Category: Front Page News (Page 26 of 367)

I was listening to 710 Seattle Sports yesterday and a clip was played featuring Dave Wyman discussing Geno Smith’s contract situation:

“I feel like, for whatever reason, Geno wants $40m. That’s his number”

Wyman isn’t just casually throwing out the $40m as a suggestion. He is well connected to the team and it was announced yesterday that John Schneider will be appearing on his radio show every Thursday until the draft.

This is a steer. This is a nugget of information, pulling back the curtain and letting fans know where the negotiation is.

Smith’s camp are asking for $40m.

I don’t think it’s worth overreacting too much to the news. This is likely a starting point for negotiations. It’s the same average salary being given to Derek Carr, Dak Prescott and Matt Stafford (although Carr is about to be cut by the Raiders).

This simply sets a high bar for the discussion, while the Seahawks will try to set a low bar. From there, the two sides will work on a compromise. That’s business.

However, there is one problem.

By introducing the $40m number, it normalises the idea of paying Geno Smith $30m. Or the $32.4m he’d get on the franchise tag. Suddenly that feels like a more reasonable number simply because it isn’t $40m.

My response to this is…

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.

No.

How has this become our reality? How have we gone from the Russell Wilson trade, embracing an opportunity to draft a replacement and potentially benefit from years of cost-effective quarterback play, to having a serious debate about paying Geno Smith a similar salary to the one they shipped to Denver 12 months ago?

Smith had one good season in a journeyman career. It wasn’t even a full season of quality play either. You can make the arguments about why his form tailed off and some are valid points to raise. Yet the truth is he still made errors and could easily have had more turnovers — as noted in a previous article:

Hugh Millen raised an interesting point on KJR on Friday. He pointed to a stat provided by PFF listing ‘turnover worthy plays’ by each quarterback. Smith had the second most in the NFL, just behind Josh Allen. Millen also pointed out that Allen had far more ‘explosive’ passing plays and a lot more rushing yards to compensate for his erraticism.

Building on the point, he then noted that when looking at the top-10 quarterbacks — on average 80.6% of their turnover worthy plays had resulted in actual turnovers. In comparison, Geno Smith saw only 48% of his turnover worthy plays actually result in an interception.

That’s staggering.

If he’d thrown the 80.6% average like the rest of the QB’s in the top-10, he would’ve had 25 picks. Even if he’d had a still well below average 65% — he would’ve led the league in turnovers.

I’m not even sure if this accounts for stuff like the pick-six against San Francisco in Seattle which was called back for a fortuitous penalty. That play was blown dead, after all. So it could be even worse than these numbers suggest.

Regardless, Smith had incredible luck when it came to turnovers this season.

There’s a key point to be raised here. The ridiculous state of middle-class quarterback salaries in the league shouldn’t dictate anything. If a handful of middling QB’s get paid a lot of money, you are not duty-bound to give Geno Smith the same contract.

Nobody can look at the $46m given to Kyler Murray, the $40.5m given to Derek Carr, the $40m given to Dak Prescott, the $35m given to Kirk Cousins or the $29m given to Ryan Tannehill and think that’s money well spent.

Desperation at the position has created a financial problem. Teams fearing life without the ‘good not great’ quarterback end up sleepwalking into awful contracts, handcuffing themselves to mediocrity.

Often those teams cling to the false hope that ‘things might be different next year’. It never is. Season after season we see the same thing. A team good enough not to be bad — but nowhere near good enough to be Champions.

The thing is, you can understand why the Minnesota Vikings are inclined to keep themselves in this rut. They’re picking 24th overall. In order to trade into the top-five, it might cost them three first round picks. Unless they want to launch a major rebuild, they face the prospect of sticking with Cousins or rebuilding painfully.

In that awkward situation — being able to offer the fans some modest hope, being able to sell tickets and merchandise, being able to play a playoff game or two — that makes business sense even if we know the Vikings are never likely to win anything with Cousins on a $35m deal.

Yet isn’t that the point? To win titles. Not make up the playoff numbers.

Now look at the Titans. When they paid Tannehill it was seen as a good move. In the years that followed, Tennessee had to restructure his deal twice because the cost became prohibitive. As a consequence, his three-year deal evolved into a four-year contract. Meanwhile, the Titans haven’t won a single playoff game since he re-signed.

Now, they’re being linked with a big trade up the board into the top-five. To do what? You guessed it — draft a cheaper, more talented quarterback. Just as the 49ers felt obliged to do to try and replace Jimmy Garoppolo.

The Seahawks face no such dilemma. Thanks to Denver, they have the #5 pick. One of the top-four quarterbacks will be available to them at #5. They have an opportunity to try and emulate the Eagles — who were a four-win team in 2020 and a nine-win team in 2021. Now they’re in the Super Bowl.

I am totally convinced that C.J. Stroud, Bryce Young, Will Levis and Anthony Richardson are capable of doing what Jalen Hurts has done. Build the roster around a young quarterback and you can set out to emulate the Eagles.

You’re not guaranteed to succeed. Nobody is saying that. It’s a plan, though, that makes more sense than paying Geno Smith a fortune and being forced to rely solely on the draft to add to your roster because most of your cap space is gone.

I’ve always felt keeping Geno Smith as your answer to Alex Smith in Kansas City — then drafting an heir apparent — is the best plan. That requires a bridge contract though. Not $40m. Not $32.4m. Not $30m.

I’m not even sure why we’re talking about these numbers. Who is the other team creating a heated market for Geno? Who is it? Every single article I read barely mentions Smith as an option for the Saints, Jets, Panthers, Colts etc. There’s plenty of Aaron Rodgers chatter, Derek Carr speculation and Jimmy Garoppolo talk. There’s never anything about Geno Smith.

The only team I can imagine having interest is Tampa Bay. Todd Bowles knows Geno from their New York Jets days and they’re interviewing Dave Canales, Seattle’s QB coach, for their offensive coordinator role.

The Buccs can’t rebuild because they have too many hefty contracts. Their only solution is to re-work deals to reduce their -$58m cap hole they’re currently in.

That in itself is a problem though. The one other potential suitor that appears obvious is $58m over the cap. Are they really in a position to throw money at Smith?

Why do the Seahawks need to even go as high as $30m? Just because that’s perceived to be market value? Screw market value. He’s worth as much as the highest bidder is willing to pay. The Seahawks should be bold — let him test the market. Be prepared to lose him. It’d be worth it to get a better deal, save money and potentially land Smith on another incentivised contract. If someone does offer around $30m — good for him. Wish him well and move on.

A lot of fans will say the cap is meaningless and the Seahawks can structure a deal to avoid a big cap hit this year. That’s very true. However, if you’re signing someone to a contract worth $30-35m a year — you can’t have a cheap year-one cap-hit unless the money becomes enormous in future seasons. That will lead to dead money if you part ways, or you’ll be left paying a massive amount to a quarterback in his mid-30’s — limiting what you can do elsewhere to improve your roster.

Essentially whatever money you give to Geno could be spent elsewhere — possibly on multiple players.

This brings me back to the original point. Just because the quarterback market is completely dumb, doesn’t mean YOU have to join in. You can say ‘no’. You can draft a quarterback at #5. You can make Drew Lock your bridge, or someone else.

You don’t have to pay Geno Smith — especially when the likelihood is with or without Smith, you are building for another two off-seasons at least. And like Cousins, Tannehill, Carr and co — is he ever going to be able to win you a Super Bowl if he’s taking up a large chunk of your cap space and needing to cover flaws on the roster?

Let’s look at how the franchise-tag amount of $32.4m — a figure a lot of people seem comfortable with — compares to other positions. The stupidity of overpaying at quarterback is really brought home by the following list of players and their average salaries:

Myles Garrett — $25m
Maxx Crosby — $23m
Chris Jones — $20m
Jalen Ramsey — $20m
Haason Reddick — $15m
Trey Hendrickson — $15m
Budda Baker — $14.75m
D.J. Reader — $13.25m
Javon Hargrave — $13m

Look at the impact players you could sign, that have been available in free agency recently, for the price of Geno Smith. That’s before we even get into the point that Smith’s agents are supposedly asking for a contract worth $15m more than Myles Garrett’s.

Again — this is silly. We shouldn’t care ‘what the market says’ at quarterback. The market is broken. You eat it and accept it for a Joe Burrow or Patrick Mahomes. You know it’s going to cost you. But the simple fact is it’s too expensive to sign non-elite quarterbacks. You should be prepared to look elsewhere to find value, just as you did in 2022 when you paid Smith $3.5m plus incentives.

Turning that into a contract worth nearly ten times the amount would be the polar opposite of value. It’d be even worse if Smith’s form was akin to the second half of the 2022 season for an extended period.

People talk about the risk of going the rookie route. Sure. Let’s also acknowledge that committing massive money to Smith is also a risk.

I think there’s a possibility we’ll begin to view the smart, dynamic teams as the ones who game the QB market.

The Seahawks should be prepared to do that. At the moment, all the signs are they’re preparing to pay Smith. Maybe they’ll create a deal that ‘looks’ good so Geno can say he won a great contract but in reality, gives the team plenty of leeway?

I can only hope that’s true. Keeping a player you like and believe in is understandable but it has to be for the right price. Forty million dollars is not the right price for Geno Smith.

I still think fans and media alike should be more prepared to embrace drafting a quarterback at #5, signing a cheaper bridge quarterback like Drew Lock, using your cap saving to add talent in free agency and then using your remaining premium stock at picks #20, #38 and #53 to add the best talent available.

This is a rebuild, not a quick haircut and off you go.

It’s time to be firm, strict and prepared to move on to another quarterback if needs be. This is a better quarterback draft than many are suggesting, too.

Smith and the Seahawks are good for each other but not for an eye-watering amount of money. The Seahawks should be the team that says ‘no’ to the nonsense of the quarterback money market. The Seahawks should set out to be the trailblazers who game the system — using their own offensive scheme — to produce value at a cheaper price.

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I’m a little bit surprised that Notre Dame star Michael Mayer is getting a lukewarm review in the media.

Oregon State’s Luke Musgrave is getting a lot more hype. I really like Musgrave and think he deserves plenty of attention. But to say he should be ahead of Mayer, purely due to expected testing results, doesn’t fully add up.

Musgrave played in just two games last season due to injury. His career high for yardage is 304 in 2021. He only has two career touchdowns.

This isn’t the be-all and end-all and I’m not going to indulge in any box-score scouting. I think it’s difficult though to put Musgrave ahead of one of the most productive, dangerous, complete tight ends in college football history — purely based on how the two are expected to perform at the combine.

The main reason for this is you can make a strong case that agility and short-area quickness is more important than straight-line speed. A tight end isn’t typically going to be running forty-yards downfield in a straight line. They are expected to separate from smaller defenders at the second level, usually late in a route. Having burst to create subtle separation or the agility to change direction quickly and create an opening feels more important.

The results back that up.

Rob Gronkowski’s 4.68 forty at 264lbs is a good time. It’s certainly faster than the speculated 4.8 that Mayer is set to run. However — Gronk also had some pretty special results that aren’t often discussed. For example, he ran a 1.58 10-yard split. Typically anything in the 1.5’s is considered ‘elite’ for an edge rusher. For a 264lbs tight end to do that is mightily impressive. He also ran a solid 4.47 short shuttle.

That kind of short-area quickness over 10-yards and his ability to change direction at his size helped Gronk become the legend we know today.

Travis Kelce also ran a very good forty time for his size (4.61 at 255lbs). The point isn’t to suggest that running a decent forty isn’t indicative of anything at all. Yet Kelce also ran a very similar 10-yard split to Gronk (1.61). His short shuttle was a 4.42 and he added a 7.09 three-cone. Again — he combined short-area quickness with great agility.

Mark Andrews at Baltimore ran a 1.54 10-yard split at 256lbs then ran a 4.38 short shuttle. Those are incredible times and with hindsight, it’s a nonsense he lasted deep into round three.

