My final mock draft will be published today. I will also do a live stream breaking it down later, time TBC. In the meantime, some quick draft-eve thoughts…
— When the season ended last season in Santa Clara, the emphasis very much appeared to be on Seattle’s horrible defense and San Francisco’s excellent unit. Closing the gap or emulating the 49ers felt like a point of emphasis. Thus, this is likely to be a defensive-heavy draft for Seattle.
— They easily could signal their intentions by using #5 on a defensive player. They don’t have to, though. When listening to people debate, at times it’s felt like the Seahawks only have one pick. It’s not beyond the realms of possibility that the two best pass rushers in the draft prove to be Calijah Kancey and Will McDonald — two players slated to go in the range Seattle picks later on (#20-40).
— Will the Seahawks determine the best strategy is to try and copy the 49ers, or find a way to tread their own path to glory? It took the Niners using seven first round picks in nine years to create their defense. Are the Seahawks best using San Francisco as inspiration or should they be working out a way to beat them? I prefer the Carroll Seahawks when they try to lead the way, not mimic others.
— The lack of numbers up front defensively sets off alarms. Again though, I’m not sure that means they have to spend #5 on a D-liner. They do have 10 picks (and could get more) and that creates flexibility. I still think Will Anderson will be the defensive apple of their eye at #5, with the quarterbacks also in their sights.
— Geno Smith’s contract was structured for a reason. Whether they draft a quarterback or not, they aren’t totally convinced he’s a long term option. That really needs to be established whatever your stance on the #5 pick is. Geno’s having another prove-it year and with the way the second half of last season went, it was the right call.
— This will purely come down to whether John Schneider has found a QB he ‘has to have’ with this rare top-five pick. If not, then they’ll wait until next year. Having thoroughly studied the top quarterbacks in this draft, I’ll be surprised if he doesn’t like the top four or five. They appear factory built for Schneider’s preferences — strong arm, the ability to throw on the run, mobility, creativity and leadership.
— It’s possible he has his eye on someone for next year but without the extra stock they have in this draft, it likely won’t be Caleb Williams or Drake Maye. It could be someone like Michael Penix Jr. I just think banking on him remaining attractive in 2024, healthy and most importantly available is a risk too far. You pass on the 2023 quarterbacks only if they don’t float your boat. If you like one of them, you take them. Either way, I’ve said all along we should back Schneider’s judgement. He has money in the bank at quarterback. If he likes the group or not, takes one or not, it shouldn’t be overly critiqued.
— I don’t agree with the suggestion made by Brian Nemhauser on Twitter (and gaining traction through fans and local media) that quality at the three technique position is more rare (or even more important) than drafting a good, young quarterback. Here are the top-10 defensive tackles per PFF in 2022:
Chris Jones — plays with the best QB in the NFL
Dexter Lawrence — Giants’ ceiling is tied to Daniel Jones
Aaron Donald — only won a ring when the Rams traded a haul for a QB
Quinnen Williams — Jets just made a trade for Aaron Rodgers
Cameron Heyward — Pittsburgh’s defense hasn’t been able to cover the QB
D.J. Reader — Joe Burrow
Derrick Brown — Panthers just traded a haul to get a QB
DeForest Buckner — Indianapolis desperate for a QB
Christian Wilkins — Endless questions about ceiling due to Tua
Jeffery Simmons — he’s great but they’re going nowhere without a QB
Even the Niners, with their great defense, felt obliged to trade a haul for Trey Lance.
Now consider how good Kansas City would be without Mahomes, how good Buffalo would be without Josh Allen, how good the Bengals would be without Burrow, how good the Chargers and Jaguars would be without Justin Herbert and Trevor Lawrence.
See how much better the Eagles are with Jalen Hurts than they did carrying the dying embers of Carson Wentz’s career.
Whatever your plan and vision, however much you desire a great defender or defense — you need a really good quarterback 8/10 times to win a Super Bowl and most of the contenders are led by very talented, young QB’s.
And while San Francisco’s defense is clearly outstanding an impactful — it’s complemented by the genius of Kyle Shanahan. They can get away without a top quarterback because Shanahan is, frankly, brilliant.
— Here’s what my reaction would be to some possible Seahawks early picks, through the language of emoji…
Will Anderson 🙂
Anthony Richardson 😇
CJ Stroud 😍
Tyree Wilson 🥱
Jalen Carter 😬
Will McDonald 😈
Michael Mayer 🤗
Myles Murphy 😑
Lukas Van Ness 🤷♂️
John Michael Schmitz 🤷♂️
Joe Tippmann 🤔
Hendon Hooker 🤯
Calijah Kancey 😍
Adetomiwa Adebawore 💪
Jonathan Mingo 🥰
Josh Downs 😚
I could do more but I’ve run out of inspiration.
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Kancey to me feels like the ultimate boom or bust guy. Maybe im wrong because I do love what he offers as a pass rusher from that spot, but dont think he can help a team in the run game and not convinced he fits a 3-4/can 2 gap. Feels like a specialist to me.
I can see reasoning in why he can be successful despite his size and arm length. When you’re splitting linemen to get into the backfield and break up plays, it doesn’t matter if it’s on a passing or running play. If he can still use that quickness in the NFL, he should still be a good player.
And honestly that type of player to me looks like they get the most out of each play.
I wanna like him. Love his 1st step and short area agility. But I watched this guy twice this year and to my eyes it looked like he completely lost interest when the 5 man fronts Pitt likes to bring pressure w/ weren’t working. IMO he’s a sub package player.
A dominant sub package guy who may only play on 3rd and 8 or all snaps when the other team has the ball with 2-minutes left and the game is on the line and the opponents need a score… is priceless, imo.
Correct. Not to mention a presence like that elevates the pass rushers around him.
“When you’re splitting linemen to get into the backfield and break up plays, it doesn’t matter if it’s on a passing or running play. ”
That’s not true at all. Gap discipline is incredibly important to run defense. When Kancey attempts to knife through the the G & T, he gives up his gap assignment. There are multiple GAMES where his impact is probably a net negative by giving up chunk yards being outside of his gap and not getting to the QB on rushes (Duke, L’Ville, UNC).
He’s not a bad player, but he’s a pass-rusher through and through. I agree with V12 and think – if you put him in a rotation, where he’s pinning his ears back and going after the QB, he’ll be valuable. Trying to make him an every down 3T or 3-4 DE isn’t his path to success to me.
Yes agreed. I pass on Clancy and believe Hawks do too.
Not all DL in a 3-4 need to 2 gap. DreMont Jones is not a 2 gap defender.
The NT is responsible for A-Gaps and therefore needs to be able to 2 gap.
The DE/3T’s are responsible for B gaps and are usually lined up at 4 or 5 tech to create confusion with the guards/tackles more than to change their 1/2 gap responsibility (either because they are running a stunt or twist with another defender or to give the Edge a clear run into the back field)
Special players like Calais Campbell & Cam Heyward have been able to do both, which expands the scheme, but it’s not a priority/requirement for all 3-4 defenses
Sure, which is why I said 3-4 slash 2 gap. But are they really gonna ask Kancey to play their ‘big end’ role since Dre’Mont is filling the 3-tech?
Well, Nolan Narwocki gave Aaron Donald a 5.90 grade while suggesting he’s a fourth or fifth rounder
https://www.nfl.com/prospects/aaron-donald/3200444f-4e13-4977-da01-4e2f082de38b
Sometimes rotational guys become unstoppable
Donald also has 2 inches of length on him. Kancey would be quite the extreme outlier, which is why for me he’s risky, if he becomes an every down guy.
He has really short arms but short arms are short arms really — I’m not sure two inches makes much difference. He’ll face the same challenges as Donald but has shown he has scarily similar traits and moves
Fwiw, the arm length differential between Donald and Kancey isn’t much in terms of inches, but it is quite significant in terms of percentile. NFL Draft Buzz puts this percentile differential at 29th to 7th, respectively, while MockDraftable has it at 29th to 1st. Subjectively, Donald’s frame also appears to me to be much wider through the shoulders, while Kancey’s is more compact; I expect their wingspan differential is even greater…
…But this isn’t to say that Kancey can’t break the mold. For all I know, his compactness could be his advantage. Maybe it has something to do with his exceptional slipperiness? I do wonder, though, how many 1st percentile DTs have had success in the NFL. He’s a fascinating prospect.
Maybe I’m blind (true) or don’t fully understand the way measurements are taken (also true). But I don’t think Kancey looks 2” shorter in the arms than Donald. Based on this picture anyway.
https://twitter.com/Pitt_FB/status/1631402059755823105
They measure shoulder blade to wingtip
These snippets from past draft analysis of players we now feel we know are fascinating. Keep doing it, along with showing how draft reviewers change their opinions over time. It’s like Jon Stewart when he headed The Daily Show and would run clips of video showing politicians saying the complete opposite of what they said a few years ago. Here it is less about hypocrisy and more about how challenging it is to evaluate a player’s potential–though with some draft “gurus” it is also about not doing the work actually watching the dang tape. Kancey is one of those players that is hard to evaluate. He has physical limitations, but also some startling stats and great tape. I’d be excited if he was a Seahawk pick, but then, because of all your analysis, I’ll be excited about a number of different potential picks. BPA that fit the Seahawk team/mentality! I hope they stick to that. Let the fun begin tomorrow!
My sense is that draft analysis gets too binary– too boom or bust, too ceiling v. floor. Why would a high motor interior defender be higher variance than, say, a freak athlete without a record of productivity?
The same arguments get made across profiles. Does Anthony Richardson’s physical profile mean he’s higher variance, or do his physical gifts actually mean that he has a lower floor, since can add value now as a runner?
Our brains want to fit information into recognizable shapes– I get it. But sometimes the talent takes its own unique, irreducible shape,
I think you mean his physical gifts means he has a higher floor, and the answer is yes.
I’m not really sure how they could make the argument with a straight face. Clearly the most valuable position is where the most money is paid.
I’m a big fan of finding a wrecker on the interior of our defensive line, but without a clear option there, the QB that helps you score the most PPG is the key to football.
And that’s something I think isn’t getting talked about enough. You can go buy half a team when you have a good QB playing on a rookie contract. Massive advantage
It’s a hyperbolic premise and I don’t agree. A game wrecking interior DT is both relatively rare and super valuable. I think everyone acknowledges that and it’s why so many people covet players on that top-10 DT list above. I think if Carter was an incredibly talented WR or CB (for example) with the same concerns he wouldn’t even be in the conversation as a possible top-10 pick. Team’s would pivot to other options. He’s only there because he does potentially play such a valuable position. But yeah, I have a hard time believing the Seahawks take him. If they were to pull a stunner and select Carter I’d have a lot harder time taking their comments in the future at face value.
A team needs to do three things to win in the NFL: throw the ball, protect the QB, and hit the other team’s QB. Whichever team does those things better wins. There are a variety of strategies – like running the ball to get linebackers and safeties out of passing lanes – that supplement success in those three areas. But the salary cap has to go towards making those three things happen or the team will consistently lose.
One thing I used to love about my Varsity football coach I remember was that he would randomly get up and yell “GET THE BALL!” And a wild scramble would occur.
If you know Pete Carroll’s defensive philosophy or just philosophy of football in general, you know that one of his catch phrases is “it’s all about the ball.” He stresses taking care of the football on offense above all else, and taking the ball away on defense above all else.
“It’s been our main theme and our approach in our football for as long as I can remember,” Carroll said. “It’s about taking care of the football and getting it. It’s not just one side, it’s not just giving up (the ball), it’s getting the ball, too. The defense can balance out a mistake or two by an offense by taking the football away. So it’s the No. 1 emphasis in the program.”
So yeah, having a quarterback is important but it doesn’t mean anything if you can’t keep or get the football.
Can’t agree more with your points Rob. I have one thing that has stuck in my mind since John said it at the pre draft news conference, when he said that they do better when they just pick BPA. That could mean Carter or one of the QBs. I hope for one of the QBs but I am gearing up for Carter just in case they do go BPA.
Remember, Schneider’s emphasis on his BPA point (at the most recent presser) was that the team will no longer push a player up the board due to a drop-off at that player’s position. Applying this to Jalen Carter, the precipitous DT ledge after Carter will not factor at all into the Hawks’ board management. Now, Carter’s grade will be higher than that of an equal prospect at a position of lesser need (“We don’t draft for the league; we draft for our team.”), so need does remain a grading factor, but ledges do not. No more L.J. Colliers. Therefore, the only way the team takes Carter is if he’s the legitimate BPA, meaning the character stuff has all checked out.
Thanks again for all the great coverage this year Rob. Really. Understand that it comes at no small price and appreciate it.
