Here are my takeaways from the Senior Bowl week, starting with the players who I think stood out the most. A quick note — this is based on a study of what was available on the NFL Network Broadcast and YouTube. There’s a ton of practise reps I haven’t seen, so keep that in mind. It’s also quite difficult to evaluate linebackers and safeties at the Senior Bowl during practise, because unlike receivers vs cornerbacks and the trench 1v1’s, there’s not a translatable practise that really suits either position.
Standout performers
Quinyon Mitchell (CB, Toledo)
For me he was the clear star of the week. Mitchell displayed a constant X-factor in coverage — staying in the hip-pocket of receivers with natural fluidity and speed. He looked incredibly smooth in transition and his instincts when tracking the ball were top-notch. Mitchell can mix it up and be physical when he needs to be. He also has a confident swagger to his personality that most of the top cornerbacks possess. There’s just something a bit special about him and based on this evidence, don’t be shocked if he ends up going in the top-15.
Jackson Powers-Johnson (C, Oregon)
Angles, the ability to latch onto defenders quickly and be the aggressor and a strong base. JPJ showed all of these key characteristics for a center while also flashing plus athleticism, especially when he needed to recover and reset. He looked like the complete package during practise and if he tests well, will have a chance to go in the first round. He also battled a hamstring injury and only practised the first two days.
Darius Robinson (DE, Missouri)
Robinson looks the part physically with a big, thick frame and he flashed a versatile repertoire when attacking in 1v1’s. Off the edge he was able to win with power consistently, connecting and bull-rushing opponents into the pocket. There was evidence of a quick inside counter off the edge too. When they lined him up inside, he’d switch between power and excellent disengagement and a quick get-off to knife into the backfield. On every rep he was all-out in terms of effort and he looks like a player who can be very effective rushing inside and out. ‘NFL ready’ is a good way to describe him. If he tests well at the combine, he could be a first rounder.
Taliese Fuaga (T, Oregon State)
An absolute beast. I’m not sure why Tyler Guyton (who I like) has been name-checked among standout performers on different platforms and Fuaga isn’t the man getting more attention. He overwhelmed opponents in nearly every 1v1. He showed excellent footwork for a big man, a great ability to drop and set and once he latched on to an edge rusher it was over. He was just too big, too physical and too good. He will be OT1 on my new horizontal board and I don’t think he’ll get out of the top-10.
Luke McCaffrey (WR, Rice)
Watching McCaffrey run routes I kept thinking of Tyler Lockett. They have similar movement skills and quirks to get open and they’re both highly consistent and reliable. McCaffrey, as with Ladd McKonkey from Georgia, just had a knack of getting open and making the catch. While the other receivers had a few ups and downs, these two were very consistent. As second or third receivers, they could both be very productive. Roman Wilson from Michigan also stood out.
Honourable mentions
Emani Bailey (RB, TCU)
He was the real MVP in the game. Bailey is short but with a nice frame and he just looked so dynamic as a runner and receiver. On several occasions he made the first man miss to make positive gains on the ground. He finished every run and flashed an acceleration that could be really threatening if he breaks into the second level. As a receiver his routes were crisp and he showed good hands. The game went through him for the most part and as a depth piece at running back, he’s a very interesting prospect who could carve out a decent role in the NFL.
Braden Fiske (DT, Florida State)
It’s a shame he has shorter arms and a less than ideal frame because Fiske just picked up where he left off for Florida State. He’s a chaos creator inside and just finds a way to disrupt, whether that’s with power or quickness. He’s adept at knifing through gaps or bull-rushing and he’ll give all-out effort on every down. Whether he can carry on doing it at the next level is a big question but he had a good week.
Justin Eboigbe (DE, Alabama)
As with Fiske, the shorter arms are a bit of an issue but Eboigbe’s frame is otherwise prototypical. I liked him a lot at Alabama but was still surprised to see how athletic he looked in 1v1’s — winning not just with power but with speed. He’s not going to be a game-wrecker at the next level but he showed enough quickness, strength, versatility and range here to be a very useful rotational end who can move around the line.
Keith Randolph (DE, Illinois)
I thought he was surprisingly disruptive this week. He kept finding ways to get into the backfield with a mix of power and quickness. He was a good run defender in college but based on the 1v1 reps he looks like a potential fourth round 5-tech who can do a job at the next level.