I don’t have a 10-yard split for Dallas Goedert but he did run a 4.31 short shuttle and a 7.02 three-cone at 256lbs.

Zach Ertz only ran a 4.76 forty at 249lbs — a pretty awful time. Yet his short shuttle was a 4.47 and his three-cone a 7.08. That agility testing has shown up many times in a long, successful career.

T.J. Hockenson could really begin to shine in Minnesota. He only ran a 4.70 at 251lbs which comparatively isn’t very good. Yet he ran a blistering 4.18 short shuttle and a 7.02 three-cone.

That’s a decent chunk of evidence that even if you don’t run a great forty — you can still excel if you test well in the 10-yard split and/or agility testing.

The Seahawks have clearly latched on to the importance of agility testing for tight ends because virtually every one they’ve signed or drafted in the Carroll/Schneider era has followed a pattern:

Luke Willson — 4.29 (ss), 7.08 (3c)
Will Dissly — 4.40 (ss), 7.07 (3c)
Nick Vannett — 4.20 (ss), 7.05 (3c)
Anthony McCoy — 4.57 (ss), 6.99 (3c)
Zach Miller — 4.42 (ss), 7.01 (3c)
Jimmy Graham — 4.45 (ss), 6.90 (3c)
Greg Olsen — 4.48 (ss), 7.04 (3c)
Colby Parkinson — 4.46 (ss), 7.15 (3c)
Gerald Everett — 4.33 (ss), 6.99 (3c)
Noah Fant — 4.22 (ss), 6.81 (3c)

That’s an average short shuttle of 4.38 seconds and an average three cone of 7.01 seconds. Both would be incredible times for a tight end.

Will Dissly is a good example to highlight here. He only ran a 4.87 at 262lbs. It’s not impossible Mayer runs a similar time. Yet his 4.40 short shuttle and 7.07 three-cone, plus his attitude and blocking-ability, had him pegged as a ‘must draft’ for the Seahawks in 2018.

So really, it doesn’t what Mayer runs at the combine. If he ends up running a similar time to Dissly, it could simply push him into the welcoming arms of a team selecting later in round one — such as the Seahawks.

I would expect Mayer to test well in the short shuttle and three cone. When you watch him on tape, time and time again you see his ability to create last-minute separation. There are plenty of examples where he’s being covered by a smaller, far quicker slot corner and yet late in the route he will pivot at the last minute, take a step away from the defender and present an easy target for the quarterback.

Aside from that there are major plus-points to his game. I think he’s the best player I’ve watched at catching the ball away from his body. Inaccurate throws that are high and wide are made to look easy. He has soft-hands. He uses his size brilliantly to box-out defenders and dominate 1v1’s. He will make difficult over-the-shoulder grabs. He can contort his body and adjust to the flight of the ball.

It’s not easy to record 2099 receiving yards in three seasons as a college tight end, with 18 touchdowns. Especially when you’re not playing in a prolific offense with a big-name quarterback.

On top of this, Mayer is basically ‘Mr. Football’. His personality and attitude speak to his love for the game. He does what it takes to win as a blocker and you can put him in any play-call and he can get the job done as a receiver or blocker. He’ll be able to start in week one and deliver results.

Provided he tests as well as I think he will in the short shuttle and three-cone, I have full faith that he can become a very useful pass-catcher and potentially fit in as a dynamic target. You need three good weapons in the modern NFL. He can be one from the tight end position.

He fits everything the Seahawks look for and given their self-confessed desire not to reach for need and focus on the right type of characters — Mayer would fit the bill if he somehow lasts to #20.

Why would they consider drafting a tight end? It’s about planning ahead. Noah Fant and Colby Parkinson are both free agents after the 2023 season. Dissly has a contract until the end of 2024 but you’ll need more than one tight end.

Pete Carroll appeared on 710 Seattle Sports during the season and spoke about the USC vs Notre Dame game, where he referenced the quality of Notre Dame’s tight end (speaking of Mayer). It shouldn’t be a surprise if the Seahawks rate him highly and see him as a strong character and playing-style fit.

While addressing needs is going to be important — adding talent you can build around for the next five years is also key. You’re not just drafting for the 2023 season. Mayer might not fill an immediate need but he could be a focal point for years to come.

I personally think there are too many TE-needy teams between #11-19 to think he’ll last. He’s a really good player. If he did fall to #20 though, he should be a consideration for Seattle.

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When I posted my latest mock draft on Sunday I gave the Seahawks Dawand Jones at #20 — suggesting the Seahawks could potentially draft him as a ‘best player available’ while kicking Abraham Lucas inside to right guard.

It wasn’t something I wrote glibly. As someone who graded Lucas as a first round tackle throughout the process last year, it was good to see him outperform many of his peers. His 68.4 PFF grade is a really good start to his NFL career — bettering top-10 picks Ikem Ekwonu (65.3), Charles Cross (63.1) and Evan Neal (41.7).

The Seahawks potentially have a right tackle for the long-term tied up on a third-round contract for the next three seasons.

Without a doubt, Lucas was one of the best picks in the 2022 draft in terms of value and talent. It was ridiculous he didn’t get more attention. He was excellent at the Senior Bowl. His combine was incredible — running a 4.92 forty at 6-6 and 315lbs. His 4.40 short shuttle was an elite time. He had 34-inch arms. During on-field drills, Lucas was easily the most impressive performer.

He had no business lasting to round three.

The likelihood is he will stay at right tackle and the Seahawks will simply bring in a new right guard. There are options in the draft. Nick Broeker is an ideal scheme fit for a zone blocking team and he was extremely impressive in the Senior Bowl game combining with Nick Saldiveri — who played center but was a college right guard who also fits the bill. McClendon Curtis has great length and also had an impressive week in Mobile and could be an option. The Rams’ scheme likes converted tackles at guard so Tyler Steen could be a candidate, or Asim Richards. If they wanted to draft someone in the first two days, Jaelyn Duncan has the athleticism and frame to kick inside. I even think Ryan Hayes, who struggled at tackle on day one, is worth a look to see if he can make it at guard.

While the twitter world focuses on players who are a bit overrated like O’Cyrus Torrence, there are plenty of names here. Most of these players will be available between rounds 3-7 too. You don’t have to shift your impressive starting right tackle to a new position.

The reason I thought it was worth considering though is two-fold. Firstly, the Seahawks have a tendency to move their offensive linemen around. There was no real need to switch Damien Lewis to left guard after a good rookie season on the right. They did it anyway to accommodate Gabe Jackson. Lewis’ Pff grade dropped from 70.2 in year one to 57.1 in year two. Thankfully, he now appears to have adjusted to the change — scoring a 71.8 grade in 2022.

Ethan Pocic was moved around the line and so was Justin Britt. Phil Haynes has been used as a flexible lineman. There are others I’ve probably forgotten about.

Kicking Lucas to right guard would also fit in with the idea that the Rams use converted tackles at guard. Lucas has the athleticism and agility to make it work in this scheme. There’d be no reason to think he couldn’t develop into a productive interior lineman.

The other reason is what’s available at #20. It could be a bit of a sweet-spot for the tackle position. There are two players — Darnell Wright and Dawand Jones — who are big, hulking, physical and incredibly impressive. If the Seahawks didn’t have Lucas, I’d be shouting almost daily on this blog to draft one of them.

They are not like other ‘big tackles’ we’ve seen in previous years. Remember Daniel Faalele? Remember all the hype he was getting a year ago? He struggled at the Senior Bowl and looked too big, clumsy, way too stiff and incapable of starting in the NFL at tackle. For some reason, the media (who I think were watching the same week of practise but who knows?) thought he did well.

Take this mock draft for example which had Faalele going 20th overall just after the Senior Bowl. He was the 110th pick in the end. Nothing about his performance in Mobile suggested ‘first round pick’. Nothing.

When you watch Jones, who is virtually the same size as Faalele, it’s totally different. He doesn’t look like he needs to shift 50lbs of bad weight. He actually looks natural at the size. He had his jersey lifted up for practise and was barely carrying any bad weight. He looked in good shape — just an absolute behemoth. He moved well on his feet. He was getting off the ball quicker than Isaiah Foskey to seal the edge. Jones knew how to make the most of his length and dominated, overpowering most of his opponents in 1v1 combat.

Wright similarly had a fantastic week. He had a bit of bother against Will McDonald (who will go a lot higher than some of the mocks are suggesting after his Senior Bowl, believe that) but otherwise looked great for his size and locked down most of his reps. In the game he was bullying people, just like he did in practise. Let’s not forget how he shut-down Will Anderson during the season.

I think they’ve been the top two tackles in the draft for some time. I doubt anything will change that. Paris Johnson Jr doesn’t excite me and the only real argument you can make that Wright and Jones aren’t OT1 and OT2 is whether you think Jaelyn Duncan deserves to stick at tackle, given he can play the left-hand side and will test very well.

If Wright and/or Jones test well at the combine, it shouldn’t be a surprise if they get into the top-15 range. Assuming men sized at 342lbs and 375lbs don’t win the underwear Olympics, there’s a chance that when Seattle’s on the clock at #20 — both players will be very tempting.

The Seahawks don’t beat anyone up in the trenches and haven’t done so for a long time, despite having a philosophy that calls for it. Being able to line-up with a front including Lewis, Lucas and one of Wright or Jones would give you an opportunity to frighten teams with your size, power and aggression. There’s winning getting off the bus and there’s throwing out a 6-8, 375lbs athlete with nearly 37-inch arms out there and saying, ‘good luck’.

It’s an exciting thought. Exciting enough to at least contemplate moving Lucas — who some people at least thought would find a home at guard:

“Too many disappointments are coming out of the program on the offensive line so I think that works against him. I think he can be a make-it guard, though.” — Director of scouting for AFC team

“Lucas is scheme-limited but has eventual starting potential at either right tackle or guard.” — Lance Zierlein

I think you could even put Darnell Wright at guard and keep Lucas at tackle (although Jones should stay on the outside with his incredible length).

The idea of lining up and kicking an opponents’ arse in the trenches is something I think most people can buy into.

Again — what I think is more likely is they’ll keep Lucas at right tackle and draft a guard in the middle rounds from the options listed earlier. I think at #20 there will be very appealing defensive line options — and I’d keep a very close eye on Will McDonald who just screams Seahawks with his length and physical profile.

If you want to bully opponents up front though — continuing to add talent and size to your offensive line would be a way to do it.

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Some of the Seahawks’ best moves in the Carroll/Schneider have been opportunistic.

The Marshawn Lynch trade, when the league had determined he was too much of a problem child. Capitalising on Bennet and Avril’s unexpectedly cold free agent market. Seeing beyond a 5-10 frame and drafting a franchise quarterback in round three.

There have, of course, been some fairly expensive mistakes too as they’ve tried to make magic happen again.

I do think this is part of their DNA though. They try to see where the league is taking its eye off the ball and strike.

The latest example, as I touched on recently in my most recent mock draft article, could be Hendon Hooker.

Regulars to the blog will know I tempered a lot of the Hooker hype during the season. Unquestionably he played well in 2022 and he might’ve won the Heisman if it wasn’t for the ACL injury he suffered near the end of the season. He helped make Tennessee relevant for the first time in years — no mean feat.

I also think the Josh Heupel offense is brilliant at making life easy for the quarterback. Hooker had an incredible number of wide-open throws. Watch this highlight video and note how many times you hear the commentator say ‘wide open’ when he throws. It’s preposterous, really. He wasn’t asked to do anything challenging and he played in a system not too unlike the ones at Ohio State and Washington. It’s mass production with a lot of the heavy lifting being done at the sideline.

PFF tallies ‘big time throws’ — defined as ‘a pass with excellent ball location and timing, generally thrown further down the field and/or into a tighter window’. Hooker is credited with just two ‘big time’ throws in 2022.

He also benefitted from having two high draft picks to throw to (Jalin Hyatt & Cedric Tillman) and he had a good offensive line, including brilliant right tackle Darnell Wright. Not many quarterbacks are able to rely on their right tackle to shut down Will Anderson.

