Introduction
This is a draft class that will please a lot of teams. There’s tremendous depth at offensive tackle (not something you say very often). We should see at least seven go in the first round. That’s virtually unheard of — two or three other offensive linemen could sneak into the first frame too. Ten in total is plausible.
The quarterback class will divide opinion across the league. There are plenty of positives with the top seven but also some question marks. Beyond Caleb Williams and probably Jayden Daniels, there’ll likely be incredible discrepancy in the way the quarterbacks are graded.
As per most years, it’s a loaded class at receiver. If you need a cornerback, there are some attractive options. On the other hand, it’s another incredibly thin tight end group and there are no running backs worthy of being considered in the first two rounds. It’s not a great defensive line class either in terms of depth of quality but a few names at the top stand out, especially Chop Robinson.
It’s been revealed that big name prospects Jer’Zhan Newton and Cooper DeJean will not do drills as they recover from injuries.
Possible storylines
A lot of people will be digging around for medical information on Michael Penix Jr, Payton Wilson and Laiatu Latu. All three have significant injury histories. It’ll also be interesting for teams to check on the recovery progress of talented players like Zak Zinter, Jordan Travis and Jonathon Brooks — who are still yet to return to full health and won’t workout.
There are many elite-level athletes within the draft class so expect some great testing numbers over the course of the four days. I’ll run through some names to watch and go position-by-position in the preview.
A year ago Anthony Richardson’s stock caught fire after a remarkable testing performance, highlighting the impact a good combine can have. Equally, #1 overall pick Bryce Young was the only big-name quarterback not to throw and Seattle’s top pick, Devon Witherspoon, didn’t do anything due to injury. So a good combine is not the be-all and end-all.
How different will things be in 2024?
The Seahawks have a new Head Coach for the first time in 14 years. Some of the previous data around trends might not matter any more. The fascinating thing about the 2024 draft is going to be seeing how different things are post-Carroll. There are some clear historical trends in terms of what they looked for at different positions. Will we see big changes, or will things generally stay the same?
One thing that’ll definitely be different is the Seahawks are not sending their coaches to Indianapolis, as they continue to install their new systems. We’re used to seeing many shots of Schneider flanked by Carroll, watching drills. This year, only Seattle’s scouting staff will be present. This isn’t unusual and an increasing number of teams are opting not to send coaches to the combine.
One non-combine specific detail to mention is how much intel the Seahawks already have. Grubb, Huff and Macdonald have recent hands-on experience coaching players from Michigan and Washington. Jay Harbaugh was coaching in Michigan last season. Not only that, presumably they have intel on other college players through game-planning, game experience and recruitment. This could be a big advantage for the Seahawks.
The combine is still badly scheduled
When they moved the event to ‘primetime’ several years ago, they damaged the combine. Previously the testing would start in the morning, giving players a full day to work. Now the on-field workouts start at 3pm ET on Thursday and Friday and 1pm ET on Saturday and Sunday. This means the drills last until around 9-10pm at night. Quite rightly, players are not overly keen on doing agility testing drills that late after a long day, when they are physically and mentally exhausted.
The short-shuttle and three-cone are really important tests for several positions. It’d be really simple, you’d think, to move these two tests to immediately follow the forty yard dash. Instead, an increasing number of players have opted to wait until pro-day or not bother at all. Only six linebackers ran a short shuttle in 2023 — a critical test for the position.
The NFL did bring things forward by an hour a year ago. For me, they could bring it forward another hour or two further still. This should be an event to produce the most data possible for teams looking to make educated decisions in the draft. It shouldn’t be an event catered for casual football fans to have on in the background, paying half their attention to. How many casual fans actually enjoy watching tedious cornerback drills anyway?
The other bugbear I have with the combine is the bench press. Last year they thankfully corrected the error of having it take place on the same day as on-field drills, leading to the vast majority of participants skipping it completely. However, it was moved to the day after on-field drills, when previously it was the day before. Again, a lot of players simply didn’t bother to do it because the test takes place on the same day they fly out of Indianapolis.
It’s also 2024. Isn’t it time we had a better test of power than a 225lbs bench press? Why are we testing how many times a 320lbs offensive tackle can push 225lbs in the air? This is cardio, not a test of power. Equally, why is a 200lbs receiver being asked to bench the exact same weight as a lineman? None of it makes sense. The powerball toss, which is used by SPARQ, would be a much better test of pure power.
Other notes
Last year it was mentioned the league might trial the use of body scans for measurements. The hope was that this year they wouldn’t have to measure arm length and hand size in the traditional, manual way — producing a more consistent, accurate result. We’ll see if that’s the case.
The tight ends are now working out on Friday with the defensive backs. The running backs have switched to Saturday, doing drills on the same day as receivers and quarterbacks. Given how long the defensive back drills go on for, Friday could be a long day. For some reason there are always too many coaches on the field for DB workouts, each wanting to run their own drill which is almost identical to the one prior. Hopefully this changes for 2024.
Workout schedule
» Thursday 29th February (3pm ET): defensive linemen and linebackers
» Friday 1st March (3pm ET): defensive backs, tight ends
» Saturday 2nd March (1pm ET): running backs, quarterbacks, wide receivers
» Sunday 3rd March (1pm ET): offensive linemen, special teams
Player schedule
Each players goes through a six-day process. Day one they arrive in Indianapolis. Day two, they register, conduct a pre-exam, go through orientation and undertake team interviews. Day three includes a general medical exam and further team interviews. On day four, players speak to the media, have a NFLPA meeting and an ortho exam, then speak to more teams. Day five includes the on-field drills and measurements. The final day involves the bench press and then departure.
Horizontal board
Here is my latest updated board going into the combine.
Click the image to enlarge:
Defensive tackle, defensive end & linebackers
Arrival: Sunday 25th February
Team interviews: Monday 26th February
General medical exam: Tuesday 27th February
Media & NFLPA meeting: Wednesday 28th February
Measurements, on-field drills: Thursday 29th February
Bench press & broadcast interviews: Friday 1st March
Defensive tackle
None of Seattle’s defensive tackle picks in the Carroll era were explosive testers, with an average vertical jump of 26.8 inches among the group. I’m sure the Seahawks would be very open to selecting a highly athletic, dynamic interior rusher. However, great testing has not been a precursor to being selected in the past. This feels like a position where tape and playing style has been king.
Of the nine defensive tackles drafted under Carroll and Schneider, seven had +33 inch arms. The 33-inch threshold has been consistent but it’ll be interesting to see if things change under Mike Macdonald. The Ravens have contributors without ideal arm length. Michael Pierce, Baltimore’s key nose tackle, has only 31.5 inch arms, while Broderick Washington Jr has 32.5 inch arms.
Under Carroll’s leadership they only drafted two defensive tackles with sub-33 inch arms — Demarcus Christmas and Jesse Williams, both late round picks.
Key tests
Short Shuttle, Three-cone, 10-yard split, Forty
Ideal size
+6-2, 300-310lbs, +33 inch arms, 4.50-4.65 ss
Positional assessment
At the start of the college football season there were high hopes for the position. However, several big names underwhelmed. Players who were being touted as first round picks in many mock drafts, such as Kris Jenkins, Michael Hall Jr, Maason Smith and Leonard Taylor, all had inconsistent or disappointing seasons. The two Texas defensive tackles, T’Vondre Sweat and Byron Murphy, head the class and both will likely be top-35 picks. After that there could be a bit of a gap, with some depth (and boom or bust potential) to be found in rounds three-to-four. There are also some solid, rotational players available. I don’t think there’s a ready-made game-wrecker at defensive tackle in this draft. One note on Sweat — he didn’t weigh-in at the Senior Bowl amid concerns that he struggles to control his weight. He still performed very well in Mobile but it’ll be interesting to see if he weighs and measures here and how teams react if he doesn’t.