Also agree with you take on the importance of the QBs and it’ll all down to, as you said, whether one floats their boat of not. Interesting that Tony Pauline has the players stacked ranked, several above Young who is ranked first. And Hooker above either Richardson or Levis.
Fingers crossed you’re right on Carter. Much appreciated!
Thanks Steven
I will personally never understand how easily people are discounting the QB discussion.
Even if you ride with Geno – and he maintains his level of productivity – how many years does that get you? How does Geno’s track record + waiting for a 40% snap player with serious character concerns to adapt to NFL life take you to the promised land in the next 2-3 seasons?
The Eagles just paid Jalen Hurts $255m. The Seahawks brilliantly negotiated a fantastic contract with Geno that allows them the opportunity to take a QB at 5 and not have to throw them to the NFL wolves.
Even if Carter didn’t have all those gigantic red flags, I’d still be thinking they need to go QB and at worst we’d settle for Carter if they don’t get the one they want.
How is this even a conversation?
This!!!!
Completely agree cha, I think it really exposes how many fans are buying into bad arguments and bad logic that isnt based on reality. Rob pointing out how the leagues best defensive linemen are all held back by their QB is something Ive pointed out in recent days. I also made the same point about Myles Garrett and Khali Mack with the Raiders. Did Myles Garrett lead the Browns to greatness? Nope, limited by his QB. Did Khali Mack lead the Raiders to greatness? Nope, went as far as Carr could take them. How this became a conversation ill never know, but its incredibly frustrating that so much of the fanbase has been brainwashed by arguments that are frankly terrible and utilize poor reasoning.
💯 cha
Honestly don’t know how anyone can disagree with this
Starting NFL QBs older than Geno:
Aaron Rodgers – unicorn re-starting life with the Jets
Andy Dalton – journeyman in Carolina will be obsolete by mid-2023
Kirk Cousins – 13-4 last year but it might be 2023 or bust
Matt Stafford – SB champ but battered by injuries
Russell Wilson – trying to re-establish himself after a disaster 2022
Honestly – do the Seahawks have a window of 2 years to build everything else up around Geno? And can he outperform those top 5’s best couple years in that time frame?
This really puts it in perspective. Outside of Brady there really aren’t any good examples for sustained success building around a mid 30s quarterback.
And Richardson’s only 20 frickin years old. 20!
Bryce Young 21
CJ Stroud 21
Levis 23
Hooker 25
“I will personally never understand how easily people are discounting the QB discussion.”
Mike Salk chastised himself (and Brock) a couple days ago for having had blinders on all this time as regards the potentiality of the Seahawks drafting THE MOST IMPORTANT POSITION IN THE GAME. It was pretty funny. Later that night, he put it to paper and published his final draft take: “Why Seahawks should roll dice on Anthony Richardson at 5”.
He’s on an island at 710, though. The rest of the cast? Straight MSM chalk, as per yoozhe. Brock himself clearly has still not put any research into the guy at all. He’s made no attempt to study the bad throws or to contextualize the apparent lack of team elevation, content instead just to fall back on the illogical “boom-bust” trope and offer up a nay of dismissal. He only sees the lowlights. Tiresome.
cha, I’d say the reason people are discounting the QB discussion is because they think the Hawks’ championship window has already opened, and that the 2023 draft therefore must be committed to plugging 2023 holes. Draft for need, draft for need, draft for need! (Because this has worked so well in the past.) They bought the fool’s gold that was the 2022 season and now demand $2,000 an ounce spot. They argue there are many ways to get a franchise quarterback these days: just trade for one, or draft Caleb Williams next year—no prob!
I am grateful for 710 and Brock and Salk in particular for resurrecting Seattle sports talk radio, but I really can’t stomach it anymore. I don’t mind at all listening to people with different opinions than me, but I am very glad for all of the excellent nuanced sports discussion that is available elsewhere.
That it right there: the committed absence of nuance that predominates in the mainstream. I will immediately canx a podcast if I detect that.
Agree with this, but hoping they see all four QBs as legit and so Will Anderson becomes our worst case scenario. I assume Carter is still “on their board” but with a grade that reflects character/effort concerns that would make him a consideration far lower than 5 as BPA. Schneider has expressed clearly that he understands the money part of the game and that includes projecting roster cost forward in the future to be able to construct a highly competitive team. They’ve made some mistakes and I think they’ve learned from them. Maybe that’s JS being more in control of roster construction now v. PC, but the trend over the last year is encouraging. Only thing I’d add would be giving Geno props for being true to what he has said about feeling grateful to the Seahawk org for giving him a chance. The fantastic contract was accomplished in equal part by his acknowledgement that he only had a limited run of success and still had something to prove. I want the Hawks to pick a QB at 5, but I’ve come to really like and admire Geno and hope he makes it a very hard decision for the Hawks come January 2024.
I’m not gonna say Geno a bad guy or anything, but I think the structure of the deal being as team-friendly as it is was purely a result of him knowing he wouldn’t have any better options. No way he accepts it if another team showed any real interest.
If you can recognize the, at best, short window with Geno and that the Seahawks are not a player, or even a few talented rookies away, from a Super Bowl, then it’s not a conversation.
It’s obvious that a future option at quarterback is necessary…and a good one at that.
I’m hoping that privately Pete and John fully recognize this. Geno’s contract structure is a tell that they do.
The closer the draft comes, the more anxious I get, anybody else feeling like this?
I am pretty sure that the Seahawks are not going to select Jalen Carter. Rob and many others have discussed this over and over and over again. It makes so. much. sense.
They don’t pass on Thibodeaux (if he would’ve been there) because of “too many business antics” just to select Carter this year.
And I think the biggest part of my anxiety is, that they would throw away all of their values and plans they supposedly had since last year. The high motor, good character guys that made the last draft so valuable, just to fall back into old patterns.
I wholeheartedly think that they won’t draft Jalen Carter, but when I think about tomorrow, my heart skips a beat.
Just think about the moment, “With the fifth pick in the 2023 NFL Draft the Seattle Seahawks select…………………..”.
That 1-2 second silence will literally kill me.
They have the chance to set this franchise up for greatness, for years to come.
Of course, Stroud and Richardson can flop just like Jalen Carter, but the fall of ideals would be the worst thing for me with the Carter pick.
This is how I feel on Jalen Carter. Not Aaron Donald (no one is) & I dont see Ndamukong Suh either. I do see a Chris Jones type of ceiling from him. And I’m sure Pete believes he can tap into his psyche and help him, which is probably where the reports are coming from. JS on the other hand? I cant see him feeling the same way.
I wonder if, when Pete and John have talked, IF Pete has alluded to something about tapping into Carter’s psyche and helping him, did John just say, “yeah…cuz that worked SO WELL with McDowell, right?”
I’m rushing home tomorrow with absolute butterflies in my stomach. Luckily I live 15 minutes from work, so I can prep before the draft starts. Doing the supermarket shopping tonight.
My take on Carter is that if they do end up picking him, I think that will show that Pete made the decision. It’s my hope that Jody Allen lays down the law and tells them that if Carter reverts back to being lazy, then heads will roll.
I have this gross feeling that they might trade down, though. I hate the feeling, because I will be screaming at the TV, making my pets run for cover, and I HATE being that guy.
Totally agree. My anticipation is as high as possible and I’m reaaaallly looking forward to the draft!
Even if the worst case happens and they pick JC, they have still more than enough picks to keep building a good team. So I’m not anxious all the time, just a couple of minutes a day haha.
I just hope I won’t wake up my girlfriend at 2:40 am or whenever the Seahawks are on the clock.
But I guess it will happen with either pick 😀
Hate to burst your bubble. But Jodi has never cared that much about the team. She is supportive and interested. But she backs Pete and JS. It’s all she’s ever done. She’s selling the team in a year or so. Let’s be real here. I know you want accountability. But Pete and JS have the most cushion in the league as long as she’s around.
My guess is a sale happens fairly quickly after the deadline passes in May next year
This. Jeff Bezos already has the check made out – just waiting to write the number in.
This sparked an interesting angle I hadn’t even considered. I wonder if the impending sale helps push Carter off the list. Even if Jody gives wide latitude to PC/JS, seems risky to bring on someone like him who could create off field turmoil right before a possible sale.
Could very much be a factor.
“My take on Carter is that if they do end up picking him, I think that will show that Pete made the decision.” –Roy Batty
Their board isn’t put together that way. It’s not: This is Pete’s guy, that’s John’s guy. There probably was some of that in the past, but the 2022 draft indicated a severance from any such methodology. I think we can assume that, once their board is finalized (which it might well already be), every name will be slotted according to the consensus of all contributors in the decision-making process, as approved in advance by the owner.
I have not been this excited for the draft in a long, long time. Thank your Rob for the countless hours of work you have poured into this blog and letting us all look over your shoulder and copy your homework. Tomorrow night is going to be a lot of fun. I already scheduled time off from work and I’ve got beer, pizza, chips and home made guac ready to go. let’s do this!
Thank you
I am just not convinced that Anthony Richardson is BPA until somewhere in the late second or early third round. If he is selected at #5, then the Seahawks would be reaching for need rather than going with their stated philosophy of drafting BPA.
If they took Carter (or Wilson), you could argue that they were reaching for need as well.
As Rob has said, if you take Carter, you are probably waiting a couple years until he really hits his stride, which would be the same as Richardson or Stroud. Given the choice between drafting a player like Richardson who has phenomenal raw physical talent and works hard at his craft, and a player like Carter who has amazing talent but does not appear to have the desire for greatness, I know who I would choose. They are both incredibly boom or bust players but I think the upside for Richardson is greater.
While I believe Carter’s talent would make him BPA, I wouldn’t select Carter or Richardson at #5. Carter comes with too much baggage and Richardson has simply never shown the talent (athletic profile and “potential,” yes, but never the talent at playing QB) to be even remotely discussed in the top five picks. Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes didn’t go in the top five, and Richardson has TONS more distance to cover than either of those two if he is to be a serviceable QB in the NFL.
If you watched him and didn’t see the talent then….idk what to tell you. It’s very obvious. Not consistent, but when he can throw a 60 td in the air or break off a 60 yard run for a touchdown, along with progressing and getting better throughout the year on a horrible team, I think that’s pretty much right there. He himself got the team to a bowl game.
And Richardson is closer to Mahomes and Allen especially than you say, as Rob has had to remind people about almost daily.
He’s BPA. He has the highest ceiling of any quarterback we’ve ever seen. I think you have made up your mind on him already.
Allen was taken 7 and Mahomes 10, which is not far off. So we should only do it from 7-10 because this is how you personally value this kind of player? (although your earlier post stated you don’t even value Richardson until the 2nd and 3rd round, so you’ve already moved some goal posts) This is a rather odd way of looking at things. Players don’t go in the exact spot you imagine their value to be, they go where they are taken by a team who wants them and knows they won’t be there by the time they pick again. Also, teams traded up for both these players because they fell within range, and you presumably want to risk trading DOWN for Richardson? Just so he lands at your ideal spot? Completely irregardless of what the teams between 5-10 might do? This such weird thinking to me.
But have you considered the argument I recently had:
Josh allen was not good in college but John would have drafted him
Rebuttal:
But josh allen played three years.
Counter…..but none of them were good.
Rebuttal: but more starts.
Oh I had someone claim this morning there’s 20 qb’s coming out next year rated 80+ (rated by who? no sources). Wow, talk about an epic QB class next year, franchise QBs for everyone! They’ll be handed out like candy.
Damn that’s a lot of talent. Thankfully we are going to trade all our picks for future firsts so we’ll get all 20 of those qbs. Wild cat?
More like hydra cat. Medusa cat? Cat in the hat? Either way I’m here for 100 plus toss backs til DK gets open.
Aaron Rodgers flips it to Mahomes who tosses it to Hurts who throws a strike to Burrow who….drops it because he’s a quarterback and can’t catch shit.
That’s not true at all. He’s actually quit a bit closer than Josh Allen when he came out.
Josh Allen’s entire framework was a mess, upper and lower body. Had to completely get reworked from the Combine onward.
People have already said that Richardson from his last game played to his Pro Day has improved leaps and bounds on his footwork, and his upper body framework was already really good.
Richardson has already shown advanced processing and pocket awareness and movement. I think the youtube channel Underdog put it best: There’s a difference between a player being raw and a player being inexperienced, even though people conflate the two terms.
Richardson is inexperienced, and has shown a habit of fixing thing during the game he was making the mistake.
