of the 'Jackson Five'

Seahawks the #1 or #2 team in the NFL?

Are the Seahawks turning into an upper-echelon contender? An outrageous suggestion like that would’ve provoked widespread scoffing after the Week 12 defeat to Miami. Yet here they are at 8-5 with two home games to go and a remaining road game to be played at a neutral venue.

Suddenly, it’s not such a ridiculous idea.

Here’s what’s working… They have a quarterback who is performing to a high standard. They have a productive running game. The defense maintains a lot of qualities despite a couple of iffy performances recently. The role of Seattle’s special teams is incredibly underrated. All three units came together in yesterday’s 58-0 massacre of the Arizona Cardinals. And if you can play solid, strong football across the board – you have a shot to win in the post-season.

Aaron Schatz at Football Outsiders claims the win over Arizona was one of the best ever all-round performances. What’s more, FO uses a system called DVOA (explained here) to rank all of the teams in the league. Seattle was #4 overall prior to week 14. Depending on what happens in MNF tonight, they’ll either be #1 or #2 overall going into week 15. So basically, DVOA could have the Seahawks as the league’s best team by the end of tonight. The leagues best team.

Even if they don’t make it to #1, Schatz argues there’s a “huge gap” between the top four (Denver, New England, San Francisco, and Seattle) and the chasing pack. Sure, other teams have better records (Atlanta, Houston) but they’ve also enjoyed much easier schedules. When you actually sit down and think about it, maybe those are the four best teams in the league?

Kerry Byrne argues a similar point at ‘Cold Hard Football Facts’, listing multiple stats to suggest the Seahawks are a legit post-season contender:

“We’re not just reacting to a single game. Carroll’s Seahawks have proven they can hang with anybody, they boast an NFL-best five Quality Wins, and they’ve already proven they can slow down and beat the game’s best quarterbacks, including Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers. And now they’ve proven they can take a bad team out behind the woodshed and mercilessly deliver a gruesome execution the likes of which you see only once or twice in a lifetime.”

Will anybody be ravaged with fear at the thought of facing Atlanta in the playoffs? Probably not. Will anyone shudder at the prospect of having to go to Houston to make the AFC title game? Unlikely. Would they fear the Seahawks or the 49ers? They better do.

These two teams aren’t brittle. They’re two tough teams ready to hit you in the mouth without apology. On home turf Seattle hasn’t just won every game so far, they’ve broken the will of several teams. Dallas, New York and Arizona all flew home banged-up, bruised and embarrassed. The 49ers have done the same to several teams in the last two years. And it’s fitting that when the two meet on December 23rd, there’s going to be a national audience. No other game gets close that week to the magnitude of the meeting at the CLink. And if the Seahawks get the job done in Toronto and the 49ers fall in New England – it’ll be the most intense game of the NFL season so far. Without doubt.

New England and Denver are slightly different animals, based around two legendary quarterbacks. I suspect one will make the Super Bowl. And I think there’s a fair chance they could meet a NFC West opponent when they get there.

There is a cautionary note though, as I touched on yesterday. It’s great to revel in a 58-0 win against a truly miserable Cardinals outfit. We can sit here and wax lyrical about a Seahawks team suddenly on the verge of relevance after a few years poking around in mediocrity. They have found ways to deflate their own balloon this season, though. A truly legit team wins at least two of the next three games. It goes to Toronto and takes care of business. It doesn’t let an upstart Rams team walk away with anything but a dose of reality in week 17. The 49ers game will be a war and could go either way. Nothing short of 10-6 will be acceptable if you want to keep the kind of plaudits being dished out today. No compromises.

And if they win out to reach 11-5, no team will be more feared in the post-season. They could get the #2 bye in that scenario with tie-breakers over Green Bay and Chicago. Atlanta could choke again. Suddenly the road to New Orleans could go through Seattle. It’s still a bit of a pipe dream for now, but it’s not totally impossible. I’m not sure if that possibility is a good or bad thing for this team. Can a young roster handle the weight of growing expectation? Can they do the little things right and limit the errors? I’ll guess we’ll soon find out.

The Seattle Seahawks have a chance to prove they belong. A chance to prove they aren’t a fraud. It’s right there. They just have to take it. Will they do it?