Interesting note
The Seahawks under Schneider have not used high picks at defensive tackle. When they took Jarran Reed with the 46th pick in 2016, they traded up using a fourth rounder. Afterwards John Schneider admitted they considered taking Reed with their first round pick (used on Germain Ifedi) and thought the value was too good. Typically they have preferred to target the defensive tackle position in the mid-to-late rounds. I do wonder whether the aggressive Leonard Williams trade was with a view to extending him long-term, partly because they thought this was a slightly limited defensive tackle class.
Best drills to watch
I like to watch the swim/rip drills for defensive tackles. I also like to watch how they get in-and-out of the bags with their footwork and how they punch and move. Who plays with violence, even in this setting? However, nothing at the combine compares to the 1v1’s at the Senior Bowl — and it’s worth watching T’Vondre Sweat’s highly impressive performance in Mobile if you missed it.
Five names to watch
T’Vondre Sweat, Byron Murphy, Kris Jenkins, Ruke Orhorhoro, McKinley Jackson
Potential standout
According to Bruce Feldman, Byron Murphy has been clocked at 18 MPH on the GPS and had a team-best 455lbs front squat, while power-cleaning 375lbs. He is a contender for the athletic standout — but Michigan’s Kris Jenkins is the name I’m going to go with. Reportedly he can run a 4.33 shuttle and a 7.16 three-cone, while jumping a 9-8 broad and a 34-inch vertical. If he manages these numbers at +300lbs, he’ll be one of the stars of the combine.
Importance to the Seahawks?
This completely depends on Leonard Williams. The Ravens only carried five defensive tackles in 2023. If Williams returns to go with Jarran Reed, Dre’Mont Jones, Cam Young and Mike Morris, they might look for a cheap veteran or a mid-to-late round depth pick. If Williams signs somewhere else and they don’t replace him, defensive tackle would become a huge need and they might be more likely to draft someone with a comparable physical profile to Justin Madubuike, who had a good combine in 2020 and excelled under Macdonald in Baltimore. A name to watch who compares to Madubuike? I’d suggest Ruke Orhorhoro from Clemson.
DE’s, inside/out rushers or 5-techniques
This is another mixed bag for the Seahawks. They have sought difference-making athletes at this position, with the most obvious example being Malik McDowell — who they took with their top selection in 2017. At 6-6 and 295lbs he had outstanding length (35-inch arms), agility (4.53 short shuttle) and great speed for his size (4.85 forty plus a 1.69 10-yard split). His explosive testing, however, was relatively poor (28.5-inch vertical) — perhaps further highlighting that explosive traits haven’t been that important to the Seahawks for defensive linemen.
A year later they took Rasheem Green. At 6-4 and 275lbs he also had good length (34-inch arms), great agility (4.39 short shuttle) plus a strong performance in the sprints (4.73 forty, 1.65 10-yard split). Before drafting McDowell or Green, they selected Quinton Jefferson in 2016. At 291lbs he ran a 4.37 short shuttle plus a 4.95 forty with a 1.69 10-yard split.
They used a first round pick on L.J. Collier in round one in 2019. He ran a mediocre 4.91 forty and a 4.78 short shuttle. Collier was explosive (30 inch vertical, 9-10 broad jump) and impressed at the Senior Bowl.
A year ago they spent a fortune on Dre’Mont Jones in free agency. His profile included great length (34 inch arms), agility (4.53 short shuttle) and explosive traits (31.5 inch vertical, 9-2 broad). They also drafted Mike Morris — who Mike Macdonald coached at Michigan. Morris had a poor combine, sinking his stock into round five having initially been projected as a day-two selection.
Key tests
Short Shuttle, Forty, 10-yard split
Ideal size
DL — +6-2, 275-295lbs, +33 inch arms, 4.35-4.50 ss
Positional assessment
It’s really thin this year. I’m calling Jer’Zhan Newton a five-technique due to his frame but you could easily put him down as an interior rusher instead. He won’t do drills at the combine after recently having surgery. Darius Robinson will look to follow up a Senior Bowl that had people talking about a first round placing, while Washington’s Bralen Trice will likely surprise people with his workout. Gabe Hall at Baylor should be another strong tester and Brandon Dorlus was part of Bruce Feldman’s ‘freaks list’ last year. Justin Eboigbe and Keith Randolph both had decent Senior Bowl’s. There aren’t a lot of options.
Interesting note
The Seahawks have selected a defensive lineman with one of their first two picks in seven of the last nine drafts (Boye Mafe, Darrell Taylor, L.J. Collier, Rasheem Green, Malik McDowell, Jarran Reed, Frank Clark). Last year, they took edge rusher Derick Hall with their third pick.
Best drills to watch
The two I’ll be watching closely is the figure of eight (where a player has to run around two hoops, picking an object up within the first hoop and placing it down in the second) plus the test where they have to run between a line of bags, slapping two away and spinning past one, before rounding a final bag and finishing. These drills show off change-of direction, ankle-flexion, power and quickness.
Five names to watch
Darius Robinson, Bralen Trice, Justin Eboigbe, Gabe Hall, Brandon Dorlus
Potential standout
When I visited Washington’s facility in November, I went in the weight room. In there they list top-three performers on big screens at each key testing drill. Bralen Trice, according to the screens, ran a 4.2 short shuttle at around 275lbs. If he can repeat that at the combine, his stock will sky-rocket.
Importance to the Seahawks?
It feels like the Seahawks have been chasing a great inside/out rusher ever since Michael Bennett’s departure. They’ve used high picks and lots of money to chase an impact player. If Macdonald’s scheme emulates the one in Baltimore, it might not be as high a priority these days. Every defensive lineman on the Ravens’ roster was +300lbs. It could mean they move Dre’Mont Jones on after June 1st when there’s a better saving available on his contract and seek a bigger, bulkier replacement.
Edge rushers
Twitch and length was the name of the game under Carroll and Schneider. They drafted five edge rushers in the first two rounds. Darrell Taylor couldn’t test due to injury — but we can well imagine he would be in a similar range to the other players listed below for the forty yard dash, 10-split and short shuttle:
Bruce Irvin — 4.50 (40), 1.55 (10), 4.03 (ss)
Frank Clark — 4.68 (40), 1.58 (10), 4.05 (ss)
Boye Mafe — 4.53 (40), 1.56 (10), DNP (ss)
Derick Hall — 4.55 (40), 1.59 (10), 4.20 (ss)
Free agent signing Uchenna Nwosu ran a slightly slower 4.65 forty and a 1.63 10-yard split. He also ran a 4.27 shuttle. All of the players here had +33 inch arms, too, aside from Boye Mafe who was a shade below. Macdonald’s use of Kyle Van Noy last season (31.5 inch arms) suggests length might be less of a deal-breaker going forward but we’ll see.
If they are going to retain these preferences (and let’s be honest, these feel like league consensus numbers rather than anything specific to the Seahawks), we need to look for 10-splits in the 1.5’s, shuttles in the 4.0-4.2 range and explosive testing in the vertical/broad jumps.
A 10-yard split in the 1.5’s is considered elite. Cliff Avril famously ran a 1.50. If you’re running a short shuttle in the 4.00’s with the size of an EDGE or defensive end, that is remarkable. Anything in the 4.2’s or 4.3’s is really good too.
Even Seattle’s later round picks all performed relatively well in the shuttle. Cassius Marsh (4.25), Obum Gwacham (4.28) and Alton Robinson (4.32) all excelled.