Cam Hart (CB, Notre Dame)
Sticky in coverage all week and more polished than a lot of the other defenders, Hart has the size and skill to be a potential third round pick. There was a good moment in the game where he was blown-up by Cody Schrader on a run, so he came roaring back a couple of plays later with a big tackle in the backfield for a TFL on another running play. It’s very easy to imagine him competing for a starting job in the NFL.
Carlton Johnson (CB, Fresno State)
Whenever the receiver/cornerback 1v1’s took place, Johnson kept popping up and making plays. He’s undersized and had a few reps get away from him but overall he had a decent showing and did a better job than most getting a hand in there to break-up a pass, gaining position or recovering when needed.
Other names that impressed: Ben Sinnott (TE, Kansas State), Theo Johnson (TE, Penn State), Jha’Quan Jackson (WR, Tulane), Ray Davis (RB, Kentucky), Roger Rosengarten (T, Washington), Jarvis Brownlee Jr (CB, Louisville)
Thoughts on the quarterbacks
I’ve read and heard a lot about certain quarterbacks performing well in Mobile but the truth is, nobody really shone. I thought it was a mostly underwhelming week. Too many passes from the group were off target in 1v1’s which should be food and drink. We didn’t see any big flashes from Michael Penix Jr with his great arm. The most impressive physical feat was Bo Nix throwing +60 yards downfield on a flea-flicker during the game. It just all felt a bit average.
Spencer Rattler barely played in the game but seemed to win MVP for one decent touchdown throw. Overall I thought he did show some positives and he was just a bit sharper and more decisive than the rest. He didn’t do anything to massively elevate his stock though. He also looked small on the field compared to Penix Jr and Nix. Of the three, Nix fits the ‘prototype’ mould the best.
It’s going to be an unpredictable draft at the position once the top-three go off the board. Penix Jr could easily go in the first round or last into round three. I feel the same way about Rattler. Nix is a day two pick who might convince someone to take him earlier. J.J. McCarthy is a third rounder on my horizontal board but everyone says he’s going in round one. Trying to guess where they all land is going to be tricky and I’d say no real clarity was provided in Mobile.
Players who struggled
Kalen King (CB, Penn State)
All week he just played in first gear. He was consistently beat on routes, showed almost no physicality to disrupt routes, he didn’t seem that interested in playing the ball and he got beat badly at times too. It was a horrible week for an overrated player. I’ve dropped him into day three on the board.
Tez Walker (WR, North Carolina)
He’s a tease. You saw little flashes where he bursts into a break and separates with natural ease. He made difficult catches look easy at times. You saw flashes of natural talent. Then you’d also see him run a lazy route, show horrible catching technique, drop a pass, not track the ball properly. How easy is it going to be to bring all the good things together at the next level?
LaDarius Henderson (T, Michigan)
I was really keen to see him play because he was solid if unspectacular at Michigan. Yet here he struggled, showing very little resistance against speed or power and looking highly uncomfortable. A big disappointment.
Patrick Paul (T, Houston)
Paul is enormous and looks the part but my word his technique is shocking. Consistently he stretched out his arms and exposed his chest in blocking drills, allowing opponents to get into his frame. He did nothing to rectify it all week and it’s clearly a bad habit he’s developed. He’ll need a complete technique re-work at the next level or he’ll be a liability.
Thought I’d just publish this now seeing as it’s written and not wait until tomorrow
Yes!
Thanks again Rob, great work for the last month! You’re always my first Hawks read! With the transfer window closed, here’s to JS and MM filling out the staff quickly so you can get at least a few days off before the combine & Free Agency!!!
Thank you!
If fuaga somehow someway fell to #16 you’d have to consider sprinting to the podium..
We all love Lucas…..but. If the “bit,” is nothing so what? Move him inside, right ( lucas)Lucas?
From the prious thread re:maye…I just slot him as the third qb because it’s easy. Tall, young, I don’t know had this class been as deep as we had hoped I think he’d fall quite a bit.
I had that thought as well. Lucas at guard might help protect his knee by not having to leverage outside, seal and be in space so much. Then he’d be a great option if one of the OT’s missed time.
Guards pull all of the time too though, so maybe it’s a wash. I would be pretty excited if they took Fuaga regardless. Dude is s beast.
Fuaga is on the short list of players I would pound the table for to stick and pick.
Maye doesn’t look like a starter to me.