Marcus Lattimore and Johnathan Hankins to declare

Both players will turn pro in 2013. Lattimore is still recovering from a horrendous knee injury and is unlikely to play in 2013. His decision appears to be based around the superior aid he’ll receive from a pro-football medical staff as he works his way back to full health. The big question is, will a team be willing to pay for the long journey it’ll take to get Lattimore back on the field?

Let’s not kid around here, if he plays again it’ll be a major achievement. And even if he can repair that knee, there’s no knowing how much of an impact it’ll have on his performance. Lattimore has superb character and deserves the help, but the NFL is a ruthless business. A lot of people are going to be rooting for him, but he’ll need to hope someone out there really believes in his ability to come back from this. Otherwise he’ll go undrafted and be left in a situation where he can’t prove to anyone he’s back and ready to play again. Either way this was always going to be a tough decision for Lattimore, and it’s one he’ll have given a great deal of thought. Let’s hope this was the right choice.

A lot of people expect Hankins to be an early pick next April, but I’m not convinced. His tape at Ohio State this year was really underwhelming. He has the size (6-3, 335lbs) and as you’d expect, he plays well against the run. But what else does he offer? His effort is so inconsistent it’s untrue. At times you barely notice he’s on the field for long stretches – then suddenly he blows up the line and makes a splash play. When you see Hankins at his best, you wonder why it happens so infrequently. He’s a one-dimensional pass rusher who relies too much on the bull-rush and too often he leans into blockers. His motor runs hot and cold. He’s a really underwhelming prospect in the body of a player you want to really like.

Teams looking for a nose tackle to anchor a 3-4 defense will take a long look at Hankins and Georgia’s Jonathan Jenkins. Personally, I prefer Jenkins. In my last mock draft, I had Hankins dropping to round two. Others – such as Scouts Inc – project he’ll be a top-ten pick. He’s unlikely to make major headlines at the combine like Dontari Poe, which will limit his stock. And as teams really study the tape I think they’ll be equally underwhelmed.

Will Sutton (DT, Arizona State) tape vs Oregon State

Sutton is one to keep an eye on. He’s not a flashy player in terms of physical greatness, but he did manage 10.5 sacks this year. He’s the kind of prospect who goes in that round 3-4 range and in a few years time, you wonder how it happened. He’s undersized for a lot of teams but makes a lot of sense in Seattle’s key-need area of the three-technique. If they want to go in another direction in round one, Sutton provides an alternative later on.

Have a look at the tape below and let me know what you think…

Instant reaction: Seahawks decimate woeful Cardinals

December 9, 2012 / Rob Staton

That was like watching a heavily one-sided boxing match. Unfortunately, nobody could throw in the towel for the Arizona Cardinals. Seattle moves to 8-5, remains in the NFC West title race and most importantly came away unscathed. They also scored 58 points in the process. It was an early Christmas gift from a pathetic Cardinals outfit.

As great as all of that sounds, it comes with a caveat. Even during Seattle’s pretty depressing period between 2008 and 2009, they were never this bad. Arizona looked like a weak college team playing a powder-puff schedule-filler against the Alabama Crimson Tide. In fact, that’s probably being unfair to weak college outfits. The Cardinals were a shambles. Remember when they won in New England after beating the Seahawks at home? It feels like a different lifetime tonight.

Arizona’s quarterback situation is a shambles. They turned the ball over like it was fashionable. They rolled over for a tummy tickle in the first quarter and enjoyed it so much, they stayed on their backs for the rest of the game. Pathetic.

The Seahawks essentially had a scrimmage session in front of a big crowd. Yet I wonder if such a comprehensive walk-over will leave the team undercooked? If you want to be considered legitimate post-season contenders, you fly to Toronto and beat the Bills in a neutral venue. Buffalo just lost at home to an improving St. Louis and they’re 5-8. It’s Seattle’s final road game in the regular season. They just won in Chicago. This has to be targeted for a win.

So why the concern?

Well, this all sounds pretty familiar. Miami lost to the Bills prior to playing the Seahawks. Everybody expected Seattle to go to Miami and win. They were fresh after the bye. And they turned up in South Florida undercooked and lost a winnable game having led in the fourth quarter. Miami has the same 5-8 record as Buffalo. Hopefully the outcome in Toronto is slightly different because the Seahawks have to keep rolling here. There’s no reason why they can’t win out.