BPA doesn’t mean the best player right now, it means the player you project to be the best over the long term. Richardson’s ceiling is higher than probably any other player in this draft. It’s ludicrous to say he wouldn’t be the BPA on anyone’s board until the 3rd round. It’s not like they’d be reaching for someone like Patrick Ramsey or Christian Ponder. Besides, QBs are an exception to any and every rule. You just don’t get opportunities to draft QBs of that caliber in the 3rd round. If you want to hit a home run you need to swing for the fences.
I think that really comes down to how you determine BPA. They’d be taking a guy with a path to being the most valuable guy to come out of the 2023 draft class. Given their comments on judging a player not at where they are but where they project to be that could make Richardson the top player on their draft board. If they were to take him I think it’d be more about you disagreeing that he’s the BPA as opposed to them reaching for a position of need.
Admittedly Richardson is my favourite player in the draft though. I think he mostly made good decisions operating in a complicated pro style offence with bad players around him. His ability to manoeuvre in the pocket isn’t something you can teach. To the extent sacks are a QB stat I think he’ll have very few stats. His issues to me are improving his experience and processing time, and cleaning up his footwork which leads to overthrows on certain types of throws. Even if he doesn’t really get there, in an RPO offence his 4.4 speed at 245 pounds will create a lot.
He has more physical upside than possibly any player ever
“If (Richardson) is selected at #5, then the Seahawks would be reaching for need.”
That doesn’t make any sense at all. Presently, quarterback is way down the list of team needs; drafting Richardson would be drafting for opportunity.
The opinion you raise is an unpopular one on this blog, but I wholeheartedly agree. Richardson too much of a reach in the top 10. If he drops like a rock and the Seahawks want to take a chance later in the 1st round, sure, I guess.
Just remember, your analysis doesn’t necessarily equate to the Seahawk’s analysis. Thus, saying he isn’t BPA on your board until the late 2nd or early 3rd doesn’t mean he isn’t BPA on their board at #5.
Just saying. 👍🍻🍻🍻
I see drafting Anthony Richardson (if it happens) as BPA over need. They have Geno to start and Lock as a backup. Geno is on a team-friendly 3-year deal. They absolutely do not NEED a QB.
If they want to consistently be an average team that can usually beat bad teams then sure they don’t need a QB. If they want to win a Super Bowl then they absolutely need a QB.
Hate to burst your bubble, but Geno nor Lock are not putting rings on this teams finger. If you have the chance to draft a QB of the future, you run to the podium. Cheap rookie QB contract to be able to add the correct pieces around the QB is the way to go.
💯
If a top 4 QB is available at #5 and we do not draft one, I will be sorely disappointed. If not now, then when? How often will we be able to draft a franchise quarterback?
I think we could find quality defensive linemen in this and future drafts.
Bingo. And I’m not inclined to see us mortgage a future draft to trade into a #5 pick. We’re already here. If you think a QB has the talent to be successful, use it
To be fair they are fine mortgaging the future on a safety though haha….:(
Well to be fair, we don’t know how Seattle evaluates the top-4 QBs. If they feel a QB available at 5 is a legitimate QB-of-the-Future, then drafting them at 5 makes sense. But, if they don’t…not picking them makes sense.
We are seeing multiple paths being used by teams to successfully address their QB needs. Draft and develop is one way. But, I think Free Agency will become more common. I think trades for top-tier veterans by contending teams (like the Rams and now the Jets) will become more common. I think using a QB-friendly system like San Francisco (and Seattle?) will become more common.
Bottom line, if Seattle passes on a QB tomorrow, I will take a deep breath and not freak out 🤔. And if they do draft a QB, I will take a deep breath and not freak out 🙂. And if they draft Jalen Carter I will take a deep breath and not freak out 😳. That is my plan anyway. Wish me luck!
Has anyone considered that Albert Breer and Drew Rosenhaus are super close and of course Drew is going to say Carter’s visit went well. But since it’s a report that supports someone’s narrative, it must be gospel!
Rob
As we approach the draft, thank you again. Year-after-year, your coverage keeps getting better, as I imagine does the time you give to this community. Well done sir!
On the top DTs, not all of those you noted above were top of the first round selections. Very few were dominant from the get go. It takes time to adjust to the NFL along the DL, not just at QB. You made that point about Quinnen Williams recently. Similar is true of EDGE rushers. The boom v. bust/underwhelm rate with both is not noticeably different than with QBs.
The impact of QBs is such that they have individual DVOA stats whereas as yet, DVOA is not disaggregated along the DL. No individual along the DL has as much impact (see Aaron Donald above).
This isn’t to say Will Anderson would not be a great pick, it’s just that the assumption prevalent in most mocks, that the next best DL-man (often Wilson) is the way to go, just seems a bit lazy.
None Seahawks question, any snooker interest given your location? Ronnie Williams for an eighth?
Thank you again.
I enjoy the snooker — was disappointed to see Ronnie lost today
“Whatever your plan and vision, however much you desire a great defender or defense — you need a really good quarterback 8/10 times to win a Super Bowl and most of the contenders are led by very talented, young QB’s.”
Louder!
The last time I can remember a bad quarterback winning the superbowl was when Denver had that awesome defense and Peyton Manning was injured. But to do that you have to be really good on defense in all positions.
On Feb. 7, 2016, the Denver Broncos defeated the Carolina Panthers 24-10 in Super Bowl 50 to claim their third NFL title.
“Quarterback Peyton Manning had a forgettable performance, completing 13 of his 23 passes for 141 yards with one interception and no touchdowns. The legendary signal-caller did convert a two-point conversion, though.
It was running back C.J. Anderson who carried Denver’s offense that day, rushing 23 times for 90 yards and a touchdown.
On defense, superstar linebacker Von Miller led the attack, recording five tackles, 2.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. Miller’s strong performance earned him Super Bowl MVP honors. “
Tony Pauline’s final mock out with Carter falling and Paris Johnson rising (as he’d mentioned in your interview). Hawks attempt to trade down but end up picking Tyree Wilson at #5.
Hadn’t heard much on Wilson given the 4-3 D and little likelihood of Tyree being their choice. However, with 3-4 back in the mix, he’s back on the radar. What about the injuries. Pauline mentions a 2nd procedure on his foot + back issues?!? Hope this isn’t another Tharold Simon situation.
Foot injuries notoriously difficult to overcome.
Big 12 defensive player that has a some foot problems? Oh boy, I’m excited. “Collier face” incoming…………….only it’ll be mine. 🙁
Big, slow, defender with foot injuries…. insert “whammy noise,” to complete the “collier face,” look for spring.
I am very tempted to have Carter dropping into the teens
I wouldn’t be surprised if he dropped out of the first round. That would be my most shocking guess for this draft. Though it isn’t really shocking when you consider his issues.
I wrote a ‘draft’ mock last night and had Carter at #18
I’ve done about 4-5 new drafts since
I think I’ll split the difference
I would legitimately start laughing if we take Richardson at 5 and Carter at 20.
My dream draft would be one of the big three quarterbacks and Bijan Robinson at #20. Followed by a tight end, a wide receiver, and a center. That would be crazy = but it would be fun!
Great article Rob. The calm before the storm…
First up, thanks for the great coverage this year, Rob. Outstanding work sir!
Although I think that defense will be their overall priority, the ‘hawks have a unique opportunity to draft one of the top rated QBs without having to trade the farm for it. They also have plenty of top end draft stock in hand, so they are playing with house money really. Much as I would like to have Will Anderson on the team, I think you have to take your shot at a QB. The only reason they wouldn’t do so is if they really don’t fancy the QB class (like last year), but their reactions after the pro- days tell a different story and, to my mind, PC/JS are not really ones for smokescreening (being evasive is a different matter, mind). It’s an opportunity that John Schneider has often bemoaned as not being available in the past so I don’t see him passing on it now.
This!!
Thanks again for all the effort this year Rob, truly above and beyond stuff.
Will you be posting a final horizontal board or was the previous one final? Love to print it off and cross names out as we go through the draft. I’m pretty sure the only thing I actually use my printer for these days is printing off your board each year heh.
I do the same! I already printed out the most recent copy (April 3rd?) to check off. We need a direct link to it on the front page!
Yep — the final horizontal board is done and will be published tomorrow a few hours before the draft
Thank you for all you do! Looking forward to reading that board while watching the draft and seeing where your preferred folks fall.
With added smilies I hope. They made me chuckle 🤭
The Nemhauser tweet had me wondering why there isn’t more buzz around guys like Zacch Pickens and Cameron Young. Both performed very well at the Senior Bowl, both have show the ability to get after the QB.
I have seen Pickens rise from a Round 7 to being mocked in the 2nd round, part of me wonders if he will go in the back half of the first. Cameron Young continues to be an afterthought, but he really does have a nice body of work.
Not every one of those elite 3Ts was highly drafted.
Because it doesn’t fit the narrative.
That there is only one, singular, 3 tech in this draft. And if you don’t pick him you basically guarantee a losing season next year.
The Jalen Carter narrative and the QB narrative about the 5 pick have dominated the discussion, especially outside of SDB. Conflict and strong opinions drive interest. There has been a bit more recently “Oh yeah, we pick at 20 too.” But the discussion in past years of topics like “Here are 8 offensive linemen likely to be available on Day 3 who would make good Seahawks” has been much less and overshadowed by the discussion about 5.
This blog has has talked about more than just 5 but Rob has been fair in saying “I’m talking about Carter again because that’s what people want to talk about.”
One other factor with a drafted QB, the rookie contract salary cap savings. Sure would be a lot quicker to build that D with Geno likely gone year after next and the starter on a rookie deal. Some folks just have no long term vision.
Question Rob: are you entering your final mock in the Huddle Report contest again this year? If so, best of luck!
What a great point about the money to the D next year.
I am, yes — and thank you
To me it has to be Will Anderson Jr. or one of the top 4 QBs. Dream senario of coarse is Anthony Richardson. Anthony Richardson made the comment that he was blown away by Pete Carrol. What does that tell you. I think Pete Carrol likes Anthony Richardson. I have never been so disappointed with the talking heads in the media than I have been this year. Albert Breer just came out and had Jalen Carter going to the Seahawks. What do these guys do?. Read each other’s mock draft? And say that sounds good. At least after tomorrow night we will not have all this crap about Jalen Carter going to Seattle.
BTW: The more I read about WItherspoon and Christian Gonzales I the more I like. Having one of these two CBs on one side and Tariq Woolen on the side could pose real problems for opposing QBs. That would give the pass rush more time to get to the QB. But with that said. I still go with Will Anderson Jr. or one of the top 4 QBs. I actually prefer one of the 4 QBs over WIll Anderson. Because you still haveac chance to snag Will McDonald, Calijah Kancey or even ADE ADE. We will see.
As Rob has pointed out many times. John Schneider did not trade away Russell Wilson with having a plan for getting another QB to replace Wilson. And I don’t think it was Geno Smith.
We can’t dismiss the Pete loves Carted talk by saying Pete loves everyone (a prominent talking point in these comments), and then say it’s a sign how much he loves Richardson.
I think we keep hearing about Carter at #5 because some analysts see the Seahawks’ biggest need as a dominant defensive lineman or edge at #5, and if Anderson is already gone, then they think JS/PC will hold their noses and pick Carter. They don’t see any other defensive players whose talent is worth a #5. Many of us on this blog are willing to use #5 as a BPA pick on a QBOTF, but the Carter advocates see him as a safer pick at a position of need.
The only way I can imagine the Seahawks picking Carter at #5 is if there is one of the big 4 QBs that they don’t like, and the other 3 QBs and Anderson are gone, and they can’t find anyone to trade the pick to. In that case, maybe they would gamble that the risk of picking Carter might be outweighed by the potential reward. In this scenario, JS/PC would face the choice of picking Carter or diminishing the value of the pick by using it on a lesser valued player.
I’ve added another bit to the end of this article…
*chef’s kiss*
Great stuff Rob, especially the end bit about the defensive linemen bit ALL being held back by their QB play. FWIW, this is an argument I have made in recent days that illustrates why its QB or bust for me with that first pick (regardless if they trade up or not). I would also add Myles Garrett and Khali Mack when he was with the Raiders to that mix as well. Even those great pass rushers didn’t do anything to elevate their teams to greatness, they were all held back by how far their QBs could take them. Frankly, there isnt enough mental gymnastics you can do that would be a compelling enough argument to really refute the notion.
These things swing wildly by the hour, but Carter is now the heavy betting favorite (at -115) to be the pick at #5.
This would confirm my worst fears with PC. His hubris has completely consumed him – “only I can fix him.”
I still believe Rob when he says it isn’t going to happen. But if it did, I agree with you. It would be the ultimate example of absolute power utterly out of control.