Even so, Hooker did his part in executing the system. He’s athletic and can move around to extend plays when needed. He doesn’t have a rocket arm but it’s in the ‘good enough’ category. He’s a player you at last carry some hope for at the next level.

Truth be told it’s not that impossible to imagine him coming in to the NFL and being able to spearhead a team in the way Jalen Hurts is doing. Anyone who watched Hurts in college probably didn’t point and say ‘this guy will be a Super Bowl QB one day’. He was benched by Alabama, transferred to Oklahoma and did pretty well for the Sooners — but nothing out of the ordinary.

Hurts was viewed as a late round pick until he performed well at the Senior Bowl, then went to the combine and showed off a better-than-expected arm. He also ran well (4.59 forty), jumped a 35-inch vertical and had nearly 10-inch hands. At 6-1 and 222lbs, he wasn’t too small for it to be a problem. A case was being built to take him seriously and the Eagles did — drafting him in round two.

It’s enabled the Eagles to save money at a very expensive position, building a team good enough to contend around Hurts. They may win a Championship next week as a consequence.

The Seahawks should be aiming to try and mimic this plan. Yet it seems inevitable they will instead invest considerably in Geno Smith to try and retain at least a middle-tier status within the league. They will hope they can improve other areas of the team via the draft. Provided they don’t lumber themselves with a challenging contract in 2024/2025 — that’s OK. If Smith can be their answer to Alex Smith in Kansas City, that’s ideal. Committing major resources though, or taking on masses of dead money down the line, would be problematic.

They’d also need a QB answer for the future. If they’re minded to go defense early, they’ll almost certainly want to draft a quarterback at some point. The class is depleted though, with the bulk of quarterback prospects staying in college or transferring to new teams.

Hooker would present a possible solution. He’d provide a chance to take a shot on a player to have ‘one in the chamber’ as John Schneider would say.

It would fit well with their opportunistic manner. Hooker’s stock is likely to be more impacted than some think by the injury. He might not be able to play much (if at all) in year one. He’s 25-years-old (his birthday is in January) and he’s already several months older than Jalen Hurts.

The combination of health, favourable scheme and age isn’t a great mix. Could he go in the late second like Hurts to a team able to stash a QB? Possibly — and maybe that’s the range where the Seahawks would consider him? I do think, though, there’s a chance he will last into round three or even the early part of round four. After all, if he’s a player who isn’t starting until he’s about 27 or 28-years-old, that tempers his stock considerably.

That’s where Seattle might believe they can strike. They bring back Smith and potentially Drew Lock. They redshirt Hooker for a year with the idea of him getting into the mix in 2024 as a competitor to start. Eventually he could be a cost-effective replacement for Smith that allows Seattle, sporting a better roster, to use their cap saving to put the finishing touches to some key areas.

There are some other reasons why this makes a degree of sense.

Unlike several other big name quarterbacks, Hooker didn’t benefit entirely from a constantly clean pocket and still succeeded:

Oregon — 4 sacks in 12 games (0.33 per game)
Georgia — 7 sacks in 13 games (0.54 per game)
Washington — 7 sacks in 12 games (0.58 per game)
Ohio State — 8 sacks in 12 games (0.67 per game)
Florida — 12 sacks in 12 games (1.00 per game)
Alabama — 20 sacks in 12 games (1.67 per game)
Tennessee — 23 sacks in 12 games (1.92 per game)
Kentucky — 42 sacks in 12 games (3.50 per game)

We know Pete Carroll places a strong emphasis on avoiding turnovers. Hooker, as I mentioned, had an obscene number of wide-open throws in 2022 and that likely is responsible for the number below. However, he did fair very well in terms of turnover worthy plays:

Dorian Thompson-Robinson — 19
CJ Stroud — 16
Drake Maye — 16
Max Duggan — 15
Will Levis — 13
Anthony Richardson — 13
Quinn Ewers — 12
Caleb Williams — 11
Bryce Young — 9
Bo Nix — 8
Michael Penix Jr — 8
Tanner McKee — 8
Hendon Hooker — 5

The other thing to mention is hand size. The whole NFL pays attention to this but the Seahawks noted it as a key factor in their Russell Wilson evaluation. He had 10 1/4 inch hands despite his lack of prototypical size. Hooker — who is 6-3 and 208lbs — has 10 1/2 inch hands.

It was interesting to hear last week that Hooker was allowed to attend the Senior Bowl. Typically injured or non-participating players are not invited. This only happened during the Covid year, when the likes of DeVonta Smith where allowed to be there. Given his Alabama connections and Heisman-winning season, it was also a bit of a coup to have him involved in any way at all.

This was different and Jim Nagy admitted they did it as a favour to Hooker, who had requested the chance to come to Mobile. Nagy spoke about his admiration for the player and who he was as a person. They wanted to let him have the chance to speak to teams and be part of the Senior Bowl experience.

It reflects well on Hooker’s character — something that will appeal to Seattle and all the other teams.

It only takes one other team to take him off the board and any plan to draft and stash him would fail. I do wonder, though, whether such a plan could appeal to the Seahawks. Draft for other areas of the team early, re-sign the quarterbacks on the roster, then draft Hooker later on as a player who won’t be any threat to Smith and/or Lock in 2023 but could emerge as a contender to start from 2024 or 2025.

I think it makes some sense. It’s just something to keep in mind.

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It’s starting to feel like the first three picks will all be quarterbacks.

In an article by the Athletic’s Jeff Howe, the mood music in the NFL is being played:

Speaking with team executives — who were granted anonymity to speak freely — throughout the week, the consensus remains that Alabama’s Bryce Young, Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud and Kentucky’s Will Levis are in the top tier with extremely high-end talent. Florida’s Anthony Richardson is also viewed as a first-round candidate.

We’ve had drafts before where two or three quarterbacks emerge as the ‘got to have’ group. In those instances, teams have been very aggressive trading up to make sure they don’t miss out. In 2023, it feels we’ll see that again.

Panthers GM Scott Fitterer is already talking publicly about trading up. Impatient owner David Tepper has been after a quarterback since buying the team five years ago. It feels inevitable that Carolina will do what it takes to get into the top three.

The Colts are in a similar position. After years of renting ageing veterans, they now need to invest in a young player for the long term.

Houston at #2 are also expected to draft a quarterback (but they could be a wildcard to go defense, we’ll see). Thus, it feels like Chicago’s #1 pick and Arizona’s #3 pick will be the prime trade spots.

In this mock I wanted to represent that thought and see what it means for the Seahawks. I also want to reflect on what happened at the Senior Bowl.

I think Seattle’s best plan would be to avoid spending millions on Geno Smith, invest in other areas of the team and draft a quarterback to build around for the future. I see no reason why any of the top four quarterbacks, for example, couldn’t do what Jalen Hurts has done in Philadelphia.

That said — if there’s a rush on the position, their options will be limited. Spending to retain Smith might be indicative of the situation they find themselves in. If they don’t view the fourth best quarterback as a good option at #5, they might feel like they’re left with little choice. That doesn’t mean they should be signing Smith to a ridiculous contract like some outlets are suggesting. But it might motivate them to find common ground.

Onto the mock…

The trades explained

I have the Colts trading up to #1 in a deal with the Bears. As part of the arrangement, Chicago receives Indianapolis’ first and third round picks in 2024, a third rounder in 2023 and DeForest Buckner. The Bears ensure they get one of the top-two defenders by sticking in the top-four.

Carolina moves up from #9 to #3, giving the Cardinals one of their second round picks (#61) and their 2024 first round pick. It’s cheaper than the Trey Lance trade because Arizona can stay in the top ten and get a second rounder this year.

First round

#1 Indianapolis (v/CHI) — C.J. Stroud (QB, Ohio State)
I think Stroud will emerge as the most coveted quarterback in the class. His touch passes, to all levels of the field, are the best I’ve season from a quarterback since starting the blog in 2008. He is physically impressive and has excellent character. The one concern was his ability to play outside of Ohio State’s scheme which held his hand for two years. Against Georgia, college football’s elite team, he put all concerns to bed with a creative, improvising, brilliant performance.

#2 Houston — Bryce Young (QB, Alabama)
I spoke to someone ‘in the league’ before the 2022 draft and he told me ‘the league’ was buzzing about Stroud and Young. The concerns about Young’s size are legit and don’t be surprised if he lasts a bit longer than some think. However, he has a winners mentality which will likely appeal to new Head Coach DeMeco Ryans and let’s not forget Ryans has just been coaching in San Francisco, where they’ve enjoyed success with non-prototypes like Jimmy Garoppolo and Brock Purdy.

#3 Carolina (v/ARI) — Will Levis (QB, Kentucky)
The Levis negativity has been preposterous at times. Kentucky were a shambles in 2022. When they had a semblance of an offensive line and a second round pick at receiver in 2021, plus a switched-on Sean McVay disciple at coordinator, Levis was outstanding. It wouldn’t be a surprise to me if the Seahawks had legit interest in Levis, due to his familiarity with their scheme. I think the Panthers will see an ideal fit and a player who can start quickly for a competitive roster that already has a defense and an O-line in place. They’re ready to win a poor NFC South.

#4 Chicago (v/IND) — Will Anderson (EDGE, Alabama)
If the Bears land DeForest Buckner by trading down from #1 to #4, their next aim should be to land a dynamic edge rusher. Anderson would provide a genuine threat.

#5 Seattle — Jalen Carter (DT, Georgia)
Many people consider Carter to be the best player in the draft. So why could he fall to #5? It’s not just Todd McShay referring to character concerns. Lance Zierlein in his write-up for Carter notes, “Scouts say maturity has been an issue for him at times.” Then there’s our own homework on this blog, discovering that Carter spoke last April about how improving his conditioning was a priority in 2022, only to see him look as tired as any player I’ve ever seen in college football half-way through the crucial Ohio State playoff game while also labouring during the first drive of the LSU game in the SEC Championship. The concerns are legit. However, the Seahawks have needed a player like this for a long time. They might be prepared to roll the dice, simply because he’s that talented. Don’t be surprised though if during this process, there’s increased chatter about how teams view Carter.

#6 Detroit (v/LA) — Bijan Robinson (RB, Texas)
Robinson will be the top rated player on many draft boards. He is exceptional — one of the best players to enter the league in recent years. The Lions snap him up and feel great about it. He is a complete playmaker and can mix Christian McCaffrey’s versatility with Saquon Barkley’s explosive qualities. He changes direction better than both players and accelerates in a way I don’t recall seeing before. A formidable talent.

#7 Las Vegas — Tyree Wilson (DE, Texas Tech)
I think the Raiders will solve their quarterback situation by trading for Aaron Rodgers. I don’t know what that deal would look like, given he’s 40-years-old this year and the Packers have a nightmare cap situation. He’s also coming off a middling season. Thus, it might not be that expensive to get him — with both player and team in Green Bay seemingly ready to part ways. This would free up Vegas to look elsewhere at #7. We all know Wilson has great length and size. He is unique in that regard. His testing will be key though because he won’t go seventh overall purely due to long arms and a great body. If he can show quickness, agility and explosive traits, look out.

#8 Atlanta — Anthony Richardson (QB, Florida)
I think there’s every chance Richardson goes earlier than this. Not enough people are focusing on his superstar potential. Instead they’re clinging to negatives for a player with one season of starting experience. When you look at him as someone with unlimited upside and the potential to be one of the faces of the NFL — it’s not hard to imagine him going in the top-five. Yes he has plenty to work on but so do most players entering the league. He could be a dynamo in Atlanta with the offense they’re building.

#9 Arizona (v/CAR) — Christian Gonzalez (CB, Oregon)
After moving down from #3, the Cardinals invest in a cornerback who is fiery and competitive, has decent size and is going to be among the best testers at the combine. He has playmaking quality and could go very early.