Key tests
Vertical, Broad, Short Shuttle, Forty, 10-yard split
Ideal size
6-4, 250lbs, +33 inch arms, 1.50-1.59 10-yard split, +35-inch vertical, 4.0-4.3 shuttle
Positional assessment
The class is led by the sensational Chop Robinson of Penn State. I think he’s a legit blue-chip talent with elite get-off, sensational bend and balance to round the edge and despite being approximately 255lbs, he has forceful hands and can battle at the line of scrimmage with bigger blockers. After that, Jared Verse isn’t too far behind as a rounded, more complete edge rusher. Laiatu Latu is a technician, while I think Dallas Turner at Alabama is a bit overrated. There’s a chunky mid-round group including the raw but talented Austin Booker, Alabama’s Chris Braswell (who could be the top tester), Marshawn Kneeland, Jonah Elliss and Gabriel Murphy. Xavier Thomas from Clemson could surprise people with the way he tests, Penn State’s other pass rusher Adisa Isaac has his admirers and Myles Cole from Texas Tech has remarkable length. It’s not a thin class but it could be better.
Interesting note
Only three pass rushers ran a 1.5 10-yard split in 2022. Mafe was one of them, plus Kayvon Thibodeaux and Amaré Barno. A year ago, YaYa Diaby, Derick Hall, Nick Herbig, D.J. Johnson and Tyrus Wheat managed it. It’s not many over a two-year span and it’s probably quite noticeable that the Seahawks have tapped into the group on each occasion.
Best drill to watch
For the reason noted above, it’s probably the forty for the 10-yard splits. But seeing how the players change direction and whether they play with aggression and heavy hands in the bag-drills will be key.
Five names to watch
Chop Robinson, Jared Verse, Austin Booker, Chris Braswell, Xavier Thomas
Potential standout
I should probably go with Chris Braswell here because he’s expected to deliver an eye-catching performance. However, I’m going for Chop Robinson. He’s the one top player you see consistently mocked into range for the Seahawks. Bruce Feldman has reported he’s capable of running in the 4.4’s in the forty, with a 4.22 short shuttle. He’s the player I want to watch the most from this group because his skill-set is somewhat similar to Micah Parsons and Von Miller.
Importance to the Seahawks?
On the one hand, they have numbers. Nwosu will return and join Mafe and Hall. Taylor is a restricted free agent, so we’ll see what they do there. However, none of the group feel like true game-wreckers. If a player like Robinson or Verse is available, they could be tempted to go to the well once again at this position. If not, they might do what Baltimore did and seek value in free agency by adding cheap, experienced players to the rotation. After all, Macdonald had the Ravens’ pass rush rocking without an elite edge rusher on the roster. He’s very creative in the way he disguises and creates pressure, setting up opportunities on stunts and confusing blockers. Having important players at linebacker might be more critical to Macdonald, rather than trying to find one great edge rusher. However, if they get a chance to draft someone like Robinson, he could be the destroyer of opponents they’ve been seeking for a long time.
Linebackers
The Carroll-era Seahawks tended to look for two types of player at linebacker — freakish athletes and players with great short-area quickness and agility.
Shaquem Griffin ran a blistering 4.38 forty. Kevin Pierre-Louis, Korey Toomer, Malcolm Smith and Eric Pinkins all ran excellent times (in the 4.44-4.51 range). Jordyn Brooks ran a 4.54. Bobby Wagner was a 4.4 runner at his pro-day.
Pierre-Louis, Smith and Pinkins all jumped +39 inches in the vertical. Wagner jumped a 39.5-inch vertical.
They also specifically targeted top-testers in the short shuttle. Here are the top-15 short shuttle times run by a linebacker since 2010:
Jordan Tripp — 3.96
Nick Bellore — 4.00
Ben Heeney — 4.00
Mike Mohamed — 4.00
Nick Vigil — 4.00
Kevin Pierre-Louis — 4.02
Stephone Anthony — 4.03
Cody Barton — 4.03
Dakota Allen — 4.03
Josh Hull — 4.07
Dorian O’Daniel — 4.07
Avery Williamson — 4.07
Shaq Thompson — 4.08
Ben Burr-Kirven — 4.09
The players in bold were either drafted or signed by the Seahawks during the Pete Carroll era. A third of the players.
Admittedly, Nick Bellore was signed as a full back. Even so, this isn’t a coincidence. It’s something I wrote about originally six years ago.
If there’s a linebacker who runs an exceptional short shuttle, under Carroll there was a decent chance he would be on Seattle’s radar. We’ll see if that trend continues with Macdonald running the defense. Neither of Baltimore’s two starting linebackers — Roquan Smith and Patrick Queen — ran a short shuttle. Queen ran a 4.51 forty, with Smith running a 4.50.
Much has been made of Smith’s impact on the Ravens’ defense and how Macdonald elevated the play of Queen. If there’s a position where he has a firm view on what he wants, this could be it. According to this breakdown of Macdonald’s defense, having two legit linebackers did wonders for Baltimore’s pass rush by setting up creative opportunities. Smith was said to be of vital importance due to his quickness and organisational skills.
Key tests
Forty yard dash, short shuttle, vertical, broad, three cone
Ideal size
+6-0, 230-240lbs, 4.4-4.5 forty, 6.70 three-cone, +10’ broad, 4.00-4.20 short shuttle
Positional assessment
As with last year’s draft, there are no superstars destined to go in round one. However, there is depth. Mike Macdonald is familiar with Michigan’s old-school thumper Junior Colson, so he could be someone of real interest. Payton Wilson has a serious injury history but he plays at 100mph every game and has been a tremendous impact player for NC State. Jeremiah Trotter Jr has NFL bloodlines from his father, Nathaniel Watson is another classic old-school linebacker who was used extremely effectively as a blitzer (21 career sacks in three seasons), Cedric Gray had a good Senior Bowl and Edgerrin Cooper is a terrific athlete but reportedly disappointed teams with his decision to attend the Shrine Bowl but not do anything on the field. After this group, there are a bunch of depth/special teams pieces (although good testing could elevate a player’s stock).
Interesting note
John Schneider mentioned recently about the interaction he had with the Ravens’ front office about players both teams liked in the past. It was interesting, because the Seahawks took Jordyn Brooks just ahead of Baltimore, who ended up settling for Patrick Queen in 2020. It might mean both teams rated Brooks highly and that could be indicative of a desire to keep him in Seattle.
Best drill to watch
Due to the importance of the short shuttle — look how the players work in space, backpedal and read/react. Quickness and change of direction is vital at linebacker.
Five names to watch
Junior Colson, Payton Wilson, Jeremiah Trotter, Nathaniel Watson, Cedric Gray
Potential standout
According to Bruce Feldman, Payton Wilson can run a 4.49 forty and managed a 4.21 in the shuttle last off-season. He can bench press 390lbs and test well in the jumps. Wilson plays every snap like it’s his last and his pursuit is something to behold. The medical checks will be so important for him, after a series of shoulder and knee issues. I would also add, despite loving him on tape, his frame looked quite lean and wiry at the Senior Bowl. It’ll be interesting to see how he compares to players like Junior Colson who weighs around 245lbs.
Importance to the Seahawks?
At the moment it’s absolutely critical. The only contracted inside linebacker is undrafted free agent Drake Thomas. It feels increasingly likely that Bobby Wagner won’t be back, while Brooks’ future is unclear. One way or another, they are adding to this position in the next two months. There are options beyond Brooks in free agency — including Tampa Bay’s out-of-favour (yet physically brilliant) Devin White, Carolina’s impressive and intense Frankie Luvu, Blake Cashman from Houston, Josey Jewell in Denver, Willie Gay in Kansas City and of course, Queen from Baltimore. One decent veteran and one reasonably highly drafted rookie could be the plan. Yet by all accounts it sounds like they need to find their version of Roquan Smith. Can Brooks do that? And if not, who can? Is Junior Colson up to the task and if so, how early would you be prepared to draft him?