Question tho, Pete knows he ain’t getting any younger. The chance Carter eats himself out of the league is great and Pete knows it. Would he really want his highest ever draft choice bombing to be a large part of his end of career legacy? A QB fail would be viewed far different considering the abundance of red flags Carter has.
Or a more banal outlook.
Carter is actually Simmons/ Cox. Just it takes him the same four (!!) Years to get there.
“(Seattle drafting Carter) would confirm my worst fears with PC. His hubris has completely consumed him – ‘only I can fix him.'” –Matt
“If (Seattle drafted Carter), I agree with you. It would be the ultimate example of absolute power utterly out of control.” –Big Mike
I see it differently, Matt and Mike. I buy that a change has occurred within the organization, and that Pete can no longer shoulder his way up to the board and stick his guy up at the top. If Seattle were to draft Carter, I would assume that it was a consensus decision predicated on the character stuff checking out okay—hence my expectation that it won’t be Carter.
Not surprising when most of the mocks predict it and people like Chris Simms cite sources
Odds down to -135. Only other pick w/negative odds is Young #1 at -2000.
It will be interesting to see if the draft results are as good as last year (with the thought that John may have taken greater control of the draft) or if last year was an outlier and the puzzling draft choices from previous years returns. I hope the lessons learned from last year prevail and that we continue drafting quality players for the long term health of this franchise and not opt for short term fixes meant to align with the remaining years of Pete being here.
My compliments to you as well Rob, your writing and dedication to this blog is beyond extraordinary and is greatly appreciated. Here’s to a great draft!
I still think the pick will be Anderson ( pick 5) or Richardson ( maybe at 5 or trade back)
If Anderson is there, lock at 5. Otherwise, the offers will dictate if they move. If someone overpays, they aren’t made of stone, especially if the team moving to 5 wants someone not in their wheelhouse and they know one of the guys they would be happy to land will be there when the received pick comes up.
Tend to agree with this. They run to the podium for Anderson. Anyone else, they’re listening to offers. Even the guys they like.
Aaron Donald won a SB with a top-third veteran QB who had previously barely sniffed the playoffs, and who the Rams traded for because their #1 overall pick QB couldn’t get the job done. Not sure his example supports the hypothesis
I think the point was you can’t win without a QB.
I think the point stands that the greatest 3T in NFL history only won 1 SB and that came after the team fixed the QB position. I don’t find this a terribly complex point to follow.
Like I wrote Stafford had no playoff success until paired with Donald at which point he won a SB. Conversely Goff with Donald went to a SB and was beaten by the GOAT, and since then he hasn’t done anything. So was it really the QB that made the difference?
Conversely, Stafford was on Detroit. Literally one of the biggest morose ball clubs in the history of sports. They wasted one of the best RB and WR of all time, and a decently great QB careers because they didn’t know how to team build.
So then we agree that Stafford wasn’t the difference maker?
No
You’re the Rams GM, it’s summer 2021, Detroit says they’ll trade you Stafford but only in exchange for Donald. Do you make the deal?
Not the best example. The delta between the DTs is larger than the delta between QBs at Stafford’s range. To keep it simple: imagine Donald is an 80 and Stafford is a 100. Having Stafford (100) and an accesible DT replacement (worth 60 relative to Donald) is worse than having an accessible replacement to Stafford (95) and Donald (80). I could take Donald in that trade, but still claim QB is a more important position.
I don’t think many here believe Carter is close to a Donald, regardless.
Anyone who followed Stafford knew he was a great quarterback. He stuck with Detroit for way too long.
Well just because Goff was drafted early doesn’t disprove the point about QB’s
I’m not for a second claiming every highly drafted QB is a brilliant player
But you typically need one to succeed — and when the Rams ate the fact Goff wasn’t the guy, they rectified it with a huge trade and won a ring
You have to take shots at this
Of course you need a QB but that doesn’t mean you need to draft one early. Especially given the Hawks already have a top-third vet on the roster.
I’m not sure the facts really support your argument, either. Stafford was a former #1 pick, and the Rams traded 2 first round picks for him, the second of which is now #6 overall. To me, that’s basically the exact same thing as drafting one early. It’s actually far worse, because had they not ultimately won the SB, they’d be in the same full-on rebuild dumpster fire they have now, but without the ring. They got lucky — every year teams go all-in on a championship in every sport; most fail to win it and wholly mortgage their future in the process. At least when you draft a QB at 5 it only costs that one pick and not a $50M cap hit for a guy with nowhere to go but down.
I was responding specifically to the suggestion that “you typically need [a highly drafted QB] to succeed.” 9ers looked poised to win a SB with the last pick of the draft (and an elite DL). The 2017 Eagles did win with their backup QB (and an elite DL). Tampa Bay recently won with a QB taken in the 6th round (and an elite DL). We won with a 3rd round QB and got elite play last year from a bargain free agent (but unfortunately our DL was too atrocious to overcome). The list goes on.
Youre cherry picking examples to fit your narrative. The Chiefs have been to 3 SBs the last 4 yrs and won 2 with elite QB play and below average defense. Geno was not in any way shape or form “elite” last yr. He regressed heavily in the 2nd half of the yr and lost to the 49ers 3 times, and lost to all 4 NFC South teams. If you have a good OL and a truly elite QB, you can go pretty far. Why dont u talk about how Burrow carried an average team to the SB an almost won it?
Cherry picked examples for the opposing argument were already provided in the article
GrittyHawk already debunked your cherry-picked nonsense. Theres nothing more that needs to be said.
If you say so, you seem to be the resident expert on nonsense
Ok, but those are just a few cherry-picked anecdotes.
Tom Brady is an extreme anomaly. I don’t think anyone has any clue how he ended up the greatest QB ever, because frankly he wasn’t good in college, had terrible athleticism, and ultimately deserved to be picked where he was. I can confidently say we’ll never see another player like that in our liftetime.
Foles was a backup but he had a fantastic run of form in the playoffs that proved to be unrepeatable. What exactly would your plan be for emulating that kind of performance? He was not a good player and again, it’s kind of a mystery how he even had a run like that. But maybe don’t also forget the only reason the Eagles were even in that position is that Carson Wentz had an MVP-level season with 33 TDs / 7 INTs and an 11-2 record. Foles was a train wreck in his regular season starts and they probably wouldn’t even have made the playoffs with him starting all year.
Russell Wilson was a 3rd rounder who should have been a top 10 pick but NFL GMs were so stupidly obsessed with his height. Dude literally paved the way for someone like Bryce Young to be the #1 overall pick. It is incredibly unlikely we’ll ever find another player like Russ in the 3rd round.
You say the list goes on, but… that’s actually the end of the list. Literally every other Super Bowl winning QB over the last 30 years was a first round pick (aside from Drew Brees who was selected 32nd overall, which was technically the 2nd round in that year).
“Literally every other Super Bowl winning QB over the last 30 years was a first round pick (aside from Drew Brees”
Brad Johnson? Kurt Warner? Brett Favre?
And please don’t tell me you think Dilfer, Flacco, Eli, or Roethlisberger in 05 were more responsible for those wins than their defenses
Well if you don’t need to draft the most important position on the team early, then you sure as hell don’t need to draft a defensive lineman early with that logic, considering defensive linemen have far less positional value than a QB.
it’s not just drafting one defensive lineman, you need 3-4 good lineman and 2 more to rotate in and give them a rest. That’s 5-6 linemen to make a great defense. Currently they have 2 on the team.
Damn W502, there you go using solid logic in an argument. You’ll never make it on social media like that.
Which is why I avoid that flaming pile of crap that is social media.
Right, you don’t *need* to take any position early, contrary to the panicked assertions of some here that if they don’t take the 3rd or 4th best QB at #5 the Seahawks will have made a colossal mistake
You’re oversimplifying this I think. The drop from Carter to the other dts/dline available isn’t near as much of a cliff as the top 5 to the rest of this year’s QBs class. This isn’t the class to take a QB late. With that said, I think next year will be a class with some decent depth in the later rounds for QB if that’s the route they want to try.
Kurt Warner lol
And just for the record, if Anthony Richardson is on the board when the Seahawks are on the clock, he’ll be their selection. Book it!!
That’s a totally different (and much better) argument. I’m only talking about the people who act like if they don’t pick a QB at #5 they won’t ever be able to get a good one for the foreseeable future
I appreciate the devil’s advocate POV, but I think you should step back and ask if you really want to argue that a DT is more impactful than a QB. Your use of logic is leading to an obviously illogical result, so its time to go back to the drawing board.
All I said is Donald was more critical to the Rams SB win than Stafford, and as such is not a good data point for the article’s premise. You could expand on that to assert a generational DT is a better draft pick than an above average QB but I’m not invested in that debate nor do I necessarily think that is the choice the Hawks will face at #5
Nemhauser’s hubris is rather stunning. Goes to show the greatest asset you can have in life is to be utterly shameless in your self-belief.
That unnecessary shot aside, completely agree with this write up. If you love a QB – HAVE to draft them. The cost of trading up in future years is what *can* truly derail a franchise.
It’s Christmas Eve.
And it feels like that Guardians of the Galaxy Christmas Special song, “I don’t know what Christmas is.”
And here it is folks. We’ve reached peak absurdity
Please someone tell me this is satire
“You know,” said Arthur, “it’s at times like this, when I’m trapped in a Vogon airlock with a man from Betelgeuse, and about to die of asphyxiation in deep space that I really wish I’d listened to what my mother told me when I was young.”
“Why, what did she tell you?”
“I don’t know, I didn’t listen.”
Resistance is useless! 😀
Thanks for all the fish.
Love it,Douglas Adams was a very, very, very smart guy RIP.
DON’T PANIC
And where has that gotten them? More or less treading water and looking lost.
And MSD was talking about them taking a quarterback not too long ago. Good grief. Quit jumping around all over the place with your opinions.
Absolutely. Hey this isn’t working, let’s keep doing it. Nice plan.
At this point, I think you just blame the media for brainwashing the fanbase with these ridiculous and absurd takes, because theres nothing else to explain the bad arguments and rationale for their positions.
Absurd
Maybe so, but I wouldn’t sleep on Mike Shawn. He’s sourced up has a feel for the team. Like you, he was very early on the timeline with Russ. He also predicted that the team would be all-in on Geno this season.
I don’t agree with his point in the tweet but I won’t be shocked if it turns out he’s right.
Absolutely, he has contacts. Wouldn’t dispute that
But this isn’t a report — it’s an opinion. He’s suggesting they should abandon all concept of planning to try and win now, building around a quarterback who the team literally doesn’t have 100% faith in, thus the out in his contract
Which makes that particular tweet, which I responded to, absurd (IMO)
He definitely has sources but I’d wager the majority of them are the players themselves. He tends to say the same things you hear from the players. Definitely a valuable perspective to have, but not necessarily promoting the best long term interests of the team. The players LOVE Geno, I imagine they’re very against drafting a QB. Doesn’t mean it’s a bad idea.
THIS. Love his writing and perspective. But it’s heavily locker room centric. And nothing wrong with that. Just worth noting.
Speaking of which, I think the locker room is also worth noting regarding which direction the team ultimately goes. I’m not saying that JS and Pete let them dictate the pick. But how it goes over in the locker room is a real thing, and Pete is 100% about camaraderie and culture. Geno is one of the most popular players in the locker room. There’s no denying it. Guys like Quandre and Bobby are openly calling for defense. Again, not saying it will be the deciding factor. But when the team is weighing pros and cons with their selection, it has to factor in to some degree. Even if only slightly.
I largely agree with what you’re saying, but it’s the type of thinking that gave us 2015-2018 of this team. I think having cohesiveness in the locker room is important, but I also think that sentimentality can lead to you making bad decisions. Finding the balance in the locker room is one of the most important things a team can do.
Fully agree on that. But I just fear the tiebreaker of the players and cash concerns leads to a trade down and a player like Lukas Van Ness being taken.
“I wouldn’t sleep on Mike Shawn. He’s sourced up has a feel for the team.” –DRD
“(Dugar) tends to say the same things you hear from the players.” –Cliff
“(Dugar’s perspective) is heavily locker room centric.” –seahawkward
All these responses completely miss the point of the OP’s Dugar excerpt, which is merely an assertion that the team should be tactical with #5, as opposed to strategic (i.e. focused on short-term hole-plugging instead of long-term roster-building). Speculation on sources and locker room sentiment is tangential.
Where we firmly didn’t attempt to tank and thus “win now,” while objectively being nowhere near win now….from date of hire until the last half of 2012.
Build the team around geno.
