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A college football game will be played tomorrow. Kansas State is taking on Iowa State in Dublin. It’s the best game they’ve had since they started doing this in Ireland. It’ll be particularly interesting to watch K-State quarterback Avery Johnson, a player with the potential to rise in the coming weeks.

Seeing as we’re getting back into the swing of things, I’ve been trying to cram in some scouting ahead of the season. Usually by now I’m a couple of months of solid study into the next draft class. This year, I’ve had the busiest summer day-job wise in my career with the BBC. Those who follow me on Twitter will probably be bored stiff hearing about the story I’ve been covering and it has delayed my draft work. My apologies for that.

Recently I have been able to watch some tape. I’ve done a tentative grade board with 66 names on it. Here’s an overview of what I expect this year…

I think there are a handful of players with a lot of obvious talent where it’s easy to imagine they could be high picks:

Caleb Downs (S, Ohio State)
Jeremiyah Love (RB, Notre Dame)
Spencer Fano (T, Utah)
Peter Woods (DT, Clemson)
TJ Parker (EDGE, Clemson)
Kedric Faulk (DE, Auburn)
Francis Mauigoa (T, Miami)

On top of this I think Garrett Nussmeier (QB, LSU) should be considered the top signal caller going into the season, followed by Drew Allar (QB, Penn State).

Ohio State safety Caleb Downs is the best overall prospect, sporting a complete game. His instinct, size, athletic range and college tape all scream top-five pick. The only thing that’ll hold him back is positional value — yet we’ve seen top echelon defensive backs go very early and I imagine that’ll be the case with Downs too.

In terms of pure talent, Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love (brother of Julian) might be second on the list. He doesn’t necessarily have ideal bulk for the position but he’s extremely fast, has superb vision and he just looks the part of a future star. As with Downs, positional value will be a consideration.

It’s looking like a good, deep offensive line class. I am a huge fan of Spencer Fano, Utah’s right tackle. Stylistically he’s been my favourite player to watch so far. He reminds me of a slightly better version of Taliese Fuaga (himself a top-15 pick). Fano just gets after opponents, plays with superb power and aggression and he’s a good enough athlete to handle pass-pro duties additional help. The next best tackle I’ve watched so far is Miami right tackle Francis Mauigoa. Whether he stays at tackle or kicks inside to guard, he’s another very athletic, aggressive, balanced blocker.

There are more names you could add to the list. Gennings Dunker the Iowa right tackle is exceptionally underrated. Caleb Lomu, the left tackle team mate of Fano at Utah, is a good pass-protector and could also be a top-50 pick. I enjoyed watching tape of Auburn’s Xavier Chaplin. Alabama’s Kadyn Proctor also has some talent I just worry about his weight — he looks too big and heavy. The talent is there but he could stand to drop a few pounds.

Iowa’s Logan Jones and Alabama’s Parker Brailsford are the top two centers for me and both belong in the top-50 discussion.

In terms of defensive linemen, I think there are three obvious high picks. Clemson duo Peter Woods (DT) and TJ Parker (EDGE) plus Auburn’s big defensive end Kedric Faulk. All three appear to have rare traits and the profile to go very early.

There are others who could get into the debate. Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks is a good athlete for his huge height and size and he does an excellent job working into the backfield. However — unsurprisingly for someone noted at 6-6 and 325lbs he’s not the most sudden or agile player and you don’t see much in the way of gap-shooting or twitch. It does make you wonder if he’ll be as effective at the next level.

Georgia’s Christen Miller is a bully of an interior defender, playing the run brilliantly without showing much in the way of a pass rush. Zane Durrant at Penn State is undersized at 6-1 and 290lbs but he’s athletic talent is off the charts.

I don’t have a receiver with an early ‘could be a first rounder’ grade and the same goes for the tight end position. The best three I’ve watched so far are Arizona State wide-out Jordyn Tyson, Oregon’s Evan Stewart and Vanderbilt tight end Eli Stowers.

I think Penn State running back Nicholas Singleton can be a top-50 pick.

At linebacker, Georgia’s CJ Allen and Ohio State’s Sonny Styles are the best two I’ve seen — both with early day two marks. I have the same grade on cornerbacks Avieon Terrell (Clemson), Jalon Kilgore (South Carolina) and Malik Muhammad (Texas).

