Category: Front Page News (Page 16 of 367)

I like Seattle’s approach since the Wilson trade

I’ve always preferred a ‘BPA’ draft. I buy into the philosophy that free agency should be for addressing needs and the draft should be for acquiring the best talent.

In the last two drafts, the Seahawks have done exactly this. They’ve been more aggressive in free agency to add talent at key areas, then they’ve acquired building blocks for a new era.

They won’t admit it but this is a rebuild. And it’s only year two of the rebuild. They need to add talent in a variety of areas and pad out the roster. I’ve always thought, whatever they do in this draft, they’ll need another off-season.

I don’t think it matters whether we agree with the picks

I’m certainly not going to tell anyone want to think. Be positive or negative about the two first round selections. That’s your choice.

Personally I’m not going to quibble about the positions they took, even if I also sympathise with the view that for this team to truly become great they’ll need a long-term answer at quarterback and a blue-chip defensive lineman.

That’s the reason Houston was so aggressive in the top-three to get C.J. Stroud and Will Anderson.

The fact is three quarterbacks were off the board before #5 and if the Seahawks really wanted Will Levis, they would’ve taken him at #20. I like Levis a lot and think he can be an excellent pro. However, I’ve also said repeatedly this off-season that John Schneider deserves the benefit of the doubt on quarterbacks. If he took one at #5, he should be trusted. If he passed on certain quarterbacks, he should equally be trusted.

I never thought they would take Jalen Carter at #5 and I was lukewarm on Tyree Wilson’s tape (with the foot injury also quite scary). Thus, which defensive lineman were they supposed to take?

I only gave out nine legit first round grades on my horizontal board and Devon Witherspoon was one of the few elite players in the class. He is a tremendous talent and the Seahawks have given themselves an opportunity to add a big performer at a premium position.

I was sceptical of the fit with Jaxon Smith-Njigba because I think he probably would’ve run a 4.55 or 4.60 at the combine and that hasn’t typically been their type of receiver. However, a lot of people think he’s one of the best players in the draft. If he’s at the top of their board at #20 — I’m not going to have any issue at all with them investing in talent over reaching for a specific position.

I’m a big proponent of ‘you’re only as good as your third receiver’ in the modern NFL. You need weapons. I think it speaks to Seattle’s self-awareness that they acknowledge that too, rather than trying to force defensive line picks to bolster a certain philosophy or fix a problem.

And again at #20, the board worked against them for defenders. Will McDonald — I suspect a big target for them — was taken at #15 by the Jets. Lukas Van Ness is raw but had the profile and attitude they love. Players like Myles Murphy were so underwhelming on tape, I’m not surprised they didn’t dabble there.

The Seahawks are a better team for these two selections and really, that’s the modest expectation I set for any draft. Would I have loved to be able to dream about Anthony Richardson as a potential ‘next Josh Allen’? Sure. But he was off the board.

While ‘pay the iron price’ became a cool little slogan for us, was a deal even possible? Arizona would probably rather deal with an aggressive Houston team than a division rival. Indianapolis weren’t trading down. A trade up simply might not have been possible. It’s not really worth wringing your hands over.

Character is king

I’ve talked endlessly this off-season about the Seahawks making it clear they were more zoned in than ever on what they believe constitutes a ‘Seahawk’. It includes highly competitive, gritty, professional individuals of high character. That’s why I was so adamant they wouldn’t take Jalen Carter. They’ve pretty much spelled it out to everyone what they’re looking for and character is a big deal.

This is worth considering for day two. Who is a Seahawk?

There are plenty of high-character players remaining, with some real tough guys at safety later on in particular.

What scouts said about Seattle’s picks

These are quotes from Bob McGinn’s sources.

On Devon Witherspoon:

“I love the kid,” said one scout. “I love his interview. I love the way he plays. He’s got this presence to him. You know he’s locked in, he’s all about ball. He doesn’t care that he’s 185 pounds. He carries himself like he’s a bigger dude, almost like he’s invincible. If Witherspoon had Gonzalez’ size you’d have a top-10 corner.”

“Faster than everybody thinks,” said a second scout. “Wants to play the best man on the field. Got change of direction, acceleration, feel for the game. Very good tackler for the cornerback position. Top 15. He’s got everything you want.”

“I think he should (be drafted in the top 10),” another scout said. “He had a sensational senior season. He contested everything. He’s got a lot of fight. He’s on the borderline height-weight. His speed is good.”

“Hell of a football player,” a fourth scout said. “All he did was press. That’s all they did.”

There were no negative comments on Witherspoon.

On Jaxon Smith-Njigba:

“I thought he was Adam Thielen,” one scout said, referring to Smith-Njigba. “He can get deep because of his route-running ability, whether it’s a double move or a little shake. His 40 was fast enough for me. He may be the most consistent out of the bunch. He can do some outside stuff, but he’s mainly best in the slot.”

“I do like him,” said a second scout. “He can be a good pro. More in the vein of a big slot kind of guy. He catches the ball. He’s competitive. You just wonder if he has the top-end juice.”

“I’m really concerned about his speed,” said a third scout. “The (4.52) is not real good nowadays, and I don’t think he plays that fast. He plays like 4.6 to me. He’s a really good player. I just don’t see that explosiveness.”

“He’s one of the most overrated players in the draft,” said a fourth scout. “He’s got good hands, not great hands. He’s got good vision and run after but he doesn’t run away from anybody and he’s not particularly elusive. He can find holes in zones, and he’s tough. He’ll take a hit to make catch. I don’t see special traits. Has to be a slot. Not fast enough to play outside. I’d rather have (Zay) Flowers because he’s really fast and really good after the catch. Sounds like he might be a solid second-round pick, and I didn’t see that.”

What I’m hoping for on day two

More of the same. Best player available. If it’s a tight end at #37, so be it. I’m a big Michael Mayer fan. Take him. Or one of the other TE’s. I don’t care about the position. Just keep getting better. Be guided by the board.

If Will Levis or Hendon Hooker are at the top of your list, cool.

I’d be content with one of the top two centers — John Michael Schmitz or Joe Tippmann.

Adetomiwa Adebawore would be a fantastic addition here due to his upside and physical profile. Keion White, Keeanu Benton and Zacch Pickens are attractive options. I like Brian Branch. Derick Hall is the kind of ‘alpha’ character they are attracted to.

I don’t really rate O’Cyrus Torrence but if they take him, so be it. If they grade him higher than I do, I’m not fussed. I trust them to keep going BPA per their board to add talent. Personally I hope they consider Chandler Zavala or Matthew Bergeron for the same reasons.

I’m pretty relaxed about today and feel no desperation for any particular position. Yes, they need defensive linemen. They could take two today and everyone will feel better about it. They might add a quarterback too. I’m just going to enjoy finding out who they take and discussing the picks.

Will they move around?

John Schneider hinted at this and I think it could mean moving up or down.

They might want to jump the Cardinals for a center at the top of round two, for example. They might want to move up from #52. They have the stock to do it.

Favourite non-Seahawks moves so far

— The Texans being aggressive, absolutely love what they did

— The Jets taking Will McDonald at #15

— Tampa Bay rolling the dice on Calijah Kancey in the top-20

Moves I’m not a big fan of

— Philly’s draft where they took a player with enormous character flags and a tweener

— No idea what the Lions are doing

— I thought Felix Anudike-Uzomah was a reach at the end of round one

Updated horizontal board

I’ve removed the players taken in round one (click the image to enlarge):

I’ll be doing a live blog reacting to every pick again tonight — plus providing instant reaction videos on YouTube and another live stream with Robbie right after round three ends.

If you’ve enjoyed the blog this draft season and want to support the site via Patreon — (click here)

Welcome to the live blog for this year. I’ll be posting my reaction to every pick on here, including longer-form analysis of the Seahawks picks.

Don’t forget — I’ll be doing an instant reaction live stream immediately after the first round concludes.

NO tipping picks in the comments section

#1 Carolina — Bryce Young (QB, Alabama)
Young is naturally talented with great accuracy, grit and poise. He can move around to be creative. In several games he put his team on his back and willed them to victory. The concern, as we all know, is the frame. He’s smaller and lighter than even Russell Wilson and Kyler Murray. It’ll be intriguing to see if that impacts him at the next level but the talent has never been in question.

