The Seahawks like a certain style of running back. Ideally they need to be in the 5-10 to 6-0 range, weigh about 210-220lbs, have plus athleticism and they need to be physical and finish runs.
It’s quite a list — but they base their offensive identity on running the ball.
Only C.J. Prosise and Kenneth Dixon really got into range in Indianapolis (let’s discount Ezekiel Elliott and Derrick Henry for now). Dixon’s ball security issues might be a concern for the Seahawks (13 fumbles in three seasons).
The Seahawks are almost certain to draft a running back at some point — so it’s worth keeping an eye on the pro-days for non-attendees to the combine. It’s also worth monitoring who visits the VMAC between now and the draft.
Eastern Michigan running back Darius Jackson was allowed to workout at the Michigan pro-day. Here’s what Tony Pauline had to say about his performance:
“One of the stars during today’s Michigan workout was Eastern Michigan running back Darius Jackson. The ball carrier measured 6000, 220 pounds, posted a 41-inch vertical jump and an 11-1 broad jump, and completed 20 reps on the bench. He was fast in the 40, timing in the mid 4.3s on many watches. The Detroit Lions spent hours with Jackson after the workout, driving back to EMU with him and watching film.”
“He did the short shuttle in 4.27 seconds and the three-cone drill in 6.82 seconds. Jackson is from Sparta, Ill., and wanted to be a baseball player. He went to EMU because the school promised that he could play both baseball and football. Jackson ultimately decided that football was his cup of tea. Jackson — who had 1,078 yards and 14 touchdowns rushing in 2015 — had a dynamite pro-day workout, and could be a late-round selection in the 2016 NFL Draft.”
He ticks the size and athleticism boxes. He’s likely to be regarded as the top SPARQ running back in the 2016 class.
The Seahawks have Thomas Rawls and Christine Michael. They’re likely to add a third down back and possibly some further competition. Jackson could be a target.
What about the tape?
Thanks to Justin P here’s some of Jackson’s college highlights and his tape vs LSU. You won’t find this anywhere else.
Has anyone considered that the Seahawks are looking at Tyler Ervin to play the Percy Harvin role? I know the mere mention of Harvin has 12s looking for aspirin (or worse), but Harvin was very effective WHEN HE PLAYED WITHIN THE GAMEPLAN AND FOLLOWED THE SCRIPT. It’s only when Percy started wanting to dominate the offense that things went wrong (of course he also had a quick temper, too).
But I think PC/JS and Bevell might be looking at Tyler Ervin for the Harvin role (Jet Sweeps, smoke screens, etc).
The problem with Percy was attitude and injuries. Remember his performance in Super Bowl 48? How about against Washington the following season? (minus the carpenter holding penalties)
Having a durable and agreeable Harvin for the price of a fourth round pick or a third round comp pick would be a great asset to the offense.
Yup, agreed. I mean when he was thinking team-first and in good health, Harvin was EXTREMELY difficult to defend (see 2014 week 1 vs Green Bay, the Thursday Night opening game on NBC). Harvin dominated that game with his jet sweeps.
I think the right player in a similar role would be effective for this team. Tyler Ervin might be that guy.
More info on Tyler Ervin:
http://www.nfl.com/draft/2016/profiles/tyler-ervin?id=2555234
They could be.
Like Rob said, he could be a Lance Dunbar type back.
Or a Tavon Austin kind of guy.
It’s intetesting to me that they seem to be looking at those smaller type RBs this year.
Ervin, Dunbar, DJ Foster, Zac Brooks (VMAC visitor)
I do think they add a someone like Ervin or Brooks, and a bigger back like Jackson in UDFA. Or maybe they spend 2 draft picks.
Corey Grant from Auburn was a Darren Sproles type player in the 2015 draft that I kinda wanted the Hawks to look closely at (he’s currently with Jacksonville). Ervin could possibly play that role, though he seems a bit too skinny and frail.
Ervin is legit. His size doesn’t concern me at all. He’s legit.
Grant had straight line speed, that was it.
2nd in the country behind LSU’s Leonard Fournette I total rushing yards.
Wow. Didn’t know that. Ervin is pretty impressive. Another benefit of having a guy like Ervin is that he could handle more of the kick/punt return duties, enabling the “other” Tyler (Lockett) noE to focus more on WR duties.
Incidentally, I personally think Tyler Lockett should start over Jermaine Kearse.
Exactly.
Leave Lockett on PR duties, but maybe use someone like Ervin as the KR?
Possibly. I wonder why the team got rid of Chris Matthews? He was the one WR who had legit size. At least could’ve given him a shot at winning a job? They could/should take another look at him, if he’s not with another team.