There are some players I think are being overrated by the national media in pre-season. This includes Alabama linebacker Dontae Lawson, Texas linebacker Anthony Hill Jr, Alabama defensive end LT Overton, Alabama guard Jaeden Roberts, Miami quarterback Carson Beck, Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt and Clemson tackle Blake Miller.

I’ll finish with the quarterbacks overall. I don’t understand why Clemson’s Cade Klubnik is suddenly being pitched as a potential top pick. To me he looks like a middle rounder with limited upside and tools.

Perhaps it speaks to this class overall, before the season begins, that people are reaching for players like Klubnik to be something they aren’t? It’s also partly why there’s an obsession over Arch Manning because he’s a big name (and a Manning). The guy has barely played in college. How can anyone say he’s a potential #1 pick? Just because of his second name? South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers also gets pushed into the top-five but based on what? We need to see a lot more from him to justify that talk.

For me very little has changed from the end of the last college football season. Garrett Nussmeier and Drew Allar should be considered the top-two quarterback prospects entering the season. I get the sense, like usual, that familiarity is breeding contempt.

Nussmeier had the biggest number of pro-throws in college football for LSU last season, looking the part on a technical level. While he doesn’t possess a cannon his arm strength is still plenty good enough. He does need to limit the number of WTF mistakes in year two as a starter but the good last year was very good. There are some concerns about his Head Coach noting ‘patellar tendinitis in his knee’ but hopefully it’s not as bad as it sounds. If he’s cleared by teams, he is a very clear favourite to be the top QB taken next year.

I’m a little bit bemused by the negativity about Allar online to the point it feels almost the trendy view now to say he isn’t a first round talent. As someone who was very critical of his 2023 tape, there’s no denying he made major strides in 2024. Now we get to see if he can up his game even further. It’ll be harder without Tyler Warren to throw to us as a safety valve — but that’s even better for judging his tape.

He’s big, athletic, has a tremendous arm and is of good character. He showed maturity returning to Penn State to work through aspects of his game despite so many people talking him up as a potential high pick during the playoffs.

Who else could emerge? For me the name to watch as a toolsy prospect who can rise is Baylor’s Sawyer Robertson. He has everything physically, he’s a good, mobile runner and he can make plays in multiple ways. He’s a player to keep an eye on. I think Georgia Tech’s Haynes King is being slept on somewhat. Byrum Brown at USF is someone to watch to see if he can take a step, as is the aforementioned Johnson at Kansas State. Indiana’s system will help Fernando Mendoza after he transferred from California while transfers for Jacob Zeno, Mark Gronowski and Billy Edwards Jr will also provide some intrigue to the class.

The point is though, I currently only have Nussmeier and Allar in the ‘could be first rounders’ category before a pass is thrown. There are players who can grow, develop and turn this into a good class. Even Klubnik can change my mind with a strong, consistent season where he makes difficult, complex throws downfield and drives Clemson to a big year. Currently though, I don’t think there’s a cluster of clear first round types.

When it was reported on Sunday that the Bengals were open to offers for Trey Hendrickson again, fans of the other 31 NFL teams flocked to social media to consider whether their franchise would make a move.

The Seahawks feel like one of the teams were a move is at least plausible.

Firstly, they’re not in the AFC. The Bengals are highly unlikely to trade him inside the conference so he can chase around Joe Burrow.

Secondly, it feels like they’re close to being really good. Aside from the defending Champion Eagles, this isn’t a loaded NFC. It feels wide open, with plenty of room for a team to make a run.

Hendrickson recorded 35 sacks in his last two seasons. He led the NFL for sacks (17.5) in 2024 — three clear of second-placed Myles Garrett. Since 2020 he has 70.5 sacks. Although he turns 31 in December he hasn’t missed a game in the last two seasons.

So why wouldn’t you make a bold, aggressive move?

There are several reasons. When Mike Macdonald coached the Ravens’ defense to be the best in the NFL per DVOA in 2023, his top two pass-rushers were Jadeveon Clowney and Kyle Van Noy. Both players were ageing and enjoyed a career jump-start under Macdonald.

Is Macdonald’s scheme more tactical and less reliant on star power? Perhaps. That isn’t to say he wouldn’t love to have a star. Yet if he’s shown he can create the league’s top unit without one, the Seahawks might be inclined to save picks and cap space by not making a big move.

They do already have DeMarcus Lawrence, Boye Mafe and Derick Hall on the roster. With Uchenna Nwosu also returning to practise, they might feel like they have the pieces needed to make this work.