#2 Houston — C.J. Stroud (QB, Ohio State)
What an absolutely ridiculous, stupid last few weeks. No wonder C.J. Stroud was in tears. He’s been thoroughly messed around with all this negative reporting on S2 tests and the media reporting Houston was going in a different direction. After all that, he goes second overall. He doesn’t get out of the top-two. Just as it should be. The right move.

#3 Houston (v/ARI) — Will Anderson (EDGE, Alabama)
What a move. Talk about paying the iron price. Houston is all-in on this draft class, taking their quarterback of the future at #3 then moving up from #12 to go and land the top defender on their board. Wow. This could be a franchise-defining move. Nick Caserio looks pumped. They’ve given up a first and a third rounder next year, plus their second rounder this year (#33). The Texans get a fourth rounder back from Arizona. I always thought Anderson would be the first defender taken. He’s an alpha, he will set the culture in Houston, he is perfect for them. What a move by the Texans. A+. There’s energy and hype to that franchise for the first time in a long time.

#4 Indianapolis — Anthony Richardson (QB, Florida)
Richardson comes off the board at #4 and all the late intel on a drop is proven to be nonsense. I was convinced they’d take Will Levis because he’d be ready to start quickly but the Colts clearly believe in Richardson’s incredible upside. His ceiling is unbelievable. They’ll need to be patient with him but Buffalo endured two rough years with Josh Allen and were better for it, clearly. That is what Richardson can become. Great pick.

#5 Seattle — Devon Witherspoon (CB, Illinois)
The most violent player in the draft. His tape is incredibly fun to watch. He levels people. He is a total throwback to the LOB days. He has shown so much grit in his career as a no-star recruit going to the JUCO’s, then Illinois and then progressing rapidly. He can be a tremendous NFL cornerback. I think this is a good addition and signifies two things. The Seahawks ARE focusing on BPA and they ARE focusing on character. Witherspoon was one of only nine legit first rounders on my horizontal board.

#6 Arizona (v/DET) — Paris Johnson Jr (T, Ohio State)
The Cardinals give up a second and fifth rounder this year, getting a third in return, to move up from #12 to get their left tackle. It’s a safe, solid, ‘get it on the fairway’ pick for a rookie GM.

#7 Las Vegas — Tyree Wilson (DE, Texas Tech)
Wilson, who is dressed like a BAMF by the way, was reportedly dropped by some teams due to medicals. I wondered if Seattle was one of those teams. He didn’t do anything before the draft, just like Darrell Taylor, and Taylor didn’t play a snap as a rookie. The Seahawks say they’re trying to learn lessons and passing on Wilson is probably part of that. Although I thinK Witherspoon is a better player.

#8 Atlanta — Bijan Robinson (RB, Texas)
This felt obvious throughout the process. Terry Fontenot is a ‘BPA’ decision maker and he was happy to take a tight end in the top-four two years ago. That’s an explosive offense in Atlanta. I love Bijan — he’s one of the top-three players in the draft easily. He’s a complete runner with plus patching skills. Your offense can go through him.

#9 Philadelphia (v/CHI) — Jalen Carter (DT, Georgia)
The Eagles have moved up one spot in a trade with the Bears to get Carter (pun intended). This is what I’ve been mocking. I’ve always thought it would require a very comfortable GM like Howie Roseman, with a Super Bowl roster already intact, to be willing to gamble on the clear character flaws. It was too risky for Houston, Arizona, Seattle, Detroit and Las Vegas. The Bears traded down instead of taking him. This is what I always expected — those teams wouldn’t take the risk and Philly would. He is immensely talented but the concerns cannot be ignored.

#10 Chicago (v/PHI) — Darnell Wright (T, Tennessee)
I had him as the best tackle in the draft. He’s the second taken but still goes in the top-10. This is a great pick for the Bears. He shut down Will Anderson but it wasn’t a one-off performance. Every Tennessee game I watched in 2022, he excelled. I just wonder where Will McDonald’s going to go. He did what Anderson couldn’t on tape and had the beating of Wright at the Senior Bowl. It’s one of the reasons why I think McDonald might be the best pass rusher in the draft.

#11 Tennessee — Peter Skoronski (G, Northwestern)
They have some real issues on the offensive line so a pick to address that isn’t a surprise. He’s incredibly explosive and people think he could be Zack Martin. He’ll need to kick inside but in an unpredictable draft, it’s not surprising that a few teams are going for solid, low-risk players.

#12 Detroit (v/ARI, HOU) — Jahmyr Gibbs (RB, Alabama)
The running back renaissance is on! He is a tremendous player and I had him going in round one but a top-12 pick is unexpected. He is so quick and dynamic, he can return kicks and he’s an excellent receiving threat. I would ring Detroit about D’Andre Swift and see if you can get a bargain in a trade (throwaway day three?).

#13 Green Bay — Lukas Van Ness (DE, Iowa)
Not many people saw this coming. It’s safe to say, given his testing, that they have a type. He has a similar athletic profile to Rashan Gary. They don’t go offense to help the new quarterback, they make a pick on defense.

#14 Pittsburgh (v/NE) — Broderick Jones (T, Georgia)
The Steelers moved up three spots, only giving up a fourth rounder. So it’s cheap to move up if you want to. That might limit Seattle’s value to move down from #20 but it might be inexpensive if they want to move up from #20. The Steelers moved above the Jets to take Jones. They need to protect their second-year quarterback. Jones has all the physical tools and size/length you want but his technique is poor. He dips his head too much when he engages. He needs work. But physically he has major potential.

#15 New York Jets — Will McDonald (EDGE, Iowa State)
Fantastic pick. As I mentioned five picks ago — he looked so good at the Senior Bowl against Darnell Wright. I’m disappointed because I was hoping the Seahawks could get him. He can come in right away and be a terror off the edge. I think he can be Brian Burns and he’s been taken in the same range.

#16 Washington — Emmanuel Forbes (CB, Mississippi State)
A lot of people thought cornerback here. I had them taking Deonte Banks. Forbes has great production and he’s a playmaker but he’s just so light. He looked like a rake in shorts at the combine. It’ll be interesting to see how he holds up because he won’t be playing generous college QB’s at the next level and he’ll need to tackle. The instincts are there though.

#17 New England — Christian Gonzalez (CB, Oregon)
He’s a great athlete but had middling production in college and there were some reports about teams thinking he’s a little timid on the field at times. Even so, he looked like a Patriot and I mocked him to the Pats recently.

#18 Detroit — Jack Campbell (LB, Iowa)
I think this is a massive reach. He’s stiff despite his testing (which was a surprise). I thought his tape was really unexciting and I had him in round three in my final horizontal board. He’s a Dan Campbell type but this is a very old school pick.

#19 Tampa Bay — Calijah Kancey (DT, Pittsburgh)
Fantastic pick. Despite the lack of length, I think Kancey is well worth a shot in this range. He’s so disruptive, so prolific as a pass rusher. It’s worth a shot at #19 to see if he can be 65% of Aaron Donald.

#20 Seattle — Jaxon Smith-Njigba (WR, Ohio State)
I find this pick very interesting, intriguing and a bit surprising. I thought his lack of great speed would be an issue in Seattle. However, his agility testing is remarkable. Before his injury-hit season last year, he was very highly regarded. A lot of people had JSN as a top-15 pick so again, it’s another sign that the Seahawks are very much in BPA mode. They haven’t used either first round pick on the D-line. It’ll be exciting to watch JSN and see how he gets on. If he delivers, what an offense this could be.

#21 LA Chargers — Quentin Johnston (WR, TCU)
He’s leggy and tall. Johnston can be really dynamic. However, he was expected to be a great tester and we didn’t really see that. He had a few concentration drops. Yet the upside is certainly there.

#22 Baltimore — Zay Flowers (WR, Boston College)
A run on receivers has begun. Flowers’ change of direction is so dynamic and he can be a really dynamic player. You’ve got to be creative to get the ball in his hands but the way he cuts to avoid tackles is pretty remarkable.

#23 Minnesota — Jordan Addison (WR, USC)
The run on receivers is becoming a marathon. I though Addison looked average on tape and there was little to get excited about.

