Clemson's Bashaud Breeland is a former 4-star corner recruit
Clemson’s Breeland one to watch?
Walter Thurmond is a free agent this year, and Brandon Browner’s time in Seattle appears to be up.
Byron Maxwell has one year left on his contract and could be a leading free agent in 2015 if he continues to start and play well.
If all three players eventually move on, it’ll leave Richard Sherman (assuming he’s re-signed), Jeremy Lane and Tharold Simon.
Unless the likes of Thurmond are kept on, we should expect another corner to be drafted at some point.
The Seahawks have consistently gone after cornerbacks in the later rounds and so far they’ve been able to find some real gems.
But as Super Bowl Champions, they have to expect other teams are going to start trying to copy their style.
Some of the players who previously would’ve been available in the middle or later rounds might go earlier as a consequence.
That doesn’t mean the Seahawks are going to start reaching for this position. I think they see themselves as ‘cornerback city’, capable of consistently taking players off the production line and developing them into starters.
It’s not just about finding any corner with length and plugging him in. Pete Carroll is a secondary guru with decades of experience, while Rocky Seto is one of the great unsung heroes in Seattle.
Other teams can try and mimic the Seahawks, but they’ll need the same level of coaching to make it work.
The combine will uncover some potential mid-to-late round targets and it’s an area we’ll look into at the end of the month.
Clemson’s Bashaud Breeland is one player to monitor.
He’s a former four star recruit who played safety and quarterback before switching to corner in college. I’ve seen him listed anywhere between 6-0 and 6-3, but on his recruitment page on Scout.com he’s down as 6-2.
Here’s the blurb on his evaluation:
Breeland is a long defensive back that is a good cover guy. At a combine, he would get behind a little off the line, but his closing speed may be his best trait. He really closes on the ball well and after being behind the receiver. He has long arms, a rangy body, great closing speed, has good instincts, and he really plays under control.
Long corners who cover well seem to interest the Seahawks.
Here’s some tape against NC State from 2013:
It’s difficult to judge cornerbacks without all-22 tape. Most of the time they’re off screen. It’s often difficult to see whether a quarterback goes away from the read because of the coverage.
I’ve tried to break down certain plays but yeah, it’s tough.
At 0:27 he gets beat down the right DEF sideline. I think the receiver runs a good route and he’s forced to try and recover. A bad throw bails him out.
At 1:27 we see what looks like the kind of play that’ll interest Seattle. He’s physical at the top of the route and basically takes the receiver out of the game. No flag, so I guess you’d call it perfect coverage.
He could’ve had an interception at 4:21 with nice downfield shadowing. The quarterback underthrows the ball and Breeland is in position to make the play. He should probably get that one.
Kudos to the ref for a great pick play at 4:36.
He flashes nice tight coverage at 5:13 and ends the game with a Hail Mary pick at the end.
Right now Breeland’s being touted as a second or third rounder. It’s not a great class for corners, so a good work out in Indianapolis could propel him up draft boards.
Are the Seahawks going to draft Breeland? Not if he goes in that range. I’m not sure he’s good enough to warrant that level of investment, and they’ve shown they can find players from all kinds of backgrounds later on.
Even if Thurmond departs, I’m intrigued by the potential of Tharold Simon if he can stay healthy and get a full camp under his belt.
As teams set about trying to copy Seattle, I think Breeland ends up getting overdrafted. If he slips a little, then he could be someone they look at.
Senior rankings, Moses impressive
I’ve spent a bit of time this week going over some of the videos of the Senior class, namely those who appeared at the Senior Bowl.
For me it’s pretty clear who the top players are who appeared in Mobile:
#1 Aaron Donald (DT, Pittsburgh)
#2 Zack Martin (T, Notre Dame)
#3 Morgan Moses (T, Virginia)
#4 Brent Urban (DT, Virginia)
#5 Ra’Shede Hageman (DT, Minnesota)
#6 Dee Ford (DE, Auburn)
I know Dee Ford had a great Senior Bowl game, but I’m still trying to work out where he fits. He didn’t do any linebacker drills in Mobile and consistently lined up in the widest wide-9 I think I’ve ever seen.
There’s talk he could run a 4.4 at the Combine and he’s someone to watch closely, without doubt. But on tape he’s hit and miss and I want to see just how much of an athlete he really is.
The one who surprised me the most was Moses at #3.