Finish 11-5 and there’s a fair chance it’ll equate to a home playoff game, division title and a fear factor for other teams. Nobody will want to face this Seahawks outfit at 11-5. And if they can win out, don’t rule out the possibility of earning the #2 seeding. Even if they don’t win out – Seattle’s two toughest games, it could be argued, are those two final games at home against San Francisco and St. Louis. Lose in Buffalo and you might have to win both home games to even make the post season. They can avoid that ‘must-win’ pressure by winning next week.

People are going to dream of 11-5 and all that comes with it after the Cardinals thrashing. Today’s game was that easy. Almost too easy. And the hardest task this week is probably going to be avoiding over-confidence, keeping minds sharp and focused. The Seahawks won’t meet an opponent as pathetic as Arizona were today for a couple of decades. Maybe longer.

What were the key positives that could run over into next week? Anthony McCoy had a big day and could actually develop into a useful target over the next few weeks, especially now that Braylon Edwards has been cut. Bobby Wagner continues to have an underrated season and should win defensive rookie of the year. Who else should win it? Luke Kuechly? Wagner has achieved much more than Kuechly this year, but doesn’t get anywhere near the same national attention.

Walter Thurmond had a good game, certainly good enough to suggest the Seahawks shouldn’t feel the absence of Brandon Browner too much. It’s easy to forget Thurmond was locking down Larry Fitzgerald last season before his latest injury. Richard Sherman’s suspension appears likely to be pushed back from December 14th. It could easily be moved into next season, which would allow the Seahawks plenty of time to adequately prepare for that situation. That’ll be key – because Sherman again showed today why he’s so important to this defense.

I always like to end these pieces with an angle on the draft. But what did we actually learn today? There’s only one thing I can think of. In the second half, Matt Flynn led Sidney Rice over the middle for a completion. Rice got slammed by a defensive back, drawing a flag for an illegal hit. The Seahawks were a concussion away from too much reliance on Golden Tate next week in Buffalo. So while the receivers have performed well in recent weeks, the depth needs to be improved. And it’s not an area that can simply be brushed aside for later rounds. If the best player available when the Seahawks pick in round one is a receiver, they have to consider it. There should be several options for the Seahawks if they wanted to go in that direction – Brandon Coleman, Markus Wheaton, DeAndre Hopkins, Robert Woods, Tavon Austin and Justin Hunter to name a few. This team can’t do enough to make life easier for Russell Wilson.

And speaking of Seattle’s quarterback, he was a little off today. He sustained a couple of nice drives again, but also threw his first interception at home. It seemed like an avoidable situation, with the Seahawks getting greedy with the points piling up. He also missed on a couple of potential scoring throws, in particular a shot to Sidney Rice that had too much juice and an under-thrown ball to Robert Turbin. He made up for it with a touchdown to Zach Miller before half time, but it was a fair reminder today that even in a 58-0 beat down – he’s still a rookie. And he’s not incapable of having a slight off day. Fans will have to remember that, especially if this team does get into the playoffs. Expectation is high for Wilson which is understandable. But it still needs to be managed.

Alec Ogletree (LB, Georgia) vs Alabama

December 8, 2012 / Rob Staton

DeAndre Hopkins, like Markus Wheaton, is underrated

December 7, 2012 / Rob Staton

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtgrDtt6D4Q

We talked recently about how underrated Markus Wheaton is. For me, he’s the second coming of Mike Wallace. If you want a consistent receiver with the right attitude, explosive speed and a knack of making key players – Wheaton’s your man. And if I was a good team looking for a receiver in the late first round, I’d draft him and feel pretty smug about it afterwards.

Clemson’s DeAndre Hopkins is another player who deserves similar attention. I’m surprised the media and other bloggers are still concentrating on Keenan Allen and Justin Hunter. I wrote a longer piece on why I don’t rate Allen that highly and in my last mock draft I left him out of the first two rounds. He has to run well at the combine because he hasn’t shown a lot of explosion on tape. And I don’t expect him to run well at the combine. Hunter looks the part, but just didn’t really convince this year within a productive passing offense. He allowed Cordarrelle Patterson to steal away some of his stock – and I’m not sure he started the year 100% recovered from a serious knee injury.

Hopkins is slightly bigger than Wheaton (6-1, 200lbs) but he has similar qualities. He’s incredibly smooth running routes and has excellent body control. He’s consistent and a reliable target. He’s not quite as fast running in a straight line, but there’s plenty of speed coming out of those breaks and he’s capable of making plays downfield. Despite the presence of Sammy Watkins on the Clemson roster (although Watkins was suspended to start the year), it’s Hopkins who’s really grown into the #1 receiver for his team.