#24 New York Giants (v/JAX) — Deonte Banks (CB, Maryland)
The Giants moved up to this spot to take the highly athletic, sturdy cornerback. I like his physical nature but his ball-production was poor.

#25 Buffalo (v/JAX, NYG) — Dalton Kincaid (TE, Utah)
He’s a really mobile, prolific receiver. They add even more dynamism to their offense. He’s been injured and he didn’t test but the Bills clearly valued his agility to stretch the field at the tight end position.

#26 Dallas — Mazi Smith (DT, Michigan)
This has been an unpredictable first round for sure. I had Smith slated to go in this kind of range but didn’t expect Dallas to take him. Even so, he’s a big, physical, athletic nose tackle who can be a really consistent performer for the Cowboys — anchoring that defensive front.

#27 Jacksonville — Anton Harrison (T, Oklahoma)
I had him to Tampa Bay at #19 and Calijah Kancey to the Jaguars, which is amusing. I think he’s a very good run blocker and the more I watched the more I liked. He can be a very solid starting left tackle.

#28 Cincinnati — Myles Murphy (DE, Clemson)
His tape was rubbish. I watched every Clemson game in 2022 and he was one of the most frustrating players I saw. There’s no dog in him, there’s no counter. He’s just an athlete at the moment and a typical 5-star pampered Clemson D-liner. They’ll need to develop him.

#29 New Orleans — Bryan Bresee (DT, Clemson)
Bresee has a lot of athletic potential. He’s a tremendous upside player. However, his tape was so massively inconsistent and like Myles Murphy, frustrating. On top of that he’s had some injury/health issues and he lacks ideal length. He promised so much early in his Clemson career but he never really put it together.

#30 Philadelphia — Nolan Smith (LB, Georgia)
I mocked Smith to the Eagles right here in this spot. He was always a tweener and it’s difficult to work out what his position is at the next level. Great character, great physical profile. But is he an edge? Does he have to convert to linebacker? It’s hard to know and that’s why he lasted. I got both Eagles picks right, I should probably go and cover them.

#31 Kansas City — Felix Anudike-Uzomah (EDGE, Kansas State)
I thought he was a third round pick. They needed an edge rusher to replace Frank Clark but this feels a bit forced.

Here is my instant reaction thoughts to Seattle’s two first round picks:

Here is my final horizontal draft board for 2023.

Click to enlarge the image below:

Here are a few explanations…

— Players in red either have reported injury or character concerns (injuries have an ‘I’ next to their name, character flags have a ‘c’)

— There are nine players with legit first round grades (meaning they could be clear first rounders based on talent in any draft)

— There are 17 players in the second tier, which I classify as ‘would be willing to take them in round one this year’

— I have given 36 second round grades

In total that means I have 62 players I would be comfortable drafting in the first two rounds. Thus, I am very confident that whatever happens tonight — the Seahawks have an opportunity to add talent at a value cost and come of this class with a nicely bolstered roster.

If you missed my final mock draft yesterday check it out here.

If you’ve enjoyed the blog this draft season and want to support the site via Patreon — (click here)

I’m doing things differently this year.

For the last 48 hours I’ve tried to identify sources that I would say are trusted in the media and draft world. From there, I’ve tried to piece together the various reports like a puzzle. I’m hoping if nothing else this will help me explain my thought process.

I will be sending this projection to the Huddle Report for scoring.

Before revealing the mock, here are some of the things I’ve considered:

— Mike Florio, despite arguing for multiple weeks that the Seahawks wouldn’t take a quarterback at #5, suddenly wrote an article noting, “there’s chatter in league circles that the Seahawks could take Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson with the fifth overall pick in the draft.”

— Todd McShay then wrote a piece previewing the draft. For the Seahawks, he wrote, “I have a strong sense Seattle won’t leave Round 1 without a quarterback. The more I talk to execs, scouts, coaches and agents, the more I think the Seahawks could be targeting Stroud or even Florida’s Anthony Richardson at this spot, depending on who is there. Stroud is 21 years old and Richardson is 20, and the idea is either could sit behind Geno Smith in the short term and develop into the answer for the long term.”

— Jeff Darlington and Adam Schefter both left the door open for a quarterback pick for Seattle in round one, during a segment today.

— Buzz started to materialise about Richardson being a legit option for the Seahawks. However, there were also as many (if not more) voices pointing to a match between Seattle and Jalen Carter. Albert Breer reported, “I’ve heard that Pete Carroll loves the Georgia game-wrecker, and that the Seahawks had a good 30 visit with him.” Breer, like many others, has since gone on to mock Carter to Seattle.

— Peter Schrager reported he was hearing Carter wouldn’t get out of the top-six. That clearly put Seattle and Detroit on the minds of draft prognosticators.

— However, several other voices have pushed back. Daniel Jeremiah has noted in multiple media appearances that teams have told him they think the Seahawks would take Carter. He’s also heard teams say they don’t expect Seattle to make the pick, because of the Malik McDowell experience. So mixed opinions in the league.

— McShay, in his ESPN piece, added, “Multiple sources have told me Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter isn’t expected be the pick (for Seattle).”

— Today, Michael Lombardi added his voice to those saying Carter to the Seahawks is unlikely. He said in this article, “If they stay (at #5), it doesn’t sound like they will take Jalen Carter from Georgia.”

— Even Breer, who has reported Carroll’s admiration for Carter, couches everything with a caveat. When he initially spoke about Carroll and Carter, he added, “That said, Seattle GM John Schneider has had his ups and downs with such gambles in the past, and it’s fair to wonder if his experience with Malik McDowell a few years back would have a material effect on whether or not he’d spend the fifth pick on someone with Carter’s file.” He then went on to say, “I also wouldn’t rule out Richardson; Schneider and Carroll really liked Josh Allen a few years ago, and there are some parallels with this one, including the fact that they wouldn’t have to rush him out onto the field as a rookie.” I think it’s fair to suggest Breer is hearing different things from different sources (like Jeremiah) and is cleverly playing it down the middle.

— Tony Pauline is reporting today that the Eagles are pushing to trade up from #10 with the intention of drafting a pass rusher.

— Adam Schefter is reporting the Texans are interested in moving off the #12 pick.

So what have I taken out of this for the mock?

I think if the Seahawks are eager to move down, as suggested by Lombardi, it’s because of the following:

1. Will Anderson isn’t likely to make it to #5
2. The foot injury to Tyree Wilson might be putting teams off
3. I don’t think the Seahawks will draft Jalen Carter

It’s also possible that, as many have been discussing, the league isn’t that high on the quarterbacks. So even if Seattle’s interest in Richardson is legit, it’s plausible they either don’t see the value taking him at #5 or they think they can drop down a few spots and still land him (or C.J. Stroud).

Essentially, why not have free extra picks if you can?

Therefore, I’ve tied in Pauline’s report on Philly’s interest in moving up with the scenario I’m painting here, to have the Eagles jumping above Detroit to select Jalen Carter. That would also tick off Peter Schrager’s assertion that Carter won’t get out of the top-six and Lombardi’s take on Seattle’s trade-down interest.

The Seahawks move down, presumably with sufficient intel that they can still land the player they are reportedly eyeing.

There were a couple of other thoughts that popped into my head as I was preparing this mock. If no suitable trade offer emerges, the Seahawks possibly just stick and pick the same player at #5. However — if the quarterbacks really do fall (and I’ve seen at least a couple of people discussing a fall for Anthony Richardson into the teens) — I wonder if they’d take the best defensive player remaining on their board at #5 (Devon Witherspoon? Tyree Wilson?) before trading up from #20 if the opportunity emerged to get the quarterback? That would fit into Todd McShay’s line of, “I have a strong sense Seattle won’t leave Round 1 without a quarterback.” There’s also been relevant chatter about the New York Jets at #15 being prepared to drop down.

Could the Seahawks actually be in a position to trade up from #20 to get Richardson? Could they do a classic ‘trade down from #5’ (and go BPA) then ‘trade up from #20’ (and select a QB)?

Schefter’s report on the Texans has also inspired me to drop Houston out of the #12 spot, so a team can come up and get Tyree Wilson (who reportedly is off some board due to the foot issue).