I’d read reports last October suggesting he’d endured a slow start to the season and his stock was falling. I actually put on the tape mostly to see how Jeremiah Attaochu faired against him when Virginia played Georgia Tech.
This was a one-sided domination, in favour of Moses.
He flashed superb footwork and movement for his size (6-6, 320lbs). He smothered Attaochu whenever he engaged and wasn’t beaten once for speed off the edge.
Take a look for yourself…
Moses looked like a genuine left tackle prospect in the game, and further tape study backed that up.
Whether he’ll look quite as comfortable against NFL lineman remains to be seen and he could end up at right tackle — the position most people have him tagged at.
For me, if I was a team picking later on (Miami at #19, Arizona at #20 or New Orleans at #27) I’d happily take him with a view to putting him at left tackle.
Aside from the list above one other player caught my eye (although I’ve only watched one game so far). Northern Illinois safety Jimmie Ward is an unlikely target for the Seahawks, but I’m intrigued to see more. Good cover safety.
And I’m loathe not to mention the guy at the top of the list — Aaron Donald.
Man, how did I get it so wrong with this guy with my first take?
With every fresh game I watch, the more I like him. The guy is insanely good. I really hope it works out for him at the next level — whether he’s in Seattle or not, I want to see this type of defensive tackle make it in the NFL.
Relentless, consistently in the backfield, stout and powerful with a wonderful swim move.
He has to be Geno Atkins. Has to be. If he isn’t, let’s forget about finding another Atkins. We’ll leave it to chance in future.
As much as the Seahawks want size up front (and they need it to match up with the likes of San Francisco), it’s hard not to imagine how good the defense could be with a guy like Donald rushing inside.
If a lack of size keeps him on the board (and for me he’s easily a top-20 pick, but you never know), then they have to pull the trigger. Even with a similar type of player (Jordan Hill) already on the roster.
Donald is just too good.
Futures deals
Free agent tight end Travis Beckum posted on his Instagram today that he was now a member of the Seahawks.
Linebacker Mike Taylor was also added.
Both players featured for Wisconsin in college.
Beckum was a third round pick in 2009 and had four largely unsuccessful seasons with the New York Giants. Taylor struggled with a sports hernia during his rookie year and spent time on Seattle’s practise squad last season.
Man Aaron Donald looks like he has Sheldon Richardson’s motor
Yep — very similar motor. I think Sheldon has a nasty edge (in a good way) that Donald hasn’t quite got, but they are both relentless.
Still, I wouldn’t say he’s not nasty. I haven’t watched much tape at all, but I would be shocked if he isn’t one of the fastest DL, in the 10 yard split at least. He is also the best at defending the read option I have ever seen (play at about 0:50)
No matter what his combine #’s are, Donald is clearly exceptionally fast and consistent at getting into the backfield with a 300+ pound lineman in the way…Bennett speed!
Haven’t seen any of his 2013 tape, but Will Sutton circa 2012 looks a lot like Aaron Donald did this year.
Jordan Hill is a very similar style player, but his Penn State tape was mostly at 1-tech. I wholly believe Hill emerges as a great interior rusher this year.
What kind of connotation should that be taken with?
That if Donald isn’t there at 32, Will Sutton is a similar type player. He was a fringe 1st rounder after his production last year, has fallen down a few rounds after this year but the skillset is comparable and he could be an alternative if an undersized interior penetrator is what you’re looking for.
The comment on Hill was intended to mean that it may be a moot point as I think we already have that style player on the roster, and that any tape you see of Hill at PSU you should keep in mind that he’s playing NT and asked to 2-gap a lot, which is not what he’s best at. You kinda have to sift through it to see the times where he’s able to just shoot one gap. Also probably the best tackler I’ve seen in the last 3 years at any position. Literally nothing gets by Hill.
I’ve never been sold on Sutton to be honest. I think Donald is a vastly superior player.
I would agree, but mostly from a mental standpoint. His preparation is lauded by his teammates and coaches. They say he watches more film than anyone. That’s what sets him apart in my eyes.
If Donald and Hageman are both available at #32 which do you think Seattle would choose and why?
Great question. On the one hand you’ve got a guy who’s shown his best form in college, he has some size limitations but also makes it an advantage with leverage. Then you’ve got a guy with the potential to be brilliant with ideal size and athletic qualities, yet he’s been so inconsistent in college. Hageman could become a more complete player, even if right now Donald is the better pass rusher.