I think he had a shot at the job. In the year after the Super Bowl that had everybody impressed, he pretty much did nothing to latch on to a job. We fans just watch the games; but the players have practices too to show what they can do, and the Seahawks brass surely wanted Matthews to step up. I assume he didn’t. I liked him, but why should they offer him another chance, unless they have a run of injuries or something? I’m more interested in Kasen Williams, for instance.
?
Fournette wasn’t even first in rushing yards. And Ervin wasn’t even close to fournette.
It was Henry, McCaffery, Fournette. Freeman, Elliot, Cook… Ervin is no 11.
http://www.ncaa.com/stats/football/fbs/current/individual/469
Think Vol12 meant Ervin was second in the country in all-purpose yardage.
http://www.ncaa.com/stats/football/fbs/current/individual/20
Yes, thank you.
Nichansen: Most scouts are loiking at Ivins as a slot receiver/return guy.Huge questions about durability/pass protection as a running back.
Ervin wouldn’t really be purely a RB. He would be a guy you could line up in different places (backfield, slot, out wide).
You could put him in motion. You could run jet sweeps. You could run bubble screens. You could have him return punts and kickoffs. Sort of a Swiss Army knife. IMHO he would be a less athletic, but more dependable Harvin.
Tyler Ervin less athletic than Percy Harvin?
Let’s see:
Harvin – 5’11” 192, 4.41/2.60/1.59 40yd, 37.5″ VJ, 121″ BJ, 20 BP (no agility drills)
Ervin – 5’10” 192, 4.41/2.59.1.56 40yd, 39.0″ VJ, 130″ BJ, 17 BP (no agility drills)
Looks like it’s the other way around.
Ervin’s certainly got the potential to be a nice chess piece.
Yup, could be their Lance Dunbar or Tavon Austin, as has been mentioned.
Yleah, but can he pay football?
Well, considering Bevell went to his pro day, I think that the Seahawks are thinking about it, too.
Yup, that’s what I was thinking. Obviously they’re interested (and if not, then they’re putting forth a hell of a smoke screen!)
Um, yes please? That run at 4:30 is straight beast mode (and the next one after that).
Thank you Justin P!
Ervin might be valuable in a multi-purpose role as a slot receiver but he doesn’t seem well-suited to a 3rd-down role. I would love it if Seattle could find a back who pass blocks like Fred Jackson. Google Fred Jackson J.J. Watt to see pictures of what I am talking about.
I really like Darius Jackson from what I read about his Pro Day and see on this tape. Thank you Justin.
I like Ervin much more than this guy. Just my personal preference.
Really not concerned about them replacing Fred Jackson with a like for like RB.
It’s strange because even though Fred had been a pretty good pass pro guy his whole career, he wasn’t very effective with the Seahawks. It could be because of his age, but also could be because they have such an unconventional offense/QB, that traditional pass pro technique doesn’t work quite as well?
Just a thought…
Pretty sure it’s his age. He could still catch and block, but he just seemed to have no explosion anymore. Ervin has the potential to have all three.
I definitely know where you’re coming from on the 3rd down back angle. I just thought about how to explain their apparent interest in Ervin. But yes, of course, what they REALLY need is a 3rd down guy.
This Darius Jackson could be someone they draft or sign as a UDFA to push CMike (and for that matter Rawls).
Always ComPETE.
Watching this tape, he looks like what you would get if you combined Thomas Rawls and Christine Michael. Maybe not as much game breaking potential but still pretty close. He seems like exactly the guy they would want to be the RB3 (not a 3rd down back though)
Darius Jackson would push CMike (and also Rawls) to be their best.
Always ComPETE!
Agreed. He looks the part of a Seahawk RB. They need another guy like that considering neither back on the roster is a proven full-season contributer
Look at his run at 4.50 on that tape. A lot of won’t-go-down in him.
Another RB to keep an eye on come draft time is Brandon Burks out of Troy. 5-8 5/8, 208 — 4.56 40, 37-inch vertical jump,10-foot broad jump, 4.18 ss, 6.88 triple cone, 24 bench press reps.
Who Seattle also scouted at his pro day BTW.
Yeah, remember you mentioning that.
Good memory.
Also Navy’s Keenan Reynolds might be a possibility too. Although I kinda see him as more of a Kordell Stewart or BJ Daniels.
What all this says to me is that it would appear Seattle might be looking for PC’s NFL version of Reggie Bush.
Are there just more players who fit this mold coming out this year vs previous years? Something’s got Seattle interested and I wonder if they just finally see a prime opportunity for it this year.
I remember reading somewhere (I think it was optimum) that Reynolds had one broken tackle all season. If true thats concerning.
Well, considering Reynolds is a QB, I wouldn’t be too concerned as QBs aren’t necessarily desired for their ability to break tackles. He’s also got more college rushing TDs than any other FBS player in history (at any position) which I think is a far more significant talking point than the inability to break tackles (if that’s true). You don’t set the rushing TD record without having some exceptional ability.