Defensive backs & tight ends
Arrival: Monday 26th February
Team interviews: Tuesday 27th February
General medical exam: Wednesday 28th February
Media & NFLPA meeting: Thursday 29th February
Measurements, on-field drills: Friday 1st March
Bench press & broadcast interviews: Saturday 2nd March
Cornerbacks
For years, everyone knew what the Seahawks liked in a corner. You had to have 32 inch arms. You had to be long and lean. Then, in 2021 — things changed. They drafted Tre Brown in round four. He was small (5-10, 186lbs) and had 30 3/8 inch arms. Carroll and Schneider talked about changing their approach, after experiencing the success of D.J. Reed before he joined the New York Jets in free agency. They also took Coby Bryant with his 30 5⁄8-inch arms in the fourth round, before confirming for good the change in approach when they spent a top-five pick on Devon Witherspoon with his 5-11, 181lbs frame and 31 1/4 inch arms.
Macdonald in Baltimore did a tremendous job fitting players in at corner. While he had Marlon Humphrey for all of 2022 and 10 games in 2023, he had to make-do otherwise and was able to convert safeties into cornerbacks, develop no-name players and had a lot of success. With the talent of Witherspoon and Tariq Woolen already on the roster, plus the potential for RFA Michael Jackson to return, he already has some good options. However, this is a deep cornerback class and with a defense preaching discipline, strong coverage ability and trying to create situations where the quarterback holds onto the ball — adding further talent could be appealing.
Key tests
Forty, Vertical, short shuttle
Ideal size
+5-10, 195lbs, +32-inch arms, 4.30-40 forty, +35-inch vertical
Positional assessment
Two positions that seem to be deep most years these days are cornerback and receiver. That’s the case again this year. We could see a battle between teams for the top-two — Quinyon Mitchell and Nate Wiggins — and Seattle’s #16 pick could be an attractive trade-up spot for teams trying to get to either. Terrion Arnold, Kool-aid McKinstry, Kamari Lassiter and Ennis Rakestraw Jr are all expected to go in the top-40. I’m a big fan of Iowa State’s T.J. Tampa and think he will go higher than many expect. Kris Abrams-Draine could provide day-two value while Notre Dame’s Cam Hart will be a top-tester. Michigan’s Mike Sainristil is a converted receiver who I went back and reviewed last Friday and I bumped him up two rounds on review. He’s feisty and athletic. Renardo Green is intriguing and the depth lasts into day three with players like Caelen Carson and Josh Newton. This is a good-looking group.
Interesting note
The Seahawks only drafted one cornerback between 2018 and 2021. They’ve drafted three in the last two years, including using a top-five pick on the position. There are certain positions where you need quality depth and cornerback is definitely one of them. Let’s hope the new trend continues and they keep adding, even if Macdonald did a good job fitting players into his scheme in Baltimore.
Best drill to watch
The backpedal drill. Watch to see how the cornerbacks transition and whether it looks effortless. Do they have loose hips and do they explode out of their breaks? Is the footwork smooth or clunky? Are they laboured in any way or do they look natural?
Five names to watch
Quinyon Mitchell, Terrion Arnold, T.J. Tampa, Cam Hart, Mike Sainristil
Potential standout
Quinyon Mitchell can reportedly run in the 4.3’s and he said at the Senior Bowl he wants to ‘set records’ at the combine. However, I’m going to go with Cam Hart here. According to Bruce Feldman he’s been timed running at 23.01 MPH on the GPS and he’s jumping a 38-inch vertical and an 11-2 broad.
Importance to the Seahawks?
This will likely depend on multiple things. Firstly, is Michael Jackson coming back as a RFA? Secondly, how do they view Tariq Woolen after a sophomore slump? Thirdly, how do they intend to use Devon Witherspoon? Does he take the ‘Kyle Hamilton’ role in Seattle under Macdonald? They have numbers here, unlike elsewhere. But it’s a good enough class to draft a cornerback at some stage, even just for depth.
Safeties
After hitting on Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor in 2010, Seattle didn’t have much success at the safety position under Carroll. Ryan Murphy, Winston Guy, Mark LeGree, Tedric Thompson, Delano Hill and Marquise Blair came and went. The less said about the Jamal Adams trade the better. Quandre Diggs was an inspired trade initially and has played generally well — but his cap-hit is now way too big for the level of production.
There was a real mix of physical profiles in the players they took, making safety one of the tougher positions to project. The only safety they’ve drafted in the first round (Earl Thomas) was a tremendous athlete. He ran a 4.37 at his pro-day after pulling a hamstring running the forty at the combine (while still managing an official 4.49). Blair, their next highest pick at the position, was also athletic and hit like a sledgehammer.
According to this review, safety is a critical position in Macdonald’s scheme. This is underscored by the fact the Ravens drafted Kyle Hamilton with the #14 pick and gave Marcus Williams a five-year, $70m deal. Prior to these moves, they spent big money on Earl Thomas (four-years, $55m).
It’s worth noting that none of Baltimore’s safeties were particularly fast. Hamilton ran a 4.59, Williams a 4.56 and Geno Stone a 4.62. I’m sure they didn’t deliberately look for slower players on the back-end but speed doesn’t seem that critical to the Ravens’ system.
It’ll be fascinating to see what the Seahawks do at safety. Jamal Adams appears a certainty to go but Quandre Diggs may have value for the system — it’s just his enormous $21m cap hit is unsustainable. If they cut both, Julian Love will be the only veteran safety on the roster.
Key drills
Forty yard dash, short shuttle, vertical
Ideal size
+6-0, 200-220lbs, 4.4 forty, +39-inch vertical, +10-5 broad jump
Positional assessment
There are numbers within the 2024 safety class but it’s low on top-end quality. I’m a huge fan of Wake Forest’s Malik Mustapha — who I interviewed last week (check it out here if you missed it). Washington State’s Jaden Hicks feels like a ‘Ravens’ type of safety to me. Intelligent, versatile, around the ball. Ditto Tyler Nubin, who equally feels like he’d settle nicely in Baltimore’s scheme. He’s a high-character, ‘dawg’ mentality type with gliding ability to cover ground and he can wear a number of hats at the position. After further tape review over the weekend, I think he’s the top safety in the class. Oregon State’s Kitan Oladapo is also a favourite as a bigger, rangy, forceful strong safety. Miami’s Kam Kinchens has been overrated by many, although his stock seems to have balanced out from the initial first round hype. I think he’s more of a day three option, where there are plenty of alternatives too. They might be able to find characteristics that stand out beyond the testing numbers, for players who fit their scheme.
Interesting note
As much as I was underwhelmed by Kam Kinchens on tape, he has 11 interceptions in two seasons. Tyler Nubin had 13 picks for Minnesota in his college career. If you’re looking for players who turn the ball over, they are statistically the top-two in this safety class.
Best drill to watch
Any of the drills requiring the safeties to close in space and show off their open-field quickness and range. I also like the ‘W’ drill for this position.
Five names to watch
Malik Mustapha, Tyler Nubin, Jaden Hicks, Kitan Oladapo, Beau Brade
Potential standout
I’m going for Malik Mustapha. According to Bruce Feldman he’s been timed at 23MPH on the GPS and you only have to watch how he flies to the ball on tape. He reminds me so much of Budda Baker.
Importance to the Seahawks?
Absolutely critical, based on a potential lack of numbers and the scheme Macdonald uses. The Ravens invested resources into the position in a way that’d probably only be matched by Carroll’s Seahawks. If Adams and Diggs depart, they’ll need to do something here. Even if they keep Diggs, it’s very easy to imagine they will draft a safety at some point.
