Category: Front Page News (Page 47 of 367)

If you missed it earlier — I was invited onto 710 to speak with Jake & Stacy about the draft, check it below. You can also listen via Apple podcasts here.

I’ve come to loathe mock drafts. There are too many. And a lot of draft ‘analysts’ these days have stopped talking about players and prefer to spend their time checking-in with their agenda-driven league sources.

However — in the days leading up to a draft a mock published by a well known reporter is the fix you need. You know you’re clicking on that link. And you’re going to enjoy reading the mock, however accurate it ends up being.

Peter King’s mock draft is extremely different to the others out there.

I don’t think this top-10 is going to be as unpredictable as people think. The order that the players go in might be a bit of a jumble but by now we know what this class is. It lacks great quarterback talent. It lacks obvious ‘blue chip’ top-10 picks. We’re likely to see teams fall back on the premium positions (trenches) and seek to make the best of a bad situation by getting a good offensive or defensive lineman.

King has Jermaine Johnson dropping to #23 overall to Arizona. I would suggest this is practically impossible. When you run a 1.55 10-yard split at his size, dominate the Senior Bowl, do everything to show you’re an alpha at the combine and showcase a complete defensive end skillset on tape — you will be drafted early.

His floor is probably Atlanta at #8 but he could easily go in the top-five. I wouldn’t get your hopes up that he’ll be there for Seattle. Tony Pauline has been discussing how he’s an option for the Jets at #4.

My league source felt he deserved an #11-20 grade but that was mentioned some time ago. I’m noting it because I wouldn’t completely rule out Johnson still going in that range. But his stock has just risen and risen and there’s been nothing to suggest it’s stalling on the home straight.

It feels inevitable that Travon Walker, Aidan Hutchinson, Ikem Ekwonu and Evan Neal will go very early short of any unknown injury flags. There has been a bit of talk around Neal, who hasn’t done any testing pre-draft.

It feels somewhat safe to project Sauce Gardner will also go in the top-10 one way or another. The other two spots in the top-eight could easily be made up by Kayvon Thibodeaux and Charles Cross (who I maintain is overrated).

There’s also a chance a receiver is taken.

If it plays out like that — regardless of the order, it won’t really be that unpredictable.

King’s projection though has some significant shocks.

Kyle Hamilton is taken at #7 to the Giants and Drake London goes #8 overall to Atlanta. I wouldn’t expect either to happen.

I don’t think Sauce Gardner will be drafted at #4 overall either. For me it’s pretty clear that will be a pass rusher or offensive lineman.

I do think there’s a chance we see an early run on receivers though (especially given the price-tag of the position these days).

King’s suggestion for the Seahawks is practically too good to be true.

He has Seattle moving down from #9 to #13 with Houston, so the Texans can jump in front of the Jets for a receiver. I’ve been saying the #9 pick is a great position for the Seahawks and that’ll stay the case provided the Jets keep the pick. Teams will be wary of New York selecting a receiver or lineman.

The Seahawks acquire the #68 pick for moving down — which would be an early Christmas present. Then at #13 both Thibodeaux and Johnson are still available.

That would be a miracle. They’d probably need to give Kevin Costner a ring about making ‘Draft Day 2: Electric Boogaloo’ if they pulled that off.

Reading King’s scenario for the Seahawks gave me the best dopamine hit I’ve had in months. Then reality kicked in and I realised this was about as likely as Italy agreeing to replay the final of Euro 2020.

Here’s King’s blurb:

Perfect Pete Carroll pick. Thibodeaux’s an LA kid, he’ll be supremely ticked off at not being the first edge off the board and falling this far, and Carroll knows how to feed into the mental game that fuels players. That, plus Thibodeaux would be the kind of top talent that the Seahawks never get to pick in the draft because they’re always picking at the bottom of the round, or later. Thibodeaux, if he works out, would be a good pick for a team devoid of a top-end pass-rusher, in a division with some serious passing games.

I’d like this pick, in this spot, for Seattle. I’m not alone. “Thibodeaux at 13 would be a coup for Seattle,” one GM told me Sunday when I apprised him of my diabolical plan to send the Oregon edge down the draft board.

It would be perfect. So would the chance to pick Johnson in the same slot.

But the likelihood remains that both will probably be gone by #9 and the Seahawks will face the scenario we’ve been discussing for some time. Do you take a chance on talent and select Derek Stingley Jr, do they try and fill a hole by just selecting Trevor Penning or can they trade down?

If, by chance, King’s scenario comes true (even if it’s only one of Thibodeaux or Johnson) — it’d be party time.

Elsewhere, Todd McShay has connected the Seahawks to Jordan Davis out of the blue today:

I’m hearing a lot of noise about the Seahawks taking a hard look at Georgia defensive tackle Jordan Davis here. The massive run-stopper had a legendary combine workout, and he has been sneaking up boards ever since — and Seattle could take him in the top 10.

I’m also told that Seattle really likes Stingley. The talented cornerback has been mocked all over the place. Some teams love the ceiling, best displayed by a six-interception freshman season. Others are hesitant to use an early pick on a player limited to 10 uneven games over the past two seasons. But he is getting more love than previously thought, and he might not make it out of the top 10 after all. And there’s even a chance he goes before Gardner.

If not Davis or Stingley, the Seahawks could fall back on offensive tackle. They have a hole on the left side right now — but there’s also a good chance Ekwonu, Neal and Cross are all off the board by the time Seattle is picking.

Tony Pauline, along with McShay, is also connecting the Texans with Stingley Jr at #3.

A lot of the themes we’ve been discussing seem to be coming to fruition — no quarterbacks in the top-10, Carolina taking a tackle, Stingley better than Sauce.

In the final days leading up to the draft I might post multiple articles per day. Keep scrolling down from the homepage so you don’t miss anything — I won’t necessarily be tweeting a link to every article.

And if you’ved enjoyed the content on Seahawks Draft Blog this off-season then why not consider supporting us via Patreon (click the tab below)…

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Quarterbacks

Malik Willis (Liberty)
He has incredible arm strength, his running ability is a major plus and he has the potential to make magic happen on the move. However — he struggles to throw over the middle and flat-out rejects way too many easy completions, he too often refuses to take what’s on offer and he has a painful number of self-inflicted sacks.

Kenny Pickett (Pittsburgh)
There are things to like — he’s a better athlete than people recognise and he really elevated Pittsburgh. Nothing gets you that excited though (apart from the fake-slide, that was exciting).

Matt Corrall (Ole Miss)
He basically needs a ground-zero introduction to a pro-style offense and how teams think he can handle that will determine his stock because there are certainly things to like. He has a terrific whip-like motion that generates great torque and velocity but there are misses on tape that are head-scratching too.

Desmond Ridder (Cincinnati)
His erratic accuracy is a major problem (watch the Navy game, the first half of the Notre Dame game and see how he struggled against Alabama). The Seahawks will probably like his hand size, winning habit, personality and plus athleticism but he misses way too many easy layups and it feels like you could easily waste three years giving him a chance to take a leap forward and it never happening, leaving you in quarterback purgatory.

Sam Howell (North Carolina)
I just don’t get it and every time I watch his tape I think ‘meh’. A poor man’s Baker.

Carson Strong (Nevada)
He has genuine, legit arm talent. Yet he can barely move, the knee is a huge concern and he disappointed at the Senior Bowl.

Jack Coan (Notre Dame)
His arm is decent, he can go through reads, he can make plays downfield and he has something about him. I like Coan.

Kaleb Eleby (Western Michigan)
Completely lacks any kind of athletic upside but he loves to take shots downfield. They clearly liked Dee Eskridge a year ago so the Seahawks might have a soft spot for the man who threw him the ball.

