Author: Rob Staton (Page 400 of 423)
Sports Broadcaster, Journalist and creator of Seahawks Draft Blog in 2008.
Further information is coming through on the prospects Seattle will be meeting with in the weeks leading up to the draft. I’d recommend following Aaron Wilson on twitter, he regularly updates which teams are meeting with which players. Tony Pauline is another must follow for similar information.
California safety Chris Conte, Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett, Michigan State offensive tackle DJ Young and Boise State quarterback Mike Coughlin will work out for the Seahawks. Connecticut linebacker Lawrence Wilson recently met with the team although it’s unclear if he participated in a work out. Kenrick Ellis (DT, Hampton) has already performed for Seattle’s coaches and scouts. The Seahawks also recently attended the Montana State pro-day to watch offensive lineman Michael Person.
Elsewhere…
Pete Prisco says quarterback should be a target for Seattle: “They need to address this position early in the draft. A first-round pick on a quarterback is a possibility.”
Brandon Adams justifies why Seattle received a 7th round compensatory pick, rather than a higher selection: “My logical response is to heave a sigh and grudgingly admit that it makes sense.”
Wes Bunting has his latest batch of rumors: “One name who seems to be building a lot of traction is Illinois DT Corey Liuget. He’s said to be making his way up into the first half of round one and is a guy who the Rams are said to have a lot of interest in.”
Mike Mayock says Eastern Washington running back Taiwan Jones is a potential sleeper pick: “He’s a home-run hitter who can impact the return game and I think that you try to get him another 10 touches per game as a change-of-pace back.”
Todd McShay runs through his top defensive prospects:
The NFL will announce compensatory picks today (a concept I struggle to completely understand or justify). Many people wondered if losing Nate Burleson and Cory Redding would lead to an additional fourth round selection. I understand the way in which Seattle re-negotiated Redding’s contract following his trade from Detroit essentially took him out of the equation (don’t ask). Mike Sando is reporting the loss/retirement of Ben Hamilton will offset the departure of Burleson, giving Seattle only a seventh round pick. Quite how they worked that one out is beyond me. Hamilton was almost lip-service to Alex Gibbs and came in after a look-see on a modest deal. Burleson was the first player to sign a deal when free agency began last year, landing a size-able contract in Detroit.
Getting an extra fourth round pick would’ve given the Seahawks some wiggle room to move up. They own the second pick in round four courtesy of the Deion Branch trade. Having another late fourth rounder would’ve allowed them to treat that Branch-bounty as almost identical in value to the third round pick they traded for Charlie Whitehurst.
Meanwhile Aaron Wilson at the NFP is reporting that Ryan Mallett (QB, Arkansas) will visit Seattle. This is no surprise and the Seahawks have already scheduled a meeting with Cam Newton. It’s hard to read too much into it considering quarterbacks like Chad Henne, Brian Brohm and Josh Freeman have all travelled to the north west in the past, only for Seattle to pass on all three.
Compensatory picks will be announced by the NFL tomorrow. Brandon Adams quotes ESPN’s John Clayton who believes Seattle could receive an extra fourth round pick.
Walter Cherepinsky has an updated 2012 mock draft. Unsurprisingly, Andrew Luck is going first overall.
Mel Kiper’s updated big board has Patrick Peterson at #1.
Mike Mayock discusses the qualities of Blaine Gabbert and Cameron Newton.
KC Joyner continues to praise Ryan Mallett: “Got him rated as the best on-field QB talent in this draft. If his off-field issues aren’t as bad as advertised (and it is likely too much attention is being given to that), he’s a pro-ready prospect pretty much from day one.”
Todd McShay runs through the top ten of his mock draft:
Don’t forget to check the latest Seahawks Draft Blog mock draft (which now features round two) or vote in our poll
To see the latest projection click here.
We’re just over a month away from the draft and still there’s so many questions to be answered.
Who’s going first overall? Will a new CBA be agreed before the draft, opening up free agency? What are the Seahawks going to do at #25?
We’ve all seen rumours linking Seattle with Carson Palmer and Kevin Kolb. ESPN’s Chris Mortensen this week said he’d be ‘shocked’ if the Seahawks didn’t draft a quarterback early.
With Matt Hasselbeck unsigned and possibly moving on, the position has taken on an even greater importance. Something needs to be done one way or another.
Yet when I sit down to compile a mock draft, I just cannot see how any of the top four prospects fall into the 20’s. Cam Newton and Blaine Gabbert will be top five picks. I still think Jake Locker is a shoe-in for Washington and Mike Shanahan. Even with character concerns Ryan Mallett has too much talent to get past teams like Miami and Jacksonville.
The idea of an unclear situation beyond the draft somehow appears unfathomable when in fact it’s probably a much greater reality than you’d hope. Not finding a QB in round one won’t necessarily mean the team spends the #57 pick on a QB. Christian Ponder and Andy Dalton are not the answer. Colin Kaepernick? That’s a big project. Ricky Stanzi? Perhaps, but not in round two and Seattle will need to get some playmakers. Do they trade up in round one?