Seriously. I don’t live in the area anymore but is there something really wrong with the water system in the puget sound?
Because from my vantage the further the rings get away from lumen field the more the team looks solid with lots of holes, got worked by the nfc south, got beat by the raiders, has some cool ascending talent. Has a ton of almost done contracts to not build on. A qb who was very good and couldn’t rise all boats.
Oh…..and did not also “almost beat the niners,” but checks scoreboard….loss to them three times with each time getting a little closer I suppose….wtf is this the seahawks or my crappy youth soccer team where the best memories are the end of season pizza parties.
Too much of this fanbase loves eeking into the 7th seed and posing no real threat. The psychology is very weird on this one.
“Hell yea we were the 15th best team in the NFL last year!”
That’s Seattle culture for ya. Never demand greatness, perfectly content with mediocrity. Probably plays into that whole passive aggressive nature of people in this region.
But Jalen Carter would’ve single-handedly stopped the 49ers offense with both hands tied behind his back.
He would’ve also prevented Geno Smith from fumbling and throwing that interception, that is the awesomeness that is Jalen Carter.
Well, 40% of the time at least.
Peak absurdity to me was the whole…Seahawks can’t afford the #5 pick financially so they’ll have to trade back. And I’ve seen people cite that article several times
+1
Rob, great job this year. Hard to believe how much time and effort you put in on this stuff. My own mock draft, if I bother, will be based on highlight clips from maybe 10 players I found interesting, a few college games I watched last year, and a couple national Mock Drafts that didn’t look mailed in, and of course, massive amounts of content you analyzed and provided.
In other words, it will be guesswork from a moderately well-read fan, nothing more. Without this site, it would be a total WAG.
I hate emojis, but your use of them to show your feelings on prospects was hilarious. What in Tarnation does devil face mean for Will Mcdonald lol?!
Rob just pointed out that Anthony Richardson might have the highest upside of any player EVER. WOW! That is quit a statement. At the moment their are apprx. 25,000 men that have played in the NFL. To say that Anthony Richardson has the highest upside ever. That is good and bad. The bad is that it might make it harder for Richardson to still be on the board at 5.
I just read yesterday that the Colts like Richardson a lot. Also there could be a team that might trade up for Richardson. Bill Belicheck has Mac Jones on the chopping block. If you include the Playoff lose to the Bills 1 and 1/2 years ago. The Patroits record is a cool 18-17 without Tom Brady. I could see a desperate Belicheck move up for a QB. Last year the Patroits had a record of 8-9. All is not well in New England.
Well look at his physical profile
There hasn’t ever been a guy like this
He is as big as Derrick Henry, runs faster, and can throw the ball a mile.
Nowhere near the same college pedigree as Henry though, that is where it is a tricky eval. You are drafting largely on measureables and potential opposed to actual production, which makes me extremely nervous with a top 5 pick.
I agree. It is very possible that Richardson does have the highest upside in the history of the NFL. It makes sense to me. All the morel reason I was Richardson to be a Seahawk. If Richardson would go to say the Colts. There is a likelyhood that he would be pressed into service before he is ready.
All the more reason I want Richardson to be a Seahawk.
I too am becoming increasingly concerned that Indy will prefer Anderson’s upside to Levis’s pro readiness.
*Richardson’s
All the more reason to trade up to #2 and get in front of everybody to lock him down.
You guys are too fixated on Richardson. That’s a recipe for disappointment tomorrow.
He is also my number 1 choice for the 5th pick, but PCJS must have others selections they are confortable with.
If Richardson goes #3 or #4, draft Stroud or Anderson. Even Levis, who I don’t want. We’re guaranteed to draft one of those 4, no need to waste draft capital trading up to #2.
There are one or two who are fixated
The royal ‘you guys’ though is unnecessary
Most people have at least a couple of preferred targets
Sorry Rob, not including you or most of the readers.
👍
Thanks for the pointed “you guys” readjustment!!
I didn’t want to go down to “yo mama”, counterpoints!!! LOL
I’m one of those guys and I’m banging the table till it happens. That said…I’ll reserve judgement till the draft is over. Hopefully there’s a clear vision for the team moving forward
“You guys are too fixated on Richardson. That’s a recipe for disappointment tomorrow.” –Tatupu51
As a flaming, out-of-the-closet Anthony Richardson fixator, I won’t be disappointed if Seattle doesn’t take him. I will simply conclude that he’s not as good as I thought. PCJS know far more than I ever could.
P.S. The same applies if they do take Jalen Carter.
Sound and wise logic.
I still kinda like Levis better.
GET THE PITCHFORKS!
I think that if a team drafts Richardson and expects him to play in his first year as the starting QB, they may ruin him.
A great potential QB can be ruined with bad coaches, managers and owners.
He is a year away from being a year away. That usually gets GM’s and coaches fired.
I’ve seen a few comments where you don’t like Richardson and think he’s too far away from being ready. I would say the majority of players are a year away from being a year away. Very rarely does a rookie elevate a team to the next level.
I’m curious, who do you want at 5? Maybe someone like Young, Stroud, Anderson are ready now, but if its Carter, I would say he’s also a year away from being a year away, unless you think 40% snap count is ready.
Which of these guys were ready year 1?
Donald for sure. Maybe add Buckner and Jones who had decent rookie seasons.
After that? Took the rest at least a year, often several, before they made impacts on their respective teams. And none of them had apparent issues with coaching, conditioning or motivation.
If Seattle opts for a QB, I would like to see Stroud. Will Anderson would be my choice defensively, but I think Houston will take him at 2. Carter is more ready to play on an NFL field than Richardson is. 40% snap count will need to be elevated, but don’t forget, most d-lineman in the NFL rotate in and out, even the best ones.
Too much risk and uncertainty to take Richardson at 5. I just don’t think that would be a smart pick.
Personally, I would feel more comfortable taking a high risk/high upside guy at the most valuable position who’s only red flags are the need to be developed over the high risk nature of Carter. I have faith in our coaching staff to develop a guy that has every tool imaginable and has shown the desire the get better.
“Carter is more ready to play on an NFL field than Richardson is.” –Sean
Right now, Carter isn’t ready for much more than a pizza run. For his sake, I hope not too many of his 300 or so rookie snaps feature him taking on centers as good as Luke Wypler.
“Too much risk and uncertainty to take Richardson at 5.”
Ahh, the difficult-projection-equals-low-floor fallacy. If only Aaron Curry were available in this draft; then we could proceed with safety and certainty once again. There’s your “smart pick”. Get this straight: Each and every one of these top 2023 prospects is risky in his own right, even your Will Anderson, but this is the inescapable reality of drafting up in the rarefied realm.
I’ll grant you that any team incapable of developing Anthony Richardson into a perennial Pro Bowler definitely should not take him, but then I’d have to ask: Who the hell is on that staff, and why the hell can’t they develop a uniquely qualified talent with an evident drive for greatness? I’m struggling to picture Pete Carroll, Shane Waldron, and Greg Olsen as being scared of Richardson’s (most likely very high) floor or incapable of devising an appropriate developmental plan.
I actually disagree. It’s the early expectations and judgment that are the problem. Unless it’s with a terrible offensive line, time and reps to develop and play through struggles are a good thing. Honestly, I’d be more wary of the redshirt year, as it would likely add to the impatience with struggles which will still happen. Folks really are in denial despite years of evidence that the league’s practice restrictions have majorly hampered development.
On Carter: why does anyone think he will contribute much as a rookie? Last years DT phenom with great testing numbers was invisible all year. Even Brandon Mebane didn’t do squat till his eighth game….
I’m not even happy with the idea of Andersen, because it means we’ll either settle for a non-premium draft QB now or in the future–which offers poor odds on working out–or trading a kings ransom to trade up next year, likely to be the equivalent of three firsts since we’re probably going to pick no higher than 15 next year.
Is Anderson worth three firsts?! No, he most certainly is not. Yet by passing on a fine QB prospect now to take him, that’s the likely result of having him now and getting a QB next year from pick 15 or later. Why not take a swing at a QB now, and trade up for a stud defender next year if you do desire? Cost is far less for the same basic result.
Brandon Mebane had 14.5 career college sacks. Carter has 6. To quote Bill Parcells, “You are what your record says you are.”
When Seattle dumped Dave Krieg to try to “stretch the field”, they went through 13 starting qbs and years of anguish before they got Hasselbeck. And he took some time before he was any good.
Too many fans only saw the brief struggle between Hasselbeck leaving and the Russ Era to properly judge what a nightmare not having a real good QB is.
None of this years defensive players is worth passing on any of the top 4 qbs this year.
I remember those days… they sucked. Hopefully Schneider is sold on a qb… we shall see!
The whole fanbase should be reading and digesting THIS , if they really give a shit. Thanks ST.
Ugh, thanks for the PTSD.
Jeff Kemp. (Should have gone into politics)
Dan McGwire. (Should have gone into baseball like his bro)
Kelly Stouffer. (Should have gone into TV dinners)
Stan Gelbaugh.(Nothing witty to say)
Rick Mirer (I had some hope, foolish me)
John Friesz (hope was gone)
Warren Moon (Again, hope returned)
Jon Kitna (loved his toughness, but was never taking us anywhere)
Glenn Foley (Wasn’t he a singer with the Eagles?)
Bald Matt (loved this dude from day one)
Trent Dilfer (touted forever as proof you don’t need a good QB to win a SB)
Seneca Wallace (meh)
Tarvaris Jackson (meh)
Charlie Whitehurst (best nickname ever)
Russ (Best QB we’ve ever had)
Geno (I’m not a believer)
Hopefully we add ARich SOON
You forgot the guy from Miami, Geno Torretta! He started at least one game…
If the (rightful) concern is dealing with the defensive lines of San Francisco and L.A., would the thought process be to improve on the O-line to try and neutralize it? Seattle definitely needs to get a stud center, improve at guard, and get an all around TE.
I think the first two picks (maybe even three) should be BPA (I prefer on offense), and then BPA on defense for the next few. If Seattle decides to trade down from #5 (which I’m not sure I like), they should be able to stay in the top 12, perhaps picking up more draft ammo in the 30’s-40’s, where they can still drafter a difference maker.
This is a calculated risk. Do they know something about his health?
Maybe they read this blog and came to an epiphany that Chase won’t take them to a Super Bowl and they’d better find a Quarterback.
Perhaps that well-run organization would be interested in a record-setting safety whose name rhymes with ‘Setting Cash and Draft Picks on Fire’ in exchange.
For everyone (including myself) who will be disappointed if the first pick is anyone other than the 2-3 we are hopeful of, I would just remind them of last year.
I was doing flips when ATL took Drake London at 8 and Jermaine Johnson somehow fell to us. Then the pick came on the screen as Charles Cross and I was absolutely deflated. Looking back, we now have a solid starting LT over someone who had 2.5 sacks last year and apparent character concerns we did not know about.
Just a friendly reminder to look at everything as a whole and don’t be too deflated!
Great reminder, JD! I also want A-Rich, Stroud or Anderson, but I’ll temper my expectations to no be heart broken tomorrow.
I’m a long (looong) time reader of Rob’s and this blog and I remember like if it was today the 2012 draft, when I was absolutly devastated when the Hawks did not draft Courtney Upshaw. And that turn out to be our best draft ever, maybe the best draft ever by any team in history.
Great reminder. I went through the same roller coaster last year lol… and pretty much every year ha.
Great reminder. Now we can see why Johnson fell. It’s very easy go get tunnel vision and mock draft goggles. Have to fight being overly myopic. Easier said than done. But it’s the right approach.
15 updated/new mock drafts today that went like this
Pick 5
Carter (10)
Wilson (2)
Skoronski
Anderson
Stroud
Pick 20
Flowers (3)
Smith (2)
Murphy (2)
Richardson
Traded out
Banks
McDonald
Kancey
Jones
Johnson
Van Ness
And considering Seattle’s history with mock drafts and doing the unpredictable, they tell me two things: (1) we are definitely not taking Jalen Carter. (2) No one has even the slightest clue what we’re doing at 20.
I love the people who defend guys like DJ because they “base their picks on what they’re hearing from their sources.” As if there are 20 different people in the Seahawks front office who know who we’re going to pick, but each of them gave a different name to a different reporter just for funsies. Seems plausible.
When can we all just admit that 99% of these sources are either completely fabricated or unreliable and sensationalized hearsay. Nobody knows anything, especially not when it comes to Seattle. If they had such great sources their reactions every single year wouldn’t be “OMG THEY PICKED WHO?!?!?!”