Rattler had a good week, he might be QB3, but I’m not sold on him in R1 yet.
Lucas knee is really concerning, sliding inside would put less torque on it.
What a strange few hours on this
Daboll is such an Ass
Let’s just make him an assistant coach of the offense who is also responsible for play calling.
What’s strange about it? Most teams wouldn’t allow their OC to interview for a lateral move. Not if they want to keep him.
I don’t know that it’s wise to keep a guy who doesn’t want to be there but that’s another matter. When have Daboll or the Giants behaved wisely? Other than drafting Lawrence Taylor in “81. Man that was a bummer! I was a 17 year old Jets fan. Both teams had the same record but the Giants picked first. They took Taylor. The Jets, who were drooling over Taylor, got Freeman McNeil, a pretty decent running back but no Lawrence Taylor. Man, I still remember the day. I made $30 mowing two neighbors lawns ($15 each, maybe 6 hours work). Got home, read the paper (Newsday, afternoon edition), and I’m still not over it! ;o)
maybe trying for a trade
Daboll and Kafka had disagreements this past season, yet they block him. Are they expecting a pick in return or what?
I wonder if it’s because Kakfa has a compensatory pick tied to his hire as a head coach.
McCarthy is growing on me and if he’s there in the 3rd im happy with it. More athletic than i realized. He’s a threat with his legs, but isn’t a one read and run qb. He’s always looking down field when scrambling. Wasn’t asked to do a ton..but still made nfl quality throws. Some really impressive tight window throws too. Good size. Winner. And only 21. It’s going to be really interesting to see where he goes.
He’ll go in the top-40, there’s too much buzz there
I just have no interest
I think McCarthy will appeal to Schneider. So much that I think he’ll take him in R3 if he lasts. I think he might have taken him in R2 if only they had that pick. Hell, if they trade down from 16, they might trade back up for him if he drops far enough.
I’m with MountainHawker in that JJ’s growing on me. Just because he wasn’t asked to win games with his arm doesn’t mean he can’t. And not to suggest anything of anyone here, but if he was black I think he’d be getting more hype for his athleticism.
I won’t be surprised if he’s part of Schneider’s first solo draft class. I agree he’s itching to draft a QB and I think McCarthy will be the only one worth taking a shot on available to him this year.
I just can’t see it. He’s not physically impressive enough for JS, doesn’t have the arm. He’s not special in any way, he’s more likely to land in a system that values a support system QB than one where explosive plays are valued
He looks very quick getting out of trouble. Very, very quick. I don’t think people are either counting or discounting his athleticism.
No one talks about Nix being a pretty solid running qb moving the chains and converting to TD’s.
I am old enough to remember Luck being a very impressive all around, all time prospect. Arm, size, brain, and legs. People definitely talked about him on the move then.
Welcome to the Dark Side.
McCarthy will outplay Penix and Nix as a pro.
Quarterback is by far the most difficult position to project. Mike Holmgren tried to mentor Brandon Weedon with the Browns because he reminded him of himself at USC. He forgot that as a QB he sucked at USC.
That statement in your post puts the odds at 2:1 against you.
Real talk.
What do you see?
I’ve watched two games and saw nothing. I’m totally fine with being wrong. But why do you suspect Jim harbaugh a qb who had Luck, limited Mccarthy in his whole time at Michigan to what Luck threw in his final year in college?
Even if he could lean on the run game….why? Stanford could run. Why would Jim not just be in a position to draft him? He’s way cheaper and younger than herbert.
I’d take your bet if it was modified to….in three years none of the three will be starting.
Luck was a generational talent. Thats an unfair comparison. McCarthy can make all the throws, is athletic enough to extend plays, and despite being 2.5 years younger then Penix and Nix has shown he’s a good decision maker.
Penix and Nix are pretty much what they’ll be. I’m betting with the right coaching McCarthy can be better. He might be the bigger swing but I like big swings.
They didn’t trust him to make the throws. He’s the most limited out of the top 6 guys.
Harbaugh treated him like a game manager. I think Peter is bringing Luck up showing the difference: Luck (and Josh Johnson, and Kapernick) was able to run the offense and be the focal point. There were games that McCarthy barely threw the ball. They hid him. He’s only plus in athleticism. Everything else is average.
Yep. On the QBs. Kaep was a fairly poor passer and Jim had him air it out quite a bit more times.