Running back

Breece Hall (Iowa State)
His testing profile is incredible and he does a good job being shifty to capitalise on opportunities to burst through open lanes to gain yardage. I wasn’t that excited watching him though.

Kenneth Walker (Michigan State)
The testing surprised me because he doesn’t actually look like a blazing runner. He’s patient though, has home-run hitting ability and he carried Michigan State in 2021.

Dameon Pierce (Florida)
He’s an animal who runs through contact like it’s his oxygen. He is a Seahawks running back.

Zamir White (Georgia)
I love the way he accelerates through gaps and always falls forward on contact. An underrated, gritty tone-setter for Georgia who did as much as the defense to connect everything up.

Tyrion Davis-Price (LSU)
Big, athletic and explosive. He has great feet to shimmy away from tackles and the power to burst through opponents.

Rachaad White (Arizona State)
Productive with the occasional flash of brilliance. Doesn’t have an orthodox body type for the position.

Isaiah Spiller (Texas A&M)
I don’t see anything to get excited about. What am I missing?

James Cook (Georgia)
If his name was James Smith I’m not sure we’d be talking about him as much. He is what he is — a small running back best used as a creative pass catcher.

Isaih Pacheco (Rutgers)
He has a harrowing backstory and plays every game with an emotional passion to succeed and make people proud. He’s shifty and quick and if he plays on a better team, he might just be really good.

Max Borghi (Washington State)
He’s ended up being quite underrated. On tape he does everything well and provides a mix of elusiveness to dodge tackles, the ability to be a X-factor in the passing game and he’s a home-run threat.

Kevin Harris (South Carolina)
Harris isn’t going to offer you anything in the passing game but as a brutal, hammering, physical running back he has BAMF potential. He loves to run through contact and finish.

Zonovan Knight (NC State)
There’s a reason why his nickname is ‘Bam’ but he’s not just a power merchant who runs through tackles. His footwork is fantastic — as he showed in the pad drills at the combine.

Brian Robinson (Alabama)
Slightly high-cut and offers very little in pass-pro. However, he bulldozed his way to providing a needed running element to Alabama’s Playoff run.

Wide receiver

Jameson Williams (Alabama)
Breakaway speed is reminiscent of Desean Jackson. Tearing his ACL at the end of the season might prevent him from being WR1.

Garrett Wilson (Ohio State)
Great testing and very productive. He gets his body into weird, contorted positions though when catching the ball and it bothers me.

Chris Olave (Ohio State)
Silky smooth with better-than-expected speed. In the right offense he could be Mr. Reliable.

Drake London (USC)
There are plenty of ‘wow’ moments on tape. However, with a receiver this size I want to know the testing numbers and he’s refused to run a forty.

Treylon Burks (Arkansas)
Loved his tape, hated his combine and pro-day testing. Is he someone who outperforms his athletic profile or just a good college receiver who doesn’t have the upside to excel in the NFL?

Kevin Austin Jr (Notre Dame)
Underrated and jumped off the screen as a dynamic downfield playmaker. He’s extremely exciting to watch and he could be one of the best receivers from this deep class.

Christian Watson (North Dakota State)
Very quick, very tough, capable of receiving the ball around the LOS to grab YAC but can also get downfield. Praised for his leadership qualities.

Alec Pierce (Cincinatti)
All-world testing profile (size/speed) but everything is a contested catch. Is that the QB’s fault or can’t he separate?

Jahan Dotson (Penn State)
He’s pretty good at most things but not really great at anything. A decent prospect.

George Pickens (Georgia)
Not sure where all this sudden hype has come from (Greg Cosell bizarrely called him the best receiver in the draft, or something like that). He’s alright.

Wan’Dale Robinson (Kentucky)
Love his consistency, the way he led Kentucky’s offense with Will Levis and his willingness to hang in there to make difficult plays. His frame reminds me of Golden Tate.

Calvin Austin (Memphis)
A dynamic, diminutive receiver who was incredibly exciting to watch. He’d be a great fit for the Chiefs.

Jalen Tolbert (South Alabama)
He made probably the best catch in college football in 2021. Smooth, silky runner who should be a consistent ‘right place at the right time’ type.

John Metchie (Alabama)
The more I watched on tape the more I thought, ‘you’re not actually that fast’. Then he had the injury.

Skyy Moore (Western Michigan)
He didn’t excite me in the way Dee Eskridge did at all. He’s a warrior and will make extremely difficult catches in tough situations but he lacks a ‘wow’ factor for me.

Velus Jones Jr (Tennessee)
Love his special teams want and desire. He runs a 4.31 so he has some athletic talent but just watch what he does as a returner and as a blocker because it’s about as good as it gets.

Khalil Shakir (Boise State)
Extremely competitive prospect who offers so much variety to an offense. Creative minds will love him — as will his team mates.

David Bell (Purdue)
After watching his tape I thought second round. How can you have any faith in him though after running a 4.74 forty at 209lbs?

Tight end

Trey McBride (Colorado State)
Loves a block, loves a scrap and makes plays in the passing game. He’ll do for me.

Greg Dulcich (TE, UCLA)
A terrific athlete who looks the part. Would be a great fit for a creative offense that loves to feature a move-TE.

Jelani Woods (Virginia)
You put on the tape and think, ‘oh, he’s interesting’. Then you see the testing numbers and think, ‘very, very interesting’.

Cade Otton (Washington)
A typical Washington tight end who does everything well. Can he stay healthy though?

Jeremy Ruckert (Ohio State)
Someone could get a steal if he falls due to the injury. He has a lot of really good traits and shines in the key areas.

Charlie Kolar (Iowa State)
A really, really interesting prospect. His testing profile matches up with some of the best TE’s in the league and he could soon join them.

Jake Ferguson (Wisconsin)
I like him — he can do a bit of everything. And his agility testing is in Seattle’s ballpark.

Daniel Bellinger (San Diego State)
If you can give him a jolt and make him more consistent as a blocker and pass catcher the sky’s the limit for Bellinger. He tested brilliantly in everything you look for in a tight end so the upside is clear.

Cole Turner (Nevada)
Another player who tested well in the short shuttle and three cone and that matters at tight end. Watching Carson Strong tape — Turner won so many jump-balls for him by boxing out and gaining position.

Tackle

Abraham Lucas (Washington State)
Brilliant run blocker with perfect size and testing. The top performer during on-field drills at the combine — it’s a disgrace how little he’s been talked about pre-draft.

Trevor Penning (Northern Iowa)
His testing profile is akin to the top tackles in the league. The concerns are, though, whether his technique (plays too high, susceptible to inside counter, can be bull-rushed) will ever be good enough and is he a genuine tough-guy or is he trying too hard to come across as one?

Charles Cross (Mississippi State)
One of the most overrated players in the draft for me. His narrow base is crying out to be relentlessly bull-rushed at the next level, he didn’t run-block in the air-raid and his testing profile is ‘meh’.

Tyler Smith (Tulsa)
He’s got ‘tackle who shifts inside to guard’ written all over him. He plays with an aggressive mindset but he’s nothing special as an edge protector.

Rasheed Walker (Penn State)
He plays like he needs a rocket up his arse. Yet there are flashes on tape where you think, ‘this guy has something’.

Daniel Faalele (T, Minnesota)
Too big. Why does anyone have him going on day two?

Nicholas Petit-Frere (Ohio State)
I thought he’d test better than he did. On tape he looked athletic with a need to find an edge but now you have to question his upside.

Thayer Munford (Ohio State)
Another Ohio State lineman whose tape is better than his testing (and his testing was absolutely rubbish). Still, as a day three option to have a look to see if he can make it at right tackle, I think he’s worth a shot.