Trading for Henderson now would almost certainly involve a new contract. They’ve steered away from big trades for outsiders and then rewarding those players immediately, before home-grown talents get their pay-rise. With several players on the roster set for new deals in the next 12-24 months, it might impact the dynamic of a water-tight locker-room if they immediately fork out for Henderson now.

They’ve done a good job in the draft over recent years — collecting a high number of picks and using them to reshape the roster. Giving away prime 2026 stock to chase a soon-to-be 31-year-old might go against the grain.

It’s also worth noting how important development is. Hendrickson had only 6.5 sacks in his first three years in the league. There was very little sign at that point that he would turn into one of the NFL’s best pass-rushers. Hall, for example, had eight sacks in his second season for the Seahawks alone. Mafe has 18 in his first three seasons, three times more than Hendrickson did. It doesn’t mean either player is certain to turn into a stud pass-rusher — but they might be more inclined to continue working with their guys rather than make an aggressive move for a short-term fix who will take snaps away from the likes of Hall and Mafe.

The cost of doing business is also tricky. The top EDGE rushers are now getting $40m a year. Hendrickson has a case to be paid as well as anyone at his position. This would be an expensive move for a player already in his 30’s. Trade compensation could also be problematic. The Bengals are notoriously difficult to negotiate with. Given they are in a window of opportunity themselves, they aren’t going to give away a sack specialist. They’ll likely want a replacement as part of a deal, or another talented young player at a different position, plus at least one good draft pick for 2026.

I don’t expect the Seahawks to make this kind of move. I think they’ll see the chemistry on defense and the band-of-brothers mentality that seems to be developing. Hendrickson is a good pro and drama-free but I think the Seahawks will prefer to trust their guys, work to develop them and try and turn Hall and Mafe into more impactful contributors.

Even so, I’d be all in favour of a trade if they actually did it. It’s not that I think the Seahawks are ‘one player away’ because I don’t think any team is ever truly ‘one player away’. The difference between being a good team and a great team is often your ability to add or create top players. This is an opportunity to trade for a supreme performer. Even if it’s only for three expensive seasons — it’s easy to imagine Hendrickson having a big impact.

If Seattle’s path to being a Super Bowl contender is having an elite defense, Hendrickson helps get you there.

If there’s any possibility of him ending up in San Francisco or LA — that would also be another reason to ensure that doesn’t happen.

So this is my position — I don’t believe they’ll trade for Trey Hendrickson but I am not opposed to it if they do. I just think the cost of the trade, the contract, the growing chemistry on defense already and the fact things are moving along nicely will convince the Seahawks to keep on the same track and not feel obliged to make a big splash.

Join us from 2pm PT today as we break down a great performance by the Seahawks against Kansas City…

It might be a pre-season game only but that was a performance to warm the hearts of all Seahawks fans ahead of the start of the 2025 season.

The 33-16 scoreline barely does Seattle’s domination justice. If it wasn’t for some sloppy kick coverage and inspired quarterback play from Gardner Minshew, this would’ve been ugly. Regardless, there was a lot to like about this game.

We have to start with the offensive line.

For years fans have craved a dominating offensive front. Seattle’s coaches and GM have often talked about running the ball well and being a violent, bullying team — only for the product on the field to make a mockery of this ambition.

What we saw against Kansas City was the real deal, explicitly so in the opening drive. It was a thing of physical beauty. Grey Zabel and Anthony Bradford dominated at guard. Abe Lucas looks like he’s back to his very best (on the first drive he had huge moments in pass-pro and driving defenders off the ball in the running game) and Jalen Sundell is coming along nicely at center. Josh Jones is proving to be a decent fill-in at left tackle for Charles Cross.

With all the caveats of this being a pre-season game and we need to see this line-up against the real thing, the way they pushed around Kansas City’s defensive front allowing for big gains in the running game was a joy to watch. It speaks to a blossoming identity being created. Sam Darnold was able to play efficient football off the back of the run.

On that one opening drive, with the starters on the field, you could allow yourself to dream of what this team could be.

If they can be this effective for stretches of the 2025 season, they’ll be incredibly difficult to play against. This was the kind of tough, hard-nosed football they’ve been desperate to find and we’ve been desperate to see. There’ll be a lot of inconsequential football played this weekend as the pre-season meanders along. This felt completely consequential. Vital, necessary, a signpost to what is possible.