This paragraph is even more impactful if you add “If you replace ______ with Geno Smith”
“Now consider how good Kansas City would be without Mahomes, how good Buffalo would be without Josh Allen, how good the Bengals would be without Burrow, how good the Chargers and Jaguars would be without Justin Herbert and Trevor Lawrence.”
There are too many signs and evidence that we are drafting a QB:
1. Hired Greg Olson to develop a young QB – he’s not here to work on Geno
2. Flew the Private Jet to all 4 QB pro days with a ton of staff.
3. Spoke glowingly of the “Top 4” QB’s numerous times.
4. Had distinct convos with Geno and Drew Lock about them taking a QB to prepare them.
5. Made the RW trade with Geno as the plan? No, was always to draft a QB with the stock from that trade.
6. Spoke with AR’s agent and head coach.
7. Rumors at the owner’s meeting about them trading up.
8. 4 QB’s that fit the bill of franchise QBOTF.
9. 9 other picks to address defense
10. Geno’s contract structure perfect for bridge
Reasons in the media to not go QB:
1. Defense stinks and if you don’t address with #5, it is ignored.
2. Flawed QB prospects – which prospect isn’t flawed besides maybe Bijan Robinson?
Am I missing any?
I think it’s crystal clear with the only hiccup being 4 QB’s going in top 4 and an outrageous trade demand by HOU or AZ to move up.
JD, well stated. I think this is great layout, I will reference this in the post POD draft should the Hawks select a QB at 5.
Does this mean we didn’t send our two most important decision makers and offensive coaches on the road for a week in the most critical part of the offseason just to confuse the competition?
I should get my boss to agree to this sort of plan…
This is a very thoughtful write up. But with all due respect, I do not understand #1. And this is by far the first time I’ve read such logic on here. Olson is a qb coach. The Seahawks lost their qb coach and needed to replace him. I get that Olson has history with other young qbs. But that’s the case for most experienced guys in his role. Just because the team didn’t hire a 1st time qb coach or promote one of Pete Carroll’s grandkids, doesn’t mean it’s a sure fire bet that they’re going qb @ #5. To me, they just hired the best candidate possible.
Valid points. More of an assumption on my part rather than Olson’s stellar resume of developing QB’s. Brees at Purdue is probably the best example. I just think it’s more likely than not that part of the draw of Olson taking the job was working with a young QB rather than Geno.
Yes, Seattle needed a QB coach and they hired one. But, Olson already had a job as a QB coach. Why did he want to come to Seattle? Maybe he saw some things in Geno that he could work on and that seemed like an interesting project.
If they talked with Geno and Drew about their potential interest in drafting a QB, then you know they talked to Olson. And maybe he liked what he heard and that is why he came.
Maybe it is both and he saw 2023 Seattle as a rare opportunity for a QB guru to help a veteran improve his game AND develop a young potential star.
ABSOLUTELY spot on JD. Unless all 4 are gone at #5 and Anderson is still there, it’s going to be a QB. Looking forward to the media backpedaling, downgrading of the Seattle draft and Seahawks Twatter going ballistic (as will be reported here cuz I am not on social media).
11. Drew Lock being given only a 1 year contract. Clearly not considered a #1 qb of the future.
Which scenario do you prefer?
Seattle stay put at 5 and choose between CJ Stroud and Will Levis
or
Seattle trade with Houston to select Ant, giving up #37 and their 2024 R2 pick?
I think I’d rather swing for Richardson’s upside myself.
Feels too little of a return to Houston
I’d stay at 5 and take Levis. I’m a fan. I wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up having the best career of the bunch.
Stay at 5 and take Stroud. I really really think people are discounting the guy way too much on here. Fully realize he doesn’t have the comic book level of upside of Richardson. But he’s damned good still. If we had to pick between Stroud and Richardson, I’d be extremely torn. There’s a very reasonable and realistic chance you take Richardson over Stroud, Richardson never puts it all together, and you watch CJ grow into a top 5 qb. I think some people are letting the dream scenario of Richardson’s perfect evolution and CJ’s s2 score talk warp the discussion a bit.
I’d have to say stay at #5 and take Stroud. That level of accuracy is rare.
Well, someone is reporting on the NFLN right now that there was broad consensus among the Carolina coaching staff on the number one pick and it is believed to be Bryce Young.
Rob its been said before but this year has been your Magnum Opus man. The amount of content, insight, big boards, interviews, mock drafts, player coverage…just unreal man.
You have added so much to my seahawks fandom, glad to support ya both in patreon and just to say awesome work dude I know a lot of seahawk fans appreciate you.
Thank you Troy
I stated this a few days ago, but I have to say it again, Rob.
You have made this year’s draft the most anticipated and enjoyable, in my lifetime. The amount of information you have provided us has been staggering. You’ve shrugged off the negative comments, made coherent cases for each and every prospect you’ve favored, and provided a long list for us to get excited about.
I will have butterflies this year, as always, but I won’t have the anxiety, even if they do trade down in a nightmare scenario. They simply cannot screw this up. It just doesn’t seem possible with all the prospects available at all the right draft spots.
Thanks, once again, to your wife, kids and pets for making this possible for us.
Thanks Roy, I really appreciate that message
Rob, why did you decide to cover the Seahawks when you began to do a mock draft.
I’m overjoyed that you did.
This year’s coverage has been beyond fantastic!
Because he’s a Seahawk fan. 😉
Rob, you set the stage for this so nicely nearly a year and a half ago when the Wilson trade rumors were just that. I also want to thank you for narrating this to us all and giving us reasons to care about the people, the values, the character of this entire Seahawks community… as a kid who grew up in the NW it’s been the only way I have stayed connected to my childhood heroes. Jim Zorn being one. Steve Largent. Curt Warner. Kenny Easley. You’ve made this draft something I truly care about…thank you! You’re effort and consistency is off the charts.
Thank you!
I’m supporting you on Patreon… keep it going please… family and health withstanding !
Thank you 👍🏻
Thank you for all the work you have done to create this amazing blog! I have been reading it every now and then for years but since maybe February 2022, I’ve pretty much read everything. It really has added value for me as a Seahawks fan.
I may be a bit biased as I mostly agree with everything, at least regarding the fifth pick. But you write out the rationale very well.
I did not agree with everything last season as I really wanted Charles Cross with the ninth pick (and got what I wanted) and you were down on him, but I still kept reading as the argumentation was still solid.
This time I’m sure we vouch for the same thing. Can’t wait to see how it plays out!
Thank you — for the kind words and for getting it 👍
Best of luck on your forecasts this year. I expect good results and a catapult up the overall standings of mock draft evaluators!
I don’t understand those who say wait for a QB next year the vast majority only know Caleb Williams and Drake Maye, probably the fans only like those two, my question is, do you think you will have a higher pick than RAMS ? ARIZONA? Rams will surely look for a QB next year, Cardinals will not trade with Seattle, if Texans do not select a QB this year then they will go for a QB next year and probably also have a higher pick than Seattle ….. Falcons ? they probably also have higher picks than Seattle and if they don’t pick QB this year then they won’t trade with us, so what are we talking about QB next year ? Has anyone thought about that ? What if TITANS don’t pick QB this year ? Surely they will also have a higher pick than Seattle, the Commanders also the same story, if we are a playoff team next season and assuming we could trade up to pick 1 or 2 in the 2024 draft, that would cost us 1st and 2nd picks probably until 2027 lol
Just wait til all the experts, pundits, mockers, and fans get half a year to poke all the holes and flaws in Williams and Maye’s games.
I know this year’s class isn’t strong in rd 1 compared to other years. But it really feels like the massive hype, drawn out mock season, and proliferation of draft focused sites and podcasts have caused everyone to go at all this for so long, that all they end up doing is beating everyone down for what they can’t do or didn’t do in college, and not what they can become beyond it.
I woke up with an uneasy feeling that JS is going Tyree Wilson with #5, only because I can already hear Rich Eisen announcing the pick:
“The Seahawks traded a Wilson and with the pick, they take another Wilson!”
Oh no. That’s too perfectly something he’d say. Now it feels destined to happen. Thanks. Lol.
I hope the Seahawks can move down from 20 and get nothing for it this year. I’d love for them to have an extra 2nd and/or 3rd round pick next year. Maybe more.
Draft picks are like lottery tickets with the early picks representing greater odds to winning the jackpot. Just seems teams do not do this as much as they should, probably because the NFL is so ‘win now’ that most GMs aren’t allotted the luxury to think that far ahead.
In terms of diagnosing smokescreens, here is my opinion on the two biggest:
1. Richardson – I think they are legitimately so enamored by him that they really just could not hide their excitement. I think the rumors of them trying to trade up at the owner’s meeting were legitimate for him which then lead me to the second one.
2. Carter – I truly believe that because of all the Richardson rumors, they needed to create an actual one with Carter. Do their proper due diligence of talking to him at the combine, at the pro day and then after the “only going to top 10 30 visits” bring him in to complete the smokescreen. I think PC saying he would love to have JC is legitimate because who wouldn’t. The fact is he is the antithesis of what they look for football character wise. Ignoring most of the red flags, the one that I would never consider him was the quote in Bob McGinn’s saying everyone in that program could not wait till he was gone. That speaks more than anything else.
They don’t need to create one. Right now, Drew Rosenhaus is sitting on his toilet on his dick-ta-phone farting up the smokescreen to EVERYONE that Seattle is going to take Jalen Carter at #5. We know this, because he so much as said it on HBO’s Real Sports the other day.
Remember when Terrell Owens was losing his mind with the Eagles? Every day he said that there was interest from Seattle. And of course, we have never done anything to deny these rumors.
When Terrell Owens finally did sign with Seattle, he was done.
“To Try To Stretch The Field”: a reply to STTBM below.
This: 💯! I too, recall the past agonies. So “Hail gunslinger-well met!”
If I am a GM who could be looking at a new owner coming in and maybe next year (post draft IIRC on timing that it COULD happen)….I am not spending my highest pick ever on a very risky DT who may take years to find himself on the field with his reported lack of professionalism. If that went sideways (it really could)..its not gonna look good. If I draft a QB for the future then that future likely starts around the time a new owner comes in and probably have a lot of positivity around it (imagine building into RIchardson’s 1st year as starter given his unbelievable physical profile).
If I am a GM that DT better be the second coming of Cortez Kennedy (who we won nothing with albeit many circumstances involved there)….If Richardson, Stroud, or Levis is there Im all in on it personally. Only WIll Anderson can avert my decision making in that instance (or an absurd trade offer).
While I hate this approach because it’s all about money, that’s actually a really good point. The new owner would be taking over a team with a potential star franchise QB who sat for a year, waiting in the wings to take the league by storm.
Emoji requested for:
Levis
Smith
Wright
Bijan
Levis 💪
Smith-Njigba ⼢
Wright 🐻
Bijan 🧨
You know, Levis is an anagram for Elvis.
And for you pointing that out, I’d like to say “thank you, thank you verah much”.
🕺
👍💯😂
Is there really a chance that CJ Stroud and Richardson could be on the board at 5?
Can’t believe the Panthers are not going to take Stroud to be honest. I love Richardson but if Stroud is still on the board I don’t know how you pass on that kid. He is the most accurate QB I have seen as a college prospect and has good size / mobility. If the way he played against Georgia is his ceiling then I don’t know how you pass on him.
Been following the site for more than a decade, and somehow this site still manages to get better and better every year. The daily content was amazing this year. Great work Rob.
Thanks Chavac
Hey Rob, any plans to republish your horizontal board? I’ve found it super interesting look at in real time during the draft.
As always, great work sir. I can’t think of a website I enjoy more each year.
Yep — I will publish the final version (which is complete) tomorrow, a few hours before the draft
This years coverage has been exceptional. Thanks Rob.
I hope you take a break this summer when the news is slow. You deserve it.
Thank you
Not sure what I’ll do this summer, might depend on what happens this week
Interesting response Rob…
My ranking of options at 5.
#1 Stroud – the best QB prospect since Joe Burrow IMO with good size, character, mobility and off the charts accuracy. He should go #1 to the Panthers or 2 to the Texans but one can dream.
#2 Richardson – Freak show who could end up being the face of the NFL or nothing but a running QB who busts. He is more than worth the risk.
#3 Anderson – I remember Rob comparing to Kam Chancellor last year with regards to leadership a year ago and he has been on my wish list ever since. When Saban says he is the best leader he has ever coached that speaks volumes.
#4 Trade back- Never like the trade back option but if those are the only 3 players I think are worth taking at 5 and I think at least one will be on the board. If all three are gone then I hope the Hawks trade back. The idea of Jalen Carter, Tyree Wilson or even Will Levis just doesn’t really appeal to me. Then target Witherspoon, Gonzalez or Skoronski.