This season he registered 1214 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns. He’ll come up against LSU in the Chick-fil-A Bowl on New Years Eve and I’d recommend keeping an eye on that one. Despite only being listed at 6-0, somehow Hopkins appears bigger on the screen. If you want evidence of his big play ability, check out this long touchdown against Florida State, this downfield play where he just runs away from the Duke defense, this turn and run against Georgia Tech or his touchdown and two point conversion from the same game (just in case you were wondering if he can throw it as well as Sidney Rice or Golden Tate).

Alternatively, check out the video at the top of the piece showing every snap from Clemson’s game against Auburn from week one of the college season. He consistently flashes an ability to identify the soft zone, create separation and find space. And while speed and size is ideal for a big-time receiver, nothing is more important than simply being able to get open.

The Seahawks need to add at least one more viable target for Russell Wilson this off-season. Sidney Rice has stayed healthy this year, but he’s had issues there in the past. Right now, this team is a Rice-injury away from being really thin at receiver. Braylon Edwards is gone. Ben Obomanu is on injured reserve. Do you really want to be leaning on Jermaine Kearse in the playoffs? What’s more, it just makes absolute sense to make life easy for your young quarterback. And that means not asking him to throw to low-level receivers and create miracles. Russell Wilson needs as many good receiver targets as possible, which is why wide out and tight end have to remain a priority despite the recent upturn in production for the passing game.

Whether this team goes receiver or not in the first round next year remains to be seen. We’re a million miles away from knowing how likely that’s going to be. Even so, it has to be a target area. I’m not sure if the NFL will rate DeAndre Hopkins and Markus Wheaton as first round talents. I’m not sure if they’ll even get second round grades. They don’t tick a lot of the ‘conventional wisdom’ boxes. But if they’re on the board with either of Seattle’s first two picks next April, they’d be a great way to keep boosting this offense. If Brandon Coleman doesn’t declare for the 2013 draft, then in my view Wheaton and Hopkins are the two best receivers in this class.

Kawann Short (DT, Purdue) vs Iowa

December 6, 2012 / Rob Staton

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtUA8fFEviY

In yesterday’s updated mock draft I had the Seahawks taking this guy in round two. The teams greatest need, in my opinion, is to identify a pass-rushing three-technique that can feature in the base defense. There’s a lot of defensive tackle depth among the 2013 draft class, so it’s not a position you’ll necessarily need to target in round one. It’s also worth noting the relatively unsuccessful history of the position in recent years.

In the three drafts between 2009-10, seven players were drafted within the top-40 picks that could be classified as a potential ‘three-technique’ candidates. Of the group, only Ndamukong Suh has really gone on to have much impact in the league.

Nick Fairley – 5.5 sacks in nearly two seasons
Corey Liuget – 5 sacks in two seasons
Gerald McCoy – 7 sacks in three seasons
Tyson Alualu – 8 sacks in three seasons
Brian Price – 3 sacks in three seasons
Peria Jerry – 2 sacks in four seasons

Sacks aren’t everything of course, in fact they’re one of the most overrated statistics in the sport. Pressure and splash plays are what it’s all about – and exactly what the Seahawks need on their defensive line. However, the group above has either been plagued with injury, underwhelmed or in Brian Price’s case – is out of the league altogether. Corey Liuget – despite looking like a prototype three technique – has ended up at the five-tech in a 3-4 scheme.

Overall it’s not a position where teams have found a lot of success drafting in the first round. That might change in 2013 with the likes of Sheldon Richardson, Star Lotulelei and Sylvester Williams expected to be early picks. It’s worth noting that the best pure three technique in the NFL right now is a former fourth round pick from 2010 in Geno Atkins. It’s also likely no coincidence that the Seahawks drafted Jaye Howard in a similar range last off-season, perhaps believing it to be a position with a high-bust potential in the early rounds. Howard hasn’t featured much to date and there might be several more swings at trying to find an answer to this problem without spending the high pick.

Short has some potential as a penetrative pass rusher but just like Johnathan Hankins, he blows hot and cold for effort. The Seahawks might be prepared to chance their arm on guys like this having created a dynamic dressing room with several vocal leaders. His bad level needs serious improvement. He tends to wear down quickly and is probably only a two-down player, plus conditioning has been a major issue for Short at Purdue. He does play with a nice burst and as you can see, he’ll shoot a gap and finish the play. He has the size (320lbs) to hold up well against the run but he still shows enough athletic quality to be a pass rusher. Take a look at his tape against Iowa (see video above) and let me know what you think.