I think Reynolds would be a great late round flyer as a BJ Daniels kind of guy to run the read option out of. He ran the triple option in college (apparently better than anyone in history) as 4-year starter and it was not the HUNH system most teams are running now. The book on Reynolds is he’s mastered the ability to read defenses at the line and check into the right play.
Jackson looks like a feature back. He runs well in traffic, with strength to break arm tackles and the speed to beat a defender to the edge. But I’m not sure I see him as a COP/3rd down type RB.
The EMU QB was under a lot of pressure from the LSU D and missed Jackson as an outlet on most pass plays, so I didn’t get to see how he is as a WR. But he doesn’t seem to know what he’s doing in pass pro – how to read the pressure, who to pick up, how to throw an effective block. In fact it looks like he kind of gives up on those plays before it’s over. By comparison, CJ Prosise seems much more polished and complete as a backfield blocker and outlet WR.
Thanks to Justin P for the film!
I like him, but in a weird way. He’s definetly got a unique style, huh?
Definetly intriguing and I could see Seattle inteterested in him.
Totally. But he seems more like competition for Rawls and CMike than complimentary.
Hmmm… that’s a good point. Interesting in fact.
Agreed Jackson looks more like competition than complimentary to Rawls and CMike. That’s not a bad thing by any means.
Agreed, I think you bring him in to compete with Michael for the feature back committee role but you also pick up a guy like Prosise or Ervind as the 3rd down back guy. That said, shame we’ve got to plow so many early picks into the OL because Braxton Miller would be the ideal athlete to step into the Harvin gadget role.
I agree on the pass blocking issue. I also noticed on a few runs he couldn’t or wouldn’t switch the ball to the outside hand a la Michaels.seems like a good kid that just needs a bit more coaching.
Both Jackson and Ervin have potential, but what range do you guys see them being drafted? I would like to see a RB drafted, but I think we have more needs. I’m looking for that 3rd down back too – I really Wendell Smallwood WVU as a low rounder for that role.
You raise a good point, in that there are other, more pressing needs to address. I’d take a flier in the late rounds (or UDFAs) on a RB.
Hopefully PC/JS address the trenches with the more premium picks. OL and DT.
And unfortunately, I think Ervin and Jackson will go earlier than we can take them.
Odd stuff in there. He finishes runs, but he’s also got a couple plays in there where he goes lateral it stutter steps instead if making a quick read. Overall though he looks like he’s got the will and the vision and would be a good death option. I like him better than Cmike at least.
I know you meant depth option, but I love the typo. Hmmm… Which RB should we use to kill their defense this time?
On the topic of running backs, I was watching some highlights on CJ Procise today. He never, and I mean never, put the ball in his right arm. Even when running to the right, or catching a pass down the right sideline with defenders on his left, the ball was always in his left arm (okay, he did put the ball in his right arm once against USC and Clemson). He seems a little tentative when going up the middle or to his right. I still like him, though.
Probably not a big deal and cold be corrected with coaching. Just made me realize that he is still somewhat raw. For all the grief that CMike has received for his one handed-ness it just jumped at me all of a sudden.
Jackson looks like he could be a steal if he goes on day three – scoops like this are why SDB is my first click whenever I get on the web nowadays!
Definitely raw since he’s only been a RB for a year which is the only reason why I think you might be able to get him in the 3rd or 4th instead of the 1st or 2nd.
Here’s another running back that I’d like PCJS to take a close look at: Marshaun Coprich. 5’9″ and 207 lbs out of Illinois State. Someone posted a link to his highlight film on youtube a few weeks ago. Seems more explosive to me than Darius Jackson.
I’m all about corpich he is going to be a steal
Goodness Gracious, that is one UGLY field. Gray? Seriously? I thought something was wrong with my monitor.
Just interviewed Luke Willson on Hockey Night. Finally got a haircut.
I guess Nowak is a hockey player too.
This tape was well put together, and there’s a lot to like about Jackson. He looks almost identical to the way Rawls runs, from the way he carries the ball to how he runs people over. I like how he put effort into blocking for the qb, and on the touchdown run. I really like how he was split out wide, that’s something PC loves from his RB’s. This is somebody to watch come the draft, he’d be a great addition. Also, that 2 pt conversion was pretty dope!
agree with most of this, but disagree on the blocking. I dunno, thought he didn’t show as much effort on blocking as when he was carrying the ball. But, home run threat, good burst through the line of scrimmage, can line up all over the place, shifty when needed and also willing to lower his head and bull through. Maybe the blocking can be coached up. Saw one play where he gave the DB a free release to the outside while he went out for a pass to the left. Maybe should have recognized the blitz and not gone straight to the route? Not sure.
Ervin in the fourth and Jackson in the seventh sounds appealing to me…
There’s a lot to like with Ervin and Jackson, could definitely see us drafting either one. Having Rawls and CMike on the roster I don’t see a reason to spend 2 draft picks on RB’s. Remember Rawls was a UDFA. Could see JS drafting maybe 1, and getting a couple UDFA’s to compete.