Obinna Eze (Memphis)
I really like him. He has great size and length plus he knows how to use his frame to play inside/out and protect the edge.

Matt Waletzko (North Dakota State)
He’s really explosive with a fantastic tackle frame. At the Senior Bowl he stood out and made you take notice in the 1v1 reps.

Max Mitchell (Louisiana)
I really liked his tape against Texas but he was really poor at the Senior Bowl and then his testing was hugely underwhelming. Undersized, too.

Guard

Evan Neal (Alabama)
The man who drafted Brandon Scherff told me Neal reminds him of Scherff. He’s best suited to playing inside and being a top-tier guard.

Ikem Ekwonu (NC State)
I know he’ll get tried at tackle in all likelihood. For me Ekownu’s best bet is to kick inside to guard ala Zack Martin.

Zion Johnson (G, Boston College)
He has everything — length, explosive testing, agility, intelligence, an aggressive nature. Don’t be surprised if he goes as early as Alijah Vera-Tucker did.

Bernhard Raimann (G, Central Michigan)
Short arms and age (25) work against him but Raimann’s testing profile is remarkable. He could be a truly excellent guard but he lacks the technical refinement to play tackle early in his career, which is a problem when you’re already in your mid-20’s.

Kenyon Green (Texas A&M)
Another player where I just don’t get it. His testing profile is really, really bad.

Logan Bruss (Wisconsin)
An explosive linemen with experience at guard or tackle (best suited to guard at the next level). He has massive hands that are like clamps and he has a shot to be sneakily really good in the NFL.

Luke Goedeke (Central Michigan)
He lacks Raimann’s upside but he’s unsurprisingly more refined. Short arms are again a concern and likely mean a kick inside to guard.

Sean Rhyan (UCLA)
And another linemen with short arms. He played tackle at UCLA but his body type and playing style scream guard.

Center

Cam Jurgens (Nebraska)
The perfect package of angry grit, explosive traits, length and agility. What a player.

Tyler Linderbaum (Iowa)
The size concerns mean he won’t fit every team. However, the Seahawks have already stated they are looking for someone with Linderbaum’s profile so they should try and leave the draft with him because in the right scheme he’s going to be awesome.

Cole Strange (Chattanooga)
Good senior bowl, great size and length, amazing explosive traits. Strange could be really, really good.

Zach Tom (Wake Forest)
He’s so good on tape you want to almost consider keeping him at left tackle. Yet his size says center — and a really good one given his combination of length and explosive testing ability.

Dylan Parham (Memphis)
Good size and length but lacks ideal explosive traits or agility results. He does well to play with leverage but he might have a limited ceiling.

EDGE

Kayvon Thibodeaux (Oregon)
There’s no getting away from the fact when Thibodeaux starts talking you kind of want him to, well, stop. But he ran a 1.5 10-yard split and he does what every team wants — win off the edge with absolute dynamism.

Aidan Hutchinson (Michigan)
He has great potential to be something a bit special. The lack of length is worrisome but the worst case scenario for Hutchinson is still a really good football player.

Travon Walker (Georgia)
There aren’t many people with his level of athleticism at his size. That’s why he’s being talked about as a potential #1 pick — his upside is through the roof.

Jermaine Johnson (Florida State)
Not only does he have the 1.5 10-yard split in his locker, he’s also superb with his hands. If you draft Johnson you’ll get a complete edge defender who’ll be a good pass rusher, strong run defender and an even better heart-and-soul leader.

George Karlaftis (Purdue)
He’s basically a lower-shelf Aidan Hutchinson. His run-defending is surprisingly poor but he flies off the edge to make plays as a pass rusher.

Boye Mafe (Minnesota)
At the Senior Bowl he won reps with natural, almost effortless brilliance. He’s an amazing athlete who can also win with power — he just needs to continue developing to find a new level of dominance/consistency.

David Ojabo (Michigan)
You were always going to get a raw player who needed development time. Now with the injury ruling him out until 2023, how much harder will it be for him to get that development?

Arnold Ebiketie (Penn State)
He has some really nice wins on tape and he’s certainly explosive. However — he didn’t run at the combine and then ran a really slow 1.69 10-yard split at his Pro-Day, which is a concern.

Sam Williams (Ole Miss)
When you run a 4.46 at his size and can get after the quarterback, that will appeal to teams. The character concerns will have been investigated fully by interested parties.

Nik Bonitto (Oklahoma)
I’m having a really hard time working him out because the size is better than expected, the length is a concern, the production amazing and the testing good. But he wins by starting in a very wide position then racing to the QB — thus he never really engages and at the next level you wonder if he’ll just be absorbed given he’ll need to make contact a lot more often than he did in college.

Drake Jackson (USC)
His weight has been up and down. On tape he has some amazing wins and you need to determine whether he can reach a level of consistency we simply didn’t see in college.

Michael Clemons (Texas A&M)
He doesn’t have the best testing profile but he’s built like a Greek God and has wins in the same way Darrell Taylor won at Tennessee. He’s also a clear BAMF.

DeAngelo Malone (Western Kentucky)
He’s had a really impressive draft season. He performed extremely well at the Senior Bowl, then gained weight, then tested well at the new weight and you feel like he has a lot to offer in the middle rounds as a rotational rusher.

Dominique Robinson (Miami-Ohio)
A converted receiver who has all the testing qualities and has some flashes on tape. He needs further development but the traits are there to be a useful rotational pass rusher.

Amare Barno (Virginia Tech)
He ran brilliantly in the 4.3’s at the combine but his tape is just rubbish for the most part. So can he make the most of that speed and become stronger, tougher and more impactful?

Defensive tackle

Jordan Davis (Georgia)
He’s basically Thanos but can you trust him to stay at 340lbs? He could be Haloti Ngata or Vita Vea if he stays in his combine shape, otherwise he could be a disappointing, small-percentage snap, two-down nose tackle.

Devonte Wyatt (Georgia)
He looks like he could be another Geno Atkins. However, there are rumblings of some lingering character concerns.

Travis Jones (Connecticut)
Stunning player with an outstanding testing profile and incredible upside. He dominated the Senior Bowl and deserves to go in round one.

Perrion Winfrey (Oklahoma)
His tape is crap so you have to work out how much that’s on him and how much is on the slanting scheme that basically didn’t seem to suit anyone at Oklahoma. He’s a fire-and-brimstone on-field personality and he’s a terrific athlete.

Matthew Butler (Tennessee)
A really interesting player who has the length and skill of a good pro-DT. He could be a useful three-technique in the NFL.

Phidarian Mathis (Alabama)
Tough, physical, long, passionate and productive (in 2021) but his testing profile is nothing special. If nothing else he’ll give you everything.

Inside-out rusher

Logan Hall (Houston)
He plays too upright and he needs a better plan to his rushes. However — he’s quick and physical and you can’t sniff at a 4.44 short shuttle at his size.

Joshua Paschal (Kentucky)
He’s a Minotaur when it comes to defending the run — setting the edge beautifully and playing with a style that makes you want to start shouting and beating your chest. He has limitations as a pass rusher, though.

DeMarvin Leal (Texas A&M)
The idea of Leal is better than the reality of Leal. I watched one game where I thought — this is really good and he’s dominating — and a few other games where I thought, is he playing?

Linebacker

Devin Lloyd (Houston)
I’ve gone back-and-forth with Lloyd because you can see the intensity and the havoc-wreaking plays. Yet his technique is a bit too unorthodox at times and his testing results were nothing special.

Channing Tindall (Georgia)
He has a wonderful personality, he’s incredibly explosive, he’s a Ferrari in pursuit and he’s just getting started. Draft him.