Updated mock draft: 5th December

December 5, 2012 / Rob Staton

The whole point of doing these mock drafts is to create discussion points. I’m not trying to project the draft in December. That would be ridiculous. Please remember this. Please.

– I watched some of Kansas City’s game against Carolina on Sunday. As daft as it sounds for a team currently on pace for the #1 pick, they aren’t terrible. Far from it in fact. The offensive line is competitive. They have some X-factor weapons on offense. They have some key players on defense. They just don’t have a quarterback. And while the 2013 group doesn’t contain an Andrew Luck, they can still find a legitimate starter for the foreseeable future. So if KC picks first overall, they just need to identify who they prefer from Matt Barkley, Geno Smith and Tyler Wilson. The AFC West is weak enough for a bounce back year in 2013 if they can upgrade at quarterback. This has been an underwhelming year for Barkley, but how much of that is on Lane Kiffin?

– Markus Wheaton and DeAndre Hopkins are both listed in round one this week. Why? Because they’re both worthy of round one grades. Simple. While a lot of people want to concentrate on Keenan Allen (not included in the first two rounds here) and Justin Hunter (second round projection) I think Wheaton and Hopkins are the two players most likely to succeed from this receiver class. The only receiver who goes higher is Brandon Coleman. He has a much higher ceiling, but he’s likely to need a redshirt year in the NFL to max out his potential. Coleman has much more upside, but isn’t quite as polished in only his second year of college football.

– I have the Seahawks taking Kansas State linebacker Arthur Brown. Pete Carroll paid a lot of attention to Brown during his USC days and he’s a sound option to replace Leroy Hill at the WILL position. The Seahawks like to do things their own way and think outside of the box. Brown isn’t an obvious first round pick within the media, but he is a very good football player. He’s intense, he’s got a nose for the ball. He glides from sideline to sideline and he makes plays. He hasn’t shown a great deal of pass rush at Kansas State, but the Seahawks aren’t using the linebackers that much to blitz and are generally relying on a four man rush. You can see tape of Brown’s performance against Miami at the top of this piece.

– In round two Seattle gets Purdue’s Kawann Short. Although I believe finding a three-technique upgrade for Alan Branch is probably Seattle’s greatest need, I’m not totally convinced it’s a position they’ll target in round one. They may even go after Randy Starks or Sedrick Ellis in free agency. Likewise, I’m not totally convinced they’ll consider the receivers in round one either. Although I wanted to put Wheaton or Hopkins at #22, John Schneider is used to the Green Bay way of doing things. The Packers have enjoyed great success finding receivers in round two or beyond. Expect this team to go searching for value after the first round, just like they did with Golden Tate. And if Wheaton or Hopkins last that far, the Seahawks should run to the podium. The recent production by Golden Tate and Sidney Rice is also making this less of a priority.

Enjoy.

First round


	#1 Matt Barkley (QB, USC) The Chiefs need a quarterback. They don’t have a terrible roster. And even if the value isn’t quite there, just solve this issue indefinitely.


	#2 Bjoern Werner (DE, Florida State) The Jaguars need a pass rusher and Werner could steadily move up the boards after a 13.5 sack season.


	#3 Manti Te’o (LB, Notre Dame) The Raiders need to start drafting good football players. This will be a long rebuild.


	#4 Luke Joeckel (T, Texas A&M) Philly’s offensive line is, well, ‘offensive’. This is the starting point for a new era.


	#5 Sheldon Richardson (DT, Missouri) The more I watch of Sheldon Richardson, the more I’m reminded of Darnell Dockett.


	#6 Jake Mathews (T, Texas A&M) Although he’s playing at right tackle for the Aggies, he’s good enough to move across and play the blind side.


	#7 Damontre Moore (DE, Texas A&M) He’s having a great year and looks the part of a NFL rusher. He has 12.5 sacks in the SEC. That isn’t easy.


	#8 Dee Milliner (CB, Alabama) The complete cornerback. Milliner is vastly underrated.


	#9 Geno Smith (QB, West Virginia) All the messing around at quarterback this year cannot happen again.


	#10 Dion Jordan (DE, Oregon) He could go even higher than this if he explodes at the combine.