Anyway — enough explaining. Here’s the mock.

Final 2023 mock draft

#1 Carolina (v/CHI) — Bryce Young (QB, Alabama)
Young is all but confirmed as the top pick at this stage.

#2 Houston — Will Anderson (EDGE, Alabama)
I was told by a strong source in the league weeks ago that Anderson would be ‘hands down’ the top defender taken. I’m sticking with that.

#3 Arizona — Paris Johnson Jr (T, Ohio State)
This has emerged as a late rumour. For a new GM hoping to just make a solid, safe pick — it makes sense. Tyree Wilson has an injury issue, Jalen Carter has numerous character flags.

#4 Indianapolis — Will Levis (QB, Kentucky)
I think Levis has been Chris Ballard’s target all along.

#5 Philadelphia (v/SEA, DEN) — Jalen Carter (DT, Georgia)
I think Philly is the most likely spot for Carter and they trade up here, jumping Detroit.

#6 Detroit (v/LA) — Devon Witherspoon (CB, Illinois)
Dan Campbell takes the most violent player in the draft.

#7 Las Vegas — Christian Gonzalez (CB, Oregon)
Reportedly they are very keen to add talent at cornerback.

#8 Atlanta — Bijan Robinson (RB, Texas)
Terry Fontenot is a big BPA guy and on a lot of boards, Robinson is going to be among the top 2-3 players in the entire class.

#9 Chicago (v/CAR) — Peter Skoronski (G, Northwestern)
He’s very explosive and a safe pick. The Head Coach used to be in Indy, who once took Quenton Nelson in the top-10.

#10 Seattle (v/PHI, NO) — Anthony Richardson (QB, Florida)
The Seahawks move down, gaining a second (#62) and third (#92) round pick in the process (while also giving Philadelphia their sixth rounder at #198). Richardson has the physical talent Carroll and Schneider love to invest in.

#11 Tennessee — CJ Stroud (QB, Ohio State)
I don’t really know how it’s come to this but I think whoever gets Stroud will be counting their blessings.

#12 New England (v/HOU, CLE) — Tyree Wilson (DE, Texas Tech)
The Patriots move up to secure Wilson, leaning on old friends in the Houston front office. It’s a cheap deal, costing two fourth rounders (#117 & #135).

#13 Green Bay — Michael Mayer (TE, Notre Dame)
A perfect match.

#14 Houston (v/NE) — Lukas Van Ness (DE, Iowa)
After moving back a couple of spots, the Texans continue to reinforce their defensive line.

#15 NY Jets — Broderick Jones (T, Georgia)
Joe Douglas loves explosive linemen.

#16 Washington — Deonte Banks (CB, Maryland)
His physical profile should secure a top-20 placing.

#17 Pittsburgh — Darnell Wright (T, Tennessee)
I think he’s the best offensive tackle in the draft.

#18 Detroit — Myles Murphy (DE, Clemson)
A great pro-day workout probably rescues his stock.

#19 Tampa Bay — Anton Harrison (T, Oklahoma)
I think he’s better than some of the bigger name tackles.

#20 Buffalo (v/SEA) — Jaxon Smith-Njigba (WR, Ohio State)
I think the lack of speed keeps him in the 20’s and the Bills — reportedly keen on being aggressive — trade above some other suitors to land him. The Bills give the Seahawks a third rounder (#91).

#21 Miami — forfeited
Tut tut.

#22 LA Chargers — Dalton Kincaid (TE, Utah)
The injury situation could keep him on the board longer than this.

#23 Baltimore — Joey Porter Jr (CB, Penn State)
I’m not sure how well this would go down in Pittsburgh.

#24 Minnesota — Zay Flowers (WR, Boston College)
There was a whisper that the Rams like Flowers a lot and the Vikings run the same offense.

#25 Jacksonville — Calijah Kancey (DT, Pittsburgh)
They need more pass rush and I think someone will take a chance on Kancey in this range.

#26 New York Giants — John Michael Schmitz (C, Minnesota)
They are one of a handful of teams who might be eyeing JMS — including the Seahawks.

#27 Dallas — Jahmyr Gibbs (RB, Alabama)
Jerry Jones wants an explosive offense and Gibbs can help get them there.

#28 Seattle (v/BUF) — Will McDonald (EDGE, Iowa State)
After trading down eight spots, the Seahawks add a pass rusher who could be their answer to Brian Burns. He trained with Seattle’s new pass-rush coach B.T. Jordan earlier this year before he took the Seahawks’ gig and he had a late official-30 visit.

#29 Cincinnati — Emmanuel Forbes (CB, Mississippi State)
There’s a lot of buzz around Forbes going in this range.

#30 New Orleans (v/DEN, SF) — Mazi Smith (DT, Michigan)
Nose tackle is a need and Smith is going to go between #30-40 I think.

#31 Philadelphia — Nolan Smith (LB, Georgia)
I find it really hard to place Smith. If they take Jalen Carter in the top-10 it might be a good idea to bring in another person he’s familiar with who we know is of high character.

#32 Houston (v/KC) — Hendon Hooker (QB, Tennessee)
One last trade. The Texans move into the final pick of round one to select Hendon Hooker, securing a fifth year option on the quarterback. It costs them a fifth rounder (#161).

Thoughts on Seattle’s picks

I am convinced they’d love Will Anderson to last to #5. The production, the A+ character, the positional need. He ticks every box they are looking for. With him off the board, I do think their defensive options are limited unless they clear Tyree Wilson medically.

Remember — they traded up for Darrell Taylor in 2020 after he’d not done any work-outs pre-draft due to injury. He didn’t play a snap that year. The Malik McDowell experience isn’t the only lesson they’ll be trying to learn from and they might be more cautious on medical issues.

I do think there’s a bit of magic about Richardson that’ll be right up Carroll and Schneider’s street. The incredible physical tools, the charisma, the star potential. They put an ‘out’ in Geno Smith’s contract for a reason and it screams ‘bridge quarterback’. The Seahawks should be praised for creating the ideal situation at the position. They can start with Geno in 2023 and maybe 2024, then pass the torch with a well prepared long-term replacement. I struggle to see why people find that so disagreeable. Quarterback is still the most important position in the NFL.

As Tony Pauline told me at the weekend — this would be an ideal situation for Richardson. He added that Geno Smith would be the perfect mentor. I’d recommend checking out Tony’s view on that topic.

One of the other things I’ve struggled with is the notion that #5 (or in this case, #10) has to be spent on defense otherwise it’s a wasted opportunity to improve a struggling unit. I think there are excellent defenders set to be available in the #20-30 range.

Will McDonald, who I have them taking, looks like Brian Burns. I think he can have that kind of impact. His bend around the arc is the best I’ve seen in 15 years of writing this blog. He’s also gritty, competitive, highly athletic and ready to play. He screams ‘Seahawks’. He’s worked with pass-rush coach B.T. Jordan so they have a relationship already. I think as a rookie he can tally up the sacks as an impact rusher.

I don’t think it’s a coincidence that McDonald and Will Anderson visited Seattle on the same day for official-30 visits. This feels like an either/or type situation. One or the other. If Anderson isn’t there at #5, pivot to McDonald.

Even if it’s not McDonald — it’s possible Myles Murphy and Lukas Van Ness last to #20. Adetomiwa Adebawore is a tremendous prospect. I have Calijah Kancey and Mazi Smith going in the late first and there are plenty of options in round two. I have total confidence that Seattle can rapidly improve its defense even if it doesn’t take a high-stakes gamble on Jalen Carter. Let’s also not fall into the trap of assuming Carter’s success. I’m sure we can all easily imagine a scenario where he flames out of the league and some of the names I listed above have great careers.

After all, only four of PFF’s top-20 rated interior defensive lineman in 2022 were drafted in the top-10. Chris Jones, Jeffery Simmons, Calais Campbell, Jonathan Allen, Cameron Heyward — they were all selected in a range Seattle is slated to pick this year. The NFL’s sack leaders are not littered with top-10 picks either. It’s about finding the good players, regardless of range, not just assuming anyone taken early is a ‘blue-chip’ player. Even when they have the talent, you have to work to deliver on your potential. That is the concern with Carter. He’s unquestionably gifted but he appears to have the opposite approach to Aaron Donald — who is both an incredible player and one of the hardest and most committed defensive linemen in the league.