Quay Walker (Georgia)
Walker is a dude. A physical, athletic, well-sized dude.

Leo Chenal (Wisconsin)
If you want a player with amazing size, incredible agility for that size and someone who can play downfield and just attack, attack, attack — Chenal’s your man. He might have some limitations trying to drop in coverage though.

Damone Clark (LSU)
If it wasn’t for his serious injury he could be a first round pick. He has everything.

Troy Andersen (Montana State)
One of the most fun players to watch in college football. Andersen is one of the best testers ever and has limitless upside if he can put it all together.

Nakobe Dean (Georgia)
I don’t know with Dean — he’s undersized, he’s done no testing and his best work comes as a blitzer for me. Is he a better college player than pro?

Christian Harris (Alabama)
Love the speed he showed at the combine. However, his tape just leaves you wanting more.

Chad Muma (Wyoming)
Very explosive and it shows up on tape (his attitude and aggression jump off the screen). His short shuttle is good not great though (an important test at LB).

Brian Asamoah (Oklahoma)
His testing performance was a bit underwhelming. On tape he flies to the ball-carrier better than any linebacker not named Channing Tindall so it was surprising.

Darrian Beavers (Cincinnati)
Explosive and agile — that’s what you need at the position. He will threaten as a blitzer and could end up being a very solid starter at the next level.

Cornerback

Derek Stingley Jr (LSU)
The most exciting cornerback to enter the league in years. The best corner in the draft with immense potential.

Sauce Gardner (Cincinnati)
I think he’s become a bit overrated, even if I like him as a player. I’m calling him ‘secret Sauce’ after his decision not to do any testing other than a forty run at the combine.

Andrew Booth (Clemson)
No testing makes it hard to get a read on Booth. I know some people in the league still believe he’s CB3 though.

Trent McDuffie (Washington)
Good player but I think he’s a Byron Murphy type. I’m not sold on this top-15 talk.

Kyler Gordon (Washington)
On tape there’s a lot to like but he shocked everyone with a mediocre combine. How do you judge him after that?

Kaiir Elam (Florida)
I thought he’d test worse than he did so kudos there. I think on tape he showed you can get him to bite and he does get beat but his frame and athleticism is attractive.

Roger McLeary (Auburn)
He’s massively competitive and does a good job to stick or recover and make last-minute breakups. He’s tiny with short-arms though and he didn’t run that well.

Jalyn Armour-Davis (Alabama)
A Rolls Royce who oozes class. He could end up being really good.

MJ Emerson (Mississippi State)
Purely from the eye-test, he’s a classic Seahawks corner. It won’t be a shock if they really like him.

Cam Taylor-Britt (Nebraska)
Extremely physical cornerback who loves a tackle. He also has the recovery speed and attitude this team needs.

Tariq Woolen (UTSA)
He has a physical profile to drool over. However, he’s unquestionably tight in his hips and the high-upside athleticism needs to be harnessed to make a better football player.

Demarri Mathis (Pittsburgh)
I’m a huge fan. His testing is through the roof and he just loves to stick a helmet in there and rough people up.

Jaylen Watson (Washington State)
He shows subtle technique wins to stick in coverage and I like that. He has a shot to make it at the next level due to his savviness.

Montaric Brown (Arkansas)
He had a ton of production in 2021 and is flying under the radar. He can bite on double moves and needs coaching there but otherwise I thought he had a really good final season in college.

Safety

Lewis Cine (Georgia)
His field-reading ability is extraordinary, as is his read-and-react. He also runs a 4.37 and hits like a hammer.

Kyle Hamilton (Notre Dame)
A big safety but his best trait was always his gliding running style to chase down ball-carriers. Then he tested poorly as a runner so what gives?

Nick Cross (Maryland)
Fantastic player who flies to the ball, can cover ground quickly and packs a punch as a hitter. Underrated.

Bryan Cook (Cincinnati)
If you need someone who can just come in, hold down his job and keep things organised — Cook’s your man. No testing makes it hard to assess his upside.

Daxton Hill (Michigan)
After expecting a headline-making combine he only did so-so. I was banking on that because he’s mostly an upside prospect who needs his true role defining.

Jalen Pitre (Baylor)
I’m having a hard time working him out. He’s a tough assessment for me.

Kerby Joseph (Illinois)
There’s something here. He’s rangy enough to cover ground, he has size to hit and he is a magnet to the ball.

Jaquan Brisker (Penn State)
I was always left wanting more from him. Show me something to get excited about.

Percy Butler (Louisana)
Electrifying special teams ace who deserves a shot to be more. An energy-creating player who provides day-one value as a gunner.

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In his latest article of draft insider notes, friend of the blog Tony Pauline had this to say about the Seahawks:

Word is there’s a very real possibility the Seattle Seahawks move into the back end of Round 1 and grab their quarterback of the future.

Staying on Seattle for a second, there have been a lot of mock drafts having them taking offensive tackle Trevor Penning with the ninth pick. And while many on the outside feel that’s a reach, league insiders say it’s a definite possibility the Seahawks go in that direction, and the choice makes sense. Penning’s stock has been moving north since the Senior Bowl, and I previously mentioned him as a potential choice for the Jets with the 10th pick.

It’s worth noting that in the same piece, Pauline touts the possibility of Matt Corral and Desmond Ridder going in the late first.

The talk about Penning also chimes with what we’ve been discussing on here. The simple fact is the Seahawks have a gaping hole at both tackle spots and Penning fits, typically, what they go for in terms of athletic profile.

It’s not what I would do personally. But it might be what they do.

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Improve the trenches
For all the investment at positions like safety and linebacker over the years, the old football cliché of winning in the trenches remains true. Creating a good offensive line and a threatening pass rush is a tried and tested way to win. Furthermore, it fits perfectly the style of football the Seahawks want to play. This happens to be a good draft for the trenches, so take advantage of it.

Don’t hole-fill
For a number of years now the Seahawks have band-aided some holes and then filled others in the draft. A clear hedge like Austin Blythe, on a one-year contract, isn’t a long term fix. If you get a chance to draft a fantastic center, go for it. Don’t take a lesser player because it fills a perceived hole you didn’t address with one of those short-term band-aids. The emphasis in this draft should be BPA with a leaning towards the O-line and D-line.

Build to be the kind of team you want to be
In 2010-2011 the intention was clear. They spent three high picks on the O-line. They traded for Marshawn Lynch. They signed Robert Gallery and brought in Breno Giacomini. They paid to keep Max Unger. They wanted to run the ball and run the ball well. Return to that approach this year. If you’re going to be that kind of team, create that kind of team. Even if you’re not a fan of that particular philosophy, it’s what Pete Carroll says he wants. And the people running this team have to build the team their way. So go for it.

Draft at least one Georgia defender
Every team should have this ambition. That’s how good they were in 2021. Draft multiple Georgia defenders if you can. They are winners, they are physical, they are freakishly athletic and they look good on tape.

Be prepared to shoot for the stars at #9
I want the Seahawks to really commit to the trenches as noted. However, the best offensive and defensive linemen probably aren’t going to last to your pick. If you can’t trade down for whatever reason, don’t settle. Draft someone you believe has the potential to be a star.

Be patient at quarterback
I’ve poured over this QB class for hours. I’ve studied virtually every game each of the top prospects played in 2021 (plus some of their 2020 games too). This isn’t the year to go chasing a quarterback. Kentucky’s Will Levis should be the target next year. Embrace what this is — a setting the table draft. Build the foundations for future success.