I’d go with Donald simply because he has the potential to be another Geno Atkins and I’m a huge Geno fan. Find a way to keep Tony McDaniel and I’m less concerned about size on the interior DL. But Hageman intrigues me a lot.
Hageman’s athleticism is undeniable, but he has abysmal hand use. Every OL gets into his body and everything he does is from this initial disadvantage. It’s truly a testament to his potential that he’s able to have any success at all.
I hate his tape, but he does seem like the perfect kind of prospect at #32 if you think you can coach him up in a year or two.
Worth noting: Hageman has essentially grown into DT at Minnesota. He didn’t grow up playing it. I didn’t know that. SBNation has a great longform piece on Hageman this week.
Apart from the human interest aspects of it, I didn’t realize that Hageman came to Minnesota as a TE then moved over to DE and ultimately inside. Under the best of circumstances it is hard to get a 6’6″ guy to NOT play through his chest. It made me wonder whether a Red Bryant-type move to 5 technique wouldn’t suit him?
It could suit his current skill set better, but I think ideally you’d want him to play inside because he’s a good enough athlete that if you could teach him the right techniques then he could be that extremely rare breed of dominant inside pass rushers (much harder to find than a 5-tech run stopper).
How about if we move Hageman back to tight end. Wouldn’t it be cool to have a 300# blocking tight end?
Having both available at 32 would represent a bigger slide for Hageman on most boards I would think, so taking him would be the better value. I agree with Rob that Donald might have arrived close to his peak potential while Hageman has room to realize much more. So for that reason, unless some genuine red flags are discovered about Hageman, I would have a hard time taking Donald over him.
“so taking him would be the better value.”
Irrelevant.
Assuming a 10 spot first round grade difference of Hageman over Donald on any given board, how is that 10 spot value differential irrelevant as a consideration if both players are available when we draft, with health and intangible factors being mostly equal?
I think Kenny Sloth took your comment on “value” to mean what averaged value the league would put on Hageman vs. Donald. I think you are focusing on the Seahawks ‘value’ and that if he was higher on their draft board then then would obviously take him ahead of somebody lower on their board like Donald. Who knows what the Seahawks actual draft board looks like though…(probably have Manziel #1 lol)
Intangible factors are so NOT EQUAL it isn’t even funny, in this case.
I’m not sure, Donald’s stock has placed firmly in round one since the Senior Bowl. Hageman didn’t blow it up in Mobile as many expected and I’ve seen him graded in the late first or second round.
Classic case of not focusing on what he is, but what he can become.
I still take Donald though. This is a guy who has a gift at working though OL. Donald will get better too. I especially like how he translates his leverage advantage to clear positional advantage with such rapidity. He clearly works at his craft. and I expect that to continue to evolve.
I like Donald a lot. I think there is a reasonably high chance that Donald turns out to be the sort of player that teams look back on, shake their heads, and ask how they passed on him. To use a rough comparison, something like teams do who passed on Russell Wilson. An obvious physical gift coupled with consistent very top production in college, detracted from only by less than ideal height. The difference is that there are guys, like Atkins, who are his size who are already bringing it in the League. The facts are evident but there is enough distraction to miss the obvious. Obviously there are no guarantees but Donald is the sort of guy I want to swing for.
By the way, I love the John Randle comparison. I don’t have a strong enough memory of him to scout it out, but the size and quickness look similar. At least the NFL has come far enough that Donald is getting first round consideration rather than going undrafted.
What makes it an interesting question to me is that the two have almost zero overlap in their skillsets. It’s not very often you see two prospects with similar overall value, at the same position, who bring mutually exclusive skillsets to the table.
For me it’s too close to call. I suspect that so much of my answer will depend on free agency. Who among Bennett, McDaniel, and McDonald does Seattle re-sign and for how long? Ultimately, Seattle needs to find two prospects that do something similar to Donald and Hageman. Whom they re-sign will go a long way towards determining the most pressing need.
I was honestly just watching that exact Breeland video last night and thinking similar thought about CBs to those expressed above. I like Breeland (great Tolkien name, there), and I like the idea of drafting one CB a year to keep the pro-bowl CB machine humming. Like Rob said, because of our success players like Breeland might get drafted higher now, but here’s CB that fits the Byron Maxwell mold we might very well be able to get late:
Keon Lyn
http://draftbreakdown.com/players/keon-lyn/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtSmqlzNwvg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e390jPJL63M
This guy fractured his kneecap and missed the 2013 season at Syracuse. He may still need rehab going into the start of 2014, so it is likely we can pick him up in the 7th round. If not for that, this guy looks like quite a specimen and could be a great candidate to follow the career path of Maxwell, who also had injury issues when drafted.