Tight ends
Seattle drafted five tight ends under Pete Carroll — Nick Vannett, Luke Willson, Anthony McCoy, Will Dissly and Colby Parkinson. They traded for Jimmy Graham in 2015 and signed Zach Miller to a big contract in 2011. In the last five years they also signed Greg Olsen and Gerald Everett to one-year deals and brought in Noah Fant as part of the Russell Wilson trade.
One thing links all ten players — agility testing.
Short shuttle and three cone:
Luke Willson — 4.29 (ss), 7.08 (3c)
Will Dissly — 4.40 (ss), 7.07 (3c)
Nick Vannett — 4.20 (ss), 7.05 (3c)
Anthony McCoy — 4.57 (ss), 6.99 (3c)
Zach Miller — 4.42 (ss), 7.01 (3c)
Jimmy Graham — 4.45 (ss), 6.90 (3c)
Greg Olsen — 4.48 (ss), 7.04 (3c)
Colby Parkinson — 4.46 (ss), 7.15 (3c)
Gerald Everett — 4.33 (ss), 6.99 (3c)
Noah Fant — 4.22 (ss), 6.81 (3c)
Short-area quickness and agility appear to be important for any prospective Seahawks tight end so pay close attention to the short shuttle and the three cone.
This is an understandable approach to the position when you consider the best tight ends in the league also excelled here. They generally all have the same thing in common — strong agility testing and a good 10-yard split.
Rob Gronkowski — 1.58 (10), 4.47 (ss)
Travis Kelce — 1.61 (10), 4.42 (ss)
George Kittle — 1.59 (10), 4.55 (ss)
Mark Andrews — 1.54 (10), 4.38 (ss)
T.J. Hockenson — 1.63 (10), 4.18 (ss)
Sam LaPorta — 1.59 (10), 4.25 (ss)
David Njoku — 1.61 (10), 4.34 (ss)
It’s also pretty clear that in the modern NFL you need a dynamic, pass-catching tight end. Kelce and Kittle were in the Super Bowl. The Lions should’ve been in the Super Bowl with LaPorta as a top target. The Ravens lost Andrews to injury, but he’s been so important for them over the years. Look at the other playoff teams — Green Bay and Buffalo invested high picks in the position last year, Houston signed Dalton Schultz, Njoku has been big for the Browns.
Ryan Grubb’s offense in Washington might not have heavily featured a tight end in the passing game, short of Jack Westover’s incredibly clutch ability to convert in key situations — but the chances are he will need to have an impact TE in the NFL.
Key tests
Short shuttle, three cone, 10-yard split
Ideal size
6-5, 250-265lbs, +33-inch arms, +10-inch hands
Positional assessment
It’s not a good class. Brock Bowers is a legit top-10 talent in any draft but then there’s a drop-off. I think Cade Stover warrants a second round grade (more on him in a moment) while Texas’ Ja’Tavion Sanders clearly has a lot of potential. Theo Johnson and Ben Sinnott have shown promise — and I think Johnson will test very well. Aside from that, there’s not much to talk about. A.J. Barner is a good blocker.
Interesting note
In 2017 the Seahawks needed a tight end and were presented with a strong looking class. Unexpectedly, they passed on the position. They drafted seven players before George Kittle was selected in round five by the 49ers — despite his good combine and dynamism as a blocker. Seattle used five picks in rounds 3-4 without taking Kittle, who felt like a great fit for them. It was a huge error, on a par with selecting Rashaad Penny instead of Nick Chubb.
Best drill to watch
Catching technique is always important so look for how a player uses his hands. Is he cupping them to the ball? Cade Stover, on tape, does an excellent job here. I always like to see TE’s who can move naturally on seam routes and change direction during drills. Who’s running their route at full speed then tracking the deeper pass over the shoulder? Too many TE’s jog their on-field deep routes to make sure they catch the pass.
Five names to watch
Brock Bowers, Cade Stover, Ja’Tavion Sanders, Theo Johnson, Ben Sinnott
Potential standout
Brock Bowers is going to put on a show and cement his placing in the top-10 but I’m going to go with Cade Stover. I don’t think people realise how athletic he is. He’s a lot more fluid in the open-field than you’d expect for a converted linebacker and I think that hints at good agility. Plus, he’s a strong runner after the catch and he can accelerate. Keep an eye on his numbers.
Importance to the Seahawks?
Another big need position. Noah Fant and Colby Parkinson are free agents while Will Dissly, with a $10m cap-hit, is a potential cap-casualty. Something needs to happen here and you’d imagine it could mean at least one veteran addition and possibly a draft pick too.
QB, WR, RB
Arrival: Tuesday 27th February
Team interviews: Wednesday 28th February
General medical exam: Thursday 29th February
Media & NFLPA meeting: Friday 1st March
Measurements, on-field drills: Saturday 2nd March
Bench press & broadcast interviews: Sunday 3rd March
Quarterbacks
The Seahawks are now two years removed from the Russell Wilson trade. When that deal was finalised with Denver, most people would’ve thought the Seahawks would be extremely active to find a young replacement. Instead, they continue to have Geno Smith as the assumed veteran starter — while they also constantly talk-up Drew Lock during interviews.
I’ll repeat what I said last year. Many fans get angry when you mention quarterback as a need for the Seahawks, following Geno Smith’s surprisingly productive 2022 and 2023 seasons. Yet as John Schneider stated himself — in both of those two seasons, there’s basically been a good half and a bad half. It’s been a mixed bag.
When Schneider sees a quarterback he really likes, I would imagine he’s going to pursue him aggressively. Think of all the talk about Patrick Mahomes being ‘the GOAT’ recently, as he lifted his third Super Bowl. Seconds after Kansas City selected Mahomes, the NFL Network was reporting that Seattle would’ve taken Mahomes in round one, despite having Wilson, if he’d lasted to their pick. Schneider loved Mahomes and probably rues not being more aggressive, as the Wilson drama was only simmering at the time.
If Schneider is waiting to be blown away by another signal caller, when he finds him — he’ll likely go and get him. I’m not sure he will see that player in this class and he might have his gaze firmly on someone who opted not to declare this year, who plays for Texas. Quinn Ewers feels like a Schneider type of QB.
Even so, the Seahawks are long overdue drafting a quarterback without necessarily needing to think they’re the next big thing in the NFL. For someone who once said his intention was to draft a quarterback most years, the reality is Schneider has taken two in 14 years. Yet with no second round pick and a cluster of holes on the roster — without much free agent money to play with — the Seahawks are somewhat backed into a corner again.
Either way — I believe it’s Schneider intention to draft a quarterback sooner rather than later and that the current situation is a holding position, not the solution — despite the OTT rhetoric on Geno Smith within certain sections of Seahawks Twitter.
There are some things to consider in terms of Seattle’s possible preferences — Charlie Whitehurst, Russell Wilson, Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen and Drew Lock all have big arms. All but Wilson have prototype stature. Mahomes is creative and able to extend plays — while Allen, Lock and Wilson were all excellent athletes. Even Whitehurst could move around a bit.
Much is made of hand size and that could be important. Wilson has 10 1/4-inch hands. However — Mahomes only has 9 1/4-inch hands and Lock’s are even smaller at exactly nine-inches. It might be more of a bonus than a factor.
Key tests
Deep throws, Forty
Ideal size
+6-2, 220lbs, +9.5 inch hands
Positional assessment
With so many quarterbacks returning to school, the depth has taken a kicking. However, there’s a group of seven who could realistically be off the board before the end of day two. I spoke to a very experienced talent evaluator recently who wasn’t a big fan of the quarterback class this year but he still thought six could be taken in round one. It seems certain, based on the jungle drums around the league, that Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye and J.J. McCarthy will be off the board before Seattle’s pick at #16. Then it’s anyone’s guess. It won’t be a surprise if one team has a top grade on Bo Nix, while another has him slated for day two. Ditto Michael Penix Jr, who will be hoping for good news from his medical checks. Spencer Rattler is a talented wildcard who will likely be grilled on mistakes made at Oklahoma. Good luck finding a late-round flier. Jordan Travis’ health could seriously hamper his stock, while Michael Pratt is worth a roster spot courtesy of a day three pick. Aside from that, good luck.