Sometimes the obvious pick is the right pick
Carroll and John Schneider love to say they pick for their team not the league. Which on paper is a fair approach. Yet often it does feel like they’ve overthought things. On a recent stream Jeff Simmons made a good point that if they’d just taken the ‘best available’ player on Mel Kiper’s big board they’d probably have had more success in round one over the years. Too often they’ve bypassed players who have ended up being as good as expected to fill needs or take what they’d call ‘their guys’. Scheme and ideals feature within every draft decision in every draft room. Sometimes, though, it’s OK just to say — ‘let’s draft him, he’s really good’.

You’re not going to solve every problem
By going into this draft without really bolstering the pass rush, without signing any offensive tackles, without doing anything to replace Bobby Wagner and by not really doing much at quarterback — there’s too much to do. For all the bluster about ‘competing’ and expecting to win, we can all see what 2022 is going to be in all likelihood. It’s fine to talk the talk about competing but please — make decisions with the long term in mind.

An unsexy draft is OK
Trading down, selecting Zion Johnson, then trading up, selecting Tyler Linderbaum, then taking the best defensive player at #41 before going and getting a good running back, such as Dameon Pierce in round three, might not be a collection of picks that have Seahawks fans racing online to express their excitement. However, that for me would be perfectly acceptable. Feel free to subtract a name for Abraham Lucas or Cam Jurgens. If a top pass rusher falls to #9 (they won’t) then pivot and don’t look a gift-horse in the mouth. However, coming out of this draft with the ability to bully from the interior and make plays in the front seven of your defense is fine by me. It’s a platform to keep building and you’d be drafting good players who can create the identity you want.

Create something to hang your hat on
What do the Seahawks do well at the moment? What are they known for on the field? This is why I’d like to see a focussed commitment to either creating a brilliant, dominant running game through the trenches or loading up on defense. At least then you can say — this is what we’re trying to be known for. Now let’s make it happen.

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As usual, some thoughts before getting into the mock…

— Listening to Pete Carroll and John Schneider earlier, it felt like they used their press conference to emphasise their desire to trade down. Tony Pauline mentioned to us yesterday that league sources have told him the Seahawks prefer to move down (which would suggest they’ve put the word out to other teams). It won’t be a surprise if an aim is to get as many picks as possible in this deep draft.

— Increasingly I think O-line will be the first pick. The two gaping holes at tackle feel like a tell. They started their initial build by drafting a tackle (Russell Okung).

— Trevor Penning, like it or not, fits the Seahawks. I wrote about it in more detail here and here. He’s an explosive tester, which they like. He’s an incredible athlete. His size/length profile matches Andrew Whitworth and Rob Havenstein in LA. They might trade down a few spots first but I just get the sense, as of today, that he might be their top pick.

— The other thought I keep coming back to is whether Pete Carroll will just be so enamoured by the blue-chip potential of Derek Stingley Jr. Is it an intriguing, tempting opportunity for a coach like Carroll? And after years of singling out their inability to pick as early as #9 — will they take the chance to draft a player who typically wouldn’t be available to them? Plus there’s Carroll’s connection to Ed Orgeron. It certainly feels very likely he’s leant on his contacts this off-season (including, of course, the Kiffin’s at Ole Miss).

— John Schneider mentioning the ‘Jake Locker/Christian Ponder’ QB class of 2011 felt like a comparison to this QB class (even though it wasn’t a direct comparison, he was talking about quarterbacks going earlier than expected). If it was an accidentally on purpose comparison, he’d be right to make it.

— This time I’m only doing a first round projection. I need the weekend to think about round two. I didn’t want to over complicate things with loads of trades either. I will probably do two more mock drafts which will include a full Seahawks seven round projection and my final mock for Huddle Report scoring.

#1 Jacksonville — Travon Walker (DE, Georgia)
#2 Detroit — Aidan Hutchinson (DE, Michigan)
#3 Houston — Ikem Ekwonu (G, NC State)
#4 NY Jets — Jermaine Johnson (DE, Florida State)
#5 NY Giants — Kayvon Thibodeaux (DE, Oregon)
#6 Carolina — Evan Neal (G, Alabama)
#7 NY Giants — Charles Cross (T, Miss. State)
#8 Atlanta — Sauce Gardner (CB, Cincinnati)
#9 Houston (v/SEA) — Derek Stingley Jr (CB, LSU)
#10 New York Jets — Garrett Wilson (WR, Ohio State)
#11 Washington — Kyle Hamilton (S, Notre Dame)
#12 Minnesota — Trent McDuffie (CB, Washington)
#13 Seattle (v/HOU) — Trevor Penning (T, Northern Iowa)
#14 Baltimore — Jordan Davis (DT, Georgia)
#15 Philadelphia — George Karlaftis (DE, Purdue)
#16 New Orleans — Jameson Williams (WR, Alabama)
#17 LA Chargers — Chris Olave (WR, Ohio State)
#18 Philadelphia — Devin Lloyd (LB, Utah)
#19 New Orleans — Kenny Pickett (QB, Pittsburgh)
#20 Pittsburgh — Malik Willis (QB, Liberty)
#21 New England — Zion Johnson (G, Boston College)
#22 Green Bay — Drake London (WR, USC)
#23 Arizona — Tyler Smith (T, Tulsa)
#24 Dallas — Treylon Burks (WR, Arkansas)
#25 Buffalo — Quay Walker (LB, Georgia)
#26 Tennessee — Andrew Booth (CB, Clemson)
#27 Tampa Bay — Kyler Gordon (CB, Washington)
#28 Green Bay — Travis Jones (DT, Connecticut)
#29 Kansas City — Kaiir Elam (CB, Florida)
#30 Atlanta (v/KC) — Desmond Ridder (QB, Cincinnati)
#31 Cincinnati — Devonte Wyatt (DT, Georgia)
#32 Detroit — Nakobe Dean (LB, Georgia)

Other notes

— I can’t decide whether the Seahawks are going to look at Tyler Linderbaum as someone they can’t leave the draft without or whether they’re just going to carry on rolling at center. The Rams have plugged guys in with their blocking scheme. The Seahawks might be prepared to do the same (although, as we’ve seen, they’ve had issues doing that in the past). Austin Blythe knows the calls. Yet the way they talked about his size and wrestling background just screamed ‘hedge for Linderbaum’. He is a five-star version of Blythe. So if you want that type of player, why wouldn’t you go up from #40 and ensure you get him?

— Equally if they do go O-line first it might be that they simply take the best two defensive players available at #40 and #41. The two best available defensive players could include Boye Mafe and Lewis Cine — who both had official visits to Seattle recently.

— Hosting Cine was interesting. Some of these late visits have been quite indicative over the years. It’s a hard sell to spend another high pick on a safety, given how much they’ve already splurged and the relative depth on the roster at the position. The Seahawks also had Damontae Kazee in for a visit, they’ve had a zoom meeting with Kyle Hamilton and they’ve had three other safety’s visit the VMAC. This article emphasises how Sean Desai used a lot of three-safety looks as defensive coordinator in Chicago. But you already have Ryan Neal and Marquise Blair. They must be doing all of this for a reason, though.

— For what it’s worth Cine is one of the 20 best players in the draft for me. He has 4.37 speed, he’s a forceful hitter and his read/react ability on the field is frankly sensational. He’s a player who had to grow up quickly after becoming a father at 17. He’s a tremendous talent. It’s just so hard to rally behind yet another high pick at safety. I can’t see how he would last to #40/41 either.

— I still think running back in round three. I still think it’ll be Dameon Pierce, too.