Going back to DTs I also went back for another look at the video of Justin Ellis:
http://draftbreakdown.com/players/justin-ellis/
Just like Rob has reconsidered Donald, I am also scratching my head wondering why Elllis only has a draft grade as high as the 3rd round on most boards. This guy is a run-stuffing monster, and actually gets good penetration on passing plays. You don’t see him get stuffed even on double teams. He is always moving the pocket and gets off blocks efficiently to bury RBs. He even lines up occasionally at 3 and 5 tech a la Red Bryant, blowing up that side of the LOS. If we get a 3rd round pick again somehow I would love to have Ellis if he is still there.
bigD – Lyn was a guy on my radar for a lower round CB as well. I’ll be interested if he’s back for the combine – he has length and was quick prior to the injury. He may fall a few rounds if he isn’t fully healed ala Walter Thurmond. I remembered watching him last year – he looks like a Seattle CB – and we know he’ll be hungry.
Big Ditto on Lyn. Thanks man.
I’ve liked Ellis as an early day 3 guy for a while.
He looks like an ideal Mebane successor. A guy who can play in our base defense. He doesn’t move like a 350+ dude at all. Good leverage/power player with some slipperiness to him.
I hope we have that problem!
Rob, Have you had a chance to see Kevin Norwwod the WR from ‘bama? I’ve watched some of his games, and he’s listed at 6’2 195ish which may be a tad small for a sydney rice replacement. Though i really like him, plays fast and physical and plays some slot too. IDK if the seahawks will draft him but if we didnt have kearse and lockette i’d love this guy. Also a future log post on comparing/contrasting guys like donald and hageman or like Kujaundjo and moses. suff like that i’d love to read your take on.
I really wonder about Bama players – I couldn’t put my finger on it until I heard Petey use the word grit. I think Bama players are so used to winning many, not all, take it for granted and are not hungry. Not sure about Norwood, but for the most part, it seems many of the players drafted have under performed. Carpenter is a perfect example – he obviously can play well at times, but then is left off the game squad – not because of injury, but to try and motivate him. Now, I’m sure there will be exceptions, but overall, they haven’t been good.
I have seen him playing for Bama and he’s a capable albeit limited receiver. Later round guy who could stick on a roster.
Wow, Rob. Good stuff per usual but what really made me fall off my chair is that we agree on everything you wrote here! Now if I could just get my arms out of that touchdown position. Been stuck there since the Super Bowl.
A “Seahawky” CB that I am intrigued by is Shaquille Richardson from Arizona.
NFL draft scout has him at 6’0 194 (6’1 on the schools website) lbs http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/dsprofile.php?pyid=111681&draftyear=2014&genpos=CB
But he looks a little bigger than that http://binaryapi.ap.org/6c58a8bb1ee9489bb32a62c7ca7c0d8a/460x.jpg
Scout had him as 3-star CB prospect and #27 overall at CB coming out of California in 2010; offered by Washington and UCLA amongst others.
http://recruiting.scout.com/a.z?s=73&p=8&c=1&nid=4011595
So he’s a Cali guy like Sherm,Thurm and BB.
9 career INTs, 30 PDs – suggests he can locate and play the ball.
Got starts as a freshman.
Watch the first couple clips here: screams LOB member
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3a5T0LWAYc
more footage: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLmWh1j_OTg
At a time when teams may be wanting to get more like the Hawks on the edges it surprises me that this dude isn’t registering with most draft services.
Looking at the early mock drafts, it seems like OT is the one position that a legit first round talent may still be there at #32. If Okung could stay healthy, it might not be a priority, but since you can’t count on him to always be there, PCJS may opt to go for a guy who could start at ROT but play on the left side if needed. Without a decent backup at LOT, they are going to get RW killed, I’m afraid. If Giacomini is extended, hard to imagine investing the R1 pick on a backup, however. Based on projected need a couple of years down the road, I still think the picks will be DT and TE in R1 and R2, order based on who’s available.
I think we’ll see a rush on OT’s early… but to be honest I expect they’ll re-sign Breno Giacomini.
Agreed. The UFA signing period will be long over before the draft. We can’t let Breno go, then have a run on OT talent leaving us with plan C.