What about the rest of Seattle’s picks?

I’m not sure how realistic trading down twice is in this particular draft. Let’s roll with it anyway. I have the Seahawks adding #62, #91 and #92 to go with #37, #52 and #83. That means six picks on day two.

They could use that stock to be aggressive. They traded up on day two in the past for Jarran Reed, D.K. Metcalf, Darrell Taylor and Tyler Lockett. It wouldn’t be a surprise in this scenario if they tried to move ahead of Arizona at #35 to get Joe Tippmann the Wisconsin center. They could also look to move up from #52 where the value tends to dip a bit. What if Adetomiwa Adebawore lasts into range for a move up? Or someone like Keion White or Keeanu Benton? Perhaps they see a BPA target at tight end or cornerback? Do they like Josh Downs and Jonathan Mingo as much as I do? I suspect they’re going to be keen to add serious depth and competition at guard, too.

Alternatively, you have six picks to pad out your roster. With no cap space remaining that could be crucial. You’d have ample stock to fill holes, creating a young, hungry roster presumably full of gritty players — given the often talked about re-emphasis on character and ‘what is a Seahawk’.

The chances are they won’t be able to trade down from #5 but could be able to from #20. They’d still have a lot of stock to get done what they needed to get done.

And on that note, roll on tomorrow.

Two quick videos to check out. Firstly, here’s my latest appearance on VSiN. Please take the time to check it out:

Here’s a live stream I conducted with Robbie discussing my final mock draft:

I’d also like to take this chance to thank the community. I can’t believe that we’re a few days away from essentially putting a bow on the Russell Wilson trade. It was a huge moment in Seahawks history and since it was announced, I’ve gone into overdrive trying to cover this crucial period. Your words of support and encouragement have meant so much, especially in this weirdly toxic time that we live in where everyone is constantly trying to tear each other down.

If you’ve enjoyed the blog this draft season and want to support the site via Patreon — (click here)

Tomorrow I will be posting my final horizontal board before the draft. I will be hosting a live blog throughout the three days — while offering instant video reaction on my YouTube channel. There will also be live streams at the end of each day and more.

My final mock draft will be published today. I will also do a live stream breaking it down later, time TBC. In the meantime, some quick draft-eve thoughts…

— When the season ended last season in Santa Clara, the emphasis very much appeared to be on Seattle’s horrible defense and San Francisco’s excellent unit. Closing the gap or emulating the 49ers felt like a point of emphasis. Thus, this is likely to be a defensive-heavy draft for Seattle.

— They easily could signal their intentions by using #5 on a defensive player. They don’t have to, though. When listening to people debate, at times it’s felt like the Seahawks only have one pick. It’s not beyond the realms of possibility that the two best pass rushers in the draft prove to be Calijah Kancey and Will McDonald — two players slated to go in the range Seattle picks later on (#20-40).

— Will the Seahawks determine the best strategy is to try and copy the 49ers, or find a way to tread their own path to glory? It took the Niners using seven first round picks in nine years to create their defense. Are the Seahawks best using San Francisco as inspiration or should they be working out a way to beat them? I prefer the Carroll Seahawks when they try to lead the way, not mimic others.

— The lack of numbers up front defensively sets off alarms. Again though, I’m not sure that means they have to spend #5 on a D-liner. They do have 10 picks (and could get more) and that creates flexibility. I still think Will Anderson will be the defensive apple of their eye at #5, with the quarterbacks also in their sights.

— Geno Smith’s contract was structured for a reason. Whether they draft a quarterback or not, they aren’t totally convinced he’s a long term option. That really needs to be established whatever your stance on the #5 pick is. Geno’s having another prove-it year and with the way the second half of last season went, it was the right call.

— This will purely come down to whether John Schneider has found a QB he ‘has to have’ with this rare top-five pick. If not, then they’ll wait until next year. Having thoroughly studied the top quarterbacks in this draft, I’ll be surprised if he doesn’t like the top four or five. They appear factory built for Schneider’s preferences — strong arm, the ability to throw on the run, mobility, creativity and leadership.

— It’s possible he has his eye on someone for next year but without the extra stock they have in this draft, it likely won’t be Caleb Williams or Drake Maye. It could be someone like Michael Penix Jr. I just think banking on him remaining attractive in 2024, healthy and most importantly available is a risk too far. You pass on the 2023 quarterbacks only if they don’t float your boat. If you like one of them, you take them. Either way, I’ve said all along we should back Schneider’s judgement. He has money in the bank at quarterback. If he likes the group or not, takes one or not, it shouldn’t be overly critiqued.

— I don’t agree with the suggestion made by Brian Nemhauser on Twitter (and gaining traction through fans and local media) that quality at the three technique position is more rare (or even more important) than drafting a good, young quarterback. Here are the top-10 defensive tackles per PFF in 2022:

Chris Jones — plays with the best QB in the NFL
Dexter Lawrence — Giants’ ceiling is tied to Daniel Jones
Aaron Donald — only won a ring when the Rams traded a haul for a QB
Quinnen Williams — Jets just made a trade for Aaron Rodgers
Cameron Heyward — Pittsburgh’s defense hasn’t been able to cover the QB
D.J. Reader — Joe Burrow
Derrick Brown — Panthers just traded a haul to get a QB
DeForest Buckner — Indianapolis desperate for a QB
Christian Wilkins — Endless questions about ceiling due to Tua
Jeffery Simmons — he’s great but they’re going nowhere without a QB

Even the Niners, with their great defense, felt obliged to trade a haul for Trey Lance.

Now consider how good Kansas City would be without Mahomes, how good Buffalo would be without Josh Allen, how good the Bengals would be without Burrow, how good the Chargers and Jaguars would be without Justin Herbert and Trevor Lawrence.

See how much better the Eagles are with Jalen Hurts than they did carrying the dying embers of Carson Wentz’s career.

Whatever your plan and vision, however much you desire a great defender or defense — you need a really good quarterback 8/10 times to win a Super Bowl and most of the contenders are led by very talented, young QB’s.

And while San Francisco’s defense is clearly outstanding an impactful — it’s complemented by the genius of Kyle Shanahan. They can get away without a top quarterback because Shanahan is, frankly, brilliant.

— Here’s what my reaction would be to some possible Seahawks early picks, through the language of emoji…

Will Anderson 🙂
Anthony Richardson 😇
CJ Stroud 😍
Tyree Wilson 🥱
Jalen Carter 😬
Will McDonald 😈
Michael Mayer 🤗
Myles Murphy 😑
Lukas Van Ness 🤷‍♂️
John Michael Schmitz 🤷‍♂️
Joe Tippmann 🤔
Hendon Hooker 🤯
Calijah Kancey 😍
Adetomiwa Adebawore 💪
Jonathan Mingo 🥰
Josh Downs 😚

I could do more but I’ve run out of inspiration.

If you enjoy the blog and appreciate what we do — why not consider supporting the site via Patreon — (click here)

Quarterbacks and Will Anderson the key at #5

For weeks I’ve thought it’s been about Will Anderson or Anthony Richardson for Seattle. I think they are the two players they have been most focused on as this process has developed. The only question is whether C.J. Stroud also comes into contention, now that he isn’t expected to go in the top-four.

I think the media has missed a trick covering the Seahawks this draft season. From the minute they executed the Russell Wilson trade, I think it has been John Schneider’s intention to draft a young quarterback for the future. An excellent half-a-season from Geno Smith was never going to change that and they can’t bank on him being a long term solution. That’s why they structured his contract the way they did. He’s essentially turned into a well paid bridge, which is good for player and team.

Schneider is traits driven at the position. From the Charlie Whitehurst trade to Russell Wilson and then the reported interest in Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes. This quarterback class isn’t flawless but it has always felt tailor made for Schneider. Big, strong, mobile, athletic passers with high upside. That’s what he likes.

Anderson has the character traits the Seahawks are emphasising, not to mention big production at Alabama and he can be an impact player for the front seven. He is a clean player with no injury flags. The expectation would be he can start immediately and contribute, even if he lacks the magic of a Bosa brother or Myles Garrett.