— I’d like to come out of this draft feeling really good about an area of the team. It’s why I’ve advocated for drafting Zion Johnson and Tyler Linderbaum. If nothing else you’d have a great interior O-line capable of delivering a terrific running game. That, to me, would be a building block. And it’s how you want to play. I fear instead they’ll try to fill holes and won’t come away with a unit to build around. I liked their early emphasis on the O-line in 2010/11. It produced mixed results but as we saw with the Cowboys recently — having a great O-line can produce. They had Tyron Smith of course but they also invested in Zack Martin and Travis Frederick. Smith isn’t in this draft. Martin and Frederick might be.

— Today was the first day I thought Duane Brown might not return to Seattle. When asked about his possible return, Schneider’s face was a picture. It seems he wants more than Seattle is willing to pay and we’ve been here before. We’ve seen this song and dance. It never ends well.

If you missed it yesterday check out my interview with Tony Pauline…

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A day on Twitter doesn’t go by without someone referencing ‘RAS’ — relative athletic score. Personally I don’t think a relative score matters. It’s useful for the absolute best, most complete testers to highlight their spectacular profiles. Apart from that, teams are not looking for an overall score for a prospect.

Specific tests matter for certain positions.

The Seahawks under Carroll and Schneider, for example, have very defined testing marks (and there’s cross-over to other teams). For example, virtually every tight end they’ve signed, drafted or traded for has excelled in the agility testing. This aligns with the best TE’s in the league excelling in the short shuttle and three cone. Their running backs all match a size/traits/style profile. With offensive linemen they’ve often focused on explosive traits.

With the O-liners, the explosive testing focus shouldn’t be surprising. If you are facing off against an opponent, 1v1, being more explosive is clearly going to give you an advantage. Explosion is defined by lower body power — highlighted by the vertical jump and broad jump, plus the bench press.

The bench press isn’t an ideal test to include here because it’s laughably out of place. It’s basically cardio for offensive linemen over 300lbs. The powerball toss or a one-rep max would be a better test. This is all we have though. Hopefully the league will get into 2022 soon and start doing what they already do at SPARQ.

The reason we established TEF (Trench Explosion Formula) was to try and discover trends within Seattle’s O-line picks and then identify potential draft selections. It’s been incredibly effective and useful over the years in that regard.

For a full breakdown of what the formula is and why we use it, click here. Essentially, any prospect scoring 3.00 or higher is an explosive athlete.

Here’s the formula we use:

1. Vertical ÷ 31
2. Broad ÷ 9, then cube the result
3. Bench ÷ 27
4. Results added together = TEF

It’s also helped us understand that this isn’t just a Seahawks thing. The league is focusing on explosive traits when it comes to offensive linemen. Some of the more head-scratching picks in recent years can be explained away by explosive testing results.

But is it the right thing to do?

For the most part — yes. The results, to be fair, are clear. The best offensive linemen in the NFL are typically explosive athletes.

Before we delve into this further let’s clarify a couple of things. Explosive testing is not a guarantee of success. There are plenty of explosive testers who amount to nothing in the NFL. The point is not to argue explosive traits equal a good player. The point is simply to highlight that a lot of the top offensive linemen are explosive, the league focuses a lot on explosive traits and the chances are the best offensive linemen from this class will come from the most explosive testers.

It’s also important to note that one of the most successful offensive linemen in recent years — David Bakhtiari — is not an explosive tester (2.68 TEF score). Bakhtiari didn’t test well in anything. It’s not a death sentence for your career. However, as we’ll see in a moment, he is an outlier. And you can’t use one big-time outlier to promote other bad testers. An outlier is an outlier.

So while some of the poorer TEF testers could well prove to be brilliant NFL players — we should at least acknowledge what the results say. Players like Bakhtiari are not common in the modern NFL.

I have done a couple of things for this article. I looked at the top-graded offensive linemen per PFF in the league and tallied their explosive testing results. I also collected their short shuttle, forty and 10-yard split times to see if there was any correlation or consistency with those marks too.

Let’s start with the top ranked offensive tackles. The first number is their TEF score. The second number is their short shuttle. The third number is their forty time. The fourth number is the 10-yard split.

Trent Williams
TEF — 3.11
SS — 4.63
40 — 4.88
10 — 1.70

Tyron Smith
TEF — 3.11
SS — 4.68
40 — 4.93
10 — 1.69

Jordan Mailata
N/A

Andrew Whitworth
TEF — 3.14
SS — 4.83
40 — 5.17
10 — 1.83

Kolton Miller
TEF — 3.31
SS — 4.49
40 — 4.95
10 — 1.67

Tristan Wirfs
TEF — 3.47
SS — 4.68
40 — 4.85
10 — 1.72

Ryan Ramczyk
TEF — N/A
SS — 4.82
40 — N/A
10 — N/A

Rashawn Slater
TEF — 3.40
SS — 4.45
40 — 4.88
10 — 1.68

Rob Havenstein
TEF — 2.36
SS — 4.87
40 — 5.46
10 — 1.88

Lane Johnson
TEF — 3.44
SS — 4.52
40 — 4.72
10 — 1.68

Elgton Jenkins
TEF — 3.01
SS — 4.62
40 — 5.10
10 — 1.78

Charles Leno Jr
TEF — 2.71
SS — 4.40
40 — 5.25
10 — 1.81

Braden Smith
TEF — 3.52
SS — 4.77
40 — 5.22
10 — 1.79

Donovan Smith
TEF — 3.02
SS — 4.79
40 — 5.01
10 — 1.82

La’el Collins
TEF — 2.65
SS — 4.63
40 — 5.12
10 — 1.87

Of the top-15 graded offensive tackles in the NFL in 2021, only three failed to score a 3.00 in TEF (Charles Leno Jr, Rob Havenstein and La’el Collins). We don’t have testing results for Ryan Ramczyk or Jordan Mailata.

The average TEF score for the other 10 players is 3.25. Even if you include the three non-explosive scores — including Havenstein’s miserable 2.36 — the average TEF score is still 3.12. If you want to put in Bakhtiari’s 2.68 score too — the average only drops to 3.10.

The following players not included in PFF’s list also tested above 3.00 in TEF:

Garet Bolles
TEF — 3.07
SS — 4.55
40 — 4.95
10 — 1.71

Terron Armstead
TEF — 3.38
SS — 4.72
40 — 4.71
10 — 1.68

Taylor Lewan
TEF — 3.33
SS — 4.49
40 — 4.85
10 — 1.71

It’s easy to build an argument that among the best performing offensive linemen in the NFL currently, generally speaking they are not just explosive testers — but they are on average scoring well above the 3.00 mark.

People like Josh Norris have argued online for some years that short shuttle times are the determining factor for successful offensive linemen. The results are far less consistent here though.

I would argue a really impressive short shuttle time would be anything in the 4.5’s or faster. When you look at the list of top-graded offensive tackles from 2021, the average short shuttle time is a 4.65.

There are some really good marks such as Rashawn Slater’s 4.45, Charles Leno Jr’s 4.40 and Kolton Miller’s 4.49. Yet the best tackles in the NFL are generally not running ‘great’ short shuttles. Many of them are, instead, impressive explosive testers.

Leno Jr’s 4.40 could perhaps be used as an argument to explain why he personally has succeeded. He appears unique in that regard though — he isn’t explosive but he is a fantastic agility tester.

Bakhtiari, for example, only ran a 4.74 shuttle to go with his 2.68 TEF score.

What is perhaps surprising is how the forty times are consistently good among the top offensive tackles. The average is a 4.98 — even with Havenstein’s 5.46 included.

It’s perhaps indicative that explosive testing plus the athleticism that comes with a top forty time is something to pay attention to at tackle.

That’s hardly a major revelation is it? The NFL is a battle between the best athletes in the world and unsurprisingly, the especially athletic players are succeeding.