There always seems to be a bunch of these guys that have less press and are from smaller schools. This is why I’m not sure we need to draft an rb in rounds 1-4, unless of course youre getting the next ap. Feels like you can get great value in later rounds or ufda ever year, so might as well draft a different position early on
This Jackson runs hard and finishes his runs, also comes from a small school…remind anybody of anyone? haha, would like to see the hawks grab him at a low round, would be a nice 3 headed beast of running backs with rawls, cmike and darius
Also Rob wish the hawks would hire you on as a scout! Would love to know that you can help contribute to their success!
Here, here!
Well I sure as hell don’t!!!! Cause then he wouldn’t have time to blog and give us all this bad ass inside info and probably have to hide a lot of information that the Seahawks are doing. He’s the best frickin’ Seahawks site out there by faaaaaarrrr! Please don’t go Rob if they call. Lmao! (Joking, kind of) Of course I’d want him to take the job, but a BIG part of me wouldn’t. I live on this site 10 times a day!!!
Thanks guys 🙂
Maybe they don’t need to hire you. They can just read your blog… 😉
Just kidding, of course. Hopefully the blog keeps getting better and better to the point where you are giving away too many clues as to their draft strategy and hitting on prospects so they have to hire you!
If ESPN would hire Rob as there Seahawk analysis we’d be set.
Ill just second Ben’s entire comment…
Matt Breida-RB-Georgia Southern could be another small guy to take a look at.
Thanks for the game film.
Jackson is a very good athlete but I he dances at the line too much because he’s not seeing the whole. Other running backs have had similar issues – Melvin Gordon and Daniel Thomas come to mind. He has so potential but I worry about his instincts.
Count me as an Ervin fan as well. Bevell loves to motion RBs out of the back field to get mismatches on the Lbs. Ervin could definitely turn into a Percy Harvin or Dion Lewis type player down the road while providing some special teams depth and competition behind Lockett.
Just to be fair, it’s not like there were a lot of holes for him to see. EMU’s OL was obviously over-matched.
For me, the selling point is value (most likely can get him with a late pick) and the 4.35 40yd time if that’s for real.
He looks like a wr. Long arms thick chested. At first i thought I WA looking at Marcus Allen but watching tape. NM he’s just long
I like his momentum runs
Willingness to block and throw his body to help teammates
His passion to compete
Long arms. Catches with hands and willing to run routes.
Just love his competitiveness.
Know how to find creases and fall forward
He just seems to love the game
Pretty good vision some wasted movement a but makes up for it by squirting and pushing for yards.
While it is clear that the Seahawks will once again aim to be a run first team, a part of many 3 and outs last year was the lack of a receiving threat at RB. With the faster passing game the Seahawks employed in the 2nd half of the year, the need for a reliable dump off target when defenses drop back in cover and keep the pocket contained is growing.
I trust Rawls and C-Mike as the ball-cow and backup. I would like to see a 3rd RB with decent receiving skill. Both C.J. Prosise and Kenneth Dixon tick that box. Jackson had two easy designed pass plays but nothing more on that tape.
Agree that we need to get a 3rd down back with natural hands, who can pass block. With there being so little tape on Jackson-we are privileged to have this video. Thanks Justin P!-it’s hard to say if he has good hands or not. He did have 20+ catches in each of the past 2 seasons, and being a former baseball player are both positives regarding soft hands. The lack of pass pro skills Jackson shows in the video is a bit concerning, but could just be a coaching issue.
I have a question not referencing to this article but the chance to receive an answer here is the biggest, sorry.
What would it take to aquire Mo Wilkerson from the jets in a trade & would it be worth to consider?
On one hand, they originally said a 1st and some. If they think along the lines of the Bears and just want to get rid of him and his contract because they know in the end they will lose him anyway, something like a 2nd and 4th or 5th.
Since they are pinching pennies with Fitz, who is a journeyman, but in first year with Jets, tore it up, maybe it’s closer to the second scenario.
I would consider it, but his next contract will make MB look miniscule, so I would probably say pass.
I agree that it would be highly unfair to the already highly underpaid MB, but if we do something there and could land Mo that would be like getting the last puzzle for our D. What do you think, could it also be done with “only” our #1pick?
@CHawk Talker Eric: Your right that we can’t afford him on the franchise tag, but I would do this trade only if we want him longterm, so we could lower his caphit this year on a new multiyeardeal. (for a one-year rent he would be to expensive in every case, money this year and draft capital investet)
Agreed, but Vernon and Jackson’s contracts this year are prohibitively high. I can’t see Mo agreeing to any contract worth less than the ~$17M APY those two just got.