#10 Philadelphia (v/NO) — Brian Branch (S, Alabama)
A Rolls Royce of a defender who is so versatile and can do a bit of everything. He is going to rise and rise throughout this process. Both of Philly’s starters at his position are hitting free agency.

#11 Tennessee — Michael Mayer (TE, Notre Dame)
This would be a perfect pick for the Titans. Mayer is one of the best prospects in the draft and will be a very good player early in his career.

#12 Houston (v/CLE) — Luke Musgrave (TE, Oregon State)
When you watch Musgrave on the field, you see what a special athlete looks like at the tight end position. He’s so fluid and almost glides at his size. He’s also a good blocker and will be coveted by many teams. He could be Houston’s answer to George Kittle.

#13 NY Jets — Drew Sanders (LB, Arkansas)
Sanders is highly athletic, flies around the field, hits with violence and when you line him up off the edge, he can produce sacks (9.5 in 2022). There’s every chance he works into the top-15 range.

#14 New England — Myles Murphy (DE, Clemson)
Murphy is an overrated player, promoted beyond his means due to his outstanding athleticism and expected combine performance. However, someone is going to take a chance on him in this range because the positional value and the reward for the light switching on is too great.

#15 Green Bay — Keion White (DE, Georgia Tech)
The Packers are heading into a new era and it could be one that comes with a new identity. Loading up their front seven and continuing to add as many pass rush weapons as possible could be a post-Aaron Rodgers plan.

#16 Washington — Joey Porter Jr (CB, Penn State)
The Commanders need a corner and Porter Jr has the size, the physical tools, the competitive nature and a very balanced, well-spoken manner (he’s not like his dad as a player!) and teams will likely be very high on him.

#17 Pittsburgh — Devon Witherspoon (CB, Illinois)
The Steelers need to get a lot done on defense and the highly competitive Witherspoon would be a good fit in Pittsburgh.

#18 Detroit — Calijah Kancey (DT, Pittsburgh)
The Lions continue to add talent. If they are able to put Bijan Robinson and Calijah Kancey onto a blossoming roster — watch out.

#19 Tampa Bay — Darnell Wright (T, Tennessee)
Tackle isn’t an immediate need for the Buccs but due to their major cap issues, they might look to move Donovan Smith to save money and shift Tristan Wirfs to the blind-side. That would open up a spot at right tackle for Wright. Even if they keep Smith — they could slot Wright in at right guard and be a team that tries to stay competitive post-Tom Brady by winning in the trenches.

#20 Seattle — Dawand Jones (T, Ohio State)
John Schneider was recently interviewed by 710 Seattle Sports and he said, in relation to the 2022 draft, that they focused more on talent than need. It’s no coincidence that they had their best draft in years. So why do I have them drafting a right tackle, one year after hitting a home-run with Abraham Lucas? There are, actually, some valid reasons why this could happen. Firstly, Jones is a special talent. There simply aren’t many humans who are 6-8, 375lbs, have nearly 37-inch arms and carry minimal bad weight. If we’re talking best player available, he might be it here. Secondly, the Seahawks have been known to move their linemen around — rightly or wrongly. Damien Lewis excelled as a rookie at right guard, before being bumped over to the left to accommodate Gabe Jackson. It wouldn’t go against the grain for the Seahawks to shift Lucas from right tackle to right guard, where many NFL evaluators projected him a year ago. Finally, there’s the scheme to consider. The Seahawks have transplanted the Rams zone-blocking system. The Rams under McVay typically have lighter converted tackles starting at guard. They also like size at tackle. When they won the Super Bowl they had college tackles Austin Corbett (6-4, 306lbs) and David Edwards (6-6, 308lbs) at guard and Rob Havenstein (6-8, 330lbs) at right tackle. So it’s perhaps not a total stretch that Lucas could move to right guard with Jones taking over at tackle. It’s not necessarily what I would do but I don’t think it’s something to completely write-off as a possibility.

#21 Miami — forfeited
The Dolphins really needed this pick to kick on.

#22 LA Chargers — Quentin Johnston (WR, TCU)
Johnston is going to shine at the combine and when that happens, he will have a floor in round one and this might be it.

#23 Baltimore — Will McDonald (EDGE, Iowa State)
He performed well at the Senior Bowl and reminded everyone why he was so highly rated going into the 2022 season. He has everything to be an excellent edge rusher but needs to find a way to become consistent and make the most of his incredible athleticism and length.

#24 Minnesota — Cam Smith (CB, South Carolina)
The Vikings need a cornerback and I think teams are going to be attracted to Smith’s playing style and size.

#25 Jacksonville — Jalin Hyatt (WR, Tennessee)
He has a sixth gear that allows him to create late separation and it can be deadly on downfield shots.

#26 NY Giants — Zay Flowers (WR, Boston College)
Flowers is an incredibly talented player who could go earlier than this. His ability to change direction and accelerate is the best I’ve seen since starting the blog in 2008.

#27 Dallas — Peter Skoronski (G, Northwestern)
Skoronski is difficult to assess. He has to kick inside due to a lack of length and he can be out-leveraged due to his short arms. Is he powerful enough? There are things to like though — he’s a natural lineman with reasonable technique and he has NFL bloodlines.

#28 Buffalo — Jahmyr Gibbs (RB, Alabama)
Gibbs warrants consideration here as a major X-factor talent. He’s a tremendous receiver and could be reliably used in the passing game and during two-minute drills. At times he carried Alabama last season and was a threat to score every time he touched the ball. If he doesn’t run in the 4.2’s or 4.3’s it’ll be a surprise.

#29 Cincinnati — Dalton Kincaid (TE, Utah)
He had a tremendous 2022 season and he could be an absolute force in a Cincy offense that has so many ways to beat you already.

#30 New Orleans (v/DEN, SF) — Keeanu Benton (DT, Wisconsin)
After an excellent Senior Bowl, he’s trending upwards. The Saints badly need some interior defensive line help. Benton can contribute as a run defender and a pass rusher.

#31 Kansas City — Mazi Smith (DT, Michigan)
The Chiefs love big-time athletes and often draft combine stars. Smith is going to be one of the standouts in Indianapolis and could go earlier than this.

#32 Philadelphia — Lukas Van Ness (DE, Iowa)
He has plenty of flashes on tape but the fact is he wasn’t a starter at Iowa.

Round two

#33 Pittsburgh (v/CHI) — Jordan Addison (WR, USC)
In an attempt to make life easier for Kenny Pickett, why not add a receiver he helped to win the Biletnikoff in 2021?

#34 Houston — Broderick Jones (G, Georgia)
He keeps dipping his head into blocks and there are concerns about his size that could see him kick inside to guard.

#35 Arizona — Tuli Tuipulotu (DE, USC)
The Cardinals continue to build up their defensive front with a player who may be unorthodox but finished the season with 13.5 sacks.

#36 Indianapolis — Bryan Bresee (DT, Clemson)
After moving on from DeForest Buckner, the Colts bring in a replacement with a lot of athletic upside. Bresee falls, however, because he’s simply missed too many games through injury and illness, he is incredibly inconsistent and his arm length is a question mark.

#37 LA Rams — Emmanuel Forbes (CB, Mississippi State)
A long lean cornerback who has a knack for breaking on the ball to make interceptions (six in 2022 including three pick-sixes).

#38 Seattle (v/DEN) — Adetomiwa Adebawore (DE, Northwestern)
The Seahawks have a history of tapping into talent from the Senior Bowl and nobody impressed more than ‘Ade Ade’ this year. He was dominant at times in the 1v1 sessions — showing an ability to drive blockers back into the pocket, disengage and explode to the quarterback. He regularly had team-mates howling with delight at his reps. He lasts this long purely due to his tweener nature. At 6-1 and 284lbs he doesn’t have a natural home off the edge or inside. He’s going to have to be a rotational impact player. However, that’s justifiable for a team like the Seahawks who badly lack any kind of consistent disruption. His 34-inch arms at his height mean he wins so many leverage battles and with nearly 11-inch hands — he clamps onto opponents and finishes. He is expected to run a 4.05 short shuttle and a 6.9 three-cone, plus jump a 37.5 inch vertical. I almost feel like I’m talking myself out of putting him here and slotting him into round one. The size could hold him back — for Seattle though, this is another potential impact player for their defensive front.

#39 Las Vegas — D.J. Turner (CB, Michigan)
This is the type of corner Josh McDaniels drafted for Denver. Turner will impress at the combine.

#40 Carolina — Tucker Kraft (TE, South Dakota State)
Kraft is a highly underrated player who deserves top-40 consideration. He’s not far behind the top-three TE’s.

#41 New Orleans — B.J. Ojulari (EDGE, LSU)
As they reload their defense — adding a dynamic edge would be a wise move. Ojulari combines length, talent and leadership to make for an intriguing player.

#42 Tennessee — John Michael Schmitz (C, Minnesota)
I’m still not fully sold on Schmitz. He has the size for Seattle’s blocking scheme but I’m always left wanting a bit more from him. Good but arguably not much potential to be great.

#43 Cleveland — K.J. Henry (EDGE, Clemson)
Of all Clemson’s D-liners, he was the most disruptive in 2022.

#44 NY Jets — JL Skinner (S, Boise State)
Robert Salah brings in a player who somewhat resembles Kam Chancellor.

#45 Atlanta — Zach Harrison (DE, Ohio State)
Harrison will go to the combine, put on a show and some teams will throw out the lack of production and inconsistent play and believe they can make him a starter.

#46 Green Bay — Christopher Smith (S, Georgia)
He had such a good season for the Bulldogs — flying around as a free safety, running up to the line and hitting with a powerful punch. I think someone will fall in love with him.

#47 New England — Nolan Smith (LB, Georgia)
This is the type of tweener-linebacker-rusher Bill Belichick keeps drafting. His character will appeal to New England too.

#48 Washington — Trenton Simpson (LB, Clemson)
Simpson did not have a good 2022 season and will rely on good testing numbers to stick in round two.

#49 Detroit — Kelee Ringo (CB, Georgia)
Ringo is a great athlete with amazing size but he gets beat far too often — on both deep routes and shorter inside slants.

#50 Pittsburgh — Paris Johnson Jr (T, Ohio State)
I’ve always felt underwhelmed watching him.

#51 Tampa Bay — Steve Avila (G, TCU)
I thought he had a fantastic season and did enough in Mobile to go in round two.

#52 Jacksonville — Zacch Pickens (DT, South Carolina)
An athletic, strong player who is flying under the radar.

#53 Miami — Jaelyn Duncan (T, Maryland)
He did well at the Senior Bowl at tackle but his future might be at guard. He’s expected to perform well at the combine.

#54 Seattle — Josh Downs (WR, North Carolina)
The Seahawks need to find a proper WR3. They’ve been looking for a long time but have consistently fallen short. If Downs lasts this far, they should run to the podium. He is a Tyler Lockett clone. He is so dynamic to create separation on shorter routes, he can drive downfield and provide X-factor plays, he can shake away from tight coverage in the red zone and he makes improbable catches including high-pointing the ball beyond taller defenders. Downs has NFL bloodlines — his father played in the league and his Uncle is Dre Bly. His personality is mature and focused, also similar to Lockett. He would be the perfect WR3 and fit wonderfully in Seattle.

#55 NY Giants — Kenny McIntosh (RB, Georgia)
Kirby Smart called McIntosh a bad MF so that’s good enough for me.

#56 Chicago (v/BAL) — Luke Wypler (C, Ohio State)
I’ve always thought he was just steady but the Georgia game suggested he might be ‘steady’ even against top opponents and that has some appeal.

#57 LA Chargers — Byron Young (DE, Alabama)
He consistently pushed the pocket in Mobile having done the same all season at Alabama. He is big, disruptive and tailor-made for the league.

#58 Dallas — Tyjae Spears (RB, Tulane)
A ‘wow’ player who could lead Dallas’ running back for the next few years. He’s quick with an explosive lower-body and he can be a useful tool in the passing game. Love him.