In Zabel they appear to have found the thing they badly needed — a high-upside, potential cornerstone interior blocker. Bradford at right guard has always had a ton of potential (plus, as noted a few weeks ago, he’s far more athletic than people realise). If the Seahawks can tap into his upside and get him playing with consistency, this could be your guard tandem for a long time.

The way the pair played speaks to the quality of coaching they’re receiving, plus it validates Seattle’s decision not to throw money at average veterans in free agency rather than attempt to develop their own.

With Cross and Lucas at tackle — whisper it quietly but this line could be legit. Could be.

Klint Kubiak’s appointment is already paying dividends with the experienced staff he’s brought with him to make this so in the trenches. Yet the way things are operating and clicking schematically already is as much a cause for optimism as the play of the line.

The buzz coming from camp has been that Zach Charbonnet might be ready to steal the starting running back job from Ken Walker. I think we’re seeing that materialise. He’s practising, he’s playing and he’s playing well. It’s pretty clear the Seahawks rate Charbonnet highly and while he might lack Walker’s incredible physical tools — he’s a tough, physical runner who is ideally suited to this scheme. Walker provides a lot of flash and upside — but Charbonnet might be the runner this offense needs.

The way the tight ends blocked was incredibly impressive. This will be an underrated feature of the offense this year.

The one area the Seahawks are arguably a little light is at receiver — yet the young players on the roster are putting their hands up and making some plays. You need that, given the ever expanding cost of a top receiver. Last week was Tory Horton’s night, this game featured Dareke Young and Jake Bobo.

On Bobo — I have no idea if he can match Jauan Jennings’ production in San Francisco (975 yards and six touchdowns last season) but Jennings is a similar height, similar build and he ran a 4.72 at his combine (with only a 29 inch vertical). You don’t have to be a physical phenom to excel in this system.

The other big takeaway I had from this game was just how locked in the team appears to be. There’s a ‘2012’ type vibe to things — an electric sideline celebrating each other. There’s very little evidence of any ego or moodiness. There’s been no holdouts or complaining, no excuses to miss OTA’s or camp. Everyone seems to be bought in, fully, with a level of intensity all of the good teams possess.

They look like a bad-ass team and they played like it on Friday.

Look at these two screenshots showing the reaction to Brandon Pili’s safety. The defense stormed the field. The first shows Coby Bryant and Devon Witherspoon celebrating, the second with Ernest Jones and Julian Love joining Witherspoon. This is a connected team, absolutely loving every second of what is effectively a backup nose tackle making a big play in pre-season. How can you not love this?

It wasn’t a defensive masterclass by any stretch and the aforementioned kick-coverage issues must be ironed out. Yet it seems very obvious this team and franchise is on the right track.

Some other quick notes on players. Brandon Pili’s play on the safety was outrageously good, Brady Russell has to have a role on this team given his special teams impact and flexibility to play full-back or tight end, I really like the way Jacardia Wright is playing and Damien Martinez had a much better night.

I am going to watch the Chiefs game on playback in the morning, rather than stay up (kick-off is at 3am here). Therefore, I will post my thoughts some time on Saturday. For now feel free to use this as an open thread to discuss the game.

As news broke that running back James Cook had signed a new contract with the Buffalo Bills, Adam Schefter tweeted a list of extensions completed by the team this off-season:

My initial reaction was to think there’s only one player on the list I’m jealous about — the name at the top. Otherwise, the Bills have signed a group of players to second contracts who are no better than the bulk of Seattle’s core.

The Bills are third favourites to win the Super Bowl, behind the Eagles and Ravens, according to ESPN Bet. Baltimore, like Buffalo, have a decent roster. Yet they’re led by their MVP candidate under center, not a loaded talent pool.

There aren’t any true super-powered blue-chip heavy teams at the moment. There’s nobody like the 49ers at their best a few years ago, for example. The Eagles are the closest and yet they’ll have to contend with being the defending Champs. Last time they were in that position they went 9-7 twice before collapsing to 4-12.

The point I’m making is this feels like quite an open NFL. There’s every chance a great quarterback like Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson or Joe Burrow will break through this year as a consequence. Or Patrick Mahomes bounces back from a disappointing Super Bowl loss.

All of those players are in the AFC though. As we saw in the most recent Eagles Championship victory, it’s possible to get to the final game of the season then dominate on defense and win handsomely.