I’ve ignored this signigns and thought it would be possible to make something in the 10 mill apy, but I totally agree that this wont happend (particulary not in this offseason). But dreaming was so nice:'(
It’s not a matter of what SEA would have to give up to get Mighty Mo. It’s his salary. SEA just don’t have the cap space.
Swisshawk: if they could somehow pull it off it would be awesome, but price is the problem. Not only does it cost you a high draft pick (or picks), but you’re talking Malik Jackson money as a starting point for negotiations. That’s $17.1m/APY. That’s practically Bennett ($7.1m) + Kam ($7m) + Rubin ($4m) just to put it in some kind of perspective…
So, seeing how much of an impact a penetrating DT would have in our defense (I, for one, think it would double our turnovers forced from last year), is there any other way to get a similar amount of production at a much lower price? It turns out there is, and I thank Rob for helping me see this and stop dreaming (ok, almost stop…) of getting Wilkerson:
1. Seattle’s #1 priority is to shut down the run and force the opponent to throw against our very good secondary. This gives us chances to send our pass rushers and force fumbles and interceptions.
2. We did the very effectively last season (no 100 yd rusher) with two immovable objects in the middle of the DL.
3. Because we are so committed to stopping the run, we leave our big DTs on the field on base downs, and then use smaller, quicker, penetrating DTs only in obvious passing situations. What we missed last year was precisely that one situational, penetrating DT in the lineup. All we need is a rotation guy, not the top player at the position.
4. Hopefully Jordan Hill will be back from injury and pick up where he left of in 2014 (5.5 sacks and a lot of moving the QB off his spot), and maybe we can look for another one in the draft. Adolphus Washington and Jonathan Bullard are two possible targets we have discussed on this blog.
Anyway, sorry if this comment was too long, hope it gives you a satisfactory answer and helps continue to move this discussion forward.
You can read Rob’s full post on our DT situation here:
https://seahawksdraftblog.com/further-thoughts-on-adolphus-washington
Thank you Sea Mode for your re-eye-opening comment! I knew from the beginnig that getting him is daydreaming from a financial standpoint and well against our philosophy to stop the run first. But I think his impact would be similar to the one you described so some investment could be warranted (but not on that level, I see that again:'(). After rereading the article you linked I reminded myself that some really good options should be there in the draft. So I hope JSPC do some magic to get THE guy to bring us back inside pressure and hopefully some more turnovers than last year.
“What would it take to aquire Mo Wilkerson from the jets in a trade & would it be worth to consider?”
More than would be worth considering for the Hawks. Another team like say Oakland offering 2- 2nd round picks(2016& 2017) could be a good for both teams. That’s only if NYJ decides not to show Mo the money, like the Pats did with Jones. If NYJ is going to lose him next year anyway they might as well capitalize in getting more than a 3rd round comp pick. My guess is Mo plays next year for the Jets, but it’ll be interesting to see what happens.
Here is my personal take and favorite pics for Hawks in Rd#1
Sheldon Rankins- My favorite defensive prospect for Hawks. A 3 down penetrating 3 tech is something we have never had. Think Aaron Donald lite. Look at the impact Kawann Short had when we played the Panthers last year. Rankins has this kind of potential. Think Avril, Clark off the edge and Bennet, Rankins at DT. Sounds like an awesome pass rush to me. He likely won’t fall to us but you never know as he pretty much needs to go to a 4-3 defense.
Keanu Neal- The only true replacement I have seen for Kam Chancellor in several year. He would bring the boom back to LOB. Love this player and would trade him for Kam straight up any day of the week at this stage of their careers. He would be a luxury pick unless we trade Kam but I can dream at least.
Shon Coleman- Still my favorite OL prospect in the draft. Love is toughness, grit and determination. Has the ideal size an length to play OT. But would likely be our starting LG in 2016. He might fall to round #2 because of injury and age but can you take that chance.
Jack Conklin – Solid and tough describe Conklin. I don’t think he has the upside of a Coleman, Clark or Ifedi but he would be our starting RT for the next 6-8 years if he were to fall to us in Rd #1.
Ryan Kelly – Not sure the Hawks would ever take a Center in Rd #1 but if they were Kelly would be an ideal choice to fix the middle of the OL and I think he would start day #1.
Germain Ifedi – Osemele is a great comp. Incredible size and athlete but I really think he is a pro-bowl level guard in the making not a tackle. If you are willing to draft a guard in rd #1 then Ifedi would be a great pick.
Emanuel Ogbah –Has everything you could want in a pass rusher physically. Length, size, speed and quickness. He was also very productive in college. He would be #1 on this list except for one thing. He looks down right lazy or disinterested at times. That does not sound like a Seahawks prospect to me.
If we got any of these guys in Rd#1 I would be happy with the pick.