	#11 Tyler Wilson (QB, Arkansas) He looks like the kind of quarterback Chan Gailey would like to draft. He could be the best quarterback to enter the league in 2013.


	#12 Star Lotulelei (DT, Utah) Plenty of upside but he’s let down by his consistency. Not a great pass rusher… yet.


	#13 Chance Warmack (G, Alabama) A top-10 level talent who dominates every week for the Crimson Tide.


	#14 Brandon Coleman (WR, Rutgers) Sensational receiver who could be the next Megatron.


	#15 Zach Ertz (TE, Stanford) Not just a dynamic pass catcher, he’s also a top-end run blocker.


	#16 Jonathan Cooper (G, North Carolina) He’s just as good as Chance Warmack, if not better. He won’t last too long.


	#17 Eric Fisher (T, Central Michigan) The Rams need a left tackle and Fisher looks the part.


	#18 Barkevious Mingo (DE, LSU) Perhaps not quite as good as some people want you to believe, but he’ll be a terror lined up across from DeMarcus Ware.


	#19 Ezekiel Ansah (DE, BYU) Another player who could shoot up the board with a great combine.


	#20 Alec Ogeltree (LB, Georgia) This would be a complete steal. He could have more upside than anyone else in the draft.


	#21 Matt Elam (S, Florida) Top talent who lasts this long only due to a lack of need. Elam’s a true playmaker in the secondary.


	#22 Arthur Brown (LB, Kansas State) Just a good football player. The Seahawks like to do things differently. Pete Carroll liked this guy during his USC/recruiting days.


	#23 Taylor Lewan (T, Michigan) The next best tackle and the Giants need to fill this position long term.


	#24 Jonathan Jenkins (DT, Georgia) The ideal building block for a team looking to implement a 3-4 defense.


	#25 Dallas Thomas (G, Tennessee) Although he’s playing guard at Tennessee, he has history at tackle and is good enough to move outside again.


	#26 Jesse Williams (DT, Alabama) His best position could be the five technique in a 3-4 defense.


	#27 John Simon (DE, Ohio State) Just a really solid, blue-collar pass rusher.


	#28 Jarvis Jones (DE, Georgia) Baltimore are good enough to take a chance on Jones, whose spinal stenosis issue will put off some teams.


	#29 Sylvester Williams (DT, North Carolina) Terrific pass rushing defensive tackle.


	#30 Markus Wheaton (WR, Oregon State) A smart team will draft this guy in round one. He’s the second coming of Pittsburgh’s Mike Wallace.


	#31 DeAndre Hopkins (WR, Clemson) Like Wheaton, just an incredibly underrated player.


	#32 Tavon Austin (WR, West Virginia) When you have a roster like Atlanta’s, why not go for an X-factor playmaker?

Second round

#33 Jacksonville – Robert Woods (WR, USC)
#34 Kansas City – C.J. Mosley (LB, Alabama)
#35 Philadelphia – Barrett Jones (C, Alabama)
#36 Carolina – Cordarrelle Patterson (WR, Tennessee)
#37 Cincinnati – Jonathan Banks (CB, Mississippi State)
#38 Tennessee – Sharrif Floyd (DT, Florida)
#39 Arizona – Justin Pugh (T, Syracuse)
#40 Detroit – Bradley Roby (CB, Ohio State)
#41 San Diego – Oday Aboushi (T, Virginia)
#42 Miami – Brennan Williams (T, North Carolina)
#43 Buffalo – New York Jets – Aaron Murray (QB, Georgia)
#44 Buffalo – Khaseem Greene (LB, Rutgers)
#45 St. Louis – Kenny Vaccaro (S, Texas)
#46 Washington – Shawn Williams (S, Georgia)
#47 Dallas – Johnathan Hankins (DT, Ohio State)
#48 Minnesota – Bennie Logan (DT, LSU)
#49 Tampa Bay – Tyler Eifert (TE, Notre Dame)
#50 Cincinnati – Le’Veon Bell (RB, Michigan State)
#51 Seattle – Kawann Short (DT, Purdue)
#52 New York Giants – Gavin Escobar (TE, San Diego State)
#53 Pittsburgh – Stepfan Taylor (RB, Stanford)
#54 Miami – Corey Lemonier (DE, Alabama)
#55 Green Bay – Montee Ball (RB, Wisconsin)
#56 Chicago – D.J. Fluker (T, Alabama)
#57 Baltimore – Xavier Rhodes (CB, Florida State)
#58 Denver – Giovani Bernard (RB, North Carolina)
#59 San Francisco – Jordan Poyer (CB, Oregon State)
#60 New England – Alex Okafor (DE, Texas)
#61 Atlanta – Jonathan Franklin (RB, UCLA)
#62 Houston – Levine Toilolo (TE, Stanford)

Markus Wheaton is a first round talent & Seattle’s plan at QB

December 4, 2012 / Rob Staton

Oregon State’s Markus Wheaton deserves a high grade

There are players out there that get a lot of hype. There are better players who fly under the radar. Markus Wheaton falls into the second category.