April 6th is a huge day for the NFL but perhaps more so for Seattle than most other teams. That is the day the players and owners head to court to discover whether an injuction will be placed on the lockout, allowing free agency to begin. Having that opportunity to bring some one in possibly using the #25 pick can shape the team for years to come. Whether you agree with a potential Kevin Kolb trade or not (I have mixed feelings) if the Seahawks cannot get at the top QB prospects this year something needs to happen.
People will say wait – but this is a QB driven league and you have to be proactive not reactive.
So while I have the Seahawks taking a defensive lineman in round one this week, it somehow feels like this story will have a few more chapters before we get to the twist.
A loose second round projection:
#33 New England – Leonard Hankerson (WR, Miami)
#34 Buffalo – Phil Taylor (DT, Baylor)
#35 Cincinnati – Justin Houston (DE, Georgia)
#36 Denver – Akeem Ayers (LB, UCLA)
#37 Cleveland – Christian Ponder (QB, Florida State)
#38 Arizona – Kyle Rudolph (TE, Notre Dame)
#39 Tennessee – Curtis Brown (CB, Texas)
#40 Dallas – Brandon Harris (CB, Miami)
#41 Washington – Jonathan Baldwin (WR, Pittsburgh)
#42 Houston – Rodney Hudson (OG/C, Florida State)
#43 Minnesota – Edmund Gates (WR, Abilene Christian)
#44 Detroit – Martez Wilson (LB, Illinois)
#45 San Francisco – Ryan Williams (RB, Virginia Tech)
#46 Denver – Marvin Austin (DT, North Carolina)
#47 St. Louis – Danny Watkins (OG, Baylor)
#48 Oakland – Chimdi Chekwa (CB, Ohio State)
#49 Jacksonville – Mikel Leshoure (RB, Illinois)
#50 San Diego – Quinton Carter (S, Oklahoma)
#51 Tampa Bay – Cameron Heyward (DE, Ohio State)
#52 New York Giants – Terrell McClain (DT, USF)
#53 Indianapolis – Drake Nevis (DT, LSU)
#54 Philadelphia – Ben Ijalana (OT, Villanova)
#55 Kansas City – Tandon Doss (WR, Indiana)
#56 New Orleans – Jarvis Jenkins (DT, Clemson)
#57 Seattle – Orlando Franklin (OG, Miami)
#58 Baltimore – Lance Kendricks (TE, Wisconsin)
#59 Atlanta – Torrey Smith (WR, Maryland)
#60 New England – Jordan Todman (RB, Connecticut)
#61 San Diego – Marcus Cannon (OG, TCU)
#62 Chicago – James Carpenter (OT, Alabama)
#63 Pittsburgh – Randall Cobb (WR, Kentucky)
#64 Green Bay – Aaron Williams (FS, Texas)
Notes: I don’t like Christian Ponder that high but Cleveland stopped Colt McCoy falling into round four and may make another gaffe by drafting Ponder this early. If Denver draft Bowers, Ayers and Austin in rounds 1&2, John Fox can be satisfied the league’s worst defense will be improved. I suspect out of the group Jordan Todman may be the one that sticks in the mind long term.
Seattle takes the best available interior lineman. There wasn’t a multitude of options here. People will ask about the quarterbacks but the two realistic options were Colin Kaepernick and Ricky Stanzi – both significant reaches for me. Seattle has the second pick in round four courtesy of the Deion Branch trade and can easily move up using their two 5th round picks to target this pair in round three if they wished. While I rate both quarterbacks ahead of Andy Dalton, I still wouldn’t invest the team’s future in either. This, to me, stresses the difficult situation the Seahawks find themselves in. Upgrading and sorting the quarterback position long term must be the priority.
Mike Mayock was at the Georgia pro-day and has this report for the NFL Network. Chaos reigned supreme as the lockout continues to hamper prospects working out for scouts. Mayock wasn’t impressed with Justin Houston, “He’s not a first round prospect.”
Walter Cherepinsky has a six-round mock draft available. The Seahawks go defense with their first two picks, selecting Jimmy Smith and Marvin Austin.
Rich Cirminiello from collegefootballnews.com has a top-ten video mock. He has Blaine Gabbert going first overall.
Ryan McCrystal at Draft Ace also has an updated mock draft. The Seahawks take Ryan Mallett at #25 and Demarco Murray at #57.
Brandon Adams at 17 Power is forecasting an early run on quarterbacks next month. This blog is a daily feature for me, this is a great article and kudos for a graphic tagging which teams will be thinking QB ahead of Seattle.
Merril Hoge breaks down the tape on Blaine Gabbert for ESPN:
Don’t forget to vote in the Seahawks Draft Blog poll asking ‘what is Seattle’s greatest need?’ (click here to vote). I’ll have an updated mock draft on the blog tomorrow including (for the first time this year) a second round projection.
Tony Pauline is reporting interest from the Seahawks in talented Colorado cornerback Jimmy Smith:
“Last week we posted that sources had told us several teams removed Colorado cornerback Jimmy Smith from their draft boards due to character concerns. Over the weekend separate, independent sources again confirmed this. That said we’ve also been alerted that the Seattle Seahawks still highly rate the cornerback and would consider taking him in round one.”