PC/JS should take a high-level 3-technique DT if one is available at 26: by high level I mean Rankins or Nkemdiche. I would even prioritize that over the o-line. That way the OL can be addressed in the 2nd round and afterwards.
The depth of OL talent is there in this draft to address OL after round 2. I know DT is also deep, but that’s only in terms of 2-gap talent, not so much interior pass rush. That’s why if a Rankins or Nkemdiche is available at 26, I’d take him.
I’d argue it’s the other way round. The defensive line depth is much better than the OL depth. They already have Bennett, Avril and Clark to rush the passer. What do they have on the O-line?
Fair point. You could also say that my argument is flawed because Pete doesn’t use a 3-tech in base defense (I wish he did).
But I think the league is starting to wake up to the fact that it is INTERIOR pass rush that bothers QBs the most. And interior rush doesn’t just have to mean penetration; it could mean a 2-gapper pushing the pocket (kinda like Justin Smith).
“I’d argue it’s the other way round. The defensive line depth is much better than the OL depth. They already have Bennett, Avril and Clark to rush the passer. What do they have on the O-line?”
Completely agree. Also a starter on the OL plays 100% of the snaps. A nice rotational DL piece would play less than 50% of the snaps, Clark played 33.4% of defensive snaps last year. I’d really like to see Clark’s snap count double in his second year.
Interesting link to snap count %:
http://www.sportingcharts.com/nfl/stats/player-defensive-snap-count-stats/2015/
I think I’m coming around to this line of thinking. At least for today. Really think they could live with rolling into the season with a projected starting OL of Gilliam – Webb/Britt – Lewis – Glowinski – Britt/Webb.
Not ideal, but think they could/would live with that. Combined with competition from Sowell, Nowak, Poole (lol), Sokoli (reallol). Now, how to improve? Could take great C or RT at #26, but there are other, cheaper options later in the draft that are also very good, IMO. Ditto OG. So the real question is whether there is a good LT at that spot. I think there is, in Spriggs. But is he going to take over right away? Almost assuredly not, which means your line from above is probably your line in Week 1.
But if you believe in Gilliam at LT, opens up a world of possibilities. Don’t need to draft a “ready” LT. Can draft RT, G, C in R2-4 and possibly replace Britt and/or Lewis.
And while DT draft is deep, disruptive interior DL isn’t that deep. But more worth it at #26 than C or G, so…..
1. Rankins or Chris Jones, if available.
2. RT, G or C (best avail).
3-5. C or G (best avail).
Rankins likely won’t be there — and Chris Jones is starting to sound like a bit of a liability. First round body, seventh round brain.
Here’s the issue again. If the season started tomorrow, the Seahawks would have Bennett, Avril and Clark. That’s two top-tier pass rushers and a guy with fantastic potential. The O-line is riddled with unknowns.
And if they don’t take a guy who can at least potentially play tackle in R1 — they’re totally 100% relying on Gilliam, Sowell and Webb. Because after R1 the options are non-existent.
Here is my take on Rd #2
Shon Coleman- If he falls to the 2nd round JS should sprint to the podium
La Raven Clark- Perfect LT size and length with quick feet. Terrible technique but all the tools to be an elite LT. If we do not take a tackle in Rd#1 he would be a great pick. Likely would need a red shirt year but you could be drafting a special player.
Charles Tapper- I thought he a was 3rd rounder prior to the combine but he has the measurables the Hawks look for and could be a situational pass rusher year #1 and an eventual replacement for Avril.
Robert Nkemdeche-I know the risk is huge but at the end of the 2nd round his talent would warrant it. Then we pray Pete and work wonders and get this kid to tap his all pro athletic potential.
Connor Mcgovern-I think he could be there in the 3rd round but if the Hawks like him they may take him here. Incredible strength and could play guard or center for us in 2016.
Nick Martin-He is not the athlete the Hawks normally like but I love his game and think he would be a great get at C to stabilize out OL and grow with Russ. He may not have the upside of a Mcgovern but I think he is one of the surest things in the draft to have a 8-10 year career.
Chris Jones –Perfect physical specimen to play DT. Has all the physical traits to be special.
Johnathan Bullard-Likely won’t last till the end of the 2nd but he is a tweener so you never know. Love his effort and the amount of Havoc he causes. He could be a great rotational guy with Mike Bennet potential longer term.
Josh Garnett, Christian Westerman and Deion Jones are 3 other guys who could be options.
The more I look at Jonathan Bullard the more I want to take him with our first pick. It would mean we would unfortunately miss out on guys like Ryan Kelly or Germain Ifedi, but there will be starting quality interior OL available when we pick at 56 and and perhaps even 90.
Bullard is a solid run stopper, and I think with what looks to be an improved secondary next year a Nascar package of Avril-Bullard-Bennett-Clark could be a nightmare for other teams. Turnover city.