Interesting note
From the Senior Bowl, we know this is a quarterback class with big hands. Michael Penix has 10.5 inch hands, Bo Nix’s are a shade under 10-inches, as are Spencer Rattler’s. Joe Milton also has 10.5 inch hands and even Sam Hartman, at 6-1 and 209lbs, has 9.5 inch hands. Michael Pratt was the outlier with only nine-inch hands.
The best drill to watch
Everyone wants to see the top QB’s throw the deep ball. I used to think it was a waste of time at the combine but I’ve changed my mind. It’s a great way to compare all of the QB’s because they’re throwing in the same setting. You can do an apple’s for apple’s comparison — without all the home comforts of a pro-day. Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels will not throw in Indianapolis but Michael Penix Jr, Bo Nix, Spencer Rattler and J.J. McCarthy have confirmed they will participate.
Five names to watch
Michael Penix Jr, Spencer Rattler, Drake Maye, Bo Nix, JJ McCarthy
Potential standout
Joe Milton will probably test the best but I think he’s a marginal NFL prospect. Bo Nix throwing a 60-yard flea-flicker at the Senior Bowl caught my attention — and he’s an all-round quality athlete so he could put on a show. However, it’s Michael Penix Jr for me. Let’s see that rocket arm at its very best, please. I know he can jump a 38-inch vertical from my time at Washington and he timed very well at the Senior Bowl on the GPS. He could surprise a few people with his athletic testing.
Importance to the Seahawks
On Saturday I was sent an email that started with, “I notice that you and every other anti Geno-ite…” and I stopped reading at that point. This is how silly the fanbase has allowed itself to become. It’s been this way for years. Everyone has to pick a side and go into an online battle. I think Geno Smith is OK. Not bad. I don’t think he’s elite or Seattle’s franchise quarterback. I think he’s a bridge. Apparently, that constitutes being ‘anti’ Geno Smith — or as others have put it, it means I ‘hate’ him or I ‘don’t know ball’. I really wish all of this rhetoric would get in the sea. I say all this in preparation for stating that I think finding a top-tier, elite quarterback will be Seattle’s biggest need until they have one, irrespective of the state of the rest of the roster.
Wide receivers
Last year was interesting because the Seahawks used the #20 pick on Jaxon Smith-Njigba, despite the fact he wasn’t known for long speed (he ran a reported 4.52 at pro-day). Prior to that pick, they’d only drafted three receivers who didn’t run a 4.4 or faster and they were all late round picks.
I’m not sure if this is an adjustment or an outlier. Smith-Njigba did run an excellent 3.93 short shuttle and a blistering 6.57 three-cone. That short-area quickness and agility more than makes up for a lack of 4.4 speed. He’s also a very naturally gifted player who, prior to an injury-hit 2022 season, was expected to be a top-10 pick.
Prior to his selection though, speed was critical under Carroll and Schneider:
Paul Richardson — 4.40
Golden Tate — 4.42
Tyler Lockett — 4.40
Kris Durham — 4.46
Kevin Norwood — 4.48
Amara Darboh — 4.45
David Moore — 4.42
D.K. Metcalf — 4.33
Freddie Swain — 4.46
Dee Eskridge — 4.38
Bo Melton — 4.34
Dareke Young — 4.44
Positional assessment
It’s another loaded class at receiver. You have three legit top-10 picks in any draft with Marvin Harrison Jr, Rome Odunze and Malik Nabers. I have 17 players on the horizontal board graded for day two. There will still be attractive options on day three. It’s just a tremendous group and it won’t be a surprise if multiple players develop into key, household names from this class. To highlight some potential combine standouts, keep an eye on Troy Franklin. His deep-speed looks fantastic on tape so he could run a blistering forty. Malachi Corley is a well sized, tricky receiver. Brenden Rice at USC is expected to have a great workout and Michigan’s Roman Wilson could light-up the combine with his testing. Washington’s other two receivers — Jalen McMillan and Ja’Lynn Polk — will be worth tracking. A good set of testing results could secure a top-40 spot for Ladd McConkey. Xavier Legette should run a great forty. Keep an eye on Ryan Flournoy as a day three sleeper — he did well at the Senior Bowl and should test well. Finally, Christian McCaffrey’s brother, Luke, is also part of this great receiver class.
Interesting note
The Seahawks under Schneider have been prepared to draft receivers at any point in the draft. Smith-Njigba was their first pick in round one (if you don’t include the Percy Harvin trade). They’ve drafted four players in round two (Tate, Richardson, Metcalf, Eskridge), two in round three (Darboh, Lockett), three in round four (Norwood, Harper, Durham), one in round six (Swain) and five in round seven (Moore, Lawler, Ursua, Melton, Young). They’ve always taken this position seriously.
Key tests
Forty, vertical, catching drills (proper technique)
Ideal size
Just run a 4.4 forty or faster
The best drill to watch
Any drill that clearly shows catching technique. It’s extremely important. You want to see a receiver cupping his hands while presenting to the ball. No alligator arms, no fighting the ball or snatching at it. Watch the downfield throws and see who is good at high pointing the football, showing body control and tracking over the shoulder. Who is a natural hands catcher?
Five names to watch
Rome Odunze, Roman Wilson, Ladd McConkey, Brenden Rice, Ryan Flournoy
Potential standout
There are so many players expected to test well, including Jerry Rice’s son Brenden, Roman Wilson will put on a show and don’t forget Ryan Flournoy. However, I’m going with Rome Odunze. The word I got at Washington was he can run a 4.3 or at worst a 4.4 and that he will test well across the board. When you add that to his supreme body control, sure hands, sensational ball-tracking and A+ character — he might be WR1 on some boards. Marvin Harrison Jr and Malik Nabers will not test or go through drills.
Importance to the Seahawks
At the moment, not at all. D.K. Metcalf is a critical part of the team and they’ll hope Smith-Njigba will join him. Tyler Lockett is still on the roster and Jake Bobo had a good rookie season. Dareke Young had a forgotten 2023 season but showed flashes as a rookie. Will they try and salvage Dee Eskridge? If Lockett doesn’t depart to save money or retire, the chances are they might roll with this group.