Looking at the 10-yard splits, a lot of the top tackles run in the 1.68-1.72 range. The average time of the names listed above is a 1.73. Take out Rob Havenstein’s ‘outlier’ performance and it drops to a 1.72.

Finally on tackles, if we go back nearly a decade there are some helpful examples. Eric Fisher and Luke Joeckel went #1 and #2 in the 2013 draft. Fisher was a 3.16 TEF tester while Joeckel was only a 2.86. The explosive player succeeded, the non-explosive player flopped.

More recently, Mike McGlinchey has been a fairly disappointing top-10 pick as a non-explosive tester (2.73). However — Jake Matthews (2.79) and Jack Conklin (2.76) have had good careers despite not being explosive testers.

Now let’s look at PFF’s top performing guards:

Joel Bitonio
TEF — 3.02
SS — 4.44
40 — 4.97
10 — 1.78

Zack Martin
TEF — 2.92
SS — 4.59
40 — N/A
10 — N/A

Michael Onwenu
N/A

Shaq Mason
TEF — 3.01
SS — 4.65
40 — 4.99
10 — 1.75

Wyatt Teller
TEF — 3.22
SS — 4.84
40 — 5.24
10 — 1.85

Chris Lindstrom
TEF — 3.18
SS — 4.54
40 — 4.91
10 — 1.68

Ali Marpet
TEF — 3.09
SS — 4.47
40 — 4.98
10 — 1.71

Joe Thuney
TEF — 3.01
SS — 4.54
40 — 4.95
10 — 1.71

Let’s also include the player many believe to be the best guard in the NFL, plus a highly drafted (and highly rated) player from the 2021 class:

Quenton Nelson
TEF — 3.07
SS — 4.62
40 — N/A
10 — N/A

Alijah Vera-Tucker
TEF — 3.31
SS — 4.63
40 — 5.13
10 — 1.77

The average TEF score for this group is 3.09. Only one player — Zack Martin — scored below a 3.00 and he’s not exactly a mile away at 2.92.

Now let’s do the same thing with the short shuttle times. The average time is a 4.59 — hardly a notable average compared to what we see with the explosive testing.

The average forty time is a 5.02. It’s something we don’t really talk about much because linemen don’t have to run 40 yards very often. Yet the top performers at guard run well in the forty and they’re explosive.

The average 10-yard split is a 1.75 — slower than the tackles.

There is one big TEF outlier at guard. Brandon Scherff, one of the best players in recent years, only scored a 2.87. Again — not being an explosive tester doesn’t mean you’re destined to fail. It’s pretty clear though that the best performing guards and tackles in the NFL typically are explosive athletes.

Finally, let’s look at PFF’s three highest rated centers:

Creed Humphrey
TEF — 3.25
SS — 4.49
40 — 5.11
10 — 1.71

Corey Linsley
TEF — 3.18
SS — 4.53
40 — 5.03
10 — 1.78

Jason Kelce
TEF — 3.00 (proj)
SS — 4.14
40 — 4.89
10 — 1.70

And here are four other noteworthy names:

J.C. Tretter
TEF — 3.05
SS — 4.69
40 — 5.09
10 — 1.75

Frank Ragnow
TEF — 3.29
SS — 4.51
40 — 4.99
10 — 1.74

Erik McCoy
TEF — 3.05
SS — 4.62
40 — 4.89
10 — 1.72

Mitch Morse
TEF — 3.45
SS — 4.50
40 — 5.14
10 — 1.86

The average TEF score here is a 3.18. The average short shuttle time (4.50) is heavily influenced by Jason Kelce’s remarkable 4.14. Take it out and the average is a 4.56. So again — explosive testing results prove to be consistent among the top players at center.

The forty times again show up too. The average among the list at center is a 5.02 — the same as the guards. The 10-yard split average (1.75) also matches the guards.

There are some other notable numbers to consider. Ryan Kelly in Indianapolis is only a 2.80 TEF tester. He ran a 4.59 short shuttle and a 5.03 forty. So he is an average athlete and not explosive.

Ryan Jensen is only a 2.68 TEF tester. He ran a decent 4.56 short shuttle and a 5.23 forty. You could argue his agility testing works towards explaining his success (I might argue playing with Tom Brady has also helped).

Rodney Hudson is one of the worst testers to succeed at the next level. His TEF score is bad (2.50) but somehow not as bad as his short shuttle (4.96) or forty (5.31).

David Andrews scored a 2.97 in TEF — meaning he is generally explosive. His short shuttle (4.78) and forty (5.12) were below average.

If we add all these numbers to the average for TEF at center it still comes out at a 3.02. So even the bad testers don’t really influence the results.

It ends up being pretty clear. Although all won’t succeed, the chances are the best offensive linemen from this upcoming draft class will come from the list below — the most explosive athletes:

Zion Johnson (G)
TEF — 3.33
SS — 4.46
40 — 5.18
10 — 1.74

Cole Strange (G/C)
TEF — 3.42
SS — 4.50
40 — 5.03
10 — 1.71

Bernhard Raimann (G)
TEF — 3.37
SS — 4.49
40 — 5.05
10 — 1.70

Cam Jurgens (C)
TEF — 3.34
SS — 4.49
40 — 4.92
10 — 1.71

Zach Tom (C)
TEF — 3.33
SS — 4.47
40 — 4.94
10 — 1.63

Matt Waletzko (T)
TEF — 3.15
SS — 4.59
40 — 5.03
10 — 1.70

Tyler Linderbaum (C)
TEF — 3.07
SS — 4.38
40 — 4.98
10 — 1.71

Trevor Penning (T)
TEF — 3.03
SS — 4.62
40 — 4.89
10 — 1.65

Logan Bruss (T/G)
TEF — 3.08
SS — 4.55
40 — 5.32
10 — 1.76

Luke Wattenburg (C)
TEF — 3.06
SS — 4.57
40 — 5.20
10 — 1.72

Abraham Lucas (T)
TEF — 2.97
SS — 4.40
40 — 4.92
10 — 1.69

Here’s a reminder of the average testing results for the top performers in the NFL so you can make positional comparisons:

Tackle
TEF — 3.12
SS — 4.65
40 — 4.98
10 — 1.73

Guard
TEF — 3.09
SS — 4.59
40 — 5.02
10 — 1.75

Center
TEF — 3.18
SS — 4.56
40 — 5.02
10 — 1.75

Notable among this group — all but Logan Bruss ran an above average 10-yard split (and he missed out by 0.01 seconds).

Don’t be surprised if players like Ikem Ekwonu and Charles Cross don’t live up to their lofty media expectations and the names above outshine them in terms of NFL careers.

Ekwonu ran a good forty (4.93) and as we’ve discovered — that might be more indicative than we think. He ran a 1.72 10-yard split. However, nothing else about his profile stands out. He’s a 2.90 TEF tester which is good not great. His short shuttle was only a 4.73. For me he’s best served kicking into guard, as Zack Martin did. They have similar testing results. I think Ekwonu can be a terrific guard.

Cross also ran a good forty (4.95) but he’s only a 2.84 TEF tester and thus, not an explosive player. He ran a 4.61 short shuttle and a 1.75 split. The simple fact is that if he succeeds in the NFL we’ll be talking about him as another outlier.