I’m having a hard time believing another team will offer Breno significantly higher money than he is getting now. First because the position isn’t valued as much as LT. Second because he hasn’t been consistent in his play. And last because there are new RT coming out every year, and they can be found in the 2 to 4th rounds pretty easily.
The one thing that could change all that is a Division rival poking us in the eye (or lower) and taking him.
That’s my hope as well. There are a number of higher profile free agent tackles (both left and right) out there, before even considering salary cap casualties. I’m optimistic that Breno isn’t going to be the apple of any team’s eye.
Rob, if we do go DL or OL with our first, what WRs do you think would be available? Currently I would want Donte Moncrief from Ole Miss. He doesn’t use his body like he should but everything else is there for me. What are your thoughts?
I’d hope Brandon Coleman falls. Moncrief is an option but he thinks he’s better than he is. He has some upside though. Hoffman is another guy I’d monitor. But honestly, I love the early depth at WR but I’m not crazy about the options after R1-2.
Have only watched about a dozen of the “Top” receivers, but Cody Latimer is a guy that should be in the Rd 2-3 discussion. Listed at 6’2″, 215, great hands catcher, elite catch radius for his size, elite blocker, good body control and decent routes. Only saw one game of his, but if he flashed the ability to compete for a ball in some other tape, I would be all-in.
Other than that, was also really impressed by CJ Fiedorowicz. Guy already looks like Zach Miller.
Speaking of diamond-in-the-rough DBs, the Seahawks also signed DB Terrance Parks to a future contract. He signed with the Chiefs as a UDFA in 2012, and guess where he spent 2013? The CFL. He’s 6’2″ 218 and he played at Florida State.
Does he have the making of a Brandon Browner or what?
http://www.nfl.com/player/terranceparks/2535951/profile
Field Gulls has him at 6′, 233
6’1, 233? That’s closer to a linebacker body than a DB body.
Agreed. Parks is more of a Cam comp than a BB comp.
Just watched tape of Justin Ellis and came away very impressed. Several technical issues including footwork, pad level, and hand placement, but for a big guy he is crazy quick off the ball. Keeps his eyes in the backfield and has a good motor for how insanely huge he is. Sounds like a natural fit at 5 tech.
Also. Totally separate from the noise about him coming out of the closet (so proud of him), Michael Sam looks like a LEO that was asked to bulk up. He’s lightning quick and has a nonstop motor. He’s playing like a 5 tech position a lot. I can’t even tell.
He has a speed rush and an inside move, but is really raw. I’d love it if he fell to us due to off the field stuff
To me, Michael Sam looks like a 3-4 OLB more than a LEO. He’s small and doesn’t have elite speed, though I’ve read his burst off the line is his best trait. If anything lands him a spot on the Hawks, it will be that burst that PC likes. But, a 4.7+ 40 at 6’2″ is not very Seahawky at all. He’ll need to run better than that at the combine.
I really like Ellis. One thing that I consider when forming opinions about players is if I would be scared to face them. Ellis as a 49er or Ram would scare me. I think between Williams and Ellis we would be set at our 5-tech rotation for years once Red is done.
Rob, a couple of weeks prior to the Senior Bowl I blogged of Donald reminding me of John Randle who the Hawks acquired from the Vikings in the Holmgren era. Same size and tenacity. Great player for the Hawks even in the latter part of his carrier.
I also mentioned Ellis as being one of my favorite D-line prospects who I thought would be a late round steal. Both are now steadily moving up draft boards.
I think you are under estimating Crichton, as are other draft pundits. He seems to be slipping down the board some. All you need to do is put on Oregon State game tape and you will see what I am talking about. They moved him all over the line. He is very disruptive with a lot of power and quickness to his game. He plays with a chip on his shoulder.(sound familiar) He was shunned by the Huskies, where he wanted to play. He is a local guy. I also think come draft time there will be a need at that position. I don’t think the Hawks go outside the team and sign free agents this year, they take care of their own. There is just too many to re-sign. DE is going to be a position of need. It’s all about the line with JS and PC.
Avril’s contract will be up next year and Clem probably gone this year. Its all about the future for this team now. Look for a trade down come draft day.
Love your site Rob, here every day.
Look for a trade back?
Hi oz, I’ve watched a fair bit of Chrichton and I don’t see a great deal to get excited about. Not an explosive edge rusher, but also lacks the kind of size to make up for it. Watched one game in particular where he came flying out of the traps with a couple of decent plays early and then he was dominated the rest of the way. I think he’s a mid rounder at best.