It’s not hard to work out why he doesn’t get much attention. ESPN lists him at 6-1 and 182lbs – but Scouts Inc has him down at just 5-11. He plays for a solid Oregon State programme that doesn’t generate many national headlines. He’s a senior receiver in an era where top wide outs are leaving for the NFL as redshirt sophomore’s. None of that blows you away. Put on the tape, and you instantly see why this guy deserves more hype.

I’m sure you’re all aware of De’Anthony Thomas at Oregon. Want to know who runs faster than De’Anthony Thomas? Markus Wheaton.

Back in May both players competed in the 100 metres race at the Oregon Twilight track and field meet. Washington’s Ryan Hamilton finished first with a time of 10.51 seconds. Wheaton was second in 10.58, with Thomas third at 10.65. Granted it was ‘Black Mamba’s’ debut race and Wheaton is a senior, but a wins a win.

The speed flashes up on tape – see the video above for Wheaton’s performance against Arizona State this year. Yet it’s not the pure speed that intrigues me the most. It’s the maturity, the understanding he shows running routes and his willingness to try and make blocks downfield. Receivers get a reputation for being the diva’s of football – and for the most part that reputation is justified. Wheaton is the anti-diva. He’s humble. He’s a team player. And he makes plays.

This year he registered 1323 total yards and 13 touchdowns. Against UCLA, Stanford and Oregon – his three toughest match-ups this year – he managed 24 catches, 348 yards and two touchdowns. The only team to shut him down this season? Washington. The Huskies gave up just two catches for 25 yards (NOTE – Wheaton left the game early after a vicious helmet-to-helmet hit). Wheaton is three yards away from being listed among the top-ten receivers for yardage in college football. Another underrated receiver – DeAndre Hopkins at Clemson – is ranked at #9.

Want a comparison for Wheaton? How about Mike Wallace at Pittsburgh. They share similar physical attributes, they’re both capable of getting downfield and making plays. If you don’t want to pay a ton of money on the open market (if Wallace makes free agency next March), then consider drafting Wheaton instead. They’re very similar players. Wallace was a third round pick in 2009 – but undoubtedly would be a top-32 selection in a re-draft. Wheaton deserves to have a late fist or early second round grade too.

So what does he do well?

The first thing that stands out is the speed. He can get downfield and make plays, but given he’s not the biggest receiver he’s better working across the middle and making YAC. See the play in the video above at 0:43 where he runs a crisp route inside, makes the grab in traffic and just sprints away from the defense for a touchdown. He’s going to score cheap points at the next level simply due to his ability working in space.

You can use Wheaton in trick plays – as noted by the end around at 0:12. He finds the cut back lane and exploits it – exploding through the space and breaking off a big gain. There’s no reason why you couldn’t use him on a jet sweep, wide receiver screen or crossing pattern to get the ball in his hands and exploit that X-factor ability.

Check out the big running play at 1:25. Who’s sprinting downfield to make sure the runner finds the end zone? Markus Wheaton. The touchdown at 2:36 flashes his understanding of the offense and the route he needs to run. He’s on the same page as the quarterback, selling the route to the cornerback and then checking to grab the back-shoulder throw. Textbook completion for a score. At 3:34 he would’ve had another touchdown with a better throw. Wheaton beats his guy for speed and gets downfield with three yards of separation. The quarterback leads him to the sideline and he catches it – but a throw in front of the receiver and it’s a simple score.

Someone is going to draft this guy in the late first round or early second round. I think he deserves to be a top-32 grade and he’s probably the best 2013 eligible receiver if Brandon Coleman chooses to stay at Rutgers. Like I said, Mike Wallace type ability here. While people still wonder if Keenan Allen or Justin Hunter will crack the first round, keep an eye on this guy. A smart team will draft him early.