See….if we are talking right coaching then I’m inclined much more so than the captain of the blog Rob and many others to go Nix.
In auburn he showed a big arm arm full of inaccuracy. Learned another system and gets downgraded because it’s super simple yet he’s pretty darn accurate and productive learning a new process.
Blitzy made the remarks about athleticism while possibly true….should we then turn our eyes to Nix who of the three averaged 5.0 yards a carry at Oregon over two years and put up 20 tds on the ground. Penix and Mccarthy neither got near those marks.
I get Oregon has a good oline or at least some players. But so does WA and MI.
Like most prospects who aren’t elite, it depends on where he lands.
But all things being equal, I agree. McCarty has the highest ceiling of the three.
I’d rather go with Lock….
I don’t want someone that didn’t factor into their team’s game plan. Reminds me to Christian Ponder. Draft-talk wise
Maybe it’s comparing apples to oranges but it seems to me that the second tier of QB’s in this draft (Penix, Rattler, Nix) have more questions about their projectability to the NFL than Will Levis last year who lasted until the top of the second round.
Unless the Seahawks really fall in love with one the QB’s, I could see them taking an OL or DL in the first or trading back to pick up a 2nd or 3rd round pick this year. It could be possible that all or some of the 2nd tier QB’s fall to the late 2nd or 3rd where the Hawks could grab one of them if they’re interested.
It will be a fascinating draft without Pete running things!!
Very plausible
I’ll kinda disagree on Rattler. i thought he was pretty impressive all week. Kind of a forgotten man by now maybe, but aside from lacking size i thought he looked good in practices and the game.,. wish he would played more and spared us the horror of the backup QBs (that did the WRs no favors).
He was fine. I didn’t say he played poorly. I’ve also been someone who’s been far higher on Rattler for months than most. But I think people are going a bit OTT. None of the QB’s did much of anything to stand out this week. I’ve watched these Senior Bowl practises for years and you know when a QB is putting on a show. None of them really did. They were fine
^This. There are clues though. But, again, what I overheard Adam Caplan saying to someone resonates. “You have three practices.” This year after those three practices, one of the quarterbacks and a defensive lineman were forced to change teams right before the game.
Rob, any chance of getting a interview with Mike Renner formerly of PFF? It would be interesting to get his perspective on Seattle now that they have new coaches.
To anyone that bought a throwback jersey, are they true to size?
I wear L normally & am about to buy one but want to make sure they’re not too small or large fitting. Thanks
Got to watch Braden Fiske when FSU played Louisville in the ACC title game & he became an immediate favorite. Jumped out on the screen. His less than ideal arm length will leave him out of the top rounds but if he’s there in the 4th & maybe even the 3rd I’d snap him up. Dude is a ferocious wrecking ball.
Can’t shake the feeling that Seattle is eyeballing JPJ after a trade down in the 1st to tie that OL together. Buy a LG in FA if possible & pray for Lucas’ knee to fully heal.
I think fiske goes much higher. Short arms are a thing. But less so for other teams.
If he has a good not great combine there’s no reason for me to think he can’t go in the 2nd or third.
I have to wonder if some of the physical metrics are tweaked with JS fully in charged.
With Spoon and JSN I think this process has already begun. Hopefully.
I’m in favor of a trade down to pick up another day 2 pick and taking Powers-Johnson + sign Jonah Jackson in FA to play LG.
That would solidify our OL nicely.
I’m in
I feel pretty good at #16 or even a trade down. Pretty confident we are going to get a good useful player. JPJ might there. Darius Robinson, Quinyon Mitchell, Jer’Zhan Newton are all among my favorites.
Honestly, I mostly felt underwhelmed this week.
Yeah, you have to understand that if the NFL Draft is football Christmas the Senior Bowl is Halloween.
I didn’t see anything on Joe Milton III. Did he participate? I like his size (Josh Allen-ish). Don’t know if he’s worth a late round flyer.
Oh boy.
Ctrl F: Milton
It’s hard to watch Joe Milton. Physically he has everything. He’s just not very good. His processing, decision making and internal clock are off. He’s not a constantly accurate passer. In the second quarter he threw a nice layered pass with great touch for a completion but a few plays later, he threw awfully across his body for a terrible interception. He had a second interception in the final two minutes basically throwing it to the other team. I’m surprised people have him down as anything more than a late-round throwaway pick.
He’s got a rifle. But he’s blind.
At least in the game.