What about Will Levis doesn’t appeal to you out of curiousity?
For me it would be the #1 Stroud, #2 Richardson, #3 Levis, #4 Anderson/trade back
Yeah I like Levis at 5 too but not Young.
Aaron Rodger presser going on with the Jets.
And it’s over after 18 minutes.
Why do I feel like this is going to go about as well as russell’s first year in Denver?
LOL, I had the same thought. Great minds think alike.
“Jets Nation… Let’s Fly!”
“I look forward to getting to know the New York media.”
“I look forward to working with Nathaniel Hackett again.”
And he said something weird about his meditation and coming out of the darkness.
All the more reason to make sure you never find yourself in a place with a competitive team, but no solution at QB. You really don’t want to be the team that throws a hail mary trading for the aging, expensive, troubled, veteran QB. That rarely works out.
So here’s the thing with Rodgers guys, he’s only playing one more year because Brady retired. If he retired at the same time, he’d be an afterthought to Tom at the HOF inductions in 5 years. His beyond gargantuan ego would never be able to handle it.
Such a good point Big Mike
Big day tomorrow. I start out the day with cataract surgery and then the draft. I am not sure I am ready for either.
My hope is for Levis or Richardson, and am betting on Ant. He will be seen as an option only to teams with a transition QB to play until he is ready. I love the fire of Levis, but think he will be gone.
It would be most entertaining to watch the common reaction if we took offense with the first 3 picks. Ah, the drama. I look forward to seeing it (and perhaps a little clearer).
I had catarct surgery on both eyes shortly after I came to Florida. This is going to sound kind of strange but I thought it was kind of fun. You are aware of everything they are doing but it is completely painless.
I saw lots of weird colors while they were doing it like those campy special effects on the original series of Star Trek.
I ended up getting tri-focal implants and my vision was so good Dr. McGlaughlan brought all his interns in to watch me read an eye chart.
He said, ‘Read the bottom line.”
I said, “Acme Eye Chart Company. 1559 Lakeview Drive, Seattle Washington, 98102, Patent Number 6123985…”
Best of luck on the surgery and for the draft to be a HR
Hope your surgery goes well!
Hope all goes well with the surgery
Good luck with the surgery 👍
Yes, good luck.
Good luck with your procedure ObS I hope you have something most satisfying to watch while you recuperate
Good luck OBS.
Thanks all. I am a bit apprehensive, but everyone I have talked to says it is not a problem.
I am looking forward to being able to be safer driving at night.
Good Luck – and yes it would be nice to see better at night.
Hey, best of luck with your surgery Sir!
My best to you on a successful surgery!
Richard Sherman doubles down on Jalen Carter.
Goes through Carter’s terrible Pro Day, he’s a huge concern for a GM drafting him, he’ll need to be babysat 24/7, and then says talent rules and he has #1 pick talent so he needs to be the pick for Seattle.
(Also says the Seahawks should bring Bruce Irvin back…)
Yuck.
Thanks for that Sherm
I like the guy, great player, good at interviews, but he’s so trollishly opinionated he’s hard to listen to. I don’t know why he thinks someone can just baby sit a grown man. As disruptive as Carter could be on the field, that would be a major disruption off it. Is Wagner really going to upend his entire life and game, move next to or in with Carter, to take care of a 20 year old? Who would do that??? And no way and hell Carter agrees to this anyway, so it’s all moot.
To steal a line from Foghorn Leghorn, hey Sherm “you’re boring me son”.
We really need a “like” button.
You know, after seeing him do those bag drills at his pro day and seeing Keeanu Benton just destroy them both at the Senior Bowl AND the Combine.
I…just…don’t…see it.
I read this as, “Sherman doubles down on stupid”.
You know who compares favorably to Bruce Irvin and isn’t ancient? Byron Young, Edge, TEN.
Maybe not ancient but he is 25 already tbf.
KJ Wright still an outspoken and emphatic “no” on Carter.
But an outspoken yes to Hooker at 5
I’ve been as down on Jalen Carter as anyone, but I heard the suggestion that he might have sandbagged his pro day in order to induce an intentional slide to Philly at #10, his desired destination from the beginning. Well, I’m listening. I mean, if those big ol’ flabby moobs don’t demonstrate the exact level of dedication we’ve been clamoring to see from this guy, then I don’t know what more he has to do. Bigtime stuff. Think Robert DeNiro in Raging Bull. I might be changing my stance on Carter…
I feel good.
Bump lined out ALL the pro bowl talent on defense so the window is now.
Must have totally missed how ALL that talent didn’t do squat last year.
Maybe I’m not following the team correctly.
Now you’re getting it Peter. I mean that 30th against the run is All-Pro level stuff man to say nothing of that 25th overall ranking.
I think it’s more accurate to say, ”Bump” needs to add a little bit more “bump and run” (git outta here) to his game. I think a dartboard is more accurate.
Man City v Arsenal on now.
Great pre-draft appetiser.
Michael Lombardi the latest to say doesn’t sound like Carter to Seattle
https://www.vsin.com/lombardi-whispers-the-day-before-the-2023-nfl-draft/
. . . Just when I thought Carther non-sense was the NFL Draftpick bling of the day!!!
Sounds like we’re going all in on the trade down experiment I did, where I picked up seven firsts in 2024.
Found an interesting nugget from Draftmetrics;
“Three teams (Lions, Seahawks and Texans) have three selections in the first 20 picks. Those teams rank one through three in terms of number of Major Contributors (MCs) expected. MCs are players who participate in at least 500 scrimmage snaps for at least three seasons. The average per team is 2.51.”
This further underlines those point about not being mandatory to take a defender at 5, I think. While those first three picks if done right are likely to be big Contributors, Seattle has the luxury to take a QB as long as they add a defender or two with the other of their three early picks. Seattle really is set up in this draft and with 10 picks overall will have ample time to fill out the roster with young prospects to help, especially the holes on defense.
Though I agree that it would likely be regrettable sooner or later to draft Carter, he will continue to be a fascination wherever he lands. Great performance will have one online following chortling and another waiting/hoping for the bloom to fade and vice versa. So, I hope to enjoy the saga from the perspective of another team’s player, because the probability that his talent can overwhelm the issues seems remote. However, if the Seahawks do take him a consolidation prize will be to observe the chaos, spin etc. This aspect is part of being a fan for me as in the end it is entertainment. Given this, it would be great to have him in the division with any team, but I prefer Cardinals.
Who are “one of the pass rushers” expected to go higher than 10?
Anderson — check
Wilson — ?
McDonald — ?? (is he a top 10 pick?)
Is Carter considered “one of the pass rushers”?
Am I missing someone?
Otherwise, big if true
Assuming QBs go in the top 5, I imagine they’d consider jumping up for one of Anderson/Wilson.
I would assume that is Anderson, Wilson, Carter.
I would assume this to mean Anderson, Wilson, and Carter. I like McDonald but it would be a surprise if Philly had to move up for him.
Can I ask a dumb question: Is there any chance Rob was right a year ago and Richardson goes #1 overall? I know I know, the Panthers need a QB that’s ready now, but what if their owner has a sudden fit of long term perspective, realizes he’s not in win-now mode and decides to roll with Dalton/Corral for a year to give Richardson time. I imagine when they look at AR they seen Cam redux.
This is probably my paranoia, because I don’t fundamentally believe I can have nice things, but it seem s odd that teams would look at AR and think “could be a generational talent, but he should go to Seattle since they can sit him for a year.”
Also, I would absolutely trade the “sure thing” of a pretty good Will Anderson for the colossal potential of AR. Dude’s floor is Kaepernick with high character. QB escape runs are a whole third dimension of the offense.
Awaiting rob final mock like a kid on xmas
That’s kind of like waiting for your friend to give you a mock presents list of what they think your parents will give you on Dec 24th when actual Christmas is the next day 😀
Im all up for it!!!
GIVE ME THE MOCK
& PAY THE IRON PRICE
Hahah I feel you, bro.
I want Richardson bad, and I want one of those seconds flipped for a future 1st, or the #20 flipped for a future 1st and 2nd (with a bad org) so I can have extra rooting interest.
Also, This blog has exploded since we have the #5. I hope for Rob’s sake we sneak another high pick next year 😀
We need a Seahawks rumor cheat sheet or bingo card. We got will take Jalen Carter, wont take Jalen Carter, will trade up for Richardson, will trade down for something, will trade down into next year, is highly likely to go defense, Whitherspoon if the top pass rushers are gone, what else?
“I have a strong sense Seattle won’t leave Round 1 without a quarterback. The more I talk to execs, scouts, coaches and agents, the more I think the Seahawks could be targeting Stroud or even Florida’s Anthony Richardson at this spot, depending on who is there.”
–Todd McShay
Will take Wilson with #5 (leaving me with “Collier face”)
Meant to be a response to geoff u above
Amazing content once again Rob, appreciate all you do!
If we miss out on a TE in the first few rounds, what are the thoughts on Brenton Strange as a mid round option?
Sherm: Please keep your big trap SHUT.
I’m not going to be disappointed with whomever they draft. I am going assume they did their homework and feel that the pick at 5 is going to help the team win games. If they take Carter, great, they did their homework and are comfortable with the risk. If they take a QB, same deal. If they trade down and pickup a 1st in next years draft, again, I’ll assume they are doing it because they feel their answers are not hear in this draft.
In either case, what most look forward to is Rob breaking down what they DO end up doing in his typical levelheaded balanced approach – which, should get us excited about whatever the opportunity is that we are presented with.
Cheers, and thanks again for all you have done this year Rob, and all you will do for the next few weeks before you take a much needed break!
Pardon the typos, no I’m not as illiterate as that looks! lol here vs hear 😉
Co-sign 💯%!
I look forward to Mr Stanton’s analysis of how they will be able to help the team regardless who it is. And if they take someone I’m not hoping for or anticipating, I trust there’s sound logic and a lot of thought behind it.
Sylvester’s message to Sherm. https://www.bing.com/videos/search?&q=foghorn+leghorn+shut+up&view=detail&mid=BA0B6149DE17EAB316DCBA0B6149DE17EAB316DC&FORM=VDRVRV&ajaxhist=0
Hey Rob, sorry if this came up already, but what happened to the stream with Jeff Simmons?
I’m hoping they can pull it off.
Jeff has some very different opinions than Rob and I think it’ll be neat to listen to these two smart guys who get along have a conversation about it.
Jeff probably chickened out since he knows Rob is going to clean his clock about his two faced draft takes. But I do like the collabs between them..
Jalen Carter 😡
FWIW McLean is a great reporter, but I don’t know how plugged in his on Houston.
If that’s the case, we’re back to QB going 1-4 probably
AZ would still have to trade out. And who knows what Indy does now. Richardson or Stroud?
yeah, I’ve been working under the assumption that ARI is trading out for a while now. Even more certain if Stroud and Richardson are both sitting there
That is interesting, as McClain is very connected with Houston, though notably he doesn’t say that he is reporting that is what they will do.
It occurred to me today that despite how anxious I am for day 1 of this draft (which is extremely – I read every article I can get my hands on and have literally had dreams about it over the past couple weeks), it might be nothing compared to Rob’s anxiety, with his 100s of hours studying, interviewing, and writing about this moment. It’s been wild and it’s all coming to a head tomorrow evening. I cannot fucking wait.
I’ve come to the realization that whatever JS/PC do tomorrow, it’s probably going to be okay. If they take Carter, I’ll be upset as it would fly in the face of their self-proclaimed theory that putting more emphasis on character is a huge reason for their successful 2022 draft, but I’ll root for the guy and trust that JS/PC must have good reason to believe in him. Taking any of the QBs would be exciting as hell and I’m 100% here for it. Again, I think JS knows what he’s doing with regards to QB evals. If they go defense, either Anderson or Witherspoon would be awesome. Tyree would be disappointing as the value at 5 isn’t there.
I’m pumped for this. Let’s GOOO
Man, there sure is a lot of talk about Seattle trying to trade down. And scarier so, that it could be partly cap and CASH motivated. MIke Salk, Brock Huard, Michael-Shaun Dugar, Brady Henderson, as well as couple national guys saying it. While I very very very much hope this isn’t true. I also don’t think it’s insanely out of the question. It’s highly agreed upon that the Allen estate is going to be selling the team in the next 1 to 2 years. And unfortunately usually for profit businesses, executive estate boards, and rich people in general tend to tighten down purse strings in such scenarios. The #5 pick in the draft is not cheap. And if Pete and John don’t have THE GUY to sell ownership on, and if Pete and John aren’t entirely against trading back anyway, I can very much see how it would be the eventuality. Especially if a team makes you a substantial offer to get a remaining QB. Again, don’t kill me for saying this. I hope it’s not true. But I don’t think we should just smugly dismiss the idea either.