#59 Cincinnati — O’Cyrus Torrence (G, Florida)
The Bengals tend to draft offensive lineman I think are overrated.

#60 Detroit (v/MIN) — Tank Dell (WR, Houston)
A late run on receivers starts with a player who did well to show crisp route-running and suddenness in Mobile.

#61 Arizona (v/CAR, SF) — Jonathan Mingo (WR, Ole Miss)
An underrated player who can help fill the void left when D’Andre Hopkins is dealt.

#62 Buffalo — Jaxson Smith-Njigba (WR, Ohio State)
Someone will eventually take him because he does have talent but his lack of speed and size limits his value, plus he missed virtually the whole of 2022 through injury.

#63 Kansas City — Cedric Tillman (WR, Tennessee)
A big, downfield threat for Patrick Mahomes.

#64 Philadelphia — Zach Charbonnet (RB, UCLA)
He’s explosive, well-sized, can run through contact and he can catch the ball.

Seahawks picks

#5 Jalen Carter (DT)
#20 Dawand Jones (T)
#38 Adetomiwa Adebawore (DE/DT)
#53 Josh Downs (WR)

Final thoughts

This isn’t necessarily the plan I would go for but it feels like the mock ‘fits’ what they might be planning to do. There’s no big reach here. They’re taking good characters aside from a gamble on Jalen Carter. They’re taking two players who excelled at the Senior Bowl. They add disruptive talent to the defensive front. They get a proper WR3 and eventual possible successor to Lockett. They fill a need at right guard.

There is good depth at defensive end to take one on day three to add to your pool of players there. There will be options later on at center and I wonder if they’ll consider signing someone like Garrett Bradbury in free agency. He has the ideal frame for the scheme. At linebacker, I think if you can’t get to Drew Sanders you’re better off waiting until later. That could be an area where they add a veteran player too.

The area not addressed is quarterback and the fact is if you don’t go early at the position, your options are extremely limited.

That said — I would keep an eye on Hendon Hooker. I think he’s a very scheme-dependant player who had a lot of wide open throws in 2022 and he might struggle outside of the brilliant Josh Heupel system. However, it was interesting that Jim Nagy said they don’t typically allow injured or non-participating players to attend the Senior Bowl just to be around teams and be part of it. According to Nagy, they made an exception for Hooker after he requested the opportunity.

That perhaps speaks to how teams are viewing him. Now — his ACL injury and age (25 already) work against him. He won’t play as a rookie and that will temper his stock in a big way. For that reason, he might last deep into round three or four.

The Seahawks might take a chance on him with a stash. He has 10 1/2 inch hands which, as we know, will appeal to John Schneider. If Geno Smith and/or Drew Lock re-signs, they can redshirt him. Just throwing it out there.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments section…

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The defensive linemen shone during the week but in the game it was a different story. There was minimal impact from the likes of Keeanu Benton and co. Instead, the O-liners blocked well and made an impression.

I really like Ole Miss’ Nick Broeker as a zone blocking guard. He has tackle experience so fits the bill for the Rams’/Seahawks’ blocking scheme. He had a so-so week of practise but in the game he stood out as one of the top performers.

Broeker combined brilliantly with Nick Saldiveri — who kicked inside to center. On their first snap together they teamed up to double-team Benton. They consistently worked together to shut down pressures, pass-off blocks and made for an excellent interior duo.

Broeker’s second snap showed off why I like him so much. He moved up to the second level, identified a linebacker to block and absolutely hammered him —- springing a huge running lane for Chris Rodriguez to break off a big gain.

On his third snap he had a 1v1 win against Benton, again creating a running lane for the back to squirt through. Before half-time the NFL Network replayed a Karl Brooks sack conceded on the left side of the line. On the right, Nick Broeker easily handled Benton initially then passed off to seal a stunting K.J. Henry. He also had a good block on Jerrod Clark on the drive.

On tape I was really impressed with Broeker and there’s something to work with here. He showed he can handle power in this game and his movement and agility skills were well highlighted at Ole Miss. He only has 32 1/4 inch arms and that might be an issue for the Seahawks. Nevertheless, I think he’s someone who can provide mid-round value as an interior lineman and I’m eager to see how he tests (and whether he can find another inch of arm length at the combine).

Cody Mauch lined up at guard and right tackle during the game but he also took some snaps at center and looked terrific. He pulled and blocked Cameron Young on a drive before half-time. He was in control and looked so comfortable at center. The smaller stature works for him there and allows Mauch to be his aggressive best. He also leverages well and was able to seamlessly switch from snapping to blocking. This looks like his position and frankly, on the back of what he showed here, he might have a serious future at center.

McClendon Curtis had a really nice play early in the game at right guard to open a running lane for Evan Hull. He also had a dominant block on the goal-line for the first touchdown of the game before half-time. Curtis had a good week and has excellent size and length (6-5, 331lbs, 35 inch arms). He’s not a tackle though. They put him at right tackle in the second half and he gave up an easy sack to Ali Gaye. Keep him inside. He has tackle size but he excels at guard.

Watching Darnell Wright get on the move on a crack toss and locate second level blocks had me dreaming about taking him as a zone guard. I think he has the mobility to do it. It’s going to be interesting to see what Seattle does at right guard. The Rams’ scheme uses lighter converted tackles at guard and they’ve had a lot of success over the years. Yet Seattle had Damien Lewis (327lbs) at left guard and Phil Haynes (322lbs) or Gabe Jackson (335lbs) at right guard. Are they just holdovers from the Mike Solari years? Will they adjust and transition? Or do they still want size at guard?

Wright is 6-5 and 342lbs.

It’d almost be a bit of a waste to kick him inside, given how well he plays the edge. But if the Seahawks are seriously on a ‘BPA’ journey after last year’s draft, then Wright would be in the mix at #20.

On a more negative note, this happened to O’Cyrus Torrence (you need to look at the second video):

We can work with this pic.twitter.com/4k74gyZDkL

— Goodberry (@JoeGoodberry) February 4, 2023

That’s Ivan Pace, all 230lbs of him, dumping O’Cyrus Torrence on his backside.

The funniest thing is Torrence actually tackles the ball carrier too as he goes over.

It’s a nice moment for Pace I suppose. I think it’s more a case of this being another example of Torrence being a bit overrated. All this talk of round one has always felt a bit off for a standard guard who played all of the 2022 season with a sloppy frame. I wouldn’t expect him to test well. If that proves true, he’ll be like a lot of guards who enter the league. I’ve been grading him in the middle rounds for some time.

In the 1v1’s he got pushed backwards too often. Now there’s this play. How’s he going to handle the monsters in the NFL? He’s big and can be tricky to get around but I’m not convinced he can anchor and drive off blocks to warrant the major hype he’s getting.

On the first play of the game, Aubry Miller absolutely hammered the ball carrier after a long run. He has played with fire and intensity all week. He set the edge well against the run a couple of times. As a day three pick with at least some special teams value, he caught my eye.

Stanford receiver Michael Wilson had a good week of practise and that continued today. He gets open very easily and he’s sudden and fluid with his routes. He does fight the ball as a catcher sometimes but he’s often open so it’s not as much of a problem as it could be. He pivots to change direction wonderfully. He had a really nice grab on a wayward Jake Haener pass in the fourth quarterback — extending his arms to catch away from his body at full stretch. He scored a touchdown on a duck thrown by Haener. Wilson was the only person who adjusted to the ball which was lobbed up for grabs towards the end zone.

Evan Hull the running back from Northwestern showed good patience on a long run to start the game, then ran through contact for a second big gain on the same drive. He’s well sized, powerful and showed good awareness to make the most of a couple of runs. He has the size Seattle likes.

Fellow running back Chris Rodriguez made a great play on 3rd and 2 —- catching a ball under pressure over the middle then bouncing off a tackle to get extra yardage. He’s a physical player who consistently drives through contact.

Byron Young (Tennessee) forced a bad throw by Malik Cunningham with a good pressure on Blake Freeland, leading to a pick-six for Anthony Johnson. Freeland also gave up a sack later on to Isaiah Land.

Illinois safety Sydney Brown plays downfield nicely. He’s quick and flies to the ball. He made a great TFL late in the game, reading the play and attacking the ball-carrier.

Some key performers from the week seemingly didn’t play in the game including Keion White, Adetomiwa Adebawore, Tank Dell and Will McDonald. I didn’t see Rashee Rice or Isaiah Foskey either. In particular, I think Foskey needed to play and perform after a disappointing week.

If you missed my Senior Bowl recap video earlier, check it out here:

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I wanted to start with some overall thoughts on the D-line vs O-line 1v1’s I’ve watched this week…

— There were some good performances but I haven’t seen a single tackle who came close to matching Abraham Lucas for control, consistency and athleticism a year ago and nobody looked like a complete edge rusher like Boye Mafe. That’s not me speaking with Seahawks-tinted specs on — my notes from a year ago are archived if you want to check them out.

— The two edge rushers who impressed the most were K.J. Henry (fluid, athletic, more refined than others) and Will McDonald (immense upside). There have been top drawer flashes from McDonald. In a team drill he ran around Wanya Morris at left tackle like he was one of those bags they use for agility drills. If you can get him playing with consistency — he has special qualities. It’s a big ‘if’ though.

— The interior and inside/out rushers had more success. Adetomiwa Adebawore at times has looked special. His combination of long arms and a shorter frame are ideal for leverage and he has so much explosive power and quickness to complement it. He had a team-rep on Thursday that summed it up. Engage the left guard, press him, release because you’re a far superior athlete, explode to the QB. It was easy.

— Watching Keeanu Benton has been a treat at times. Based on what we saw here — and how he tests — he looks like a top-40 pick.

— I wish Nesta Jade Silvera had longer than 32 1/2 inch arms because the way he’s pushed the pocket at defensive tackle and shoved people around at the LOS has been very impressive. Maybe he can find half an inch at the combine.

— Cameron Young has been one of the standouts for me too. With 35-inch arms and a good looking, prototype frame — he was very disruptive in drills and looks like a very useful defensive tackle.

— It’s very clear Keion White has legit athleticism for his size and even Dawand Jones struggled to contain him on day one in the team reps. However, I do think he needs a bit of technical refinement. He has the potential to be a speed-to-power dynamo but he isn’t there yet.

— Steve Avila won a lot of 1v1 reps this week and to me at least looked like the most impressive interior lineman. Although he only played one day of practise, it’s hard to look beyond Dawand Jones as the top performing tackle although Jaelyn Duncan also played well even if his future is at guard. Darnell Wright, unsurprisingly, also had a very good week.

On to Thursday’s tape…

Keeanu Benton had a good win against Jarrett Patterson — faking a move to the left side then almost jump-cutting and ripping back to the right. Patterson had no answer as Benton broke into the backfield. What a dynamic, athletic, intelligent player Benton is with the perfect defensive tackle frame.

Adetomiwa Adebawore had an easy win against Cody Mauch at left tackle where he just hesitated to the outside, exploded back inside and he was too powerful and strong for Mauch. When the two met again, ‘Ade Ade’ worked to the outside and when it became obvious he wasn’t going to beat Mauch to the edge, he spun back inside to release and claim the win. The O-liners look intimidated by his strength and when he gains position he’s got the nouse to rip upwards to prevent counters and then keep the legs churning to finish. He isn’t going to be a full-time starter at 285lbs but as a rotational impact pass-rusher there’s so much to like.

Andre Carter had an easy win against Ryan Hayes with an inside move. When they faced off again he botched a Euro step and was stoned at the POA. It shows off that Carter has the tools but needs refinement. You would draft him to possibly redshirt him.

Nesta Jade Silvera demolished Joey Fisher on a rep — driving into his pads then ripping down to send the right guard to the turf.

Sydney Brown is a safety but the way he’s covered at times in 1v1’s has been impressive. Big bodies can box him out and we saw that on Thursday. Yet his quickness and agility helps him to stick in coverage. Brown and brother Chase (a running back) are both world class athletes with incredible potential. They will make a team or teams very happy. I would consider drafting both due to their extreme potential.