I wouldn’t completely rule out Tyree Wilson given Richard Sherman’s hint that they’re switching back to the old defensive scheme but I think the #5 pick will come down to Anderson or Richardson and potentially Stroud.

This is my best guess on how Seattle views the top-five options, assuming Bryce Young is the #1 overall pick and the Colts select Will Levis at #4:

1a) Will Anderson
1b) Anthony Richardson
3) C.J. Stroud

They won’t take Jalen Carter

This is the final time we have to touch on this before the draft. Here’s what it comes down to. Over the last 12 months, Carroll and Schneider have spent considerable time talking about re-establishing what a ‘Seahawk’ is. They put their success in the 2022 draft down to a focus on character ‘without compromise’.

Reportedly the Seahawks did not consider Kayvon Thibodeaux in round one a year ago. Carter’s list of flags is far more extensive. These are all quotes from NFL scouts in Bob McGinn’s explosive article discussing Carter:

Carter lied to police about his proximity to the crash. In mid-March, he pleaded no contest to two misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and racing. He was sentenced to 12 months on probation and ordered to pay a fine, perform community service and attend a safe-driving course.

“That was all about half lies, half-baked truths,” said an executive in personnel for an NFL team. “The championship is over so he’s out from under their purview and he’s racing on the streets of Athens and people get killed. He had to lie like a dog at the combine. And there’s not one person there at Georgia that will endorse him. What are the red flags here?”

Enraged though they might be about that tragedy not to mention Carter’s ticket in September for driving 89 mph in a 45-mph zone, teams now must make a multi-millionaire business/football decision about a controversial player that remains eligible for the draft.

“His football character’s a mess,” said one evaluator. “You can’t compromise football character. If they don’t love football and they don’t know how to work, it’s going to be hard for them to become who they should become.”

Another scout said Carter had demonstrated to him during his three-year career that he didn’t love football and didn’t love the weight room. His conditioning became such an issue at Georgia that the coaches put him on the treadmill almost daily.

“They haven’t found a person yet at Georgia that wasn’t relieved that the season ended and he was gone,” said a seventh scout. “Not one. What’s ironic about it is Georgia would have won the national championship without him but they would not have won it without Stetson Bennett. And he’s so far down the rail we’re not even talking about him.”

I think the media and fans alike mistakenly view Pete Carroll as someone who is prepared to take on any lost soul and make it work. That isn’t true. Whether it’s Bruce Irvin, Frank Clark, Richard Sherman, Marshawn Lynch or several others — nobody ever questioned their love for the game and effort on a football field.

The above quotes paint a picture of someone who is the antithesis of Carroll’s famous ‘always compete’ mantra. While the talent will be enticing to all 32 teams, I suspect the majority will grudgingly take the position that Carter is best left to be someone else’s gamble.

A final point. The Seahawks have already been burned by the Malik McDowell experience. The point of raising this isn’t necessarily to compare the two players, although there are similarities. Both were physically brilliant defenders with rare traits, with Drew Rosenhaus acting as agent and cheerleader. McDowell never played a down for the Seahawks because in the long, unmanaged period between rookie mini-camp and training camp, he had an ATV accident.

The concept of Seattle being the team to guarantee Carter $30m before waving him off for the summer seems fanciful at best, mostly because they keep saying they are learning from past mistakes. You can’t lock Carter in the VMAC. He’ll be a newly minted free man. Of all the teams who are willing to take on the inevitable sleepless nights between May and July, hoping Carter is working on his conditioning and not doing stuff he shouldn’t be, the Seahawks feel like one of the least likely to do that.

Two of my first three mocks paired Carter with Seattle. I wish the character flags weren’t as extensive as they are. Guess what? So do the Texans and Cardinals. My opinion that the Seahawks won’t take him has been shaped by the evidence and information that has emerged over the last few months. If I’m wrong, I’ll own it. I think one of the reasons they made such a big splash to land an impact pass rusher in Dre’Mont Jones is because it was never their intention to take Carter in round one.

A quarterback in round one is extremely viable

I agree with Todd McShay that the Seahawks might pivot to Hendon Hooker at #20 if they don’t take a quarterback at #5.

It’s not what I would do personally but it comes back to what I said earlier. I think they’ve deliberately set up a situation where they have a viable bridge solution at quarterback for 2023 and possibly 2024 — but they’re on the look-out for a longer term option.

Hooker, just like the top-four, has the traits Schneider covets. I think some teams will grade him close to the quarterbacks who will go in the top-10 and thus, in that mid-to-late first range, they might be willing to take him.

I appreciate the Seahawks have spoken about not wanting to reach to fill specific needs but in terms of their grading — it might not be a reach on their board to go QB/DE or DE/QB. They might think the stars align to do that.

I wouldn’t be shocked if they took Will Anderson at #5 if he’s available and then selected Hooker at #20 or with a move back into the first round from #37.

That said, I think a few teams have been targeting Hooker in that #20-40 range. I wonder if some who were plotting a trade back into the first round, may now be preparing to simply take him in round one to make sure they get him. Tennessee (local hero), Houston, Washington, Detroit, Tampa Bay, Seattle, Minnesota. There’s enough buzz out there to think he’ll go in the teens, even if originally the most likely bet looked like someone trading into the back-end of the first to secure Hooker with a fifth-year option.

What will they do at #20?

I have a really strong sense that Will McDonald is going to be a big target for the Seahawks. He ticks so many boxes for them. He has the burst and quickness to attack the edge with venom. His balance and bend around the arc is the best I’ve seen since starting this blog in 2008. He has fantastic length. He’s a gritty, fierce competitor — highlighted by his willingness to play in an unfavourable position in the Iowa State scheme, compete at the Senior Bowl and do drills at the combine despite suffering with flu.

It wouldn’t surprise me if they view McDonald as the best ‘EDGE’ rusher in the draft. When you watch him beat Darnell Wright multiple times at the Senior Bowl, then watch Will Anderson struggle against the same opponent on film, they might not be alone in that assessment.

I think he could be Seattle’s answer to Brian Burns. It’s another reason why I think they might be fully prepared to draft a quarterback at #5, knowing they can get McDonald at #20.

This very much feels like a luxurious position to be in, knowing you have picks #37 and #52 still to come. They can make the most of it and go BPA. Aside from McDonald, they could also tap into a great tight end class. Michael Mayer could be the next Zach Miller in Seattle, while Dalton Kincaid also has his fans in the top-25. With Noah Fant and Colby Parkinson out of contract in 2024 — and with Fant’s $6.5m salary appearing movable to create much-needed cap space this year — it shouldn’t be a shock if they draft a tight end at #20.

If they are switching defensive schemes, Myles Murphy could also be an option. The Seahawks love big-time athletes with his kind of size. They were reportedly fans of Rashan Gary in 2019 and Murphy is similar in many ways. I just wonder whether he’s too inconsistent on tape and whether he has enough ‘dog’ in him to excel in the pro’s.

Lukas Van Ness is another option if they are turning back to the old scheme. He could play inside/out and has the athletic profile they like at the position.

I think they’ll rate Adetomiwa Adebawore very highly. He has rare physical traits (always a plus in Seattle) to go with excellent character. His performance at the Senior Bowl will have been noticed and the Seahawks might see him as a versatile chess piece, not too dissimilar to Dre’Mont Jones.

I’d like to say Calijah Kancey could also be an option as BPA at #20 but his lack of length makes me hesitant. The Seahawks have always placed a lot of focus on length for the defensive line. That said, Kancey is just so dynamic and explosive and having had to face Aaron Donald for so many years, Seattle knows the benefit of rolling the dice on a player like this.

The center position is also one to keep an eye on. The Seahawks sent Steve Hutchinson to work-out John Michael Schmitz and Joe Tippmann. Both are projected to go in the top-40. Seattle could trade down from #20 and select either, securing their interior O-line for the long-term. It’s also worth remembering that a year ago they tried to trade up from #40. Don’t be surprised if they go BPA at #20 (or after a small trade down) and then trade up from #37 to make sure they get one of the consensus top two centers. They could also trade down from #20 and take a center in the late first.

When will they bolster their interior D-line?