Looking at the the explosive testers above, I would suggest the following:

— Zion Johnson has every chance to go in the same range as Alijah Vera-Tucker (#14 overall) and could end up being one of the best players to emerge from this draft

— Cole Strange, Cam Jurgens and Zach Tom have every chance to excel irrespective of where they are taken

— Tyler Linderbaum might not fit every scheme due to his size but he has the physical makeup of a top performing center

— Trevor Penning — with his explosive testing and fast forty — has every chance to go in the top-10 and could easily go before Charles Cross, potentially as the third lineman off the board (Carolina at #6?) because his testing results match the best OT’s in the league

— If Bernhard Raimann wasn’t a 25-year-old rookie with short arms he’d likely be a very, very high pick — but he needs a major technical re-tool and the age/length works against him

— Abraham Lucas deserves a lot more attention given he tests well across the board

Here’s a list of players who did not test well (an understatement in some cases) but they’re still being discussed as high picks:

Kenyon Green (G)
TEF — 2.46
SS — 5.12
40 — 5.24
10 — 1.76

Jamaree Salyer (G)
TEF — 2.67
SS — 4.70
40 — N/A
10 — N/A

Daniel Faalele (T)
TEF — 2.50
SS — 5.06
40 — 5.60
10 — 2.04

Tyler Smith (T)
TEF — 2.73
SS — 4.65
40 — 5.02
10 — 1.70

Darian Kinnard (T/G)
TEF — 2.54
SS — 4.96
40 — 5.31
10 — 1.78

As we draw closer to the start of the 2022 NFL draft I’m more convinced than ever that the Seahawks should set out to build an explosive, athletic offensive line.

With three high picks they have an opportunity to make that happen.

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The Seahawks have developed a reputation for making ‘surprise’ early picks. For the most part they’ve taken players in the range they were expected to go but occasionally they’ve made a selection that has left fans and media gasping.

Jason La Canfora wrote an article a few days ago reflecting on the top-10 picks. Here’s what he wrote about Seattle:

If both of the top quarterbacks are gone by the time the Seahawks pick at 9, several execs told me they believe the odds of a trade down are very high. The Vikings are clearly in the market for a top corner, and jumping up to 9 would likely allow then to secure one of the top two (Gardner or Derek Stingley, Jr), and Seattle at 12 could very likely still land one of the top pass rushers on the board plus keep securing much needed additional draft capital (even after the Russell Wilson trade). It’s a potential draft scenario to keep an eye on.

I don’t believe for a second that the Seahawks are hoping that a quarterback ‘falls’ to them at #9. Thus it brings into doubt the validity of the whole projection from JLC.

However, he’s the second person (after Tony Pauline) touting the likelihood of a trade down.

As noted a few times — I think the Seahawks made the Wilson trade feeling like there was a good chance a pass rusher would be there at #9. However, both Travon Walker and Jermaine Johnson have likely propelled themselves into the top-five.

It’s possible they pivot to a cornerback and selecting Derek Stingley Jr or Sauce Gardner would net them a really good player. We also know, however, that this team hasn’t drafted a cornerback higher than the late third round in the Pete Carroll era.

So when JLC mentions trading down and being in a position to ‘very likely still land one of the top pass rushers on the board’ — what does he mean?

It’s a tricky one to work out. Both George Karlaftis and Boye Mafe are really good players but both had sub-33 inch arms at the combine. Arnold Ebiketie supposedly ran a 1.69 10-yard split at the combine. David Ojabo has a serious injury that will keep him out for the 2022 season.

It’s difficult to look at this group and say definitively — yes, that’s a Seahawks pass rusher.

The player who does fit the bill is Ole Miss’ Sam Williams.

If they trade down and take him in round one it would be a shocking pick. He’s generally being mocked in the second or even third round. However, he has a lot of the things the Seahawks like.

He ran a 4.46 forty and a blistering 1.52 10-yard split at the combine. Those are elite times for a 261lbs pass rusher. He has 33 1/8 inch arms. His pass rush win percentage is 19.5% — higher than Ojabo (19%), Jermaine Johnson (14.2%) and Travon walker (10.8%). He had 12.5 sacks in 2021 — breaking a single-season school record. He needs to get stronger in order to finish better but that’s easily rectifiable.

He also played for Lane and Monte Kiffin. Lane was on Rich Eisen’s show last week and highlighted Williams as a player with immense talent for the NFL if he goes to the right home, with the right kind of guidance.

Given he volunteered Williams’ name in that interview, he’s probably speaking highly of him to coaches. We know Carroll’s spoken to his old friends about Ole Miss’ players.

Williams is a terrific pass rusher with the lean and quickness to trouble pro-tackles. He’s twitchy in the way top-tier sack specialists tend to be.

The Seahawks clearly identified pass rusher as their biggest need this off-season and with respect to Uchenna Nwosu — that situation hasn’t been properly fixed.

It’s possible they wait until #40/#41 and see what remains of the class. It’s equally possible they signed Nwosu because they felt less confident about drafting a pass rusher and now intend to draft a Michael Clemons type later on, while perhaps re-signing Carlos Dunlap down the line.

Not doing anything at offensive tackle also gives a strong indicator they intend to draft one early — which is why we’ve talked a lot about Trevor Penning.

Yet if their intention is to draft a pass rusher first, just keep Williams in your mind. They’ve had a tendency under this regime to zone in on positions and select ‘their guys’. It’s possible Williams is one of ‘their guys’.

I don’t think it’d be the worst pick in the world frankly. He clearly has a lot of talent and would provide the Seahawks with a really dynamic collection of edge rushers. Watch him against one of the most overrated players in the draft (Charles Cross) and see what he does to him. He has him on toast.

Would it be unnecessarily risky and forced though?

This is why I’ve got no problem moving down a few spots and taking, say, Zion Johnson. This is a big rebuild, regardless of what anyone says. Plugging in players with long-term potential to be building blocks who tick every box — character, performance, physical profile, leadership — there’s nothing wrong with that.

I’m totally comfortable coming away with Johnson and Tyler Linderbaum as the first two picks and simply saying — great — we’ve sorted the interior O-line for the next 8-10 years. Now let’s run the ball brilliantly.

I’m also very comfortable drafting a player like Stingley Jr at #9. Why not try and get a blue-chip player at a premium position?

The Seahawks tend to have their ways and means though and there’s no getting away from the fact that Williams — with his testing profile, production, frame and Kiffin-connection — could be the type of player they end up drafting a lot earlier than many think after trading down from #9.

Imagine a scenario like this in the top-eight:

#1 Jacksonville — Aidan Hutchinson (DE, Michigan)
#2 Detroit — Travon Walker (DE, Georgia)
#3 Houston — Evan Neal (G, Alabama)
#4 NY Jets — Jermaine Johnson (DE, Florida State)
#5 NY Giants — Kayvon Thibodeaux (DE, Oregon)
#6 Carolina — Ikem Ekwonu (G, NC State)
#7 NY Giants — Charles Cross (T, Miss. State)
#8 Atlanta — Garrett Wilson (WR, Ohio State)

(Note — I want to keep saying this — if Evan Neal and Ikem Ekwonu come off the board before #6 — I think the Panthers could potentially take Trevor Penning and not Charles Cross. Penning, for me, is a better prospect with far more upside. Certain teams might like Cross based on scheme and fit but he is vastly overrated by the media)

With both of the top cornerbacks on the board, we could see teams like Minnesota and Houston scrambling to move up. There’d also be a potential desperate push to get the second receiver given Garrett Wilson is off the board. The options at offensive tackle are running out too.

This is why Seattle’s #9 pick could be the prime ‘trade down’ spot in this class.

They could comfortably drop into the teens, acquire another day-two pick (and possibly some 2023 stock) then take a pass rusher with the profile they’ve typically sought over the years.

It’d be controversial and I’m not predicting it will happen — more suggesting Williams is a name to monitor. But you have to admit — it’s the kind of thing they’ve done in the past.

If you missed Sunday’s live stream with Jeff Simmons — check it out here:

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