The Seahawks have a good young roster. They have key players and some, such as Leonard Williams, feel underrated nationally. Certain players have to reach a new level in 2025 but they’re capable. The defense has a chance to do special things this year in Mike Macdonald’s second season through a combination of available talent and scheme. We’ll need to see Klint Kubiak’s offense in a real game to properly judge but there’s definitely a positive vibe at the moment.

If the Seahawks can play better up front (they can hardly play worse), run the ball and get efficient play from their quarterback — they can complement a great defense nicely — much like the Shanahan-led 49ers when they were reaching Super Bowls with Jimmy Garoppolo and Brock Purdy under center.

This isn’t me making a Super Bowl prediction. A team needs to earn that kind of backing. They need to be better at home in 2025 to justify any level of post-season faith. They need to show they can be far more competent and consistent on offense. They need to stay healthy, too.

Yet I can’t shake the thought that this team is being slept on in a wide-open NFC. Unless you truly expect the Eagles to just carry on where they left off, who is the great team in the conference? The Lions have lost coaches and key players since last season and carry a ‘missed their best shot’ feel about them. Are the Commanders really that good aside from an excellent young signal caller? Are the Vikings a bit of a paper tiger, breaking in a new quarterback? How good are the Packers, actually?

The Rams and 49ers get plenty of attention but both are dealing with key injuries. Los Angeles, in particular, are riding a playoff hype train from last season that masks a matching 2024 record as the Seahawks — even when Seattle effectively played the whole season with an inept offensive structure. Matthew Stafford’s injury situation surely dents their prospects.

Much like the Lions’ emergence not that long ago, or the Commanders last year, I think the Seahawks can make some noise in 2025. I do think the O-line will be better thanks to proper guidance and scheming. I believe the running game will be more effective and complement a great defense. I sense Sam Darnold will do what he needs to do to make this team interesting.

I think the Seahawks are heading in the right direction. There’s no drama or ego either. Everyone seems to be getting on with business which is a refreshing change.

They also get to play the AFC South and NFC South this year — a bonus.

Everything feels positive and for once, maybe we can afford to wonder what is possible in 2025? It might not be a run to the Super Bowl. Playoffs? Very possible. Winning a post-season game? Ditto. Making a bit of a run? That would be an exciting shift in gears for a franchise that has had to wait a long time to get back to that kind of position.

Please check out the latest show tonight:

It’s pretty clear Seattle’s linebacker depth is a concern at the moment. Mystery surrounds Tyrice Knight’s knee injury. Ernest Jones had knee surgery this off-season and recently missed camp time due to the passing of his father.

Behind the starting pair, there isn’t a great deal. They signed Michael Dowell a week ago, a former practise squad player who was previously undrafted. Today they added Alphonzo Tuputala, an undrafted rookie from Washington.

We saw last year how important the position is within Mike Macdonald’s system. Would an aggressive move to improve the position be worth considering? Especially if Knight is a question mark?

Jaguars linebacker Devin Lloyd came into the league carrying a lot of expectation as a former first round pick. His play has been a bit up-and-down at times. He recorded a very solid 76.7 PFF grade for 2024 but Jacksonville turned down the fifth-year option on his contract.

This year they hired Anthony Campanile to be their defensive coordinator, Green Bay’s former linebackers coach. It might mean he wants to keep as many players together in that group or he could back himself to develop others, given that’s his area of expertise.

The Jaguars used a fourth round pick on Jack Kiser this year. They also have Foyesade Oluokun on the roster, plus Chad Muma and Ventrell Miller.

Lloyd is known for quality run defense rather than coverage ability and that might be what the Seahawks want, given the highly athletic talents they have elsewhere on their defense.

If the Jaguars don’t see themselves paying to keep Lloyd — and if they feel they have sufficient depth — would they consider doing a deal? The Seahawks would get a player who turns 27 in September and would provide greater depth and experience. They were willing to ‘rent’ Jones Jr a year ago, giving the Titans a fourth round pick for 10 games. Would a similar price get a deal done here? With the same potential to see if you want to retain Lloyd at the end of the season?

The Seahawks might be inclined to keep hold of their picks. They only have six next year, with no chance of any comp picks in 2026. There’s always a way to add more down the line so it’ll likely depend on Knight’s health and their belief in backups Patrick O’Connell and Drake Thomas. They also have the option to use Nick Emmanwori creatively to work around any issue at linebacker.

Even so, Lloyd could be a name to keep an eye on if they want to try and make a deal. The Seahawks are in a place where being active and aggressive makes sense.