Nice list Trevor. One name that was in the discussion before the combine was Aldolphus Washington. That solicitation charge and a terrible combine have pushed him way down. The tape shows a plus athlete with legit pass rushing moves. Could be a bargain in the 3rd round.
Just looked at drafttek consensus. This seems way off but I saw a way to trade back from #26 and get Miami’s 2nd and 3rd almost matches perfect on the trade chart.
Draft could look like this according to the consensus mock drafttek has.
#42 Lee OLB
#56 Ifedi OL
#73 Clark OL
#90 Tapper DE
#97 Ward DL
#124 McGorvern OL
#171 RB or DB
#215 DB or RB
#225 Feeney OLB
#247 DT, WR, P, TE or OL
They’re not going to be able to land all those big names. Some of them will go to other teams who also are looking for high-upside pieces of clay to mold. More and more, the league is starting to draft like the Seahawks.
haha, no kidding. I was mostly mocking the idea that consensus is just code for ridiculous. Media minds have no sense of judgement or scouting ability.
Ya, the vast majority of mock drafts are like NCAA tournament brackets: once one or two unexpected results happen, there’s a domino effect and everything gets thrown out of whack.
There’s no way Lee would be available with our normal pick, let alone a mid second round. The guy had elite athleticism with production at a major university with little medical history. If he lasts beyond the fifteenth overall pick of the draft I’d be shocked.
this is part of the point. Kind of silly season as far as fans hopes, but technically this is what “consensus” (whatever that means) says could happen. We never do know what will happen on draft day, but the first several rounds of this consensus are pretty far fetched. I dont actually think any of the prospects specifically named will be available at the pick number they are slotted to in this drafttek availability “consensus”. Maybe Ward?
Hey rob do you think it’s possible they draft Joshua garnett they seem to not mind drafting pure guards shown by drafting glowinski so maybe a pure left guard could be an option
SEA at Penn St pro day.
Anthony Zettel, now 280 pounds, ran through defensive lineman workouts — and some NFL teams lined him up and asked him to run routes for them as a tight end.
@MikeOHaraNFL: Penn State’s Anthony Zettel’s official 4.81 at the Combine was the only faster 40 by a DT than Justin Zimmer’s 4.85 Pro Day best Friday.
Kind of a T-rex though.
Also at Cal’s pro day, where flex TE Stephen Anderson ran a 4.58 40, and WR Bryce Treggs ran a sub 4.45 40.
They could’ve been looking at Austin Johnson too. He dropped another 5lbs since the Combine, which was about 15lbs less than he was at his heaviest last year.
Absoutely.
I do like Zettel, just wonder about the length. Could be something they overlook.
Did Nassib improve any of his numbers?
BTW, love the Ervin and Perc comp. Hol ish! If that isn’t a ‘Seahawky’ kind of OW/chess piece what is? I’d scoop Ervin in the 3rd with our comp pick in a heartbeat.
I can’t find PSU pro day results anywhere. Let me know if you come across them.
I wasn’t sure at first when I read the comment, but Ervin’s tape is electric, so I had to check. And yeah, it’s impressive. Ervin is also my favorite OW prospect. He’s basically Tyler Lockett on steroids, and is like getting three prospects in one – COP/3rd down RB, slot WR and KR/PR.
There’s a reason Bevell made the trip to Sacramento and spent about 10 mins talking to Ervin after the pro day. I heard DET gave him a private work out as well. And DET gave Darius Jackson a hard look too. They must want to pair Abdullah with someone similarly athletic.
That could easily be what they’re planning — Ervin in R3. Could see it.
DET likely to be in the hunt for Ervin. So SEA will have to take him at 90, because DET have a comp pick at 95 (2 before SEA’s R3 comp). Also DET don’t have a R3 pick this year, having traded it last year to PHI for their 2015 R4 pick.
OAK also rumored to be interested in Ervin, but not sure they take him at 75.
Detroit has Ameer Abdullah — probably a bit too similar to Ervin for them to draft him in R3.
Austin Johnson is still my dream pick for DT. Love the way that guy plays.
Love all these names as potential Seahawks, but Ward may be the only one on the entire list actually available at the spot he was selected. Some of these sites’ big boards are incredibly frustrating. I’ve seen McGovern ranked around 130 in this class and Tapper down around 200. I can’t imagine either of them getting out of the top 80 on athleticism alone.
Whoops this was supposed to be a reply a few threads ago
You make a good point about how draft prospects are ranked, whether by big boards or by the front office people themselves.
A team can approach the draft by aiming to take more guys who have demonstrated tangible results, regardless of potential. Or a team can focus more on the potential and athleticism, as the SPARQ-y Seahawks do. All teams consider a combination of raw potential and manifestation of that potential (i.e. measurable results).
Pretty sure your reply is to me. I agree 100%. Tapper around 200? ha. As I said in response to someone above, these sites are crazy and provide little realistic information. Outside of top 15 or so in round its realy bad.