As for moving down, as noted last week it’s very difficult to move down from #32. Since the first round was exclusive to day one, none of the SB winners have traded down. I sense teams see little need to trade into the last pick knowing they have an entire evening to negotiate moves for the next day and take stock. Seattle won’t get great value for moving down — possibly swapping 5th’s or something like that. They’d be forcing the issue to move down.
I think he is going to be a better player than Avril. Watch some more tape Rob. Just sayin….
I will watch some more tonight off the back of this conversation, but I’m not expecting a big u-turn in my take ala Aaron Donald.
In all honesty, Crichton is kind of the anti-thesis of a “Seahawk.” Traditional talent with no outstanding physical skills. Definitely not saying he cannot become a good player, but he really doesn’t fit the mold of what the Seahawks have gone after under this regime.
I don’t think that’s entirely true. Look at Jordan Hill from last year. He didn’t post outstanding numbers at the combine (e.g. 5.23 40yd), but he had traditional talent to where the Seahawks must have had a 3rd round grade on him.
Very valid point, but I was intimating this idea towards the top 2 rounds where Crichton is projected to go.
That is true. That does seem to be their tendency (especially with that Irvin pick). I still have a hard time getting a true reading on what they do though. I think that Seahawk mold is difficult to define. Lots of players of all different types they seem to draft.
I want to see Mayowa and Boatright compete in that Avril role if it needs to be filled after next year. Crighton would be only a depth pick for us right now, relative to the talent already on the roster. Crighton will likely be a 2nd round pick and we will have other immediate needs to address with our 2nd rounder rather than making it another CMike-type depth pick.
Rob, what are your thoughts on potentially drafting a guy like Moses in the 1st even if we re-sign Breno? I have been thinking a lot on Okung. He takes up a big chunk of the cap and rightfully so. His injury situation though is a big deal. If we re-sign him next year for $11m/yr and he keeps on missing games, that’s a big problem. If we were to draft a solid OT like Moses, that might serve as insurance in the event Okung goes down and also maybe even offer some leverage on signing Okung.
I think if we re-sign Breno it takes tackle off the board in round one. I know Okung has an injury history, but spending a round one pick on a tackle for me is overkill. Because ultimately, unless you’re going to cut or trade Okung, you’re hoping he gets and stays healthy and the R1 pick never plays unless it’s at guard.
I do believe Okung is a legit top 5 tackle in the league when healthy. I think if they sign Breno the best thing to do is either pursue with developing Bailey as a potential left tackle (he did well last pre-season) or sign a veteran left tackle backup.
If they don’t re-sign Breno, drafting a tackle at #32 becomes much more of a priority. And in that instance I’d be all over a guy like Moses who can play RT and switch to LT if Okung misses time.
“And in that instance I’d be all over a guy like Moses who can play RT and switch to LT if Okung misses time.”
*cough* Billy Turner *cough*
Not sure I get all this Billy Turner love.
We’ve all seen the same Billy Turner video. I just happen to be completely enamored with what I consider to be amazing athleticism for a man his size. Yeah, there are complaints out there about elements of his technique, but if Cable can turn Sweezey into Chris Gray, he can make Turner into Walter Jones.
Truth be known though, I really like Moses too. He kind looks like a slightly more fluid version of Alvin Bailey to me. I’d be happy if we landed Moses, but elated if we landed Turner.
Donald looks great. Hard to see him lasting until 32, though we’ll probably see a run on offensive tackles and maybe even a few more quarterbacks get taken in this year’s first round than the past year. It could push talent like Donald to us. I certainly wouldn’t bemoan the pick.
Great analysis, I’m very glad that I found this blog as it seems I just can’t get enough of the Seahawks and I’m not interested in the fufu stuff ESPN comes out with, but rather the hardcore football fan stuff.