Seattle’s plans at quarterback ‘blown up’ by Russell Wilson?

The Seahawks have their quarterback of the future and his name is Russell Wilson. Any doubt was permanently removed as he engineered two long touchdown drives in Soldier Field on Sunday.

It’s not easy being a rookie quarterback. You have to act like a veteran and attempt to lead the team. Yet the more experienced and wealthier players in the locker room look back at you and think, “Who is this guy?” The way you win round the team and show you belong? Games like Sunday.

It’s not even a year since John Schneider was pleading for patience. He insisted the team wouldn’t panic in their search for a capable starting quarterback. They would bide their time. I’m not convinced he believed Seattle would’ve solved this issue by the end of 2012. Here’s my theory. Make of it what you will.

I suspect the Seahawks intended to go big on the quarterback position in 2013. They decided early in the process that the first round of the 2012 draft would be used to get a pass rusher – another key need. With three quarterbacks expected to go in the top ten last April, this would be a difficult problem for the Seahawks to solve. They weren’t going to chase the situation. Not yet, anyway.

Still, they had to do something. Tarvaris Jackson struggled as the starter and at the very least needed some healthy competition. When free agency opened, Seattle’s initial enquiry went to Chad Henne and a visit was schedule. He went to Jacksonville first and decided that was the right move to make. He stayed in Florida after starting his NFL career in Miami. Seattle – without many alternative options – arranged a visit with Matt Flynn.

At the time Flynn’s market was ice-cold. Touted as a prize asset following his big performance in relief of Aaron Rodgers, nobody picked up the phone until the Seahawks made their move several days into free agency. The interest didn’t really create a market. Miami arranged a visit but appeared lukewarm in their pursuit. And that was it. Flynn signed for the Seahawks on a deal worth $10m guaranteed.

I believe Schneider convinced Pete Carroll that Flynn could upgrade the position and handle things for at least a year. He could manage the situation. He could help the team continue it’s upward trend until they were ready to find that one player who could truly ’tilt the field’.

While they were unlikely to grab that guy in the first round of the 2012 draft, it didn’t stop them adding to the competition later on. Schneider targeted Russell Wilson specifically and Carroll bought into the concept and saw past the conventional wisdom that screamed a 5-10 quarterback couldn’t work. Wilson became the third part of this equation. Had another team come in for the Wisconsin quarterback before Seattle’s third round pick, I think they would’ve still targeted the position in rounds three or four. Kirk Cousins seems like a probable alternative.

The Seahawks went into the summer with three possible starting quarterbacks on their roster plus Josh Portis. Yet at the back of their planning, I still think they expected to have to wait to solve this issue in 2013. It would take Flynn, Jackson or Wilson to really blow the doors off to change that. And against the odds, Wilson has done it.

It’s not hard to think about who the Seahawks may have targeted in the 2013 draft. Pete Carroll speaks about Matt Barkley in the same way he talks about Wilson. In his Monday press conference this week, he was asked whether he’d worked with any other quarterbacks who had shown similar qualities to his current rookie starter. His answer?

“Matt Barkley was a guy… I talk about him a lot… but he was a guy that impressed me that was very, very comfortable with the position. Let me leave that for now.”

Carroll went on to talk about Wilson’s influence so far, checking his work ethic, relationship with his team mates and performance. He made a final reference saying he wasn’t totally surprised with Wilson’s success because he’d seen it happen with Barkley at USC. And I sensed, somewhere in the, “Let me leave that for now” was a tinge of disappointment. The realisation that any chance of working with Barkley has gone. Not that he’s likely to complain about that any time soon. As he often states, Wilson is the real deal.

Hey – maybe I’m reading too much into it. That was my reaction, though. And it fed my hunch that Carroll was probably zoned in on getting ‘his guy’ because he’d probably need ‘his guy’ by year four.

The relatively unexpected success in finding a starting quarterback in round three has probably put this regime ahead of schedule. Any expectations they had of drafting Barkley (or any other quarterback in round one next April) has been swept aside. Instead of looking for what many would consider the final piece of the puzzle – he’s already on the roster. He’s twelve games into his pro-career. By next year, he won’t have the rookie learning curve. The front office can target another area of the team for improvement in the early rounds of the draft.

If this theory has even a semblance of legitimacy, it could be the best failed plan in the history of the Seattle Seahawks. The third round guy who was too short for the NFL has solved the teams greatest need.