I think this is an area to be targeted between rounds 2-4. The Seahawks have only used one high pick on a defensive tackle before — Jarran Reed in 2016. I don’t think they will force this need, particularly with Shelby Harris and Poona Ford still available as post-draft options.

It won’t be a surprise if one of #37 or #52 is spent on Keeanu Benton, Mazi Smith
or Zacch Pickens. All fit the bill in terms of length, agility testing and mentality. I am a big fan of Alabama’s Byron Young and think his personality and character is comparable to Red Bryant, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if they focus on him too — possibly in the late second or early third round. Mississippi State’s Cameron Young continues to fly under the radar and could be an attractive one-technique.

Keion White and Bryan Bresee are more suited to the 3-4 system if they keep it. Both are athletic enough to fit the profile — although Bresee’s arm-length and consistency could be a concern.

Will they take a receiver early?

Virtually every national mock draft has them taking a receiver at #20. I’m not buying it. I don’t think the value is there and I think this is an overrated receiver class.

The two players I think they will like early are Josh Downs and Jonathan Mingo. Downs reminds me so much of Tyler Lockett — dynamic, quick, exceptionally mature with A+ character, high-points brilliantly for his size and ultra-productive. Mingo is finally getting national attention and he’s a brilliant ‘big slot’ with soft hands, outstanding size and athleticism and he’s a fierce blocker in the running game.

If both players go a bit too early for Seattle (I think they’ll both go between #30-45) I think this is a position they’ll wait on, perhaps targeting a Tyler Scott or Charlie Jones at the start of day three.

Pay attention to trends

Every year we highlight Seattle’s preferences in our combine preview. Here’s a reminder of things to look out for…

Defensive tackle
Focus on length (+33 inch arms) and agility testing (short shuttle). Some key times to note in the shuttle — Calijah Kancey (4.36), Adetomiwa Adebawore (4.26), Bryan Bresee (4.38), Keeanu Benton (4.65), Zacch Pickens (4.62). John Schneider played down the value of the nose tackle position, so they might take a bid-bodied space eater later on to fill that need.

Defensive end/pass rush
Twitch is the name of the game here, with the 10-yard split and short shuttle appearing important. Here are some split times of note: Nolan Smith (1.52), Yaya Diaby (1.56), Derick Hall (1.59), D.J. Johnson (1.59), Tyrus Wheat (1.59), Will Anderson (1.61), Byron Young (1.62), Lukas Van Ness (1.64).

As for shuttle times:

Derick Hall — 4.20
Will McDonald — 4.22
Myles Murphy — 4.29
Andre Carter — 4.29
Jose Ramirez — 4.30
Lukas Van Ness — 4.32
Felix Anudike-Uzomah — 4.34

Linebacker
They’ve often sought big-time athletes at this position, or players who run a tremendous short shuttle (Cody Barton — 4.03, Ben Burr-Kirven — 4.09). Nobody ran that well at the combine and overall, it’s hard to identify true ‘Seahawk’ linebackers in this group. If they draft one, it might be down to mentality rather than profile — putting the likes of Dorian Williams, Daiyan Henley, Henry To’oto’o, DeMarvion Overshown and Ventrell Miller in the mix.

Cornerback
They’ve gone away from the typical ‘size/length’ approach but there are strong options with the classic Carroll profile — including Julius Brents, Kelee Ringo, Cory Trice, Rezjohn Wright and a wildcard — possible safety convert Jay Ward. However, quick and physical cornerbacks are now not automatically ruled out if they are shorter and smaller.

Safety
There’s a real mix of physical profiles in the players they’ve taken, making safety one of the tougher positions to project. There’s a whole collection of tough, physical, alpha leaders in this class which should appeal.

Quarterback
A big arm, mobility, the ability to throw on the run, ideal size. They’re looking for traits and that’s where the 2023 class delivers.

Wide receiver
We have years of data to show that unless you run a 4.4 or faster, the Seahawks are unlikely to consider you until the later rounds (if at all). They value speed and suddenness at the position even if you’re a ‘bigger’ receiver.

Tight end
Agility testing connects all of the tight ends Seattle has drafted, signed or acquired in the Carroll/Schneider era. On top of that, we’ve identified that the elite TE’s in the league all pair a strong short shuttle and/or three-cone with a good 10-yard split. This is a very strong year at the position:

Darnell Washington — 1.57 (10), 4.08 (ss)
Zack Kuntz — 1.57 (10), 4.12 (ss)
Brenton Strange — 1.57 (10), 4.46 (ss)
Luke Schoonmaker — 1.59 (10), 4.27 (ss)
Tucker Kraft — 1.59 (10), 4.29 (ss)
Sam LaPorta — 1.59 (10), 4.25 (ss)
Michael Mayer — 1.66 (10), 4.44 (ss)

Offensive line
Short shuttle is key at center, which is why John Michael Schmitz (4.56), Luke Wypler (4.53) and Joe Tippmann (reported 4.31) are on our radar. Seattle’s current guards are big and strong explosive testers. Peter Skoronski (3.37), Andrew Vorhees (3.26), Anthony Bradford (3.17) and Chandler Zavala (3.01) all scored well in our TEF formula (measuring explosive traits). Other players with incomplete testing results project to be explosive, including Blake Freeland (3.60), Jon Gaines (3.26), Jaelyn Duncan (3.20), Sidy Sow (3.13), Earl Bostick (3.12), Tyler Steen (3.11), Braeden Daniels (3.05), Wanya Morris (3.04), Cody Mauch (3.01) and Broderick Jones (3.00). The Seahawks are also continuing to transition to the Rams blocking scheme, which features converted tackles playing guard. This could bring a player like Jordan McFadden into play.

Running back
The Seahawks have a type at running back. They’ve consistently drafted players with a similar physical profile. Their runners are about 210-220lbs. They have explosive testing results (good vertical & broad jump). It’s made it fairly straight forward to figure out who they might like.

Quick-hitting notes

— The perception is the Seahawks have a lot to do on defense. That’s true. One thing to remember though — they’ve already added big name players at every level of their defense at a cost. Dre’Mont Jones and Jarran Reed up front, Bobby Wagner at linebacker and Julian Love in the secondary. There’s still work to be done but it’s indicative of a team not feeling forced into a corner with any of their picks. Plus they’ve always backed themselves to find contributing defensive tackles. It’s not their fault that the one super talented DT to enter the league in years will be deemed undraftable by many clubs due to character flags.

— They will draft one or possibly two running backs. I think this is more likely to be a mid-to-late round focus. Zach Charbonnet, Israel Abanikanda, Kendre Miller, Roschon Johnson, Chase Brown, Chris Rodriguez and Tank Bigsby would appear to be in the ball-park for what they look for (size, explosive traits).

— On top of a center, I do think another mid-round pick will be spent on the guard position. I am a big fan of Chandler Zavala and think he will have a big appeal to the Seahawks (and other teams) on day two. Anthony Bradford, Emil Ekiyor Jr and Jordan McFadden could be very attractive options in round four. I think adding competition at guard will be a key target.

— It’s not a good year at linebacker and I think that’s why they aggressively pursued Wagner and Devin Bush. They could take a mid or late-round depth option. Pete Carroll had a personal front-row seat at Henry To’oTo’o’s pro-day. That’s something to remember. I think they’ll like the violence and quickness of Dorian Williams and Daiyan Henley. There’s very little to get excited about though.

— It’s a loaded cornerback class and the Seahawks will have ample opportunity to add one of their guys. Julius Brents will likely go too early but Cory Trice and Rezjohn Wright feel like good options. I also think LSU safety Jay Ward is perfectly placed to transition to cornerback for Seattle. I’m interested to see if their approach at cornerback has changed this year, after seemingly being prepared to draft Derek Stingley or Sauce Gardner in the top-10 a year ago. I suspect if a top, top corner on their board was available at #20, #37 or #52 — they might consider it.

— It feels inevitable the Seahawks will draft a safety to replace Ryan Neal. This is a class full of tough, physical alpha’s and they will like that. Ji’Ayir Brown, JL Skinner, Sydney Brown, Jammie Robinson, Jay Ward, Jason Taylor, Christopher Smith, Jartavius Martin, Jordan Howden, Jerrick Reed. There’s a lot to like here. There’s also a plausible scenario where Brian Branch is BPA with one of their early picks.