He looked okay in practice.
And, to be fair, he changed teams at the last minute because of all the defections.
Not to mention he’s currently not bringing anything to the ground game that you could live with. Extremely average running qb. 3.8 yards or whatever per carry last year. Pretty…meh….
We know how fast he runs now. 17.33 mph according to the zebra statistics. Good but not elite. IT IS ALL ABOUT HIS ARM.
In shape JaMarcus Russell?
Just look past the five years of benching and injuries.
So… Drew Lock-ish?
He looked like he wanted to run all day, instead of really going through his reads at yesterday’s game.
Could the Seahawks trade up for Jayden Daniels? He seems like a good fit with Macdonald and our existing offensive players. If he drops to 5, 6 or 7, I could see the Hawks including next year’s #1 in a move up to get him.
Jayden Daniels ( just me) will be the second qb
Whether he has it or not he’s pretty much the modern game.
If some world where he drops to #7 you’ve got to start burning the phone lines. I’ve got problems with his frame but all the other qbs in a better class would not be first rounders except daniels and williams.
I guess my thought is if he slides to 5 (chargers), 6 (giants) or 7 (titans) you’re paying a premium. Because I could see 6 or 7 taking a QB and hell 8 (atlanta) wanting to do the same.
I think it’ll end up costing more than 16 and a first next year. But also if he slides past those QB needy teams you have to wonder if he has other issues.
I see Huntley is a free agent (the back up QB from Baltimore). He’s had some good games in the past when Lamar was hurt. Would it be worth bringing him in to compete?
Go Hawks!
I don’t think so, after a bright-ish start I think he’s faded a bit
Perhaps the LBs need a closer look. J D Bertand got some love on a few scouting sites involving the senior bowl. 6’1″ 235 lbs. Some of the awards and leadership traits are impressive from what I’ve gathered online researching.
Jackson Powers-Johnson is THE GUY Seattle needs to look at going for at #16 in the draft unless they decide to move down!!!!
He’s probably there even with a trade down.
Wow, you weren’t kidding in the previous article!
https://twitter.com/nflnetwork/status/1753865139667804230
I still have most of mine at age 67 and I’m jealous. Hoo boy!
His play was as atrocious as his hair is awesome. He had a huge opportunity to put on a show and add his name to the risers in this QB class and instead looked like a UDFA camp arm.
But man, if I had a mane like that instead of being a baldy since my early 20’s, who knows what heights of success I may have reached.
In the 1st I’m still thinking a player who’d be a Pro Bowl Guard and fine Right Tackle if Abe Lucas wasn’t fit. For me if Abe Lucas is fit he plays at Tackle. He’s not really a fit physically to play at Guard, being nearly 6ft7. I think if he’s not fit to play Tackle, he won’t be fit to play Guard in the NFL.
It’s tricky. Does Seattle trade up for Fuaga? Stand pat for Fautanu or trade back, picking up this elusive 2nd round pick and miss out on both? Then we’re talking about, then who’s left? At that point it could be Seattle might be left a little underwhelmed with their first pick?
It will be interesting to see if they stand pat or are already assuming a trade back unless there is a shocking faller.
If Fuaga is there at #16, I think that qualifies and you take him without a second thought. But Troy Fautanu and Darius Robinson are two others I would love to see as well – would hate to see us get cute and trade back only to miss out on one of them.
It’s still very early and our draft board is a long way from set, but it’s entirely possible there are a number of quality trench players they have with late first round grades. If so, I think it’s nearly assured they will trade out of #16 for a 2nd or a high 3rd.
So looking at this QB class, I’m intrigued by Penix or Rattler, and if Seattle went that way I’d be excited to see how they’d do. However, I’m really starting to lean towards Seattle going all in on the trenches. Make that a strength!
Agreed. The Seahawks have Phil Haynes, Damien Lewis, and Evan all as free agents. Could use some OL depth in the draft. Give me JPJ. Starting beefing up those running lanes!!!
Really cool detailed post about the Ravens Defense under MM and suggestions on draft criteria to help fulfill the defensive vision.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Seahawks/comments/1agxert/a_ravens_fans_guide_to_mike_macdonald_and_his/
Thanks for sharing, that’s a great write to understand MM.
I feel like our biggest defensive need is an MLB, an S and a big DT based on this.
Bobby can go, JA can go, Mone can go.