Running backs
The Seahawks had a type at running back in the Carroll/Schneider era. Their runners were about 210-220lbs and they had explosive testing results (good vertical & broad jump). Since 2016 we’ve been able to pretty much figure out who they might like. Here are the players we identified between 2016-23 after each combine as a possible target:
2016:
C.J. Prosise — 6-0, 220lbs, 35.5 inch vert, 10-1 broad
Kenneth Dixon — 5-10, 215lbs, 37.5 inch vert, 10-8 broad
2017:
Chris Carson — 6-0, 218lbs, 37 inch vert, 10-10 broad
Brian Hill — 6-0, 219lbs, 34 inch vert, 10-5 broad
Alvin Kamara — 5-10, 214lbs, 39.5 inch vert, 10-11 broad
Joe Williams — 5-11, 210lbs, 35 inch vert, 10-5 broad
2018:
Saquon Barkley — 6-0, 233lbs, 41 inch vert DNP broad
Kerryon Johnson — 511, 213lbs 40 inch vert, 10-6 broad
Bo Scarborough — 6-0, 228lbs, 40 inch vert, 10-9 broad
Nick Chubb — 5-11, 227lbs, 38.5 inch vert, 10-8 broad
John Kelly — 5-10, 216lbs, 35 inch vert, 10-0 broad
Lavon Coleman — 5-10, 223lbs, 33 inch vert, 10-0 broad
Rashaad Penny — 5-11, 220lbs, 32.5 inch vert, 10-0 broad
Royce Freeman — 5-11, 229lbs, 34 inch vert, 9-10 broad
2020:
Jonathan Taylor — 5-10, 226lbs, 36 inch vert, 10-3 broad
Cam Akers — 5-10, 217lbs, 35.5 inch vert, 10-2 broad
Deejay Dallas — 5-10, 217lbs, 33.5 inch vert, 9-11 broad
AJ Dillon — 6-0, 247lbs, 41 inch vert, 10-11 broad
Zack Moss — 5-9, 223lbs, 33 inch vert, DNP broad
James Robinson — 5-9, 219lbs, 40 inch vert, 10-5 broad
Patrick Taylor — 6-0, 217lbs, 34 inch vert, 10-3 broad
2022:
Breece Hall — 5-11, 217lbs, 40 inch vert, 10-6 broad
Brian Robinson — 6-2, 225lbs, 30 inch vert, 9-11 broad
Dameon Pierce — 5-10, 218lbs, 34.5 inch vert, 9-11 broad
D’Vonte Price — 6-1, 210lbs, 34 inch vert, 9-11 broad
Isaih Pacheco — 5-10, 216lbs, 33 inch vert, 9-10 broad
Jerome Ford — 5-10, 210lbs, 31 inch vert, 9-10 broad
Kenneth Walker — 5-9, 211lbs, 34 inch vert, 10-2 broad
Kevin Harris — 5-10, 221lbs, 38.5 inch vert, 10-6 broad
Snoop Conner — 5-10, 222lbs, 29.5 inch vert, 9-10 broad
Rachaad White — 6-0, 214lbs, 38 inch vert, 10-5 broad
Tyler Allgeier — 5-11, 224lbs, 33 inch vert, 10-0 broad
Tyrion Davis-Price — 6-0, 211lbs, 30 inch vert, 9-9 broad
Zamir White — 6-0, 214lbs, 33.5 inch vert, 10-8 broad
2023:
Tank Bigsby — 5-11, 210lbs, 32.5v, 9-11b, 4.56 forty
Chase Brown — 5-9, 209lbs, 40v, 10-7b, 4.43 forty
Zach Charbonnet — 6-0, 214lbs, 37v, 10-2b, 4.53 forty
Tiyon Evans — 5-9, 225lbs, 30.5 v, DNPb, 4.52 forty
Evan Hull — 5-10, 209lbs, 37v, 10-3b, 4.47 forty
Bijan Robinson — 5-10, 215lbs, 37v, 10-4b, 4.46 forty
They drafted a player from each of the groups — Prosise, Carson, Penny, Dallas, Walker and Charbonnet. They eventually added Bo Scarborough too and admitted significant interest in James Robinson as an UDFA (John Schenider said he was on the brink of signing with the Seahawks, before opting for Jacksonville).
In 2021 the combine was cancelled and in 2019 we identified Alex Barnes, Damien Harris, Alexander Mattison, LJ Scott, Miles Sanders, Dexter Williams and Tony Pollard as possible options. Running back was an unlikely target that year with the depth they had at the position.
The two players they selected outside of the size ideal were Travis Homer — a sixth round pick with special teams value — and Kenny McIntosh — a talented but undersized player selected in the seventh round. We did name McIntosh as ‘one to watch’ in our 2023 combine preview due to his running style.
Again, it’ll be interesting to see if anything changes now that Macdonald has replaced Carroll as the Head Coach.
Key tests
Vertical, Broad, size
Ideal size
5-10, 220lbs, +35 inch vertical, +10 broad
Positional assessment
There are Seahawks fans out there who really don’t like the fact they used high picks on Ken Walker and Zach Charbonnet in back-to-back drafts. They don’t have to worry this year because there aren’t any runners worthy of selecting that early. There are players who could test well and ultimately take on decent rotational roles, such as Notre Dame’s Audric Estime, Wisconsin’s Braelon Allen or Kentucky’s super tough Ray Davis — but the rest of the class are basically depth picks. Some people really like Michigan’s Blake Corum. I’m intrigued to see how Frank Gore Jr gets on in Indianapolis and there are other players I like, such as Washington’s Dillon Johnson, Missouri’s Cody Schrader and TCU’s Emani Bailey (who had a great game at the Senior Bowl).
Interesting note
The Seahawks preferred explosive traits over straight line speed for some time. Christine Michael (4.54), C.J. Prosise (4.48), Robert Turbin (4.50) and Chris Carson (4.58) were better explosive testers than runners. Things then shifted a little. Rashaad Penny wasn’t quite as explosive but ran a 4.46. They admitted after the 2022 draft that they thought there were two top-level running backs — Ken Walker (who they drafted) and Breece Hall. Walker ran a 4.38 and Hall a 4.39. The pick of Charbonnet was a return to the past. He ran a 4.53 but was highly explosive (37-inch vertical) with ideal size and a tough running style. He screamed ‘Seahawks’ for two years at UCLA and it wasn’t a surprise they took him.
The best drill to watch
It’s nice to see the running backs cutting against pads while showing body control and quickness in the open field. You can tell who has it and who doesn’t in these drills and it’s where Walker really excelled two years ago — changing direction despite having a very muscular, thick frame. He looked like a beast and moved like a ballerina.
Five names to watch
Braelon Allen, Dillon Johnson, Emani Bailey, Frank Gore Jr, Audric Estime
Potential standout
Braelon Allen. He’s been on Bruce Feldman’s ‘freaks list’ for the last two years. As a teenager he could power-clean 406lbs while clocking a 1.49 10-yard split. He also benched 365lbs. After adding another 10lbs since then, his workout could be off the charts.
Importance to the Seahawks
After spending two high picks on Walker and Charbonnet, the absolute maximum Seattle should be thinking here is a late round flier for depth.
OL, special teams
Arrival: Wednesday 28th February
Team interviews: Thursday 29th February
General medical exam: Friday 1st March
Media & NFLPA meeting: Saturday 2nd March
Measurements, on-field drills: Sunday 3rd March
Bench press & broadcast interviews: Monday 4th March
Offensive linemen
This has typically been the point in the combine preview where I introduce ‘TEF’ — the formula we created to calculate explosive testing. In the past it helped us identify potential O-line targets for the Seahawks successfully, using data points recommended by Tom Cable during his time coaching in Seattle.
I’ll still do a full TEF breakdown of the 2024 draft class because if nothing else, I think it’s interesting to see which players possess explosive traits and how the different players compare — both within the class and historically. However, so much has changed in Seattle and it’ll be difficult to determine how important explosive testing is for new offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb, new offensive line coach Scott Huff and new Head Coach Mike Macdonald.
It felt like they were trending away from explosive traits for a time. Charles Cross didn’t do a bench press or broad jump before the draft, so it was impossible to judge how truly explosive he was. However, his 26-inch vertical at the combine was not good. Generally you want to see players jumping in the 30-inch range. Meanwhile, Abe Lucas only scored a 2.73 through TEF. He was not an explosive tester.
Yet just when you think that’s the end of that, they go and draft Anthony Bradford (3.17) — the third best TEF tester at the 2023 combine behind only Peter Skoronski and Andrew Vorhees. Then they took Olu Oluwatimi (3.07) —- the fifth highest TEF tester. They also signed Evan Brown in free agency, one of the most explosive linemen in the league (3.64).