Nick Saldiveri played center in a team scrimmage on Thursday. He teamed up with Nick Broeker at right guard to open up a big hole up the middle for Kenny McIntosh to score a red zone touchdown. The difference in technique was very noticeable. Saldiveri’s block was a bit all over the place but he managed to barge his way through the D-line to create a lane. Broeker, on the other hand, got his hands inside on Byron Young of Alabama and just controlled his man for a really impressive win. I like both Saldiveri and Broeker as value interior options for Seattle in the middle or later rounds.

Steve Avila had a bit of a mismatch against Ali Gaye who kicked inside for a rep. Avila showed great hand placement. He was far too strong and walled off Gaye. Game over. Avila has really helped himself in Mobile and his stock was already high.

Another day, another tweet mis-judging a rep involving O’Cyrus Torrence. This is a win for Byron Young. Again, too many people on Twitter seem to think unless you rip through the block, swim and release or dump someone on their backside, it’s not a win. Look what Young does here. He gets his right arm right into the middle of Torrence’s chest and long-arm’s him into the pocket. He is literally pushing the pocket. This is what a 290lbs defensive lineman is supposed to do when they don’t have Aaron Donald’s quickness. A rep like this, in a game, moves the QB off his spot. Torrence is also grabbing onto his jersey at the right shoulder while constantly fighting to get his right hand into the chest. He’s hanging on.

Everyone in the replies is hailing it as a great rep. Do they realise it isn’t the job of the offensive guard to get pushed 5-6 yards into the backfield?

Now watch Steve Avila against Zacch Pickens. He doesn’t cede more than a yard or two in depth here. Power, strength — a nice little shove to finish. A bouncer throwing you out of the club.

I also came across this rep, praised as a ‘dominating’ win for John Michael Schmitz.

Let’s break down what happens here. Cameron Young — one of the stars of the week as mentioned earlier — doesn’t use his hands well enough initially and leans into the center. Thus, he surrenders pad level and Schmitz gets into his chest. Young then has to re-set and bench presses Schmitz to disengage using his 35 inch arms (this is why length matters). Pause the video at 0:02 seconds. Young has released from the block at that point, Schmitz is over-extended and desperately clinging on. At 0:03 Young is facing directly to the quarterback and Schmitz is facing his own goal-posts. This is a pressure or a hurry every day of the week. How on earth is this a dominating 1v1 rep for the center?

Julius Brents had a decent week and in a 1v1 against Jonathan Mingo he was with the talented receiver step for step on a deep route before breaking up a pass. On the interior, shorter routes he has had issues but anything where he needs to run downfield — Brents handled with ease in Mobile.

Mingo absolutely destroyed Darius Rush on a red zone rep. He delivered a wonderful stutter-step and shifted to the left corner pylon. Game over. Rush had no answer. Mingo moves beautifully for a big man. He also knows how to get open and has a plan.

Rush has had some good moments but also some ugly moments. A real mixed bag from him. On Thursday he had a far better time covering Andrei Iosvias. His backpedal and transition were good and when he turned to the football, he was perfectly placed to make an easy interception.

I’ll watch the game tomorrow and provide some notes before reviewing my horizontal board and producing a new mock draft.

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Apologies — I’m a day behind on these because I need to wait for people to upload practise tape to YouTube. Here are my day two notes…

There was no Dawand Jones at practise on Wednesday (he didn’t practise today either). That’s a shame but his day one performance was good enough to leave a lasting impression.

Keeanu Benton had some more wonderful reps on day two. He’s perfectly sized and is flashing quickness and technique in Mobile to win repeatedly. At Wisconsin he was used as a nose tackle but in Mobile he looks like a complete DT. He had a dominant rep against Jake Andrews. His get-off is great and he used a violent rip/swim to avoid the block and explode into the backfield. He did have one bad rep too against Andrews, where he slipped trying a spin-move and just fell over. Benton was also controlled on one occasion by McClendon Curtis. Overall though he’s showing he thoroughly deserves second round consideration and depending on how he tests, there’s genuine potential here.

YaYa Diaby showed off a great burst in day one and he looked really athletic again on Wednesday. He made Blake Freeland look silly with a stunt to the outside then a dart back inside. Freeland virtually lost his shoes trying to change direction.

Jaelyn Duncan was silky smooth protecting the edge and had a nice win against the talented K.J. Henry, walling off and not allowing him to bend and straighten. Duncan also lost in a fairly basic way to Lonnie Phelps, giving up the outside too easily. However, he also had a controlling, dominant rep against Isaiah Foskey — claimping into his chest and not letting go with ideal hand-placement. He also stoned Andre Carter on a left tackle rep, getting lower than the defender and again shooting his hands inside to control. It was an impressive showing from Duncan. He’s a great athlete who is expected to test very well but his lack of ideal length could lead to a move inside. A reminder that Seattle’s scheme — brought in from LA — has often used converted tackles at guard.

On Foskey — he is sadly one of the more overrated players in this class and he also had a rough time against Ryan Hayes on Wednesday, being sent to the turf too easily when rushing from the right hand side. He’s not shown much pop in his 1v1 reps so far — appearing fairly average.

Steve Avila had one of the reps of the week against D.J. Dale. He lined up at center and locked on to Dale off the snap, fought to get his hands inside and just completely controlled the block. He straightened his back, won the leverage battle and just dominated.

I’m as a big fan of Darnell Wright as anyone but Will McDonald got the better of him on day two. Remember, Wright is the man who shut-down Alabama’s Will Anderson during the season. McDonald’s technique leaves a lot to be desired but when you have freakish quickness, agility and length you can still find ways to win. He got to the edge quicker than Wright on the first rep. McDonald’s hand-placement is non existent but because he’s so quick, Wright couldn’t get across to wall him off. They gave them a second rep against each other straight away and scarred from the previous 1v1, Wright compensated outside. McDonald sensed it, to his credit, and beat him with a nice spin move to penetrate inside. It might take McDonald a year or two to realise his potential — and he may never truly realise it. If he does though, watch out. The physical tools are there to be amazing. He’s just never been able to put it all together.

Andre Carter — great physical profile. Bags of developmental potential. At the moment though, he’s not strong enough and he’s basically a project for later on.

Twitter was interesting yesterday. People are awarding wins in the 1v1’s that are actually losses. A case in point — I couldn’t help but challenge this tweet praising O’Cyrus Torrence. It led to a long, frustrating back and forth as people desperately tried to claim this constitutes a win for a right guard:

As we all know, any time your guard gets shoved six yards into the backfield, right into the spot the quarterback would be standing — that’s a clear win. I don’t know about you but I can’t get enough of those moments where the rest of the line have to turn around fully to see what’s happened to the right guard.

I can remember Pete Carroll talking many years ago about the need to push the pocket as a D-line. Clean wins are nice but difficult to achieve in the interior. Driving your blocker back and moving the QB is integral. There are seemingly people online who think being pushed this deep into the backfield is a win — just because the defender doesn’t disengage and release. It highlights how challenging it is to trust analysis on the internet.

On another rep, people were hailing Torrence for blocking Byron Young of Alabama because Young ended up on the deck as he slipped over at the end of the 1v1. The thing is, they engage at the 10-yard line and Young slips at the five-yard line. At Alabama Young was adept at disrupting plays not with clean wins but by shoving blockers backwards or playing his gap well. I don’t want a guard ceding ground five or six yards into the backfield. I want him to square-up, anchor and stall the pass-rusher as best he can.

It’s been the same with Cody Mauch for most of the week too. He’s looked quite aggressive and fun attacking people in the running game but in his pass-pro reps he gives up too much ground. Watch his second rep in this video against Karl Brooks.

That isn’t a win for Mauch. He gives up too much ground and then Brooks works back to the QB. That’s a pressure or a sack. Yet it’s contained within a tweet describing a ‘dominating’ performance.

I had Tyjae Spears graded in round two in my latest horizontal board. He is so electric and despite being lighter than ideal (205lbs) he has such a proportionate frame with a thick, explosive lower body. He had a big run during team drills — a well blocked play it has to be said — where he took advantage to explode through the whole and then make the safety Chris Smith of Georgia miss at the second level. He’s a dynamite player and someone who could be a nice complement to Ken Walker. That said, he was demolished by Aubrey Miller on a pass-pro rep (before battling back on the subsequent rep).

This isn’t an easy week to judge tight ends but Luke Musgrave look so smooth running routes and catching the ball. He’s a total natural, a great athlete and he’s got so much next level potential.

For all the talk of dominant performances by Keion White and Adetomiwa Adebawore, I saw White well handled by Ryan Hayes on one rep and then ‘Ade Ade’ was easily controlled by Jarrett Patterson. On their next 1v1, Adebawore got revenge by pulling Patterson’s jersey and releasing to get a clean break and burst into the backfield. After that, Adebawore used a euro step from the interior and then a swipe of the hands to dodge a block by McClendon Curtis. He had the skill to then capitalise and bend to the QB.

White lined up inside on Wednesday and had a good battle with Cody Mauch. People on Twitter were saying Mauch won but I see it differently. White has him five yards into the backfield off the snap and just bursts upfield. Mauch tries to hang in there and he stops White releasing to get the sack but by that point he’s right in the QB’s grill. It’s a win for the defense.

Mauch had a really ugly rep too against Nesta Jade Silvera where he was just driven backwards. Fun player he might be but as noted earlier, Mauch looks like he lacks the core strength to drop the anchor.

White couldn’t disengage from McClendon Curtis on a different occasion. I’m impressed with White’s quickness and athleticism but I want to see better use of speed-to-power and a more cultured game-plan to disengage. He just ploughed into Curtis on this rep and didn’t have any thought on how to release.

Ali Gaye never delivered on his potential at LSU but he’s a well sized edge who flashed a couple of times on Wednesday. He easily beat Warren McClendon with a speed rush to the edge on one play (he was barely touched) and then at the other side of the line, he showed power and leverage in run-combat. Speaking of his inconsistency though — in the rematch against McClendon he just ran into the right tackle and was shut down.

Tennessee’s Byron Young isn’t the biggest but he really gave his all in the run-reps — leveraging well and extending his arms and driving through contact. He also drove Wanya Morris right into the backfield on two pass-rush reps.

I’ve been really impressed with Cameron Young. In a run-rep he easily handled Nick Broeker (who I like and hasn’t had a brilliant first two days). He also shoved back Nick Salidveri (who I also like). On a pass-rush 1v1 against Saldiveri he again drove him backwards and eventually Saldiveri slipped (as a lot of players have done this week). Later on he dominated Emil Ekiyor. I will be looking at Young’s tape next week and I’m very intrigued by what he has shown in Mobile.

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Before I get into the Senior Bowl notes, a little cheat-code for you all. If you click on Daniel Jeremiah’s top-50 board and then select any of the names of the players, it’ll take you to Lance Zierlein’s extensive scouting report for that individual. I’m going to run through some of the highlights after my Senior Bowl notes below.

Day one in Mobile

I found the 1v1 OL vs DL sessions on YouTube (plus other position drills) from the first day of the Senior Bowl. I’ve written my thoughts below.

I will voice a quick complaint though. The NFL advertised full coverage from Mobile on NFL+. So they had a broadcasting crew providing comprehensive coverage all day. However, this wasn’t available on NFL Gamepass (Europe’s version of NFL+) and the NFL Network, which I have access to via Gamepass, was showing re-runs of the AFC & NFC Championship games instead of the Senior Bowl.

Why is it so hard to watch the Senior Bowl?

I graded Ohio State tackle Dawand Jones among the best 20-players in the class on my horizontal board last week and I think he showed why on day one. It’s not unusual to see massive, hulking blockers at the Senior Bowl. However, they’re often a mix of smaller-school and unrefined or simply out of shape. Jones is neither — he carries himself with a rare level of athleticism and his size is truly unique. I’m not sure I’ve seen a player like this before.