I don’t buy a cash motivated trade down one bit. They could potentially move down from 5, but that would be solely motivated by JS’s analysis of player value and availability
I’m. Not dismissing. But math is funny. Because if you turn your picks right you could end up spending nearly the same amount. Save five million here. Get another pick costing you five million there.
Also the splash of cold water to this would be dremont Jones.
Finally its widely believed the team is going to sell in one to two years. By whom. Everyone not named Allen? Who already did not sell the trailblazers to Phil knight. And is literally on record saying there is no timeliness to sell.
It is a directive in Paul Allen’s will to see off the teams. There’s no decision to be made to sell. All that Jodi has said is nothing is in the works to sell now. And it’s been reported that a key term in the stadium deal with King County and Allen was if the team is sold before next year, that the county gets 10% of the sale. That’s never happening. Hence why many think it’s just a matter of time for that condition expiring.
Everyone knows Paul’s will roughly.
Again she already DID not seel to Phil knight.
And has said there’s is zero time line. Her words. Not .ine. not lumen field king county provisions. It might be next year to Bezos. It might be 20 years….her words per the non existing time line.
There’s no immediate timeline. But there most definitely is an overall one internally. And it’s not 20 years.
Seahawkward…these are her words. “There is no timeline.”
That doesn’t mean anything. She’s not under oath when she’s saying it. When it comes to selling a multi-billion dollar asset, everything is PR and to be taken with a grain of salt.
If this was a real notion they wouldn’t have guaranteed Geno $40 million or Dre Jones $30 million.
Seahawks are in the top 5 of total free agent spending this year.
That on top of having $36 million for 2 safeties already on the books.
JS can say they are cash and cap poor all they like. They’re NOT trading down just to save a handful of beans.
I think all this trade down for cap savings stuff is just indicative of the Seahawks being prepared for ALL scenarios. I don’t believe at all that it’s their plan. Only that if a guy they want isn’t there, they’d be prepared to trade down rather than force a pick and the lofty salary that goes with it.
Would they trade down if 3 QBs and Anderson are gone? Possibly.
There’s a very good chance that money has nothing to do with it. That they just really don’t like the options at 5, and would prefer the ones at a later spot along with some added picks. And that everyone just assumes they seem so motivated and assume it’s money related.
Only thing that concerns me is a couple of the people saying it are pretty connected with the organization. What would they have to gain by insinuating it if it was bogus?
By that logic, I’m connected to the organization too. I heard JS say it at a press conference too.
This is a non-story. Every single year somebody drafting in the top 5 has a reporter write that story, and it is as bogus for them as it is for the Seahawks.
Even legendary NFL miser Mike Brown hasn’t traded down just to save money.
The emoji’s are perfect! Thank you so much for all of the hard work you’ve put into the blog (this year and every year) Rob! We’re a lucky fan base to have you doing what you do! Can’t wait to see what happens tomorrow and hopefully the good emojis show up 🙌🤘
The only thing that I’m listening to in the media today is if a trade for picks or players happens. I’ve spent enough time going over the player that I’m pretty sure who I’m taking. I’m feeling pretty this will be the year they take a center finally.
One thing about Carter to Seattle talk I often think about and is rarely discussed is where he would play. People seem to think he’s this perfect 3tech (implying 43 defense). DreMont Jones was signed to be our “pass rushing DT (5tech DE in 34). They both fill the same role!
Now, I get Carter would be an upgrade to Jarran Reed, and would probably split time with him as a rookie or force Reed to play some NT in spots, depending on who else we draft, but my point is this:
Everyone keeps saying our biggest need is a pass rushing Defensive Tackle – the same role we signed DreMont Jones to do!
Well if you ask the media he’s a first ballot HOF already so he’ll just do everything
Fair observation, Allen. The Hawks did a pretty good job of hedging numerous positions around the roster via free agency. They set themselves up to have a flexible board. Plus, as Rob has mentioned many times, they can hit their D-line good and hard with their #20 through #154 picks. No need to press need.
My wish list. In no order of draft.
1. Will Levis or Anthony Richardson
2. Darnell Washington
3. John Michael Schmitz
4. Jonathon Mingo
5. Israel Abendika or Chris Rodriguez
6. Derrick Hall
7. Jauqeline Roy
If we get 2 or 3 of those I’ll be happy.
Not saying we shouldn’t draft others or there aren’t others I like, but these are my personal favourites I’d like to see drafted.
It’s a solid list.
Pete Carroll asked about QBs:
https://twitter.com/JeffDarlington/status/1651327725888737285?s=20
Yeah buddy. Rock that Kraken sweater!
Either the biggest smoke screen ever – flying to all the big 4 pro-days in the G7, and essentially saying, not 1 but 2 guys they would be fired up about.
Richardson was always one of those two guys, CJ likely wasn’t a realistic chance to be there but suddenly is….cover yo ass Pete!
Well, this final mock draft has turned into an epic work day
It’s coming soon
Just curious if you can see the number of times I’ve refreshed this site
Looking forward to it, man this is going to be nerve racking the next 24-28 hrs.
Can’t wait! 🎯
Rob, I’ve been wondering about a few things relating to the Hawks’ front seven that might affect their draft board:
1) the rehab progress of Alton Robinson and Tyreke Smith,
2) the potential return of either Shelby Harris or Poona Ford,
3) the rumored scheme adjustment.
Perhaps the front seven depth situation isn’t necessarily in the dire condition it presently appears to be? At any rate, get some rest, mate. Tomorrow’s going to be a big one.
Rob – just wanted to thank you for all the hard work you do year in and year out, and the sacrifices you make to deliver the hard work. I’m just a dumb fan who doesn’t know the diff between a Cover 2 and a Cover 3, but every time I read one of your articles I feel like I understand what you’re saying.
Thank you.
My draft day do’s and don’ts for any network executives that might be reading the blog:
DO
-Show all the picks being made.
-Have a few sentences ready on each player that isn’t just canned blather. Tell us something.
-Be prepared to analyze the draft in real time. A run on a position that was not foreseen, etc.
-Have more analysts and less reporter types.
DON’T
-Cut away from the event to pre-taped sappy pabulum or a long-running feature about the host city.
-Break news with “we’ve been hearing rumors of this all day..” if you have never reported on said rumors.
-Focus on dumb social media meme type things (Will Levis eat his bananas whole…)
-Have a reporter parked in the middle of a bunch of rabid fans telling us how much they love their team.
-Start pulling your coverage to discussion panels in the middle rounds. The third, fourth and fifth rounds are incredibly important. (for bonus points, please don’t lecture fans about how teams are built in the later rounds. If you’re not giving them enough air time, you don’t care about them either.)
You are a scholar and a gentleman Cha!
Love it. Especially try not to be behind by 3 or 4 picks, Mr Goddell. Last year’s draft was dragging one way or another so often. The telecast and/or the announcement were so far behind it was ridiculous to try and follow it on TV as your primary source.
LOL!
…Oh, they’ll follow these lists, all right—but only after reversing those boldfaced headers. It is American television, after all. If it isn’t dumbed down through the living room floor, the ratings will plummet. Can’t have that.
Well said !
You forgot one. DON’T GO TO COMMERCIAL WHEN SEATTLE IS ABOUT TO PICK.
This used to happen all the time.
THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!! (and seahakward is right)
This! Aaaagghhh!
Awesome post cha!
While you’re at it, how about “don’t miss a pick in the first 5 rounds cuz you’re at commercial”.
Cards targeting Paris Johnson makes a lot of sense and is awesome for the Hawks and who it could push down to 5.
#1 Young
#2 Tyree Wilson
#3 Paris Johnson
#4 Levis
That’s my dream scenario for the first 4 picks. Won’t happen but one can dream.
That would be fantastic!
Agreed on the dream scenario. There seems to be plenty of smoke that Houston and Arizona are having trouble moving those picks, I just have a hard time imagining something doesn’t give by the time they’re on the clock. Wouldn’t complain if Seattle just moved to two and got their guy.
“Wouldn’t complain if Seattle just moved to two and got their guy.”
I would PREFER they did this. Yeah, it sucks giving up good picks, but such a show of conviction would truly inspire.
Why does it make sense?
What do they do with DJ Humphries? I guess they could trade him, but his cap hits are pretty sizable so I don’t know what they’d get for him.
They have so many holes on defense. No edge presence. Nothing in the secondary (especially with Baker holding out for a trade).
The only thing that makes it kind of make sense is the report that Kyler Murray wants him. I don’t know if that’s what a new GM is going to want to start his tenure on — bending his draft board to accommodate his at times petulant QB.
I think they would be more likely to target him if they trade down. And everything I’ve read indicates they’re open to it, but I can’t get PFN’s mock sim to accept a trade for Arizona unless I throw everything at it and I doubt a team would sell out this and the next draft to move up. I couldn’t get it to accept Atlanta’s 2023 R1 + R2 and 2024 R1 + R2 for #3 and I doubt Atlanta would even offer that much.
Uh, sometimes? You’re being kind Blitzy
I’ve always enjoyed Joel Klatt breakdown QBs, hear him guest on radio spots all the time and tells it as he sees it. He doesn’t care about the Stroud S2 test, his eyes say otherwise:
https://twitter.com/joelklattshow/status/1650605738895593472?s=46&t=cOHU3a7sncZq-_1QP4M1Og
https://twitter.com/AaronWilson_NFL/status/1651319604927426564
That is interesting. Though if I’m in an NFL FO I keep in mind Young, Levis and Richardson ran their offenses, whereas Stroud and Hooker did not.
Stroud answered some basic questions about his ability to run an offense vs Georgia, but Hooker hasn’t.
And then there’s his age and injury history.
I see the value for a team in the back third of R1 banking on his game translating. But anything earlier than that seems like a big gamble.
I was listening to a draft podcast recently, either Ringer, Athletic, or PFF, where they were joking about Aaron Wilson’s tweets being straight from agents.
Fun little look inside the prospect meetings at the Combine. Some players should be able to be identified fairly easily, although the info itself is more anecdotal than anything:
https://www.seahawks.com/news/a-star-struck-star-qb-nerves-mini-cheesecakes-more-from-inside-the-seahawks-2023
Oh, snap! They put us on the grill lol.
https://twitter.com/RamsNFL/status/1650869773855772672
(Well, would always help to have some… you know… actual picks to spend all that “lab work” on, hehe…
CJ Stroud says he is a football player and “not a test taker” in reference to an S2 question.
https://twitter.com/scott_fowler/status/1651254354526060548
So, basically admitting his score was poor in some way. I still think we’d be blessed to get him or AR.
I will continue to disregard those test results until someone proves there is any actual statistical validity to them. To me it seems like nothing more than an over exuberant reaction to Brock Purdy having half a good season.
Rob – was looking at your final mock for 2022 and noticed you had some solid picks. Nice!
#15 — Trevor Penning (T, Northern Iowa) (injured most of the season)
#40 — Tyler Linderbaum (C, Iowa) – top rookie in entire NFL
#41 — Channing Tindall (LB, Georgia) – didnt get a lot of time, but still a promising piece for MIA
#72 — Dameon Pierce (RB, Florida) – top NFL rookie in entire NFL
#101 — Michael Clemons (DE, Texas A&M) – solid contributor, played in all 17 games
It’s officially draft day in the U.K…..Rob might have passed out on the keyboard!
Ha, well I actually correctly guessed Jim Nagy’s “sleeper” player. Hope this is a sign of my upcoming luck at Pete’s draft clues this year… 😜
Thread on Stanford WR Michael Wilson (who met with the Seahawks at some point)
https://twitter.com/JimNagy_SB/status/1651195488786432006
I like his releases, but he’s got concentration drop issues with several double clutches at the Senior Bowl. And I don’t buy the comp to Davante Adams AT ALL. For me, production is huge in scouting the WR position. The good WRs dominate and produce at the college level. Look at Adams’ final year (sophomore). 1700 yds and 29 TDs. Consistently putting up between 150-250 yard games. Wilson is a 5th-year senior and never had more than 672 yds his sophomore year.
Add to that the long injury history and, despite Jim’s best efforts, I pass on him.
Happy Draft Day from Kansas City.
Here with a group of fans, we all connected at the 2005 Super Bowl in Detroit. As you might guess, a bunch of people talking face to face have much more realistic takes.
The general consensus of the media seems to be settling on Carter @ 5 and Flowers @ 20.
For our small group of 8, the feeling is just excitement for 5, a lot more discussion over 20.