Bigger a bit athletic DT could be a later round pick. Safety either an FA or early-mid round pick, but LB probably needs to be an R1/2/3 pick. They could cut Diggs too and bring in a cheaper/better experienced FA.
CB might be a need too as Spoon is great, Riq is a questionmark and other CBs are mediocre
Riq isn’t a question mark, he was very poorly coached and lost a lot of what made him special in y1. He will be good again under MM.
He’s very talented. He’s not the most physical corner and it seems like his press is the best attribute to his game. Mac could do more cover 1 and cover 0 things now that he has Woolen and Witherspoon.
But if we are projecting just pure zone like how the Ravens ran in 2023 then there are some question marks with Woolen’s fit into this scheme.
I think we need safeties but I actually think Bryant and Love can fill in pretty well. MacDonald’s scheme asks a lot out of the safety position but they also don’t have to be really really talented. They just have to be versatile and smart.
The more pressing positions are the Hamilton position and the LB position. I think Mac is going to want to have that Batman at the LB level. I think Brooks is a robin. I think Queen is a robin. You don’t need to pay for this position. Draft a young LB to do this role. Junior Colson is an example.
I’m really digging the idea of getting either Quinyon Mitchell or Terrion Arnold in the first round. It really allows Witherspoon to move anywhere he wants.
Thanks Alex! Love the part when he mentioned pre snap disguises, I hope with the crowd noise, we can utilize that more and create confusion right before the snap. Pete never liked that idea. I highly recommend that people read this article, very informative, thanks again Alex
Alex
That was a great read! It’s a must read for all blog readers IMO! Thanks for posting!
Agree. Must read. Sounds like MLB is the other quarterback that has to be gotten right in MM’s scheme. This furthers Rob’s projection of Wilson in Rd 1 and Penix later. Which also means we need to be looking at QB in ‘25.
Not sure they’ll go LB in round one
Or that Wilson would be the pick to play Mike. He’s an OLB/EDGE
Yup, I think the Mike and the Star/Rover positions are the ones that truly drive this scheme.
I liked it. The Raven defense was more of a ‘squeeze the life out of them’ defense rather than an aggressive attacking defense. But when they attacked, they got home. One of the worst Hurry and Pressure rates in the NFL but the most sacks and top-10 best for fewest missed tackles.
Tells me the fundamentals of bringing guys to the ground in the pass rush AND the regular tackling of running backs and receivers are sound. That’s my best takeaway that I hope transfers.
Just a caution though – that doesn’t mean it’s a complete blueprint for what we will see in Seattle. MM specifically said that he’ll work with the players he has. I wouldn’t put a ton of stock in this report as an indicator of what they will pursue in the offseason. (for that matter, not to be too critical, but he points out every position group as important. DL, LB, S, CB.)
Although he nails Queen not being good at MLB and when they brought Roquan in, Queen moved to WILL-type and flourished. Just like Jordyn Brooks. Unless there is a Witherspoon can’t miss type in the draft or FA, I wouldn’t endorse spending big money at WILL.
Frazier will undoubtedly have some input on how the d will run.
https://corner.bigblueinteractive.com/index.php?mode=2&thread=642360
With Scott and Frazier on staff, I would hope they can turn some cheap coal into valuable diamonds at the DB position, including…ahem…safety.
I’ve found a safety I LOVE
Strong or Free?
Either
Dadrion Taylor-Demerson?
it sounds like a possibility of a hybrid cornerback/safety abilities(i.e. being able to cover a wr/te). My big question is what players are on the roster to accommodate the new defense that we will run. Outside of qb, I could see a draft dedicated to d, with maybe a center.
Another very interesting source of insight into Macdonald from a Ravens fan, if you have most of an hour to learn more than you’ve ever wanted to know about what he did schematically: https://youtu.be/6Gor9WgE9Ns?si=NY34gJVqu6aFLBMj
I found this guy’s videos the week Seattle and Baltimore played this year. His channel has many hours of excellent film study on their defense.
Having actually watched some more of his games I really like Bo Nix a lot more than I thought I was going to.
I think I was a little biased against him from his Auburn days, but credit to him, he seems to have completely reinvented himself to manage an effective offense whilst retaining the ability to play out of structure when needed (which tbf wasn’t that often with Oregon). I’ve also read that he had a decent amount of control to make checks and audibles at the line, which is cool to see from a college QB, even an old one.