Out of pure addiction, I’ll do a new mock every time one of the big boards gets ‘updated.’ I’m normally cussing the thing before I get to the fourth round.
@PFF_College: Akron LB Jatavis Brown picked up 41 pressures (13 sacks, 9 hits, 19 hurries) on only 133 rushes
He’s been mentioned on the blog a few times. That’s a pretty impressive QB pressure rate.
Brown is a stud! Want to see him on the Hawks. He’s got the 4.4 speed and a chip on his shoulder-not a big recruit, no combine offer. Just a football player. Good mid season article/Q&A:
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/nfl-draft-scout/25350619/meet-the-prospect-akron-linebacker-jatavis-brown
Here’s some highlights I found:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gyzXAXT3NM
Too small even for deathbacker?
Small? Not when you consider he’s 221lbs and guys like Deone Buchannon and Deion Jones are the same weight.
He might not have enough length though. He’s 5’11” and those two are each 6’1″. But then Keanu Neal is a deathbacker candidate (since he wouldn’t replace Kam in 2016), and he’s about the same height and 10lbs lighter.
Exactly why I was asking a few comments below this one if anyone knows where to find arm/hand measurements from pro days?
Wanted to compare his measurements to Neal and Buchannon, as you intuited.
I posted about him yesterday as well Eric. I would be really excited to get this guy he just plays with a great attitude and huge chip on his shoulder. He is going to be a player in the league for sure. Not sure if he has the length the Hawks want but he has everything else for sure.
Anyone have the link to the googledoc spreadsheet from the combine?
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1MhmzWDgIqCIoYL0K1c8MG43W1djmSw5trl5-oJfe24Q/htmlview?pref=2&pli=1&sle=true#
Thanks man.
And is there anywhere one can find arm/hand measurements from pro days?
Not that I’m aware of…
Despite putting up SPARQy numbers, this footage of Darius Jackson doesn’t impress me. A lot of plays in college footage, especially small school stuff, is easy: guys being wide open with no defenders near. Those are plays that should be made, and I don’t put a lot of stock in them. Other than that, I don’t see much special here. There are many backs similar, many better.
He was playing LSU, with an Eastern Michigan line in front.
Lol can’t argue that, his nonexistent pass blocking leads me to believe it’s a scheme thing but a lot of times could of chip the de but looked to avoid it at all costs.
Thanks for the post Rob. I don’t know, as I mentioned on seahawks.net after watching the tape you posted here I’m not seeing Jackson playing with 4.35 speed out there (looks more like 4.6 speed to me). He sure looks like he’s playing a whole lot slower than in shorts. His blocking efforts also leave a lot to be desired. I’m personally not seeing a whole lot to crow about here.
While there are times he hits the hole right away, other times he’s dancing in the backfield looking for an opening. Unless he has that kind of quick sudden change of direction, I see him getting smashed in the backfield a lot at the NFL level.
To be completely fair, there are times on that tape when he gets the tough yards and pushes through contact. However, I would say that a lot of his production in that footage looks like it’s more a function of his offensive line than him. I need to see more, but with what little I see here I’m not all that impressed.
I’ve been thinking about Robs two draft thought processes, either OT early or roll with the OTs we have and grab a defensive playmaker. I think this draft is going to force JS hand at OT. There is just too much of an abundance of talent at OT this year. They aren’t going to be able to find a tackle as highly rated as Ifedi/Coleman/Spriggs/Decker at the end of a draft for another 5-6 years probably. That talent mostly drops off before pick 56. This is why I expect one of the four players kentioned above to be a Hawk soon.
I would agree and you have to think so, that probably why they won’t because they always do something odd early.
I would also agree.
You bring up a good point about there probaby not being a handul of quality OT’s being there at the end of round 1 for the forseeable future.
And although it’s wa too early to say with any certainty, but compared to next year’s class, where there could potentially be 4-5 pass rushers just at the end of round 1 alone.
That’s good to hear.
I just think if we stray from an OT at 26, we would be fighting the board too much. I should have also added Clark to the above list.
Looks like a good one cut back with speed and power to burn. Not that instinctual and a little raw, aka C Mike, but a better attitude that shows the way he powers over defenders at the goal line. He won’t last long in the draft based on good tape, and crazy sparq score. Given Derrick Henry’s height and miles, I wouldn’t be surprised if a crazy team in the Northwest would take this kid over Henry based on upside.
Concerning Joe Thomas-
If all we would need to give up was a first rounder… Sign me up. However, what line looks more appealing?
Thomas – Webb -McGovern – Glowinski – Gilliam
Or
Gilliam – Ifedi – Mcgovern – Glowinski – Webb
To me it is hard to say… Ifedi has so much potential and Gilliam could be a quality left tackle. But if you are in win now mode… Option 1 could be more effective for the upcoming season.