Perhaps they wanted explosive power inside and athleticism/quickness at tackle? We’ll probably have to wait 12 months, though, to have an idea what Grubb and Huff are looking for. Having two highly touted offensive tackles from Washington in this draft working out at the combine in Troy Fautanu and Roger Rosengarten might give us a clue.
I’m going to run through the annual TEF explainer because like I say, I’m still going to calculate the numbers from this draft class. There is value in explosive testing. Most of the top linemen in the league are explosive testers, as I detailed in this article.
Pat Kirwan — a confidant of Pete Carroll — explained in this piece why explosive testing is important:
Every time a ball is snapped to start a play there is a critical element of explosiveness that takes place. When two players collide in an attempt to physically dominate each other, the athlete with the edge in explosiveness has the best chance to win the confrontation. It could be a blocker vs. a tackler, a tackler vs. a ball carrier, or many other examples of winning at the point of contact.
Explosiveness is defined in the dictionary as a violent release of energy, a sudden outburst. Football is a series of explosions. How do you measure it in athletes trying to play NFL football?
Take the vertical jump, standing broad jump and the bench press test results and add them together. If the combined score is over 70 there is a reason to consider the candidate at some point in the draft process for his explosiveness.
Kirwan’s formula is flawed because it diminishes the impact of the broad jump. A superb 9-7 only achieves a 1.2 point advantage over a below par 8-5. That’s why TEF was created — to do what Kirwan intended and measure explosive traits equally and emphasise their combined importance.
In recent years we’ve increasingly seen explosive testers drafted earlier than non-explosive testers. Despite Seattle’s scheme shift, I’d expect that trend to continue.
Here’s the TEF formula explained…
Tom Cable stated in 2015 that an O-line prospect would ideally achieve a 31-inch vertical, a 9-foot broad jump and 27 reps in the bench press. TEF uses these numbers to create an overall score for each individual offensive lineman:
1. Vertical ÷ 31
2. Broad ÷ 9, then cube the result
3. Bench ÷ 27
4. Results added together = TEF
Here’s what the ideal (31 — 9 — 27) would look like using this formula:
1. Vertical: 31 ÷ 31 = 1
2. Broad: 9 ÷ 9 = 1, cubed = 1
3. Bench: 27 ÷ 27 = 1
4. Overall score = 3.00
A prospect achieving the exact Cable ideal (31 — 9 — 27) will score a 3.00 in TEF.
The TEF formula is explained here. We also created a second calculation to account for the fact that jumping a vertical at 320lbs is considerably more challenging than jumping a vertical at 275lbs. Thus, we created a second formula (weighted TEF or wTEF) to account for weight:
Weight x TEF x 0.1
We can give each player a score that sufficiently emphasises their unique size. For example:
Germain Ifedi — 324 x 2.97 x 0.1 = 96.1
Phil Haynes, meanwhile, scored a 103.7. For more information on weighted TEF, click here.
TEF is not an attempt to determine who is a good or bad offensive linemen. It’s merely a calculation to judge explosive traits. While that’s only one part of any evaluation — it’s clear the league pays attention to it. That’s why I do, too. It might not shed any light relating to possible Seahawks picks any more but it’s interesting information to have from a league perspective.
Key tests
Vertical, Broad, Bench, Short Shuttle, Forty
Ideal size/testing
OT — +6-4, 305-320lbs, +33 inch arms, 4.90-5.00 forty, 4.40 ss
OG — 6-2/6-5, 300-320lbs, +33 inch arms, +3.00 TEF
OC — 6-0/6-2, 295lbs, 4.50 ss
Positional assessment
The combine might be saving the best for last. This is an epic looking offensive tackle class, with seven potential first round picks. If there’s an early rush on the position, we could see more than seven offensive linemen go on day one. That’s great news for a league craving improved O-line play. A lot of the first round picks, however, either played right tackle in college or they’re naturally suited to moving there in the NFL. We could see six centers go between picks 40-100, plus there are interesting guards available too. Most teams will come out of this draft having spent a pick in the top three rounds on an offensive linemen. There are too many to do a full breakdown but my favourite tackle is Taliese Fuaga, the one with the most upside is Amarius Mims, my favourite guards are Cooper Beebe and Zak Zinter, the feistiest center is, I think, Zach Frazier from West Virginia, while Graham Barton (converting from tackle) and Jackson Powers-Johnson will both likely be high picks. There are so many names you could mention.
Interesting note
The average short shuttle time among the leading, most respected centers in the league is a 4.50. If you take out Jason Kelce’s insane 4.14 short shuttle, it’s still a 4.56. When I interviewed Juice Scruggs last year he said he’d been working hard on his short shuttle times, following advice that it was viewed as an important test. It’s something to keep an eye on if you want the Seahawks to pick a new center — because Austin Blythe and Evan Brown both excelled in the test. Plus Washington and Baltimore have both preferred smaller, agile centers recently.
The best drills to watch
The mirror drill and kick-slide. In the mirror, two linemen used to stand opposite each other, with one acting as ‘the rabbit’. He’d move around and change direction and it’s up to the participant to stick. Now they don’t use the ‘rabbit’. It’s an important test of footwork, agility, mobility, balance, control and stamina. It’s also a good gauge of pass protection skills. In the kick-slide, it speaks for itself. How well do the offensive tackles get into position, how athletic do they do it, what’s the footwork like? I also like to watch the linemen move around the field from side-to-side so we can see who are the more fluid athletes. Abraham Lucas looked so smooth out there two years ago and it showed in the way he played as a rookie. You also want to look at how players bend — whether it’s at the waist or in the knees — and you want to see violent strikes on the pads, not high-fives. Overall though you aren’t drafting a big, gnarling offensive lineman based on what he does in shorts on the field at the combine. Tape and testing is king here.
Five names to watch
Tackle — JC Latham, Tyler Guyton, Olumuyiwa Fashanu, Amarius Mims, Kingsley Suamataia
Guard — Troy Fautanu, Cooper Beebe, Christian Haynes, Brandon Coleman, Jarrett Kingston
Center — Graham Barton, Jackson Powers-Johnson, Zach Frazier, Sedrick Van Pran, Dylan McMahon
Potential standout
The word on the street is that Kingsley Suamataia, despite being a massive 329lbs, can run in the 4.8’s and will perform well in other tests too. It’s not unheard of for BYU to send outstanding O-line athletes to the combine. Suamataia could be one of the headline makers on the final day of testing, although I found his tape underwhelming.
Importance to the Seahawks
There’s no getting away from it — the Seahawks need to be better in the trenches. The problem is, they haven’t typically found solutions with high picks in the draft. Russell Okung was OK. James Carpenter was OK. Both first round picks. The jury’s out big time on Charles Cross. They didn’t develop Ethan Pocic. Germain Ifedi was a first round bust. Personally, I’ve been ready for some time now for the Seahawks to shift resource to proven, experienced, quality linemen in free agency. However, with hardly any money to spend this year, the chances are we’ll see another high pick on the O-line instead. Here are some other things to remember. John Schneider is a Ron Wolf disciple. Wolf was big on drafting for the trenches. The Seahawks have launched pretty much every ‘fresh start’ with a high O-line pick. Okung in 2010, Cross after the Wilson trade in 2022. It wouldn’t be a surprise if they launched the Grubb/Huff/Macdonald era with another big investment in the offensive line. Troy Fautanu, in particular, could be a name to watch. Not just because of the Washington connection — but also because his highly aggressive playing style seems to fit what Grubb says he wants up front. However, there are several very appealing first round offensive linemen in this class.
The week ahead
Throughout the combine I’ll be producing a live blog updating testing results, followed by a reflective piece at the end of each day. I’ll also be delivering daily live streams to offer thoughts and observations. Robbie Williams is attending the combine and will also provide his own analysis from Lucas Oil Field.
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