I think I like him more than Penix, it’s close and they’re both older prospects, but I like Nix throwing over the middle a bit more and I feel Penix was throwing to a predetermined reciever more often.
Great day at the Senior Bowl. The weather was overcast but the atmosphere was fun. Wife and I were just rows behind the American team side. Took some nice pictures of Rattler and video sequences of the pregame and game. Rob, in the video, I give a shout out to Seahawksdraftblog.com , I hope that’s OK.
Rattler won MVP and for his time in the game looked good. I meet the parents of Cedric Gray and after a Halftime Celebration , Shaun Alexander. Took his picture and asked him what he thought of the new Seattle hires. He smiled and said, “they were great “. He liked my Seahawks hat too.
I was surprised how poorly the UNC receiver played, he dropped two contested passes, and after seeing the replays, they went right through his hands.
I was super excited to watch Penix, but learned late, he didn’t even dress out. We were also by a few Oregon fans, they didn’t look to impressed with Nix’s showing. To me he wasn’t setting his feet and his passes were erratic.
For 5 dollars we got a short novel “program guide” couldn’t believe all the info they packed into it. One of the best I’ve seen in years.
I’m posting the videos( of the Senior Bowl) to my own channel which is not football related but more travel. I’m sure you can just do Senior Bowl search on YouTube and you’ll find it eventually .
Rob, looking forward to your QB reviews after the Senior Bowl or Combine.
This is a great report.
Link?
My stuff is no where close to yours. https://youtu.be/pd7LeCj-drk not sure it will work, still a rookie with video editing \
I see they brought the Azalea Trail Maids back. That was a big fiasco last year.
Anyone else starting to get a little concerned on the OC search? On Friday, the vibe was Ryan Grubb was a done deal. Next, reports start surfacing of the Lions QB coach, and making a run at Mike Kafka. 12 hours later, Kafka is blocked, Grubb is on the recruiting trail for Alabama and everything is quiet. This is such a critical hire. I hope they get it right.
Not concerned at all. It’s only been a week since we’ve hired a coach and more recently Leslie Frazier. Going forward in the college landscape and into the NFL, I think we will be seeing more coaches leaving the college game as the NIL business has gotten out of hand and the coaches don’t want to be dealing with players asking if they can get more money. This is especially true for teams not in the SEC or “NEW” Big Ten. Those teams will just not have the money and the coaches won’t have the patience. End result you will see more college coaches leaving for the NFL. {Boston College Coach)
We also have to comply with the Rooney Rule, which will take time
Let’s just interview actress Rooney Mara, granddaughter of late Giants owner Wellington Mara, named after late Pittsburgh owner Art Rooney, and get it over with.
I prefer Kate Mara too, but she is no girl with the dragon tattoo.
People made comments about coach Mike’s eyes and both of them have the deadest eyes so maybe there’s something there.
“Lifeless eyes, like a doll’s eyes…” – Captain Quint from Jaws.
Has the Rooney rule been satisfied with the first set of interviews? There was some question about what positions they were interviewing for.
Yeah, I am.
They are taking their time. And as Rob said, they have to satisfy the Rooney Rule for coordinators now. They still have to identify and interview a minority candidate or two.
Really, they should have interviewed a minority candidate first, before word leaked Grubbs was on the fast track.
And it would be nice if Seattle was actually following the spirit, and not just the letter, of the Rule. You can find great people that way, rather than being pre-decisional. I’m not saying Seattle is flouting the spirit of the rule, because we don’t have enough info to say. But it’s not looking good. And when they hired Carrol, they most definitely had already made up their mind and the interview process was pretty much a sham.
However,
Leslie Frazier. He of the sham hire and now the real hire.
While it’s great to participate in the spirit of the rule I think Frazier is a great hire all around.
Guess what I’m getting at is how hard would the league come knocking if you hire a minority candidate right out of the gate and *just* hire Grubb, etc.
There were a lot of nerves about how long the HC decision took too. The HC hire, both of the announced assistants, and the rumored OCs have all inspired confidence in how their process. They are being deliberate, but have earned a lot of trust from me so far.
In MacSchneider I trust.
cha, both taylor and jackson are RFAs… can we keep both or are we limited to only 1?
Nope, no limit. They can tender every player that is RFA.
Problem is, that number goes against their cap immediately.
Flipside, it’s extremely team-friendly. It’s non-guaranteed money. So a team can tender them and hold them through free agency, then rescind the tender and let them go to get cap room back.