It’s not just his insane nearly 37-inch arms. It’s the fact that he’s 375lbs and has minimal bad weight. He is, somehow, proportionate for his size. He even might have room to add a bit more bulk to his lower body.

There’s no doubt for me he is the best Ohio State tackle in this class, ahead of the fairly run-of-the-mill Paris Johnson Jr. For a man his size to get his hands inside, lock-on and control in 1v1’s is incredible. These drills are set up for pass rushers to win. He was a bully out there. He was brutal.

It was surprising to see how low he can get to drive into blocks at 6-8. He will give up some leverage which is expected but he isn’t a massive target begging you to get into his chest and jolt him off balance like a lot of tall tackles. Even when he does surrender leverage initially — he’s just too big and powerful that he simply recovers and fights back. It’s like trying to wrestle a bear when you’re giving up 120lbs in weight.

On one rep he manhandled the defender and just tossed him to the ground like an adult competing against a child.

His kick-slide isn’t orthodox but he gets out of his stance, stays square to the target and can run with the quicker, smaller edge players. You know he can play inside/out with that length too — a huge plus.

Jones had a rep against Isaiah Foskey where he just mirrored him easily, kept his position and when Foskey tried to get inside and win with power, he dragged him to the ground.

He abused Andre Carter, just getting right into his frame and bossing him easily. He had complete control over Carter who had no answer. The rep ended with Jones tossing him aside with disdain.

This is all stuff you see on tape, too. I don’t know why he isn’t talked about more. O-line is a premium area and a need for many teams. You can win a lot of football games with players like Dawand Jones.

Adetomiwa Adebawore showed he’s ideally built to leverage vs the run with his height and length (6-1, 284lbs, 34 inch arms). In a 1v1 rep he had a great long-arm move to control the block. This enabled him to keep his eyes downfield then disengage when the time was right to play the run. He’s only scratching the surface of what he can do and he’s expected to test very well at the combine. He could be a plus rotational lineman who offers real versatility.

Keion White looks very quick as expected. The impressive thing he showed on day one was the ability to get a tackle on skates. Typically this is the calling card of a 250lbs edge. He explodes out of his stance and races to the arc. I would like to see him convert speed-to-power more as the week goes on because tackles are going to be terrified by that initial outside threat. Jaelyn Duncan was able to just ride him out on the first rep — White needs to get involved and dig into that chest. On the second rep the same thing happened. He attacks the edge and takes an elongated arc to the quarterback. Duncan does his job though by tracking him. This is something for White to work on in day two.

Jerrod Clark is the nose tackle some people want Siaki Ika to be. He’s athletic and threatens as a pass rusher with the same level of splash plays we see form Ika. However, Clark’s a better anchor player who can absorb blocks, drive interior linemen backwards and win with power. He’s a former tight end who has gained weight and become a 340lbs force of nature. He has to become more consistent and find a weight he can stick to in order to max out his athleticism. He had a good start at the Senior Bowl, winning numerous reps collapsing the interior. He easily beat Olusegun Oluwatimi the Michigan center with power on his first rep.

Keeanu Benton had a violent swim/rip win in 1v1’s. He hasan ideal defensive tackle frame and looks the part of a NFL lineman. Sometimes you just look at a player and nod approval. Benton is what you look for. On his first 1v1 he absolutely destroyed Asim Richards with speed. In another rep vs Oluwatimi, he drove the center backwards by placing his right hand inside to gain pad-level, then disengaging to fight to the quarterback. Benton also looked really good during agility/change of direction drills running in and out of the bags. I had him in round two on my first horizontal board, then early round three on my second. I immediately bumped him back into round two on this showing. He looks like an every-down player.

Darnell Wright, despite being 340lbs, gets into his kick-slide with ease and shuts down the edge. There were some 1v1 reps where his hand placement was a bit high and it prevented him from locking in and controlling the block on contact but he generally got the job done and played with an aggressive streak. You can’t beat him with speed-to-power because when you get into his frame he’s like a brick wall.

I’d assumed Derick Hall at Auburn had sub-33 inch arms. Having measured with better length I need to re-watch him. In 1v1’s he had a great rep off the edge, shaping to the outside with a little hesitation on contact, then he converted speed-to-power with a long-arm to the chest combined with a swim to release and win inside. He always plays with fire and intensity and testing will be key. Knowing he has a prototype frame to play the edge is a plus point.

Cameron Young from Mississippi State had some good moments. He’s another player who likes the long-arm then release. He easily handled Alabama’s Emil Ekiyor on a center vs nose snap. Young also had a win against Nick Salvideri — he was just too powerful and quick. I need to check out his tape.

K.J. Henry had an easy win vs Blake Freeland. He just hesitated to the outside then dipped inside. It was way too easy.

Karl Brooks has short arms but boy does he throw a pretty swim move. On his first 1v1 rep he easily beat Jake Andrews.

Cornerback Julius Brents was hit and miss on tape but nobody can deny his athletic qualities. He will be a combine star. On day one he excelled on the deep routes and struggled on the shorter coverage match-ups. On the deep routes he mirrored brilliantly and gained position, allowing him to look back for the football. He’s so athletic, quick and his change of direction is on-point — he’s really hard to shake off in a foot-race.

Over the middle he was less successful. Jonathan Mingo got the better of Brents on one rep using his size to muscle-out and create short-area separation. Others were able to win with late separation working in space and although he had a pick later on, he was flagged for too much contact.

Darius Rush had a fantastic win against Mingo — running the route for him and claiming an interception. Rush showed great control and smooth feet, then had the anticipation to put himself in position to make a play. Textbook. Sadly for Rush, he also completely misjudged one rep, bit for some reason on a short-route and was hopelessly beat deep with the receiver jogging downfield uncovered. Then he also took a loss against Nathaniel Dell who easily beat him on a curl-in.

Tyrique Stevenson had a loss against Andrei Iosivas despite being in his hip-pocket on the route. Even so, Iosivas is just such a gliding, silky athlete and he’s slippery. Stevenson had a big battle against Mingo too and despite tight coverage was flagged for a penalty on the rep. Xavier Hutchinson was able to easily shake-off Stevenson on a comeback route late in the session.

Lance Zierlein called John Michael Schmitz one of his day-one winners. I was surprised to see him weigh about 20lbs lighter than his college listing and it made me re-think how I viewed him. I reached out to Lance who shared his scouting report with me.

The fact that Lance sees him as a zone-blocking center is interesting, to go with a positive blurb and a likely top-45 marker. He’s someone we might need to keep a closer eye on. In team drills he had a terrific rep on a screen pass, breaking deep into the second level and driving a defender way off the ball. His ability to lock-on in space was impressive and something you don’t often see on tape. He also had a nice 1v1 win, arching his back to stall an interior rusher with good hand-use to re-set after initially shooting high and wide. Schmitz was also pushed back by D.J. Dale on one rep and he was clinging on to try and contain the Alabama DT.

I really like Nick Saldiveri as a right guard prospect for Seattle. In 1v1’s he showed a great ability to get good initial hand-placement and then keep re-setting and working those hands inside when challenged by a counter. He’s big, strong, physical, athletic and looks the part. You might be able to put a ring around him, depending on how he tests. He ticks a lot of scheme/attitude boxes for the Seahawks. He did have that loss against Cam Young as mentioned earlier, too.

Not many people will overpower Steve Avila but Zacch Pickens had a 1v1 win by barging his way into the backfield. He showed great hand placement and a good push. It was a nice win for Pickens who is also very athletic and well sized — so it’s good that he has a bit of bully in him too because Avila is a beast.

O’Cyrus Torrence looks like he’s cut weight (or just looks great in Reese’s colours). He had some nice reps, notably against Byron Young 1v1 — sending him to the turf. Young had a win too — driving into the chest of Torrence then countering with a chop to release. Torrence was also pushed backwards on a couple of occasions. On one bad rep he was driven off the line by Jalen Redmond. He lost another rep to Redmond lined up at left guard. He couldn’t get across to the block, his angles were all wrong and the defender was just too quick. A mixed bag on day one but if Torrence has slimmed down that’s a good sign. He carried too much bad weight at Florida and looked sloppy.

Back to Alabama’s Young — he used brute force to bull rush Nick Broeker in a 1v1 rep. He kept his legs moving and he’s adept at freeing one arm to gain position and then ripping through to penetrate. He was very active and aggressive on day one.

I hadn’t studied Stanford receiver Michael Wilson pre-Senior Bowl but he looked really sharp here with precise routes, suddenness and an ability to drive off his back-foot to get open. I’m intrigued and want to see more. Another receiver, Tank Dell, also looked really sharp — firing downfield with great speed to threaten deep then stopping on a dime to present to the quarterback. He lacks size but he’s dynamic and able to challenge defenders with his change-of-direction ability and stop-start qualities.

Overall my main takeaway was — this is a really good group of trench players in Mobile and the Seahawks are going to be able to add some talent to their offensive and defensive fronts. They had a bit of a ‘meat and potatoes’ draft a year ago and it worked for them. They should aim to do the same again — just with the possibility of a quarterback pick thrown into the mix too.

Lance Zierlein grades and notes

I look forward every year to reading Lance’s reports. He’s one of the people who truly puts in the work and whether I agree or not on an individual player — I respect the heck out of what he does. In a world of cheap and cheerful draft coverage, designed to offer minimal detail and appeal to casual observers who want to dip in and out — Lance is an analyst for the draft geeks out there.

At the moment we only have reports for players listed on Daniel Jeremiah’s board — so there might be some missing gems. However, here’s a ranking list of grades and some of the notes contained within Lance’s reports:

Jalen Carter — 7.11
Will Anderson — 7.02
Bryce Young — 6.82
Bijan Robinson — 6.80
Tyree Wilson — 6.77
Drew Sanders — 6.74
Peter Skoronski — 6.73
Brian Branch — 6.72
Luke Musgrave — 6.70
Christian Gonzalez — 6.70
Jalin Hyatt — 6.50
Myles Murphy — 6.50
Michael Mayer — 6.48
C.J. Stroud — 6.46
Dalton Kincaid — 6.45
Quentin Johnston — 6.44
Broderick Jones — 6.44
Keion White — 6.43
Joey Porter Jr — 6.43
Will McDonald — 6.41
Devon Witherspoon — 6.40
John Michael Schmitz — 6.39
Kelee Ringo — 6.39
Paris Johnson Jr — 6.39
Tuli Tuipulotu — 6.38
Darnell Washington — 6.38
Lukas Van Ness — 6.38
Jahmyr Gibbs — 6.37
Jordan Addison — 6.36
Emmanuel Forbes — 6.36
Zay Flowers — 6.35
B.J. Ojulari — 6.35
Bryan Bresee — 6.35
Darnell Wright — 6.34
Mazi Smith — 6.34
Derick Hall — 6.34
Felix Anudike-Uzomah — 6.34
Anthony Richardson — 6.33
O’Cyrus Torrence — 6.32
Joe Tippmann — 6.30
Deonte Banks — 6.30
Will Levis — 6.29
Steve Avila — 6.29
Cody Mauch — 6.28
Jaxon Smith-Njigba — 6.25
Nolan Smith — 6.24
Trenton Simpson — 6.24
Tyrique Stevenson — 6.24
Zach Charbonnet — 6.23
Davis Allen — 6.21
Sam LaPorta — 6.12

For comparison, here’s Lance’s top-20 from a year ago:

Kyle Hamilton — 6.81
Aidan Hutchinson — 6.80
Evan Neal — 6.76
Ikem Ekwonu — 6.73
Sauce Gardner — 6.72
Kayvon Thibodeaux — 6.72
Tyler Linderbaum — 6.70
Trent McDuffie — 6.70
Jordan Davis — 6.50
Derek Stingley Jr — 6.50
Treylon Burks — 6.50
Garrett Wilson — 6.50
Jermaine Johnson — 6.49
Travon Walker — 6.48
Jameson Williams — 6.48
Kenyon Green — 6.45
Charles Cross — 6.44
Chris Olave — 6.43
Malik Willis — 6.41
Matt Corral — 6.40

Here were Seattle’s picks last year:

Charles Cross — 6.44
Boye Mafe — 6.35
Ken Walker — 6.35
Abraham Lucas — 6.15
Coby Bryant — 6.20
Tariq Woolen — 6.00
Tyreek Smith — 6.00
Bo Melton — 5.92
Dareke Young — 5.68

Here’s Lance on Jalen Carter:

“When assessing a player’s draft grade, we take into consideration areas like traits, toughness, explosiveness, skill level, potential for growth and positional projections. Across the board, Carter checks out in a big way. However, his maturity will need to be vetted by each team as they make their evaluations.”