At pick #32 I have a hard time seeing Donald falling to us. I just think it’s too likely that a (good) team in the late first will just fall in love with him and be able to plug him in right away to make a push. I do want to discuss Brandon Coleman though. I loved your article and taking risks on players that can become great, but I think something that also needs to be discussed in value. The Seahawks didn’t draft Russell or Sherman with their first pick. I think they knew the general value of those players (with respect to what other teams thought of them) and snuck in a few other picks first (e.g. Irvin, Wagner). It’s for this reason that I just can’t see the Seahawks drafting Brandon Coleman with that first pick. After watching tape I see a raw player with a super high ceiling, but I think the risk is high enough that I just can’t see them justifying taking him over some other players. I think he would be a massive reach at that spot and would rather see a pass rusher (interior or edge) at this spot. I think it also makes the most sense from a salary cap standpoint with the need to get long term answer that is cheaper on the line after Avrils contract is up and assuming Bennett signs a big contract (knowing Clemons will probably get cut and any FA will likely be a 1 year veteran deal). If Colemans there in late 2nd? Sure, I guess. But I just can’t get on board with late first for such a project.
Rob, Anthony Barr’s stock is plummeting. I know you’re not a big fan, can you see him slipping all the way to us? And would you take him?
I would consider him at #32 — but that’d be some drop. The combine is big for Barr.
Rob, who’s the better corner: Bashaud Breeland or Stanley Jean Baptiste?
For me it’s Breeland.
Not Rob, but for me, it’s definitely Breeland. Much more physical, intuitive, and fearless. Plays with his hair on fire. Almost like Earl from a Safety position.
I have a different opinion. Please see Stanley Jean Baptiste’s 15-plus minutes of highlight tape here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cq-FztyrMqQ
Here’s my sleeper OL prospect in R1 for Seattle…Marcus Martin. Ability to play all 3 interior spots. Really powerful guy. Very, very young. Will only be 21 NEXT November. This is one guy I could get on board with at 32, when specifically talking about OL.
Have you spent anytime on Martin, Rob? Curious to get your thoughts.
From the tape that I’ve watched of Martin I definitely come away impressed. It looks like he can really get leverage on guys and drive them away from the point of attack. I think my only questions would be his athleticism. He doesn’t always look to have quick feet and I’d be afraid that more agile guys on the line would be able to beat him consistently.
I don’t think we bring back McQuiston who was kind of that play any spot guy. My question for you though would be where he would play along our line. I have a feeling that Cable really likes Sweezy, so that would just really leave the left guard spot (Unger didn’t have his best year either I guess). Do you think Martin would be a big upgrade over Carpenter? Maybe in the long run, but I don’t think it would be next year. It’s for that reason why I don’t think they’d take him with that late 1st round spot.
Pretty much spot on with my thoughts about his fit and potentially using a first rounder on him.
For me it boils down to 2 things:
1 – He is really young. Most OL coming out are usually older due to Redshirting. With his youth, it’s very easy to project more physical development, both in strength and agility. I’m not saying he will end up running a 4.6 after 2 years, but it’s not a crazy thought to think both athleticism and strength have a nice/noticeable uptick.
2 – His ability to play both Guard and Center. This flexibility is potentially huge. He could either replace Unger (if he continues this downward trend and for much cheaper) allowing for nice Cap savings or he turns out to be a good OG and you keep him there.
I’m really not big on the idea of OL in R1, but this is a guy that I could get excited about due to youth/upside/flexibility. Also, I’m trying to go a little outside of the box with the OL thing.
I haven’t but then I haven’t spent much time looking at guys who played center last season. I will check him out down the line.
If you’re looking at centers take a gander at Weston Richburg. I’m not sure how important velocity is in snapping the ball, but he fires that shit out of there.
So does the center from Boise State. And Fresno State.
But Richburg was lights out in the tape I watched. I think he has a round 2 grade, though. Bit rich for my blood.
I’m not going to spend a ton of time on centers. I’ll watch 2-3, and even then it’ll be guys who can play guard.
We know we have to draft receiver to replace Rice. I believe Clemons will be next cut to resign Earl Thomas and I also want to draft another OL to replace Paul McQuiston. I don’t know how good he is but he could fill in multiply places on it OL. What I want to happen would be to get Zack Martin He could be that starting LG and in a pinch move to tackle if need be. I thinking he’s gone hehe, before I pick at 32.So I thinking Xavier Su’a-Filo from UCLA to push Carpenter at the LG spot. The receiver I plan to in the 2nd round and I truly believe Brandon Coleman will still be on the board at 64. If He’s gone I would grab Donte Moncrief. He’s just one those sneaky WR. I think we will see if the Jesse Williams project works this year when I think he tries to be Red Bryant replacement. I’ also thinking we just won’t be able to match what Clinton McDonald and Walter Thurmond. Brandon of course is gone. Oops lost my thought. It dinner time.