Seahawks did this last year with Ryan Neal. $2.67m tender, but when Julian Love fell into their lap, they rescinded the tag and got that money off the books, and Neal moved on.
…this looks good on paper, right?
OLB: Uchenna Nwosu, Derick Hall
RDE: Jarran Reed, Dre’Mont Jones
NT: Cameron Young, McKinnley Jackson
LDE: Leonard Williams, Mike Morris
OLB: Boye Mafe , Darrell Taylor
Not sure Jones stays. What’s the fit?
Just me but Taylor just hasn’t been worth it.
not just you…Taylor is nearly a liability out there imo. Don’t need to see him next year.
What do we think on Hall? I know there’s the Mafe (slow start in his 1st year) comparison – but I felt like I saw more athleticism flashes from Mafe than I have from Hall. Guess we’ll see.
I’m reminded that Rob thought or cautioned it might take Hall a bit longer to really get going. He seemed sort of lost is not right but something like that.
But that 25% snap count sure did him no favors.
Williams is a FA who going to be expensive, although he is the best DL we got…
Rob, when is the interview with Jim Nagy going to be coming down the pike? His workload has increased tenfold with the increased number of attendees at the Senior Bowl and I know you have your day job. Appreciate all the work on the blog!
When we can fit it in
Check this guy out. Julius Wood, S from East Carolina. First team all AAC. Had a nice game against Michigan and looks like BAMF.
I don’t even see him listed on most draft sites though. Maybe he’s being slept on and could be a later pick.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpWiAiVzVhw&ab_channel=SickEditzHD
Hey Rob, curious if you would be interested in doing an article on projected cuts/restructres/signings.
Might be interesting to try and get inside the head of JS/MM with what they value and how they want to shape the team with this first offseason about to start.
See my latest article, just published
You da man
I was hoping that MacDonald could bring Weaver as his DC. It likely makes more sense for Weaver to go to Miami so that people don’t give more credit to the HC.
I might have missed this, but is there any news on who the defensive coordinator might be? I think the early reports linked is to Zachary Orr who then got promoted by Baltimore, I haven’t seen anything since?
Probably not as critical a hire, given MM will be calling plays, but will be interesting to see what he does.
Joe Cullen, the Chiefs DL coach, has been linked today:
https://twitter.com/jjones9/status/1754254601304551755
And here’s some backstory from wikipedia:
Thanks Rob!
Hmm looks like he’s had his fair share of issues in the past, the Wendy’s incident is very odd…
Looks like he was the D-line coach in Baltimore from 2016 – 2020 so I presume there’s a connection there.
Jon Kitna and his wife dressed up as naked Cullen and the drive thru girl for a Halloween party, I remember that…
If you can keep this guy away from fast food joints, maybe he can keep himself together. But holy hell, we’ve got to be able to find a more capable DC than this. If this team made “character” important in pursuit of its roster these last couple of years, not sure why this obvious bozo would get a shake as a coach here.
Geno cant even play flag football well..
Jeez
i’ve been struggling a lot, to conceptualize how much work needs to be done to our defense to run a Ryan style defense.
The cupboard isn’t bare, but some key ingredients are missing
At the Senior Bowl I didn’t see a fit for Safety. There were a couple LB who could play the Queen role, but where was the Roquan Smith (is there one?)
Darius Robinson had been a crush of mine after seeing him live, I had hoped,he might be there in R3, not it is clear he will be gone in R1, would have been a nice upgrade over DreMont. Sweat is so frustrating, I find myself thinking that there are just better options for that big DE. The NT is a black hole – at senior bowl it felt like McKinley Jackson was the only one offering that Baltimore has traditionally sought in the middle.
A CB I liked but I didn’t note Rob mentioning was the kid from Wazzu, I need to look him up and spend a little more time to see if he could be a fit.
—
Still waiting for the OC shoe to drop. Then we can all have more realistic thoughts about the offense.
Macdonald doesnt have to mirror the ravens defense to be successful. His job in Baltimore was to make what they have work. Now he gets to build the team with JS.
It gets to be clay now.. thats what being a headcoach is about.
James Williams
Miami
6’5″
215
Safety
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPOuapsNN_8
Few Peacock or Madden Rating tendencies.
3rd Round???
R4 for me
Didn’t they move him to LB during the Senior bowl?