— The Seahawks always want to compete and contend. However, I also think they’re being patient and realistic. This is year two of a rebuild. I suspect, by next week, we’ll see that they’ve been able to set the table for the future while also adding some impact players for 2023. Certain needs might not be taken in the range some people want. They frequently say their focus is ‘best player available’. This is all good news. This isn’t about simply improving the team for the upcoming season. It’s about setting up the team to be good for a long time. I think, at times, people lose sight of that.

Confirmed official-30 visits

Dawand Jones (T)
Jammie Robinson (S)
Jordan Howden (S)
Jerrick Reed II (S)
Braeden Daniels (G)
Byron Young-TEN (EDGE)
Adetomiwa Adebawore (DE)
Yaya Diaby (EDGE)
Anthony Bradford (G)
Jordan McFadden (G)
Jalen Carter (DT)
Calvin Avery (DT)
Trenton Simpson (LB)
Drake Thomas (LB)
Jartavius Martin (S)
Charlie Jones (WR)
Nick Herbig (LB)
Robert Cooper (DT)
Jake Andrews (C)
Tyler Steen (G)
Garrett Williams (CB)
B.J. Ojulari (EDGE)
Will McDonald (EDGE)
Will Anderson (EDGE)
Devon Witherspoon (CB)
Lukas Van Ness (DE)

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Here’s my full interview with Tony Pauline…

Yesterday Mike Florio revealed, “There’s chatter in league circles that the Seahawks could take Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson with the fifth overall pick in the draft.”

Today the speculation continues, with the various reporters trying to unearth what might happen this week.

Todd McShay is hearing strong Seahawks interest in drafting a quarterback at #5, while he also says “Jalen Carter isn’t expected to be the pick.”

I have a strong sense Seattle won’t leave Round 1 without a quarterback. The more I talk to execs, scouts, coaches and agents, the more I think the Seahawks could be targeting Stroud or even Florida’s Anthony Richardson at this spot, depending on who is there. Stroud is 21 years old and Richardson is 20, and the idea is either could sit behind Geno Smith in the short-term and develop into the answer for the long-term.

If both are gone, that means either Anderson or Wilson will be there, and I expect that’d be the direction Seattle goes. Multiple sources have told me Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter isn’t expected be the pick. I don’t see Carter falling out of the top 10, but it’s reasonable he could slide to the back end of it.

One final note on Seattle: If it doesn’t take a quarterback at No. 5, keep an eye on Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker at No. 20, the team’s other first-round slot. He’s older (25), but it’s another option for a team thinking about the future under center.

This would align with what I’ve been projecting myself — a comfort level with Will Anderson or Anthony Richardson, with Tyree Wilson and C.J. Stroud being potential alternatives given the speculation about a defensive scheme switch and Stroud’s suspected fall.

Albert Breer, however, has a slightly different take:

This, to me, is the ceiling for Carter. I’ve heard that Pete Carroll loves the Georgia game-wrecker, and that the Seahawks had a good 30 visit with him. That said, Seattle GM John Schneider has had his ups and downs with such gambles in the past, and it’s fair to wonder if his experience with Malik McDowell a few years back would have a material effect on whether or not he’d spend the fifth pick on someone with Carter’s file. I also wouldn’t rule out Richardson; Schneider and Carroll really liked Josh Allen a few years ago, and there are some parallels with this one, including the fact that they wouldn’t have to rush him out onto the field as a rookie. As for the second pick? Sounds like Seattle is comfortable enough with its roster to go best player available there, with a trade down always being a possibility as long as Schneider’s finger is the one on the trigger.

Breer, unlike Daniel Jeremiah and McShay, isn’t saying that Carter to Seattle is unlikely. I suspect, however, that what he says he is extremely plausible. I can well imagine Pete Carroll being a fan of Carter’s on-field performance when he’s at his best. I’m also sure it’s possible he had a good official-30 visit. Drew Rosenhaus would’ve prepared his client sufficiently to get the job done in that regard.

Yet the point Breer makes about Schneider’s comfort level is also important. The Seahawks have been here before and know how important this pick is. I’m afraid there’s just too much going on with Carter, as we’ve discussed ad nauseam, and I’m not surprised the likes of Jeremiah and McShay are starting to hear expectations Seattle will pass on him. Bob McGinn’s explosive article featuring Carter did not portray someone who I would ever expect the Seahawks (and many other teams) to take in the top-five.

Breer’s line on BPA at #20 is also very interesting and speaks to what we’ve been debating. He also acknowledges a trade down could be likely with the second pick. That all feels very ‘clued-in’ so we’ll see if he’s right about the other stuff.

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Mike Florio has written an article today relaying some information he’s hearing:

How about this one? There’s chatter in league circles that the Seahawks could take Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson with the fifth overall pick in the draft.

It would be a surprise, to say the least. But some believe the Seahawks will take Richardson at No. 5, if he’s there.

I don’t think it would be a surprise at all and have been suggesting for a number of weeks that I think Seattle’s two key targets are Will Anderson and Anthony Richardson. Anderson gives them a productive, powerful edge-threat with alpha leadership qualities and a potential impact player. Richardson is exactly the type of physical unicorn Pete Carroll loves to develop and John Schneider is a traits-based projectionist at quarterback.

A report like this doesn’t do Seattle any good if it is indeed true. I think there’s a very real chance someone will trade into the top-three picks specifically to target Richardson. For all the hand-wringing over what he is today, the upside is unlike anything we’ve ever seen before. There’s nothing stopping Richardson developing into a Josh Allen type player. For that reason, I think there will be some teams seriously thinking of jumping up to #3. Division rival Arizona would certainly love to spoil Seattle’s potential plan, while acquiring extra stock themselves.

I noted this on my live stream earlier — a lot of people call Richardson a high-ceiling low floor player. I actually think his remarkable physical talent raises the floor. When he works the pro-game out, he could be a fantastic player. Give him time, be patient with him and the rewards are exciting to think about.

Tomorrow I’m going to publish my full interview with Tony Pauline (check it out) but here’s a clip from the conversation where Tony calls Richardson to Seattle ‘a perfect fit’ while praising the mentoring capabilities of Geno Smith:

On the latest Anthony Richardson to the #Seahawks talk, I asked @TonyPauline today about the fit. See Tony's answer below and the full interview will be live tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/Z2n2CeMYJH

— Rob Staton (@robstaton) April 24, 2023

Now, admittedly, we hear a lot of things in the media. For the last few weeks everyone has been predicting Jalen Carter to Seattle. Recently there’s been a shift with Daniel Jeremiah citing sources that have made him think that won’t happen. Tony, in our interview, voiced a similar view on Sunday.

It’s possible the wider media is catching on at last but anyone who follows the Seahawks closely could see why Schneider and Carroll in particular could be enamoured with Richardson. Corbin Smith even reported a lengthy meeting between Schneider and Richardson’s agent at the Florida pro-day, while Carroll had an audience with Billy Napier. On top of that, Richardson spoke openly in the media about his connection to the Seahawks during their combine meeting.

There’s been a blossoming relationship brewing here.

I spoke to someone who knows the Seahawks very well yesterday and asked his thoughts on the quarterback class. He thought the upside potential of Richardson would likely put him at the top of Seattle’s quarterback board.

The Seahawks have ample picks to address their defense and take a quarterback. Will Anderson looks increasingly likely to be off the board by #5, there are injury concerns with Tyree Wilson and Bob McGinn’s explosive report on Jalen Carter makes him seem even less likely to be the pick than ever before.

This all brings Richardson into view provided nobody trades up first. It’s also why I think moving up isn’t out of the question for Seattle. We started the off-season saying if Schneider finds a quarterback he loves, we should back him to make a move. That should still be the case today even if it means ‘paying the iron price’.

A few quick mentions…

Check out this shorter video I did for the FTN Network discussing the draft and the Seahawks:

If you missed the live-stream earlier check it out here:

The Tony Pauline interview will be live on Monday and on Tuesday I’ll be streaming with Jeff Simmons.

If you enjoy the blog and appreciate what we do — why not consider supporting the site via Patreon — (click here)

With Rob, Robbie & Adam…