Also…

“Scouts say maturity has been an issue for him at times.”

This is the second time, after Todd McShay voiced some concerns, that maturity and character have been raised with Carter. Along with the work we’ve done to track concerns over his conditioning (stated as a priority for improvement last April and not acted upon) — there’s some important context being provided here that the mainstream is otherwise ignoring.

Nevertheless — a 7.11 grade speaks to Carter’s talent and why he will be a challenging assessment for teams. He’s clearly an excellent player but will he deliver on his obvious potential?

On Tyree Wilson:

“His length and lateral quickness are ingredients for chaos as a back-side run game disruptor. He’s capable of ranging and tackling from distance if the run flows wide. On the flip side, he’s not very instinctive as a run defender and his play demeanor could stand to be a little thornier when attacking blocks. Wilson has the physical tools to create pocket push as a power rusher early on but the hand usage and rush plan will need tutoring for him to become a well-rounded, two-way rusher. He might not set the world on fire in Year 1, but the talent and vaulted ceiling will be easy to see soon enough.”

A personnel executive for an AFC team offered this quote on Keion White:

“You have to see him in person to get a feel for how he moves around for how big he is. Really athletic with a high floor. He’ll be a riser.”

Lance on C.J. Stroud:

“NFL teams will have to balance what they saw on tape from Stroud during the 2022 regular season against his great College Football Playoff semifinal performance, when he shined versus Georgia’s impressive collection pro prospects. If he did it once he can do it again, and grading the flashes for Stroud might make the most sense.”

An executive for a NFC team provided this quote on Will Levis:

“People are being too hard on him from what I’m seeing in the media. He was hurt for most of the year and gutted it out. He’s a good teammate, he’s big and he has arm talent. I like the pro potential a lot. He just needs to get healthy and keep working at it.”

I will keep saying — I think the mainstream media, including Lance, are really underrating these quarterbacks. They have flaws, yes, but the potential is extreme.

Lance on Anthony Richardson:

“Richardson’s potential to strike with the deep ball, attack the secondary from sideline to sideline and gash teams with his legs creates greater leeway in his projection as a developmental prospect. Ultimately, he will succeed or fail based on his ability to play with better post-snap recognition and deliver the football with consistency.”

Lance on Will McDonald:

“McDonald’s hard-nosed demeanor and pass-rush talent are winning play traits that will help him become a successful 3-4 outside linebacker and sack artist.”

And here’s a personnel executive for a NFC team also discussing McDonald:

“He’s going to put up big workout numbers and be one of the buzziest prospects headed into April once the media catches up on him.”

Lance is extremely high on Drew Sanders:

“He’s a tough out for interior protection as a blitzing linebacker and has natural rush talent to hunt quarterbacks off the edge. Sanders’ athletic gifts, versatility and toughness could help him become a highly impactful playmaker with Pro Bowl upside.”

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Senior Bowl measurements revealed

It’s worth noting that the measurements sometimes change at the combine (different methods of measuring, I guess) but there were some notable (and positive) numbers today.

The Seahawks, like most teams, place a lot of emphasis on length on the defensive line. They have typically avoided anyone with sub-33 inch arms.

Highly underrated Byron Young of Alabama — a possible second round pick nobody talks about — measured at 6-3, 297lbs and has 34 inch arms. Get him in Seattle. His ability to disrupt isn’t talked about enough and with his size and length, he’d be an ideal addition for the defensive front.

Zacch Pickens (DT, South Carolina) has the kind of profile they need. He’s 6-3 and 300lbs with 34 1/8 inch arms. He’s a disruptive force with plus athleticism and with that kind of length he will be coveted as a day two pick. I did have some concerns about his conditioning, watching tape. He tires. Not at a Jalen Carter level, but still.

Keion White (DE, Georgia Tech) measured nicely at 6-5 and 280lbs with 33 5/8 inch arms. That’ll do for me. We’ve been talking about him for some time — his relentless nature, motor, plus athleticism and consistent disruption. He would be an excellent option for the Seahawks so hopefully he shows that in Mobile.

Adetomiwa Adebawore (DT, Northwestern) was one of the players I asked Jim Nagy about. He is a tremendous 6-1 and 284lbs with 34 inch arms. He will win many leverage battles with that combo of arm length and squatty height. ‘Ade Ade’ will also test very well at the combine. He’s another to watch for.

Wisconsin’s talented Keeanu Benton is 6-3, 312lbs and has 33 6/8 inch arms. There are lots of nice interior defensive line options in this class as you can see.

I like Jerrod Clark’s (DT, Coastal Carolina) splash plays and he’s a good athlete at 6-3, 343lbs with 33 7/8 inch arms.

Will McDonald is often talked-up as a potential first rounder based purely on upside (his tape wasn’t good in 2022). Today he measured at 6-3, 241lbs with incredible 35-inch arms. That’s why he’s so highly thought of.

Isaiah McGuire (DE, Missouri) is a big, powerful pass-rusher who can slip blocks and make an impact. At 6-4, 271lbs and with 33 3/8 inch arms — keep an eye on him this week. I like him as a round 3/4 type, depending on testing results.

Notre Dame’s Isaiah Foskey (6-5, 262lbs, 33 6/8 arms) looks the part — those are really good numbers for him. The same can be said of Derrick Hall at Auburn (6-3, 252lbs, 34 3/8 arms) and Andre Carter (6-6, 252lbs, 34 arms).

Nick Hampton at Appalachian State is a bit lighter (6-2, 236lbs) but he can rush the passer and has 33 5/8 inch arms.

It wasn’t such good news for TCU’s Dylan Horton (6-4, 265lbs, 32 6/8 arms) or K.J. Henry (6-4, 247lbs, 32 6/8 arms) who lack ideal length.

A number of college tackles measured in a way that they are more likely to find a home at guard. That’s not bad news for the Seahawks. They have young bookend tackles to continue developing already. Seattle’s scheme, which mirrors the Rams’ system, typically uses converted tackles at guard and prefers the extra mobility that comes with a player of that description.

Syracuse’s Matt Bergeron (6-4, 323lbs, 33 5/8 arms) and Maryland’s Jaelyn Duncan (6-5, 298lbs, 33 4/8 arms) are both very athletic and talented but could end up kicking inside, providing day-two value. Alabama’s Tyler Steen (6-5, 325lbs, 33 arms) has long been destined to kick inside.

Old Dominion’s Nick Saldiveri could be a real option for Seattle as a player with tackle experience. He is 6-6, 311lbs with 33 3/8 inch arms. I really liked his tape.

At tackle, Dawand Jones is already one of the big winners of the week. His 6-8, 375lbs frame is somehow in proportion. He doesn’t have a sloppy frame. He’s ‘the Mountain’ from Game of Thrones. He also has 11 3/8 inch hands and an insane 89 4/8 inch wing span — with 36 5/8 inch arms. I’ve been banging the drum for him for weeks now as a top prospect who should go in round one and teams are going to love his size.

Michigan center Olusegun Olumatimi had a very good measuring result — he’s 6-2, 308lbs with 33 inch arms. All are ideal.

Tennessee’s brilliant tackle Darnell Wright measured at 6-5, 342lbs and has 34 1/8 inch arms. He should be a first round pick.

Wayna Morris at Oklahoma also did his stock the power of good with a 6-5, 317lbs frame and 35 3/8 inch arms and an 85 6/8 inch wing span.

I expected Ole Miss guard Nick Broeker to have sub-33 inch arms (32 2/8) but I really like him as a blocker and hope he gets some time at center in Mobile. He used to play tackle so I hope, despite his lack of length, he gets a look in Seattle. He’s ideally suited to their scheme.

Cody Mauch (T, North Dakota State) will need to kick inside at 6-5, 305lbs and with 32 1/8 inch arms. I hope he too gets some center reps because he plays like fire personified.

John Michael Schmitz (C, Minnesota) is smaller than expected (6-3, 306lbs) with short arms (32 6/8 inches). In a funny way, it almost puts him back on the radar. He looks bigger on tape. Seattle is going for leverage at center these days in their zone scheme so being smaller isn’t an issue.

Pure guard O’Cyrus Torrence is 6-5, 337lbs and has 33 7/8 inch arms. Steve Avila is 6-3, 332lbs and has 32 5/8 inch arms (not ideal).

At running back, Seattle likes size (approx +210lbs, ideally 225lbs). Kenny McIntosh at Georgia (5-11, 210lbs), Chase Brown (5-9, 215lbs), Roschon Johnson (6-0, 225lbs) and Chris Rodriguez (5-10, 224lbs) fit the bill. Tyjae Spears (5-9, 204lbs) is below the size threshold but he is just too good to ignore.

By now we all know about Seattle’s preference for length at cornerback. That changed and adapted over the last few years and a sub-32 inch arm length won’t count anyone out any more. It’s still an obvious preference though.

Stanford’s talented Kyu Blu Kelly only has 31 6/8 inch arms. The very intriguing Julius Brents of Kansas State, though, measured 6-3, 202lbs and with 33 6/8 inch arms. He will have an explosive combine performance too and could be a nice development project.

A full list of measurements can be found here.

This is a really good looking Senior Bowl group. The 1v1’s in the trenches will be box-office. Footage isn’t readily available and I’m reliant on people posting it on YouTube. I will provide analysis as soon as I can. Fingers crossed those attending come up with the goods.

Shrine game thoughts

The player who stood out the most to me was Penn State center Juice Scruggs. He’s 6-2 and 308lbs with 33 3/8 inch arms. He consistently anchored when blocking and when we was asked to move around, he kept his feet moving and retained balance.

Scruggs easily gets low to win with leverage and adjusts and recovers against spin counters. His hand placement is generally good and he can mirror. He looks athletic and a very capable scheme fit in Seattle.

Keondre Coburn pushed him back on day three but even then he did enough to hang in there and limit the damage.

Scruggs really impressed me and is on my radar moving forward as a day three center option. I will be aiming to watch more tape on him over the next fortnight.

Brenton Cox Jr is a bit of an enigma given he was kicked off the Florida team for arguing with coaches all the time. That was after initially being suspended by Georgia. His stock, as a consequence, might be down the toilet already.

However, he was easily the best athlete in 1v1’s in Las Vegas. He easily beat opponents off the edge and was just too quick. He flew off the edge and was the superior athlete competing. He showed off a good straight arm to keep his frame clean, complementing his quickness. It was easy for him, perhaps speaking to the level of opponent he was facing. He’s 6-3, 254lbs and has 33 2/8 inch arms.

Washington O-liner Henry Bainivalu also stood out. He anchored well, showed good feet to stay balanced and there is something to work with here. He’s 6-5, 312lbs and has 34 2/8 inch arms with big 10 2/8 inch hands. Team mate Jaxson Kirkland also performed well at left guard. He was strong and active at the POA. He did get whipped by a swim move on his third rep of the first day and wasn’t quick enough to respond. Yet at 6-6, 322lbs and with 33 2/8 inch arms he had a good showing.

Ohio State defensive tackle Taron Vincent flashed power and he easily beat Banivalu on one rep with an athletic move. He pushed the pocket and looked the part. However, he has short 31 3/8 inch arms.

Dante Stills is another who looked good but also lacks length (32 1/8 inch arms). However, Arkansas centre Ricky Stromberg has a torrid time and really struggled.

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