Smith is a top ten talent on the field, yet talk of character concerns continue to linger. The Seahawks would be wise to roll the dice on his huge talent if he makes it to #25. In my last mock draft I looked at the possibility that Smith could still be an early draft pick – Tennessee have ignored character concerns in the past when drafting in round one and they’re in desperate need of a corner. While some may assume the #8 overall pick is too early (especially with the Titans need at quarterback) I still think it’s a potential landing spot. There’s a papers width between Patrick Peterson and Jimmy Smith as this year’s top cornerback, even though Peterson has received a much greater press. Both are incredibly talented players.
It would be an upset if the character concerns dropped Smith to #25 even despite all the negative publicity. If it was to happen, only one of the top quarterbacks remaining on the board should prevent the Colorado prospect landing in Seattle.
The main talking point from the clip above? Chris Mortensen: “I’ll almost be shocked if they (Seattle) don’t draft a quarterback.”
Adam Schefter name checks the Seahawks among those who could show interest in Nnamdi Asomugha. The Texans and Redskins are also candidates for the elite corner’s signature.
Peter King quotes an unnamed source suggesting Philadelphia have received an offer of a first round pick for quarterback Kevin Kolb. The Eagles are waiting to see if they’ll get an improved offer. Any potential trade is dependant on a new CBA or the players forcing an injuction to block the lockout in court on April 6th. Could Seattle be the interested party?
Dan Kadar thinks so: “That quote would lead me to believe that it may be the Seattle Seahawks, if an offer has actually been sent. Of the teams in the draft after pick 18, Seattle is the only one that really needs a quarterback.”
It’s a logical link to make, considering the Seahawks pick late at #25. I presume Philly would jump at the chance to add another first round pick and possibly some 2012 draft stock too. Arizona, San Francisco, Cleveland – these teams aren’t going to give up top-ten picks for Kolb.
Matt Maiocco agrees that the 49ers won’t be willing to use the #7 overall pick to acquire Kolb.
I doubt Miami and Jacksonville will bite at #15 or #16. Getting a pick in the 20’s is Philadelphia’s likely best offer. The sticking point would be obviously the lack of a CBA or that crucial injunction. If Seattle is determined to bring in a quarterback regardless, it lends credence to Chris Mortensen’s opinion that the Seahawks are favored to draft a QB.
Rob Rang says Ryan Mallett is a surprise contender to go first overall, but also quotes sources claiming he’s fighting to stay in round one. The truth is possible somewhere in the middle (Miami? Jacksonville?).
Legendary journalist John McClain has Seattle drafting Mallett at #25 in his second mock draft.
Todd McShay believes Seattle’s biggest need is offensive tackle. Say what you want about the Seahawks offensive line, but the reason Seattle went 7-9 wasn’t mainly because of the play of Sean Locklear.
Scott Wright claims Michael Floyd has played his last game for Notre Dame after an arrest over the weekend for drink driving. Receiver Floyd started the 2010 college season a reasonable bet to be a first round draft pick next month. He didn’t declare after a season of mixed fortunes and now it appears his career is in jeopardy. He could enter the supplemental draft – if such a thing exists in this post-CBA world.
Don’t forget to vote in the Seahawks Draft Blog poll. We’re asking – what is the team’s greatest need? Vote here.
The 12th man could feature on the cover of Madden 12. You can vote here.
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Evan Silva has news of another prospect set to visit Seattle in the upcoming weeks: “The Seahawks will host Utah State safety Rajric Coleman for an official pre-draft visit on April 4th.”
Rob Rang has an updated mock draft and continues to pair the Seahawks with quarterback Ryan Mallett: “The Seahawks appear to be very intrigued with the Razorback’s strong arm. GM John Schneider was on hand for Mallett’s pro day.”
Steve Wyche believes the lack of need at running back will hurt the position early this year: “As I was posing questions to an NFL general manager about the value of running backs prospects and the overall draft class at the position, I got a question boomeranged back toward me: How many teams, right now, really need a running back?”
Adam Schefter doesn’t believe Jake Locker will stick around long enough for the Seahawks to select at #25: “I don’t get the sense that Locker will be around at No. 25. There are just so many teams that need quarterbacks — Carolina, Buffalo, Arizona, San Francisco, Tennessee, Washington, Minnesota and Miami, to name some — and his upside is too high.”
Jesse Bartolis has an interview with promising Lehigh offensive lineman Will Rackley.
Dan Kelly’s Seahock Blog is a brilliant new site that’s become a must read. His latest piece breaks down the Seahawks’ receivers, particularly Deon Butler. Alongside Brandon Adams’ 17 Power these are two high quality ‘Hawks blogs that I’d recommend highly.
Greg Cox has a short scouting report on Florida State guard Rodney Hudson: “Rodney Hudson brings a lot to the table. Right now his skills are perfect for a zone blocking scheme. He spent four years starting in the ACC, including some work at center and tackle.”
Mark Ingram speaks to ESPN about his draft preparations:
