One week to go…
John Schneider admitted in his pre-draft press conference this week that the top of the draft is a lot more unpredictable than it was last year. I know what he means.
A few weeks ago it felt pretty obvious. Carolina and Houston would take Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud in either order. Arizona would either select Will Anderson or trade down, with another club potentially moving up for a quarterback. Indianapolis would go QB. Then Seattle’s on the clock.
So much has changed in the last fortnight. Now it appears Stroud isn’t likely to even be the second QB taken. Amid talk about his readiness to play and the fact he shares an agent with Deshaun Watson, Houston are seemingly out on Stroud. There are increasing reports that he also scored poorly on the much-hyped ‘S2’ test.
There’s a lot of buzz, predicted by this site weeks ago, that Will Levis is the chosen quarterback of the Colts. Meanwhile Adam Schefter believes the Texans and Cardinals are unlikely to get a good enough offer to move down.
It’s not improbable that Stroud lasts to #5. Would the Seahawks take him? Are they as determined as the media thinks not to take a quarterback? Will they be enamoured by Anthony Richardson’s upside? Are they unlikely to take Jalen Carter, as I think, or is he the stone cold lock that the national media expects?
It all feels very unpredictable — but I’m going to try my best to predict it anyway.
I found this interesting. Richard Sherman interviewed Geno Smith on his podcast today. Right at the end, Sherman casually drops out that Pete Carroll, “is going back to the scheme.”
Does that mean the Seahawks are abandoning the bear front? Are they shifting away from the 3-4 concepts and returning to what Carroll knows best?
I would be in favour of this move. There are too many teams trying to run the Vic Fangio defense unsuccessfully. The top defensive teams in the league — San Francisco, Dallas, Philadelphia — are running schemes far more similar to the Carroll system.
If they are reverting back, this would completely change how they could operate in the draft. For starters, Tyree Wilson would be a far better scheme fit. Myles Murphy would suddenly be a greater consideration. They reportedly liked college underachiever Rashan Gary in 2019. Murphy compares quite favourably to Gary.
Lukas Van Ness also stands to be a more viable fit.
It’ll be interesting to see if Sherman is right about the scheme.
My thoughts about #5 haven’t changed. I’ve felt the same way for six weeks. I think Will Anderson is their preferred pick at #5. I think Anthony Richardson is option #2 or possibly ‘1b’.
It’s obvious why they might like Anderson — a perfect character profile, a dynamic edge threat and a shot to add an impact defender. With Richardson, I believe his incredible physical upside will appeal to traits-driven John Schneider and developmental coach Pete Carroll.
I’m torn over whether Stroud’s availability changes anything. It might. He’s such a talented player. Is there something we don’t know about here? Is Michael Lombardi right about how difficult it is to coach him? Is the ‘S2’ phenomena taking over the NFL?
If the Seahawks are changing scheme, it genuinely brings Wilson into play.
I remain steadfast in my view that Seattle won’t draft Carter due to character concerns and I think the media are buying the Drew Rosenhaus playbook a little too much. As highlighted yesterday, Adam Schefter reckons there’s ‘a decent chance’ Philadelphia ‘are the team that has the decision to make (on Carter)’. I’d also remind people that Carroll and Schneider again reiterated their commitment to character and identifying ‘Seahawks’ by their personality.
One other note. Daniel Jeremiah, on a podcast with Peter Schrager, had the following on Carter to Seattle:
“Teams I’ve talked to do not expect Seattle. The stuff I got back was the Malik McDowell experience soured them on taking a chance.”
In this mock I’m not going to directly acknowledge Sherman’s rumour on the scheme. It’s something I’m going to consider strongly, however, over the next seven days.
The trades explained
There are two first round trades. Tennessee trades up from #41 to #31 with the Chiefs to select local hero Hendon Hooker. The Titans give the Chiefs their third round pick and get back Kansas City’s fourth rounder in return. The Bills go from #28 to #20 in a trade with the Seahawks to get Jaxson Smith-Njigba. The Seahawks get Buffalo’s third round pick.
First round
#1 Carolina (v/CHI) — Bryce Young (QB, Alabama)
Young is all but confirmed as the top pick at this stage.
#2 Houston — Will Anderson (EDGE, Alabama)
I was told by a strong source in the league weeks ago that Anderson would be ‘hands down’ the top defender taken. I’m sticking with that.
#3 Arizona — Tyree Wilson (DE, Texas Tech)
If the Cardinals can’t trade down I’d expect Wilson to be the pick in this scenario.
#4 Indianapolis — Will Levis (QB, Kentucky)
I think Levis has been Chris Ballard’s target all along.
#5 Seattle (v/DEN) — Anthony Richardson (QB, Florida)
I think they’d love Will Anderson to last to this spot but if he doesn’t — Richardson has the physical talent Carroll and Schneider love to invest in.
#6 Detroit (v/LA) — Devon Witherspoon (CB, Illinois)
Dan Campbell takes the most violent player in the draft.
#7 Las Vegas — CJ Stroud (QB, Ohio State)
It’s barely believable that Stroud could last this long.
#8 Atlanta — Bijan Robinson (RB, Texas)
Terry Fontenot is a big BPA guy and on a lot of boards, Robinson is going to be among the top 2-3 players in the entire class.
#9 Chicago (v/CAR) — Darnell Wright (T, Tennessee)
He’s the best tackle in the draft. Watch him shut down Will Anderson.
#10 Philadelphia (v/NO) — Jalen Carter (DT, Georgia)
I think Philly is the most likely spot for Carter and even they aren’t a lock. I think people are underestimating the red flags.
#11 Tennessee — Peter Skoronski (G, Northwestern)
They’ve signed a left tackle candidate and drafted a right tackle. Do they add Skoronski to play inside?
#12 Houston (v/CLE) — Christian Gonzalez (CB, Oregon)
A small drop and the Texans capitalise.
#13 NY Jets — Broderick Jones (T, Georgia)
Joe Douglas loves explosive linemen.
#14 New England — Nolan Smith (LB, Georgia)
The Patriots love these types of undersized EDGE/LB hybrid.
#15 Green Bay — Michael Mayer (TE, Notre Dame)
A perfect match.
#16 Washington — Joey Porter Jr (CB, Penn State)
The Commanders invest in a mature, fully prepared and talented cornerback.
#17 Pittsburgh — Paris Johnson Jr (T, Ohio State)
With his size and length, you’ll go in the first round.
#18 Detroit — Calijah Kancey (DT, Pittsburgh)
I’m really excited to watch Kancey in the NFL. What a talent.
#1#19 Tampa Bay — Anton Harrison (T, Oklahoma)
I think he’s better than some of the bigger name tackles.
#20 Buffalo (v/SEA) — Jaxson Smith-Njigba (WR, Ohio State)
The Bills jump the Chargers, Ravens, Vikings and Giants to make the kind of move their fans are calling for.
#21 Miami — forfeited
Tut tut.
#22 LA Chargers — Dalton Kincaid (TE, Utah)
A lot of people think he’s TE1 in this draft.
#23 Baltimore — Deonte Banks (CB, Maryland)
He could go a lot earlier than people think after a superb set of combine tests.
#24 Minnesota — Myles Murphy (DE, Clemson)
They might choose to invest in a long term pass-rusher.
#25 Jacksonville — Brian Branch (S, Alabama)
This fills a need and he can play nickel or safety.
#26 New York Giants — John Michael Schmitz (C, Minnesota)
They are one of a handful of teams who might be eyeing JMS in this range — including the Seahawks.
#27 Dallas — Jahmyr Gibbs (RB, Alabama)
Jerry Jones wants an explosive offense and Gibbs can help get them there.
#28 Seattle (v/BUF) — Will McDonald (EDGE, Iowa State)
After trading down eight spots, the Seahawks add a pass rusher who could be their answer to Brian Burns. He trained with Seahawks pass-rush coach B.T. Jordan earlier this year before he accepted the job in Seattle and had a late official-30 visit.
#29 Cincinnati — Emmanuel Forbes (CB, Mississippi State)
There’s a lot of buzz around Forbes going in this range.
#30 New Orleans (v/DEN, SF) — Mazi Smith (DT, Michigan)
Nose tackle is a need and Smith is going to go between #30-40 I think.
#31 Philadelphia — Adetomiwa Adebawore (DE, Northwestern)
Reportedly, Howie Roseman loves Adebawore.
#32 Tennessee (v/KC) — Hendon Hooker (QB, Tennessee)
The Titans trade back into round one in order to secure a local favourite and ensure they get the fifth year option on his contract.
Second round
#33 Pittsburgh (v/CHI) — Bryan Bresee (DT, Clemson)
Mike Tomlin isn’t very good at hiding who he likes. He was staring lovingly at Bresee at the Clemson pro-day.
#34 Houston — Zay Flowers (WR, Boston College)
Could they try and turn him into a smaller Deebo?
#35 Arizona — Kelee Ringo (CB, Georgia)
They get a big defensive lineman in round one, then a big cornerback in round two.
#36 Indianapolis — Josh Downs (WR, North Carolina)
Colts fans want more explosive plays and Downs is my WR1 in this class.
#37 LA Rams — Jonathan Mingo (WR, Ole Miss)
I am a huge Mingo fan and think he’ll go between #30-45.
#38 Seattle (v/DEN) — Joe Tippmann (C, Wisconsin)
The Seahawks sent Steve Hutchinson to work out Tippmann, a clear sign of interest.
#39 Las Vegas — Darnell Washington (TE, Georgia)
The depth at tight end could keep some on the board longer than expected.
#40 Carolina — Quentin Johnston (WR, TCU)
Running the 4.5’s at pro-day shifts Johnston into the second round.
#41 New Orleans — Luke Musgrave (TE, Oregon State)
Musgrave is great value here.
#42 Kansas City (v/TEN) — Lukas Van Ness (DE, Iowa)
I just keep thinking, why didn’t he start at Iowa?
#43 NY Jets (v/CLE) — Keeanu Benton (DT, Wisconsin)
They need to add a stout defensive tackle.
#44 NY Jets — Cody Mauch (G/C, North Dakota State)
Another explosive lineman for the Jets, Mauch could fill the void at center.
#45 Atlanta — Keion White (DE, Georgia Tech)
It feels like a long time since Daniel Jeremiah labelled White the best defender in the draft.
#46 Green Bay — Matthew Bergeron (T, Syracuse)
He could play right tackle or kick inside immediately and be the eventual starter on the blind-side.
#47 New England — Drew Sanders (LB, Arkansas)
With the way they use their linebackers, this would be a good fit for Sanders.
#48 Washington — Sam LaPorta (TE, Iowa)
I think LaPorta is a very likely top-50 pick.
#49 Detroit — O’Cyrus Torrence (G, Florida)
I’m not a fan but plenty of others are.
#50 Pittsburgh — D.J. Turner (CB, Michigan)
I can easily imagine him going in the top-25, it’s just hard to place certain players.
#51 Tampa Bay — Tyjae Spears (RB, Tulane)
He is such an exciting player to watch and he’s had a great draft process.
#52 Miami — Dawand Jones (T, Ohio State)
Reportedly teams have soured on Jones due to his unwillingness to test at the combine or pro-day, plus the way he called it a week after one day at the Senior Bowl.
#53 Seattle — Zacch Pickens (DT, South Carolina)
People are seriously sleeping on this very athletic and powerful defensive tackle.
#54 Chicago (v/BAL) — Derick Hall (DE, Auburn)
An alpha who needs to vary his attack but has all the traits.
#55 LA Chargers — Cedric Tillman (WR, Tennessee)
He can be a real weapon when healthy.
#56 Detroit (v/MIN) — Isaiah Foskey (EDGE, Notre Dame)
I think he’s an average player but again, others like him.
#57 Jacksonville — Cam Smith (CB, South Carolina)
Like D.J. Reed, he could go a lot earlier than this.
#58 NY Giants — Jordan Addison (WR, USC)
I’ve never watched Addison and thought he was anything special.
#59 Dallas — Jalin Hyatt (WR, Tennessee)
Capable of late acceleration to separate but ran slower than expected at the combine.
#60 Buffalo — Trenton Simpson (LB, Clemson)
He’s more athlete than football player currently.
#61 Cincinnati — Tucker Kraft (TE, South Dakota State)
I think he’s a tremendous prospect with major upside.
#62 Chicago (v/CAR, SF) — Byron Young (DT, Alabama)
He’ll be a warrior in the trenches.
#63 Philadelphia — Julius Brents (CB, Kansas State)
Great traits, great personality.
#64 Kansas City — Sydney Brown (S, Illinois)
He’s a Chiefs-type of draft pick — super athletic and versatile.
Seattle’s picks
#5 Anthony Richardson (QB)
#28 Will McDonald (EDGE)
#38 Joe Tippmann (C)
#53 Zacch Pickens (DT)
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Love this draft for the Hawks and the overall Mock makes a ton of sense.
Daniel Jerimiah saying today he is hearing the Hawks may not be interested in Carter. Imagine that!
I think after the draft we’ll all see just how much character and determination matter for Seattle.
I’m expecting each draft pick to be A+ character.
Or in other words, who is pissed off for greatness?
The Sherm interview was great when Geno started talking about Cross and Abe, and how mature they were and nothing intimidated them. Build an entire team of this and we will be competing for titles soon enough.
💯
No way!!! Where did you hear that at? Lol
Seattle’s legendary GM reportedly fielding peripheral calls about potential trade partners with the 5th pick. Trade back scenario would be potentially fan soul crushing. Unless of course in an alternate universe where all four quarterbacks are on the board when #5 is on the clock.
I watched the press conference and I didn’t really take away from it that they were really thinking about trading down from 5. He basically said that the groundwork for trade up/down scenarios doesn’t really happen until Tuesday/Wednesday. I’m sure they’ll want to know what they can get to move down from 5 (or up to 2/3), I think it was a pretty general throw away comment. Now trading down from 20 (and moving slightly up/down from their day two picks) seems real likely. I doubt they stick and pick for their first five picks.
If Anderson/Wilson go and they have no interest in a QB, I think that’s the only scenario they might trade back. It would be soul crushing for me!
Pinch me- I’d be out of my chair for each of these picks
Yup. Pure jizzumface if this is how it shapes up.
I will be utterly gobsmacked if a team trades up into the first round for Hooker.
It could cost them as much as an extra $30 million in salary in 2028.
Would you do that just to have him on the official roster in 2023 so he can practice with the team?
I wouldn’t.
Titans though.
They need anything in the near future and maybe in tge now future if reports are he’s coming along.
If they pick up the 5th year option, though, and doing so would mean things panned out pretty damn well. Not holding my breath, but mostly because I can’t hold my breath for 4 years. Not yet, anyway.
They could still have 5 years of team control if they take him in the second, and the 5th year would be $30 million less.
But league sources are saying teams want to get into the first round to snare him, so.. /shrug
I remember us having this conversation maybe 2 months ago, but can’t find it to refresh my memory.
Can you Cliffs Notes the ‘why’ again? Is it only assuming that he doesn’t play in 2023 (or hits some minimum threshold that doesn’t accrue a year)?
Sure.
If they put Hooker on the Non-Football Injury list for 2023, he does not get an accrued year. He will only have 3 accrued years come 2027, and would be a Restricted Free Agent. They can tender him at $7-8m or so for 2027 (I meant 2027 above not 2028. I can’t count).
If they draft Hooker and don’t NFI him in 2023, he has 4 accrued years and would be an Unrestricted Free Agent in 2027, and subject to the 5th year tender. If he makes one Pro Bowl in the intervening years, the tender will probably be $38-40m.
Of course, that is if he plays well in 2024-2025.
What you’re saying by wanting the 5th year option is, you think he is on a track to practice with the team at some point in 2023 (which means you IR him and eventually activate him), maybe even get on the active roster and get some snaps if things break right.
But if you project him to be out until say early December at this point, would 5 weeks of practice benefit him all that much? Draft him and put him on NFI and gain the year of control. When he’s on NFI he can work out at the facility and rehab but not practice.
If there is real league talk about trading up into the first to get him, two things are in play: 1-They project he would get meaningful practice in 2023 to make it worthwhile, and 2-Other teams think the same and/or have him rated highly enough that you need to move up to get him.
Thanks, Cha. I’ve heard he’ll be ready though. Also, if you NFI him as a 1st rounder, doesn’t that mean you get 6 years of control?
No.
But they could do like Lamar and Franchise Tag him after 5 so potentially 6 years of control.
But can you nfi him for the whole season if he passes a physical? Seems shady
Interesting conversation on the Schneider show today, about how they’ve gotten too cute with trying to work the draft in the past, rather than just taking the best player available who fits the team. Seems like it’s all BPA now, which I prefer.
100% agree with JS there and hope they stick to that
So good to hear them admit what we have all seen
If the Hawks switch back to the Carrol 4-3…..oh, Boy! Maybe the reason no urgency being shown for a big NT…..reason Al Woods was let go?
J. Reed as the 1T DT
D. jones as the 3T? (Aaron Donald in disguise?
Wags back as MLB. D.Bush as strong side or WSB until Brooks returns?
Do you keep Nwosu as Leo (RDE) move Taylor back to Strong side Backer? Find a new SLB? Do they need to find a Red Bryant or Michael Bennet Elephant LDE? What happens to Mafe?
Opens up all kinds of options for other defenders in the top 100 of the draft if scheme changing back to old 4-3.
Or is this all pre-draft smoke? Would the team use Sherman to plant a diversion? Throw the league off the Hawks true focus?
Crazy times! Draft can’t get here fast enough.
Certainly changes the draft, but I’m not certain it changes the result on the field, considering our defense has sucked for four years. At least we were once good at the 4-3 though
When we had Quinn
Serously. Jody should’ve picked him up with the jet soon as the Falcons fired him. Instead he went to Dallas and turned their defense around.
Couldn’t agree more
“…they’ve gotten too cute with trying to work the draft in the past…”
To me, ‘working the draft’ refers to extensively trading up and down in order to maximize value—too much of which can be seen as ‘getting cute’—but I didn’t hear Schneider self-criticizing that aspect of his past drafts. The main thing I picked up was his acknowledgment of having “pushed players up” when they were at positions of need that faced precipitous ledges, which has led to him reaching by one or even two rounds. (It’s an astonishing admission, really. Such candor goes a long way with me.)
It’s funny, because he exemplified this error in process by using a hypothetical involving one receiver with a two-round ledge behind him vis a vis a bevy of corners at that same spot…but all I could think was “L.J. Collier!”
Wait – I’m dumb. How does this work? Do you essentially have team control for 5 years if your IR him for all of next year?
Word is he can probably play by mid to late season, but if you can take him in the second and still have 5 years of control it does seem stupid anyone would move up to take him in the first.
I meant this in reply to cha’s comment on Hooker. Love this blog, hate this board. lol
Are teams prohibited from signing a R2 pick for 5 years?
Yes, only first round has 5 years team control
Love McDonald and Pickens. Rather get another impact defender at 38 and take someone like Wypler later but I don’t hate that pick. On the other hand if they take Richardson with Stroud available I’ll lose my mind. There’s a great chance that would be looked back on in five years as one of the worst over-thought draft mistakes in NFL history. Or, in fairness, it could turn out to be pure genius.
I’ve only started watching Tippman the last week or so. He’s a super fun player. Feels like a really fun personality. Leverage issues, but he’s real smooth in space when he starts hunting at the second level. Looks like he enjoys dumping guys when he’s on the move. No way of knowing, but I could see Hutchinson really liking him. Wypler might end up being better value, but I think Tippman has a lot of upside.
Tippmann is as atheltic as they come for his size. Evan Brown is a better center than most people probably realize. I think Tippman could play guard for a year or two and do so at a high level, and has the ability to move to center if that’s how things unfold.
I’m a big Wypler fan as well, but he’s a pure center. No way I see him playing guard.
I definitely lean Tippmann, for his versatility alone. Evan Brown is near certain to start this year anyway.
Go watch that Matt Waldman video posted a couple of days ago. Richardson all day, imo.
I’ll take the upside of AR over Stroud
“Rather get another impact defender at 38 and take someone like Wypler later…” –sf1201
Fair enough. I don’t know whether the Hawks are in or out on tall centers, but Joe Tippmann has grown on me this year exactly as Abe Lucas did last year. Luke Wypler is going the other way…
…I know I’ve ripped on Brock Huard’s lack of effort in covering the draft, but he’s won so much credibility with me as a college football analyst that I can’t help but heed his input on this year’s center class. With Luke Wypler, he says “too much Joey Hunt”, and I can see what he means. Meanwhile, Joe Tippmann is an effin’ brick ****house who looks like he’s ready to throw down with the big boys immediately. Brock raves about Tippmann’s locker room presence, and thinks the guy has the bend necessary to sort out the pad level issue soon enough. Longer players take longer, and if they can mitigate their initial pad level disadvantage, they have an undeniable leverage advantage (see: the formula for torque).
—
“if they take Richardson with Stroud available I’ll lose my mind”
But what if the Seahawks know more about these prospects than you. Could that be possible?
Thanks for the great explanation. I was always skeptical of that idea as well. For one thing, it doesn’t make sense to trade tangible assets now for financial assets 5 years into the future. I doubt most front offices will even be intact in 5 years, and I really don’t think they plan that far into the future. Secondly, as you said, the 5th year option for QBs is going to be over $30M, maybe quite a bit more as guys like Burrow and Herbert command monster extensions. That hardly seems worth the risk. They may actually be better off NOT having the 5th year option because it gives them an extra year of evaluation without the looming pressure of the decision deadline. And besides, even if he turns out great and they want to extend him after his 4th year, the first year cap hit on his new deal would almost certainly be substantially lower than that 5th year option.
Great stuff!
If they are going back to 4-3 ish….does will macdonald still make us much sense? I’ve heard/read that Ade ade actually projects better ( for him not vs. Macdonald) moving inside than he did in college.
Similar in size to Chris Clemons, he would be a LEO.
Not for nothing but Clemons, nwossu, mafe are about the same size.
Love macdonald as a pure pass rusher but he’s listed 239lbs.
The leo doesn’t have to be big if they go back to that scheme (the guy on the other side would be bigger). MacDonald may never be an every down end, but as a pass rush specialist I think he’ll be fine. Bryan Burns has been fine in Carolina’s 4-3 at a similar size.
Agreed. I think it would diminish his value as an every-down player, but he could absolutely still be an effective situational pass rusher. Could he also add 5 or so pounds to his lanky frame? That would put him right into Bruce Irvin’s weight range.
Appreciate the dialog.
1. I absolutely think Macdonald is a seahawk. For myriad reasons.
2. I’ve seen, Irvin, clemons, burns comps. The concern I have when folks are like “it’ll be fine.” Irvin played around 60% of snaps, Clemons was around 80% of snaps. And Burns around 75+% of snaps after his rookie deal.
So do we think Nwosu can be the actual LEO? Because the pass rushing end like Irvin I think is entirely possible.
Again I really like Macdonald. But I’m not quite seeing the 3 plus down player that two out of those three listed are.
Love it! Qb of the future, gamewrecker, and two lunch pail types. Feels BPA. Eagles draft could be monstrous. How stellar is that haul??
Sherman is a great interviewer- and man Geno is awesome. I wonder how getting the him and team in the building the week of the draft shifts the mood? I can see Pete getting excited about this year’s team.
Also- gonna continue to beat the drum for Zay Flowers. Geno’s thrown to him, knows him, and I gotta think he pushed for him. Draft special traits.
Would love to see how the defense shifts, in the early Pete years we had three safety sets with Milloy still in the 4-3 under. Worried we’re gonna caught changing suits two years in a row, pick a lane and stick with it.
Only a haul of JC works out, and that’sa coin flip
I would love this draft. I think trade down at 20 seems like a great option to get a other pick in a key area of the draft. Makes a ton of sense, if doable.
Concerning Sherman’s rumor, it’s hard to put too much stock into it before we get confirmation, but it might explain why our only nose tackle on the roster is…who again? Exactly.
Curious, if Downs or Mingo were there, would you take either one over Tippmann? Ade vs McDonald is another tough call, can’t fault either choice.
Like your thinking on W Anderson being 1A and Anthony Richardson being 1B.
If they do get the opportunity to draft WIll Anderson at 5…does that force Seattle into making sure they select Hendon Hooker with their second pick? To not come out of this draft with a QOTF would be devastating, as you noted a few articles ago.
To have DTR or Jake Haener be your future would be so disappointing. I’d prefer they pass on Anderson and take Levis/Stroud if they don’t think they can get Hooker at a position they want.
I think they’d take John Michael Schmitz
While it would be smart to draft a QB, the Geno contract means they don’t have to force one. Unless they love Hooker, they might as well wait and see what next years class looks like at that point.
And we have a fairly QB friendly system, it wouldn’t be the end of the world
Do we know that?
All I know is Wilson was a great qb for his time and Geno had a ton of years and perseverance plus time in the system to work on his craft.
Matt, Charlie, tjax were all just guys when they played here.
I don’t know about this example. First we are talking about the current regime, Matt didn’t really play for them, tjax didn’t play badly the year he did play for us, he just got hammered as we had one of the worst olines in the league, and they clearly had a preference for clipboard and traded for him. cbj didn’t get a chance as wilson won the job in preseason.
I would say, while our ability to work to our players strengths worked on defense when we had Bradley and Quinn, that obviously hasn’t been the case since then, however Pete did do a good job bringing in people to work to wilsons strengths and forcing a style of play that played to those strengths. While wilson didn’t believe this was the case (ie thinking he could be a Tom Brady) that clearly didn’t play out in Denver, and then conversely, we had a perennial backup go to the pro bowl.. so I would say, that there is absolutely evidence that if nothing else, this staff is well trained to maximize a QB’s strengths.
I just have to see a bit more evidence.
Take Geno. Killed it last year. Maybe they did play to his strengths. They also had a better line, a better running back, and better TE’s than they had in previous years.
I think Seattle has been pretty good at maximizing players all over. They haven’t always made the best choices at players but even as a less enthusiastic Pete fan I admire that the team remains competitive.
True, I guess when I look at our historical use of TE’s (and Jamal) that is where I get the impression we struggle playing them to their strengths.. but that also comes down to just picking players that fit your scheme vs assuming that a great player that is being used differently than how you will use them, will fit into it…
John Schmitz’s age and athleticism suggest a prospect who is near his ceiling, which makes it hard for me to envision him as a worthy first rounder. Am I misreading his physical profile? Is his combination of mental acumen and technical refinement enough to compensate? I’ll find out soon enough if the Hawks nab him in the first, because I believe John Schneider when he says dearth at a position won’t lure him into reaching again.
If the Seahawks select Hendon Hooker in anything before Round 3, I’ll puke.
Another great mock. Couple players I would’ve preferred but why nitpick.
Weird how Stroud went from 1a or 1b to the last QB. Seems there’s some shennanigans of some kind going on here. Draft pundits/youtube evaluators would never get something like this wrong! Somehow we have separate speculation from things that actually being leaked from teams, if that’s even possible. It is smokescreen week.
Stroud vs Richardson is such a tough call. I agree though they must absolutely going to love his freakish upside, and being able to sit for a year, or even two, is such a good fit.
I truly don’t know whether to put any stock in the last two weeks. I think the media is probably getting taken for a ride.
The CJ Stroud stuff is frickin’ weird. Almost feels like Texans are leaking damning information as an excuse to the public for not taking him. Totally unnecessary. It’s also possible Stroud pissed off the Texans (perhaps because he doesn’t want to go there) and now they’re leaking all kinds of things to excuse not taking him.
Pure mindless speculation on my part, though.
Remember who Stroud shares an agent with…
I don’t know why, they got a great deal out of it, it’s the Browns who should be pissed if Mr Guarantee doesn’t work out. But I guess this effecting them so hard emotionally is why they continue to be a bottom of the league franchise.
And I wouldn’t blame Stroud for not wanting to go there. I wonder if we’re seeing the first effects of the NIL stuff? Pretty sure he’s already a millionaire.
That I can see.
No GM wants to deal with that agent in 4 years for contract negotiations. It would be like a prospect being represented by Mark Rodgers and Seattle is on the clock. They wouldn’t waste a second, passing on that prospect, no matter how good he was.
Stroud’s agent, Watson’s agent… once rang me to complain about an article I’d written saying Earl Thomas was making a mistake holding out.
True story.
Incredible story!
Wow and yikes. Apparently he is also Digg’s agent. So at least there’s not bad blood with our office…yet.
Wow
Not that I don’t believe you because I do but that is in believable lol
If they’re shifting back to the 4-3, I’m a little confused on their FA signings them. Isn’t Dre’Mont Jones more a of a 3-4 DE? I guess he could be a 3 tech DT…
Reed is scheme versatile, so he’ll be fine. But you also drafted Mafe and have Uwosu in the back end, who are more your typical 3-4 LB, and the top 30 edge rushers are all 3-4 OLB’s. To suddenly shift back to it seems…odd.
Perhaps they are marrying the two schemes to some degree?
I can’t pretend to understand how their different alignments fit together.
Dre Jones said he’s best at 3T and 5T. Honestly Seattle played a variety of techniques in the past. I think Red played plenty of 4/5/6.
Also, didn’t Dre stell a Denver radio station that he was told he would play plenty of 3T in Seattle? I can’t find that now.
This would be a home run for the Hawks. They help the pass rush, the DL, and the OL in addition to getting the high ceiling QB for the future. They can address WR, RB, and DB in rounds 3-7. IMO they also need to consider IOL depth on day 3,
Never mind. Auto correct outsmarted me.
Thinking on it and more while at risk of putting cart fully in front of the horse (along with making an assumption that the scheme is referring to the front 7, and not a backend scheme).
Leo: Mafe, Taylor, Tyreke Smith
0 tech: Jarran Reed (or be at 3 tech?), Mone
3 tech: Dremont Jones
Strong side DE: (help?), Alton, Jones on running downs?
MLB: Bobby
SLB: Nwosu
WLB: Bush
Personnel would be shifting a lot based on down and distance.
I would expect Poona to be back if money can be found.
I’m skeptical of seeing this return honestly. I’ve felt moving on from Taylor if they get Anderson or McDonald is obvious to fully shift. But this draft has plenty of great 4-3 players. Wilson, Kancey goes from a crappy looking draft (in my opinion) to a great looking one.
I think Nwosu would be your Leo and Mafe your SAM.
My best guess:
LEO: Uchenna Nwosu / Will Anderson
1 Tech: Jarran Reed / Myles Adams
3 Tech: Dre’Mont Jones / Zacch Pickens
DE (5T): Darrell Taylor / Alton Robinson
SLB: Boye Mafe / Tyreke Smith
MLB: Bobby Wagner
WLB: Devin Bush
Nwosu is kind of the ideal Leo for Pete’s system to be honest. Will Anderson is a good fit there as well and can rotate in especially on the other side on passing downs. Dre’Mont or Pickens can rotate to DE on short yardage situations, similar to Mike Bennett.
Mafe and Tyreke Smith I believe have the most experience and skill sets suited to playing LB (other than Nwosu but I think they keep him at Leo). Could use another LB in the draft for sure.
I think Taylor is looking like an odd man out in this defense though. Someone with better run stopping skills might be better in that spot. Can’t let Taylor go out and just rush the passer on the strong side, but I don’t see how he’d take Leo from Nwosu or Will Anderson.
DE : Dre’Mont Jones , Ade Adebawore
NT : Jaquelin Roy , Bryan Mone
DT : Jarran Reed , Myles Adams
LEO : Darrell Taylor , Boye Mafe
SAM : Uchenna Nwosu , Will McDonald
MIKE : Bobby Wagner , Jordyn Brooks
WILL : Devin Bush , Vi Jones
If you could crack the code on getting macdonald and Ade ade out of this draft that would be quite the thing.
I hear it often about moving on from Taylor. I am just not sure how folks are so ready to do this when there is no way you can expect a rookie to come up with 9.5 sacks to replace his production.
I realize sacks aren’t everything. But that is what defenders get paid for, and they get paid dearly. Having Taylor on a cheap contract is money in the bank.
Just to be clear I know Anderson is the fave edge.
But let’s say they are (going back to 3-4 with 4-3 personnel?) as rumored, what is your personal order after him between (and exclusively) Murphy, Van Ness, McDonald, Smith and Ade?
My 5 most under rated players in the draft. Would love to see any of them in a Hawks uniform.
#1 Zach Pickens- Rob picked him in this mock but I rarely see anyone mock him in the top two rounds. Both he and Keanu Benton are rare 3 down DTs in this draft. Pickens is even more athletic than Benton and I think will be an above average run defender with pass rush upside.
#2 Anthony Bradford- Big powerful Guard who was more athletic than expected. He will be a day 1 starter at Guard for someone. Would love to see the Hawks take him early on day 3 to come in and compete with Phil Haynes.
#3 Dorian Williams – Rob has talked about this guy already but he is fast, aggressive and a sure tackler. Would be a great guy to bring in an learn behind Bobby. He is one of my favorite defensive players in the draft for the Hawks because I think he can be a 3 down LB.
#4 Jayden Reed- when I watched him at the Senior Bowl I was amazed with his footwork and ability to get open quickly. He has terrible QB play at Michigan St but still had 2000 yds and 18 TDs. So he had production. At the combine he tested well with a 4.45 40 and decent explosive numbers. He would be a steal at any point on Day 3 and great WR 3 option for the Hawks.
#5 Roschon Johnson – When you play behind the best RB prospect in years you tend to not get much attention. That was the case for Johnson who was a highly regarded high school prospect. Has good size and tested well. Also has very little wear and tear on the body for an RB and when he got the ball he produced. Would be a great compliment to Walker.
Great list. I concur and would like to just throw one more out
possible OC worst case G like Haynes: Jordan McFadden Clemson
Agreed I think McFadden is going to be a 10yr starter at Guard for someone.
I love Jayden Reed, Trevor.
Either Charlie Jones or Jayden Reed for me would be excellent value — especially if we can get them in that 100-120 range.
Big fan of Jones as well.
Huge Roschon Johnson fan. They need a guy like him or Rodriguez to get the dirty yards (Walker can hit the home runs). Good guy blocking on 3rd downs, doesn’t fumble, runs right at you.
Love this list!
I’d also add Jalen Cropper to the WR board as a day 2/3 pickup. The dude catches everything, has good speed and has played in a pro-style offense for years.
Great callout on the defensive scheme stuff. If they are going back to a 4:3, then WILL and SAM become a much greater need. Wagner is only here for a final goodbye, Brooks is hurt and in a contract year (although Seattle probably picks up his 5th year option), and the cupboard is bare behind those two. Daiyan Henley out of Wazzu would have to be a consideration with one of the 3rd round picks, or perhaps even earlier.
What if…
Raiders want Richardson badly enough to give us #70 this year + next years 3rd round pick?
Would we take Stroud and the extra picks? I would.
I wouldn’t.
Detroit could be major beneficiaries of that trade.
Are you asking if I’d pass on a qbotf for 2 extra picks? I think you know the answer. There’s no guarantee the lions pass on Stroud(or don’t trade out).
Lions need a WR after a couple of theirs just go suspended.
If Anderson and Carter are both available at 5, Why don’t we trade the 20 and both 2nd rounders to Detroit for #6 and get both of them. It would be like adding Avril and Bennett in the Super bowl years…
Carter is no way a Michael Bennett type. Bennett was an UDFA, worked his ass off to become the player he was.
Carter has questions about motivation and work ethic, and some of the bigger media names are staring to say they are hearing Carter won’t be someone the Seahawks will be taking.
I can’t wait for the draft! Don’t the Hawks have the 37th pick not the 38th?
I’ve seen it both ways. It depends on whether you give a number to Miami’s forfeited pick. They pick the 37th player in the draft though (38 if you put forfeited next to Miami’s pick).
Apparently AR15 excelled in his S2 test.
https://sportsnaut.com/anthony-richardson-nfl-draft-intangibles/
Young, Levis, Stroud and Haener all did
FYI — I think Haener will be a Texan
how does the tape on Stroud look so impressive as it relates to processing speed/reads etc and apparently less than stellar test? Maybe tests aren’t his thing like Marino?
Well let’s be right — he didn’t make any reads at Ohio State
He got them from the sideline
What he showed on tape was outstanding touch on throws downfield
I can see Heaner getting drafted by us late on, his football IQ is off the charts even if he is lacking a bit physically.
He doesn’t fit what John or Pete go for
I can actually see this, too. Super-high football IQ, excellent command of a pro-style offense with a shown ability to go through multiple reads and progressions, quick release, amazing accuracy. He also is an unquestioned leader and has shown grit and determination along with the ability to will his team to victory.
Let’s not forget that Haener led the Bulldogs to 8 consecutive victories after returning from a high ankle sprain about two weeks earlier than expected. The first game of his return, he led the team to two touchdowns in the last 70 seconds to beat San Diego State on their field. And who can forget his performance against UCLA …. bruised, battered, barely standing yet standing in the pocket and delivering perfect passes to seal the shootout victory?
I thought Haener looked horrible in the throwing portion of the combine. His accuracy was all over the place compared to the show put on by the top guys.
Please stop calling him AR15. Even he does not want to be called that.
I hope he changes numbers in the pros. Would love to see him wearing a single digit. Maybe “1” or “5”.
Players can be superstitious, so we shall see.
Or the first seahawk to wear a 0
If we draft Richardson and he wears 0 I am buying that jersey SO fast
nailed the 4 picks Rob, and what do you expect they fetch for the move back 8 spots? 3rd?
Yep, a third
Delete above post. Ate my pudding before the meat – how can you eat your pudding before you eat your meat??
Hey don’t sweat it, all in all you’re just another brick in the wall
Well played.
Very
Nice.
Rob excellent work as always, I have followed your blog for a decade it is truly amazing this is a free access blog. If we have a draft like this projection and move on from the Fangio or whatever the hell defensive “scheme” we did last year that is a good start. Listened to cigar thoughts mock draft today you were marvelous.
And I appreciate you sticking with it for a decade.
15 years this year since the blog began. I remember the day I started it, on a whim, to practise writing as I began my journalism career.
Never thought I’d still be doing it, let alone doing it as basically a second job
Rob it’s been one of your finest scouting jobs of all time this offseason. You were on to Levis and Richardson as legit top 5 picks before anyone. You were also first on some now-trendy risers like Jonathan Mingo and Ade Ade. I suspect a “SHOCKING!!11!” Jalen Carter slide past the Hawks will be your cherry on top of your offseason scout.
Congrats mate.
That’s because people are starving for well thought out, no bullshit commentary.
Where you are right or wrong there is good reasoning behind your words, so
Thank you for not just regurgitating the same thoughtless crap that is coming from other sites just trying to produce clicks
Thank you 👍🏻
From Bob Condotta:
Seahawks GM John Schneider with an interesting comment on what he’s learned during his drafts with Seahawks on @WymanAndBob. Says “in general, we do a much better job when we just pick the best player” rather than trying to address specific need.
And it’s shown!
When i read that, I did the Praise the Sun pose. Just hearing that makes this draft a lot more exciting, and bolsters my confidence that the Hawks will end up with an amazing haul of players.
So good to hear/read
And if you just think of the classic “need” picks they made, it really adds up:
Malik McDowell
LJ Collier
Ethan Pocic
All guys who went way ahead of their projection cause the hawks felt forced.
Justin britt paul richardson dee eskridge rashaad penny jordyn brooks marquise blair
Michael Lombardi said Bijan Robinson will go in the top-10
Who’s had that in every mock…?
Never made any sense. I hope you’re right and Atlanta takes him, because Bijan with Hurts would be absolutely devastating. And if they take Bijan, how far does Carter fall?
And a follow up question might be, how much does Gibbs rise?
Wow! Rumors that they’re going back to a 4-3. Last month it was the 3 Safety look. Is that a 4-2-5 or a 3-3-5? After the season it was their personnel couldn’t match the 49ers; now it’s scheme. Sounds like Carroll is searching for answers. Ridiculous. March of 2024 is the date that the team can be sold without the 10% of the purchase price going to the city. New owners will be evaluating everything.
Better get this draft right, boys.
By the way…
Give me Stroud or Richardson
Either is cool for me
💯
If Hawks truly want Richardson, and if you look at all the teams in top15: only Falcons and Titans would be the only teams that could be interested, then why not drop down to say 7 or 10 to pick up additional picks in front of either those teams? ATL already has their own project in Ridder and TEN has enough holes that picking Richardson could be a luxury for them (DHenry contract, OLine issues, WR’s problems). It seems like Richardson floor could be lower than we expect so why not capitalize and trade down to select him? His draft floor could be NE??
If they are really big on AR, why gamble on losing him? It makes no sense to pick up a mother day 2 pick if it means you might lose your guy. And who’s to say another team won’t just jump ahead of Seattle before he falls to them?
Getting greedy and cute gets you stuck with players like Collier.
First of all, who would trade up and for who? Probably someone wanting a quarterback… Second, Tannehill has one year left on his contract in TEN and Willis is pretty bad. Ridder is a 3rd round pick, but maybe they might think they got something there, but not a sure thing and easy to move on from. Detroit could also go QB (is anybody really sold on Goff?). Raiders have also looked into all the QBs (is anybody really sold on Garoppolo?). Third, another team could trade a pick above us and take Richardson.
You’d have to be pretty damn sure of yourself. LJ Collier type sure of yourself, oh wait.
The absolute last thing I want them to do is to get cute and miss out. Just take the player.
If it’s Richardson I’m doing backflips. If it’s Stroud or Levis I’m doing excited. If it’s Wilson or Carter I’m intrigued but nervous (for different reasons). Anybody else is a disappointment, but I will try to keep an open mind.
A week ago, I would have said Stroud for his incredible accuracy. Now I would say AR for his apparently outstanding S2. But yes, who would have ever thought we could possibly have a choice between these two. Champagne problems.
Start your countdowns, exactly one week till draft day!!!!
Huge thanks to you Rob (and contributors), appreciate it!!!
Incredible audios, articles and comments!!!
It is Geno Smith days until the draft.
I can’t wait till it’s Warren Moon days till the draft.
I want Jim Otto days.
I want Jim Otto minus Russell Wilson days so I can go over our new haul!!!!
This would be a slam fucking dunk of a first 4 picks. From your spreadsheet to God’s ear, Rob.
If they got this exact draft I’d be flying like I was when they drafted Wilson.
Give me the beef on the line. The explosion of Macdonald. And the other worldly potential if Richardson.
Agreed, my man. Then pray Mingo falls to the third or a spot where we can trade up and grab him.
Too bad like Joe strummer said below apparently the league now reads the site.
Why pray? If they love the guy so much then just draft him!
Also, not a fan of their second round picks, but if Detroit takes Withersppon and Kancey, their games are going to be must-see-TV in this house. They would be building one sick ass defense there in that miserable city. God luv ’em.
Would be the start of a great draft for them. Also…look at Philly’s picks
Sickening.
Detroit is a fun team and if they add those two guys…
Also Philly getting Carter (there is no team where I think he has a higher likelihood of success), Ade Ade and Julius Brents seems kind of unfair.
Interesting to see JL Skinner not listed in the first two rounds. IIRC, he couldn’t work out for teams due to injury, and as much as I love his game, though he has felt like the type of player who would be a luxury pick for the Hawks. I have seen some sites and mocks moving Skinner down on the boards. Is this solely due to his inability to work out, or are there other issues there that I am not aware of?
Well, the injury is a major downgrade because you can’t count on him seeing much action next year. That, and there were already concerns that his headhunting style would make him a flag magnet in the modern NFL.
The latter concern I think is overblown – he survived CFB with their targeting rules just fine. I think those are eventually coming to the NFL as well. If we can get him on a discount, spend his redshirt year teaching him how to Hawk-tackle like our classic bellringers and I think he could be a fantastic Seahawk.
His injury was a torn pec so it will not only mean missing the combine/pro-day but some of the offseason as well. Some teams wonder if he is fast enough and no official 40 time might put them off. Rob liked him a bit better than the national media (so do I) but he is probably a 3rd-rounder or a Day 3 steal. Good safety depth in this draft also works against him getting drafted early. But, he is on my “want” list. He is a big-bodied big hitter. Would be a special teams stud in 2023 and positioned to move into a starting spot in 2024 if one opens up.
Remember when we got Kam and Sherman on Day 3 in back-to-back drafts…? Fingers crossed that history repeats with Tariq and JL.
“Remember when we got Kam and Sherman on Day 3 in back-to-back drafts…? Fingers crossed that history repeats with Tariq and JL.”
Yes sir – that would be amazing to repeat that coup.
I’m really interested to see where Skinner goes. If he falls far, it’s got to be about the injury. It’s not like teams are downgrading WItherspoon for viciously knocking people out of their cleats, so why would it be a knock on Skinner? I’d love it if he ended up a Seahawk.
Julius brents
…is a very good player and will be gone before Skinner. Possibly to Seattle.
https://dailysnark.com/2023/04/20/report-houston-texans-wont-draft-c-j-stroud-because-of-his-relationship-with-deshaun-watson/?
Well, there’s no question they hate his agent. The question is, do they hate him enough to take a lesser player?
Jesus. Philly adds Carter, Ade and Brents? That’s not fair
I’m gutted missing out on Mingo. Too bad the rest of the league is now reading SDB.
Seeing Benton not picked made me feel the same way. The guy is just a rock solid beast on the DLine.
I would go to bed smiling at the end of Day One with this draft and I love the start to Day Two and adding another 3rd. This is the start of an A+ draft.
I have to say, Rob, that you have completely blown away all my expectations this year.
So many articles outlining a consistent approach to investment in the future by going BPA. The detail to prospect scouting has been amazing and is going to make this draft nothing short of pure enjoyment.
The one thing you have done for me this year is put me at ease when it comes to guesswork. There are so many prospects you’ve highlighted who can make a real difference for this franchise’s future that, as you told Jacson, it would be really hard for them to screw up this draft. They have so many picks in just the right places to get the proper players they need to continue building this team into something special.
Thanks for all the hard work, and a HUGE thanks to your wife, kids and pets for putting up with your “hobby”.
Thank you Roy, messages like this mean a lot. I really appreciate that 👍
For me I look at the positions. If its Richardson or Stroud Im good. If its Tippman, Schmitz or Wypler Im good. Love coming out of those 4 picks with a QB, Edge, DLineman and a Center.
That being said I still think we will see them draft a TE between 20-52. They need to probably gain $10-$13m in cap space. If they dont want to do full restructures they dont have many options and trading Fant can get you almost $7m but you need to replace him.
I’m neither pro nor con Fant.
I am definitely down on the idea that we have to draft a TE because in order to fill a roster it looks like we’ll most likely send Fant away for almost nothing.
What team gives us anything but a 6th rounder for a guy they know we have to cut and they’ll have to pay 6.5 million for a one year rental?
Nice article on Richardson’s journey
https://www.sbnation.com/2023/4/19/23678678/anthony-richardson-nfl-draft-story-feature-florida-recruiting?_gl=1*c9355s*
Hey what’s that….Richardson has tried to learn to play qb with a Neverending carousel of coaches?
Wonder what happens when you get him in a system with consistency.
I was on VSiN again today — if you missed it please check it out, the more views the more likely I’ll be invited back on…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QkP4DTE_7M
Roger that.
And if you’re on Twitter and can RT this it’d be much appreciated:
https://twitter.com/VSiNLive/status/1649221411716882432
Done.
I just finished watching the interview.
Perfect. Quick, concise and confidence in every answer.
Those guys love you. An ideal guest for them.
Thanks Roy 👏
This is going to be a fun week.
Rob, you don’t need us to watch, you are making those boys money on their prop bets! Great segment
Seriously, you’re a great interview. Quick, clear, and you’re knowledge of the players is Bryce Young level off the charts.
Thanks Geoff
As long as a qb is drafted at 5, this draft is a solid B regardless of what happens after. If not then B is the ceiling. I’m worried about the Tony Rich Project being there at 5 and they pass anyway.
Rob, if McDonald is picked would he be just a rush specialist. I read where he is very poor at run defense. Must consider the move back to the 4-3 possibility.
I think he can Brian Burns
The problem with this website is I have to constantly check in so I don’t miss anything and I want to get to know players. So, then I watch the draft and get frustrated seeing all these guys that I’ve developed a man crush on (no jokes, please) getting picked by someone else. This is exactly why I would be a bad GM…I would be willing to trade players I don’t like just to have more and more picks.
emotional investment learning about players is part of the fun
cant draft em all but i can relate with your pain
at the same time when the Seahawks draft players this blog has educated us on… it feels like we stuck gold and have inside information because of the hard work Rob put in
i still love last years Abe Lucas and K9 Ken Walker picks
i love this blog and for me the treasures are not just first rounds its those hidden gems that hit in later rounds
@Rob is there any scenario where you would consider making a small trade up from 20 into the 15 range to grab a player? I think I would definitely do it for a player like Skoronski – if he truly profiles as an All Pro guard.
Curious if anyone else might have a player they would consider trading up from 20 for?
Sure, if the right player was in range
Which player would you consider doing that for?
If Jalen Carter is there at 12-19, I’d consider it. Not before.
Great article Rob, thank you as always! Quick question: throughout your articles i got the impression that your 2 preferred centers for the Seahwaks were JMS and Wypler. Tippman was indeed discussed, but i got the impression he was second tier. What made you in this draft go Tippman over Wypler, the mentioned workout with the Seahawks or some other rumours?
I believe he said height is why he’d written him off, as the Rams never had someone that tall. He’s back in the mix because he’s being worked out by the Hawks.
Yeah the fact Hutch worked him out
If Jack Campbell actually fell to 3rd round I would jump to the podium.
Brock did his focus on Jack Campbell today. I was shocked to hear he tested as very quick and twitchy. Quick short bursts. Watching him on film he looks lumbering. If he is fast and instinctual, he’d be a good Mike.
He wasn’t ‘that’ quick either
People overreacting to his shuttle time which is good but not elite or anything
This mock is really looking like it is coming together, feels very realistic.
Rob has always been a great read for players that are lesser known that become risers.
Really confused about the scheme stuff, since Hurtt is still there….
Loved seeing Zacch Pickens here. He is on my list of players that I would r be surprised to see sneak into the first round.
McDonald is another one. So is Tippmann. Yikes. Will be an exciting draft.
Immense work Rob. Would feel like another absolutely rock solid draft, good players at important positions. I said I’d take Stroud over Richardson yesterday, but think I’m back the other way now. Why not swing for greatness?
The one player I really have no interest in is Tyree Wilson. Just does nothing for me.
I’ll be happy whomever Schneider takes at QB, that’s left on the board. He knows more than me.
On the scheme change, part of it might be why they let Desai head to Philly. Clint Hurtt has more years in the Carroll Scheme than the Fangio scheme.
Also, IIRC didn’t Carroll once say he played a 4-3 scheme using 3-4 players?
Will McDonald and Daryl Taylor profile as the perfect LEOs.
They ran a 4-3 hybrid under Dan Quinn, which was a 4 man front using some 3-4 gapping concepts. They had the right personnel for it then with Bruce Irvin and Michael Bennett, and a very good Cover-3 secondary.
I’m not really sure how a switch back impacts the current roster and what prospects they would target in the draft. But I think it definitely makes a player like Calijah Kancey make a lot more sense for Seattle.
As much as I think changing schemes after a single season is dangerous ground, the Fangio 3-4 has been a flop. As Rob and others have pointed out, no one but Fangio has really had success with it, so I’m all for trying something that works.
If they pass on Stroud for Richardson I’ll need about a month to compose myself. Like Bill Walsh said, you need a guy that can throw a catchable ball, and Stroud is waaaay more accurate than Richardson. Point gaurds need to be able to sustain drives by consistently delivering the ball in situational play. I get that he is a very raw project, but why pass on CJ for someone with a sub-54% completion rate and 17/9 td/int? If Stroud, Levis & Anderson are gone I get it, roll the dice and see if you can’t beat the odds and cash in on huge upside. I just hope that isn’t the play.
If we can come away with Nolan Smith or Will McDonald, I will be very stoked on how that pick went. I really would like to see RBs kind of trickle off the board like this as well so that Seattle can address other areas first and still grab some talent for the backfield.
Completion percentage doesn’t tell the whole story, if you have the time plus are okay spending a bit (31 CAD) I recommend buying the RSP by matt Waldman. He gives an incredibly in depth scouting report on the skill positions in the draft and has Richardson as his QB1. He lays out his reasoning and it’s pretty compelling. He has a good track record too, nailing Mahomes and Lamar and Russ as well as Zach Wilson and Drew Lock.
I’m no expert but listening to draft people I think AR isn’t bad so much as just inexperienced. It sounds like he’s already doing pro level stuff and has good pocket feel etc, just inconsistently.
As for Stroud he’s a good thrower but aside from one game he’s a Stone Age pony in the pocket, he’s never had to make reads thanks to the system, and he’s been throwing to a bunch of first round lock receivers. I think he had one really good game vs Georgia now everyone forgot everything else. To me it’s like only watching Gabe Dave’s 4td game vs the Chiefs and declaring he’s a top 3 receiver in the league.
I’d take Richardson over any of the others every day. Stroud to me is just younger and uninjured Hendon Hooker who had better receivers.
This. We have yet to see an OSU QB make a successful jump to the NFL from Ryan Day’s system. It is also easy to throw a catchable ball when you are throwing to wide open WR’s who are top 10 draft picks.
I actually like Levi’s best, followed by AR. He may not have the same level of experience but he will be successful if only running the ball a number of times. He is faster than any QB not named Michael Vick, but has 30 lbs on Vick. Put him into a run based system under PC with a huge fast target in DK, and I think he would be successful. Stroud just concerns me a lot. He struggled playing an okay ND defense this year, looking bumfuzzled despite having exceptional talent at WR. He will struggle making the transition to the NFL.
Zero chance Pete puts a future franchise QB into a run-based system. If you remember the way he scoffed at what Riverboat Ron was doing with Cam that would provide you all you need to know about his thoughts on that.
Besides, why in Earth would you draft AR to be a run-based QB? If you draft him, you are banking on your ability to make a big projection and then put in a ton of work to develop him into an game altering WCO QB.
There’s no way they DONT incorporated Richardson’s legs into the offense. It completely shifts the numbers into the offenses favor. Defenses will have to account for him. Even if it’s only 3 times a game….it matters.
There is a big difference between “run-based offense” and “DONT incorporate Richardson’s legs”.
Zone read and QB draw are absolutely be part of the playbook currently. But, having a offensive foundation be QB runs (power or zone) is no way to treat the franchise player, and Pete knows that.
JOE BURROW
I would question that “pro level/pocket feel” talk. Dude lived in shotgun and pistol formations and on the rare he actually had to take snaps under center he has a galloping, clumsy drop. Maybe he has dramatically improved in practice over the past 4 months, but that hasn’t been with bullets flying against NFL defenses. Contrast that with how Stroud in the OSU system that asked him to function out of shotgun as well. He showed excellent footwork that helped him maintain a good platform and move around in the pocket well. This lead to accurate throws based on decisive reads. Sure, CJ had all world talent at WR to deliver the ball to, and he distributed it an outstanding clip just like a Pete Carroll point guard would be asked to do. The 69% comp, 89/12 td/int are fantastic but also look at how he was placing the ball to those top tier WRs. CJ is much more than just 1 game he had a crazy good 2 year career that nearly lead his team to a Natty.
He had one game that put him at this level. Beforehand he looked like any other quarterback in that system. That one game is all everyone wanted to see, but it’s just that one game.
Richardson does have the best pocket feel between the two. This has been said ad nauseum but you have to actually watch his tape. He did it all himself, Stroud had the best personnel around him.
They are different. One is still raw, one is closer. Both still have a lot of work. One made big improvements from the start of the season to the end, the other had one game that was perfect. At this point, we are lucky to get either. One week left.
“You actually have to watch the tape” is such an interesting phrase, because GMs, scouts, coaching staffs, pundits and message board commenters all watch tape (to one degree or another) and come up with different opinions on it.
I prefer Stroud for sure, but as you said, we will be lucky to have a shot at either of these two.
The Seahawks played 60% of plays under shotgun. And 4/5 of their pass attempts came of shotgun. I don’t think AR playing mostly under shotgun is that big of deal nowadays.
Not being effective at taking snaps under center is a huge deal in a pro system. It significantly limits the run game, and by effect creates major issues in the play action game that the Seahawks system looks to exploit. Both of these prospects will have to put in major work at becoming proficient under center, but from all appearances CJ looks to have a big lead in footwork.
Thanks for all your work Rob. You have made me so much more knowledgeable in regards to the draft and each year’s prospects.
Well said, Big Mike. Echoed by me.
Thanks man
A good Florio/Simms discussion on Stroud rumors, especially the end:
https://youtu.be/i23_7mas-W0
Good stuff Rob! You are going Beast Mode on the draft coverage. Interesting Schneider interview here from today I think, where he mentions that QB is his fave position to scout/evaluate: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ouGUZir68Zs
“Value, thank you for bringing that up”….meaning I assume that the 5th pick carry’s more weight to it and the value taking a guard vs QB that high. Prime high pick positions in order QB, LT, DE, CB, DT etc etc….it’s serendipitous that last years 1st round pick from Denver netted the LT. Was no better option given the board. Now looking at 5 with a draft class that some were saying could have been 1-4 QB’s….now that’s shifting for Seattle’s favour.
Thank you 👍🏻
I just cannot get behind a Zacch. I see the value in that pick but it’s the dub c that gets me
It is short for Zacchaeus
Luke 19:1-10
Who names their kid after the tax collector of Jericho?
An accountant? 😆
Well played geoff, well played
You think two Z’s is bad?
I was talking to a woman recently, we got on the topic of unique names and she mentioned that a girl in her kid’s class was named Absidee. Unique, I suppose. The kicker was that she spelled it A-B-C-D-E. No kidding, somebody named their kid ABCDE.
I’ll take Zacch all day and twice on draft day.
That is a old Sesame Street song.
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=sesame+street+alphabet+song+big+birg&view=detail&mid=CDE4C27D3B6D95BE327ACDE4C27D3B6D95BE327A&FORM=VIRE
I met a Joez last week(pronounced like Josey. Joe-z).
I feel like there’s a Key & Peele sketch in here somewhere.
“With the 123rd pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select…Jay Quellin’ Roy, defensive tackle from Louisiana State University. …Where’s Jay Quellin’ at? No Jay Quellin’ here?”
Would be absolutely thrilled by the idea that this mock represents what will happen in the Draft.
This is an excellent haul, and a realistic description of the rationale for each pick. Thanks Rob.
Watching an almost endless coterie of pundits and talking heads —ESPN and NFL dot com especially—offer their Mock Drafts, I’ve come to the realization that they’re either blithering idiots or trying for clicks.
The sheer lack of knowledge is bizarre. Players are mocked to teams with completely inappropriate schemes, needs, and drafting tendencies.
I would love it if these pundits had to enter a draft competition and if they ****ed up, were roundly and soundly made fun of.
They’re just cooking the Big Macs that their customers want.
If Bryce Young had Joe Burrow’s size and they were both in the same draft, who would be considered the better prospect?
Another job. Both the guys you were with seemed very receptive
Although, it is hard to debate sound logic
Really enjoyed the segment with the Cigar Thoughts podcast. Very fun draft idea and interesting takes from both of you.
Great stuff, Rob. Is this your last mock, or do you have a final one coming next week?
Final one next week
I sense there has been some movement on the horizontal board.
Would prefer Stroud over Richardson if given the choice. Great work as always Rob, hope you have a nice vacation planned for after the draft.
I’ve got this to say about Chris Simms saying that he has a hard time seeing Seattle passing on Jalen Carter at #5.
.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=In8fuzj3gck
Well, hes certainly entitled to his “opinion” but Ill take a pass on Jalen Lazyass. QB has more value than even an elite DT prospect.
Chris Simms has said multiple times he doesn’t factor in all the off the field issues/flags. Having said that, he must to some degree or he’d have Jalen Carter as the first defender off the board, so I find that a bit of a cop out.
OMG! Sherman is right! It makes so much sense if they’re switching back to a 4-3.
*Jarran Reed is a 4-3 DT
*Dre’Mont Jones is the other 4-3 DT
*Wagner goes in the middle
*Al Woods was let go (3-4 nose)
*Shelby Harris was cut (3-4 DE)
*Julian Love takes over for Jamal Adams at safety
*Jamal Adams (is cut after the draft or) goes to WILL LB
*Brooks is your SAM
*Taylor 4-3 DE
***Will Anderson is your other DE
*Uchenna Nwosu is a 3-4, so he hasn’t been extended (could he be traded on draft day or cut after the draft?)
If we’re going to a 4-3, all of your starters could already be in place, save for a 4-3 end. …and Will Anderson fits that role perfectly!
You could add Desai leaving as well to the list.
How does Devin Bush fit in?
Plays the WILL instead of Adams – who would be too small to play a season there, assuming he could ever get healthy enough to get on the park.
Thanks, I needed a good laugh this morning
Honestly they should put me in at WLB. I do dumb stuff all the time but bounce back way faster. And they could pay me practice squad money which would be nice and use the savings from a June first cut to maybe pay for 1-2 other d linemen to keep me clean.
“I do dumb stuff all the time but bounce back way faster.”
screen,,, meet coffee.
😀
well done
@rob stanton.
Great podcast on cigar thougts the other day.
Was cheering by myself over your two first picks (Levis @ mayer). Would love that to happened, even though you probably are very correct when mocking him to GB.
A Quick question for Rob and the community, which are the pros and cons for the center prospects: JMS vs Tippmann vs Whypler.
Who are a better fit for Seahawks of JMS are gone, Tippmann or Whypler?
If we miss out on JMS, I’d be happy with either. Wypler seems the better scheme fit, whereas Tippmann comes with greater upside. Considering how Wypler handled Jalen Carter, he’s my preferred option. Where in Sweden do you live?
Gothenburg, and you?
Stockholm
The cons for JMS is he’s older so closer to being maxed out and that there’s talk they’d have to take him very early.
Great mock Rob. I’m a big fan of taking McDonald with our second pick. I’m a bit worried we trade down and someone gets him before us, maybe the Vikings. I wonder if we would get Ade Ade in that case, although they don’t play the same thing.
I know 3 things with this draft:
1, Either we take QBOTF or Carter/Wilson; either we take an RB or TE early or won’t take them at all, it will be really polarising. People will love or hate the decisions
2, Except for those who’ll be in the draft room, no one can know anything for sure. I’m like 95% positive they won’t draft Carter, but still, they might do and always were prepared to do 🤷♂️
3, it can’t come soon enough
Other than that, I hope they draft a QB and I hope they plan to build around him. I’m fine drafting a super fast WR3 #20 to be Lockett’s heir if the QB has rocket arm. I’m fine trading up for Mayer if the QB could be really precise mid-range with him, etc
Agree with most of this, but I’m not sure about the RB/TE. I can see guys like Charbonet, Spears or Zach Evans in the mid-rounds if the value is there. Same story for LaPorta, Kraft & maybe Kuntz.
I don’t think they’d reach for these guys, but if they slide and are BPA…
LaPorta, Kraft & maybe Kuntz are all going in Round 2. BOOK IT!
Thinking outside the box: Do you see Tippman as a Center or a Guard in Seattle’s scheme?
Size & Athleticism-wise, he profiles as a Tackle but all of his experience is at Center. We generally like our Guards to get to that second level rather than our Centers, which is what Tippman excels at.
Just intrigued to see if the Hawks have a different plan for Tippman which may also leave Wypler / Scruggs type centers on our board – even if we select Tippman first?
I’m going to make a sad trombone noise if we select yet another center to not play center.
💯 % this.
Supposedly CJ Stroud scored an 18% on his S2…
Yeah, also wanted to write about that. Going to answer here instead.
Here’s the tweet for anyone wondering: https://twitter.com/ShanePHallam/status/1649377768067457027?s=19
*puts tinfoil hat on*
What if this is an elaborate smokescreen by the Seahawks, who now think they have a chance to get Stroud at 5?
A couple of weeks ago, it was sure as hell that Bryce Young and CJ Stroud would be going 1 and 2 in either order. Now they have a legit shot at getting him without even trading up, if the Texans and the Cardinals go defense. The Colts seem locked on Will Levis anyway.
I also remember the founder of the test doing an interview with pff and he said that all 4 of the top QBs scored really well and that some of the leaked scores are outright false.
Okay enough speculation, but it would make sense if the Hawks or any team behind them leaked it, who knows.
I find this really interesting. It seems like the level of disinformation this year is a real departure from even the usual antics we see this time of year. Everything comes from a source who got it from a source, and unlike this case we never really get verifiable evidence that some is a lie. Wouldn’t it be something if the mocks from Mar end up being more accurate than those from Apr…
If 18th percentile is fact, that would make any GM pause. However if teams were really high on him (420 tribute) and poured over the tape and interviews, I doubt this would change their board. Maybe we were all too high on him to begin with.
Richardson 79th is a great score and if you pair that with his physical 99th percentile he’s still my top hope for 5
But this type of misinformation doesn’t work except in the realm of public opinion, not for the teams. IE, the teams know what his real score is, and if he truly scored that low, it would be a pass for me.
I think he is in the 18th percentile, not necessarily 18% score. If true.
I’m just a guy growing plants and building very easy structures….but if I can see the huge red flags and inherent flaws of S2 I’d like to believe every front office has someone that can as well.
1. They have next to zero data set to be deemed relevant. That’s the biggest problem.
2. They need to run a much wider set with all football players starting at about age 14 and retest every year to see if there own cognition tests can detect growth in processing.
3. By their own literature seemingly all qbs tested, test higher than other positions. So now is this causation or corollary? Which position already even at pee-wee level has to think more play to play.
If this was testing that was used by aircraft pilots over say 3-5 decades to calculate and predict cognition I’d be into it.
I wholeheartedly agree. We truly have no idea how predictive their data is. This whole thing just stinks of a guerrilla marketing scheme to me, conveniently leaking just enough information to start a media frenzy. While I’m sure it would be great to have some kind of tangible data to validate scouting, I’m quite certain that anyone worth their salt at evaluating QB play is already able to discern which players have strong cognitive abilities and which ones don’t. What we don’t know is if that can actually be improved, or if other factors are more important.
S2 was according to them developed to improve cognition. Now it’s used as a cherry picking data set because that’s probably easier to quantify and sell.
The Brock Purdy thing is interesting.
I don’t know I love data and analytics but sometimes I wonder in this arms race I’d there’s a rush to have an outcome and then shove data sets into boxes to make the outcome provable
I enjoy pff. But sometimes it’ll read “out of qualifying players,” but then I’ve seen olinemen with literally a several hundred snap difference in the sane qualifying range.
The S2 CEO stated the leaks aren’t real:
https://twitter.com/Landon3MR/status/1649416137971576836?s=20
https://media0.giphy.com/media/U56VoSyFD8MFcie2k8/200w.gif?cid=82a1493bnsaxyyph44d0ikr5z24y7w08vc73ijb2m35ewxl7&rid=200w.gif&ct=g
https://twitter.com/Landon3MR/status/1649415608067301378
FYI, turns out the leaks are all fabricated.
The source is Bob McGinn so I would take that as gospel.
Disregard my gospel comment. I just saw the twitter quote that the scores are fake.
In one week, one of these 7 will be Seahawk. I can live with this..
Bryce Young
CJ Stroud
Will Levis
Anthony Richardson
Will Anderson
Tyree Wilson
Jalen Carter
JS’ comment about not reaching for need and taking bpa also made me wonder how serious they are about Devon Witherspoon.
Then Bijan should be on the board.
‘I hear they’re going back to the scheme, thank God.’
I don’t doubt that the Seahawks might throw in some more single high safety looks with a 4-3 front, now Sean Desai has gone to the Eagles, but I don’t think any team benefits from being a single scheme outfit anymore. It doesn’t have to be a Vic Fangio scheme to run out a 3-4 front, you only have to watch film on the Eagles and Bengals from last year to recognise that. Teams with the best defense, run multiple schemes during games according to the opposition. Look at the variety of player types the Eagles had on their defensive line last year, from Jordan Davis to Milton Williams, to Hasson Reddick and Javon Hargrave, Ndamukon Suh and Brandon Graham. Different player types allowing multiple options, it makes a positive difference.
To the point with the draft it shouldn’t change much in my view. Having looked at the rosters held by the Eagles and Bengals last year, the teams needs to carry a good number of front 7 players. Players put in to a position to perform at their best, in a rotation according to the defensive needs, it’s proving to be a successful formula. If the value’s there to take a good Nose Tackle or 3-4 defensive end in the draft it should still be done.
Excited for the draft, counter intuitively, I’m quite looking forward to it being over.
You make a very good point. Having fluid schemes to maximize your personnel fits and counter your opponent’s strengths seems like a winning approach. Maybe that’s the new NFL, but I wonder how easily your players can handle so many changes in responsibilities throughout a game. Seems like you’d run a high risk of confusion and missed assignments.
I’m no expert in this area, admittedly. Watching the Eagles last season, I thought the sheer depth of talent in thier rotation was why they were so succesful and never really considerd how having so many different scheme options could have been the real key.
A pure 3-4 was hardly ever that different from the Carroll 4-3 anyway, at least in terms of personnel. We used to run out Red Bryant (326), Brandon Mebane (311), and Alan Branch (350) on the d-line with Clemons as LEO and Irvin typically on the LOS as a SLB. That’s a heck of a lot more beef than we have up front now with our “3-4” defense. Besides, we can’t completely return to that scheme if 1) they’re planning to play more 3-safety looks and 2) no offense to anyone in particular but we do not have an Earl and we do not have a Kam, the two players who IMO most enabled us to play the Cover 3.
Exactamundo. Long ago, Carroll generalized his system as “4-3 with 3-4 personnel”.
Tyree Wilson/Will Levis (5–1)
Mazi Smith (26–1)
Joe Tippmann (52–2)
Rashee Rice (58–2)
Tank Bigsby (62–2)
JL Skinner (94–3)
Cory Trice (123–4)
Jerrod Clark (151–5)
Tre Tucker (174–5)
Dee Winters (198–6)
Alex Forsyth (204–6)
JL Skinner and Cory Trice are my mid-round obsessions currently….fingers crossed!
Cory Trice for sure as he just fits there mold as a fifth round corner. Would love to see a double Purdue combo at picks 151/154 of Trice and Jones.
Wow the lions definitely in the WR market now after all those suspensions
Suddenly, the Detroit Lions will now be looking for a WR at #6!
They can pick a WR at 18 and still get a good one. If they had a star available at 6 yes but with these options they can just stay put.
Wow. Online gambling is really going to change things for the worse. The NFL has really messed up by embracing it.
https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2023/04/21/detroit-lions-jameson-williams-suspended-sports-gambling-quintez-cephus-cj-moore/70137918007/
Ooh boy – and the Commaders DE is suspended ‘indefinitely’. Yikes.
The indefinite suspensions have to be more than 6 games, right? Maybe a whole season?
Man, what a nightmare for Detroit.
Honestly I find the NFL’s policy on gambling insanely hypocritical. They always benefited from the black market of sports betting, and now that it’s legalized, how much money are they raking in from DraftKings, FanDuel, et al? You can’t go 5 seconds in any pro sports game now without being bombarded with gambling ads. As long as a player isn’t betting on his own team and throwing games I fail to see how it qualifies for a half-season suspension.
I agree. It’s stupid to penalize players for gambling on NON NFL sports. Total hypocrisy.
Assuming they did it in state where it’s legal to do so. Online gambling is still a Class C Felony in Washington State so I don’t use a VPN, which I could easily, to get around the site blocks. No interest in playing with that fire, thanks.
Apparently it was on NFL games. And the lesser violarors on college games but from team facilities
Ah, I misinterpreted. So the guys who got 6 games were betting on non-NFL games, but the guys who got indefinite suspensions were betting on NFL games then, is the implication.
That seems fair play. All active athletes, coaches and franchise staff should be banned from betting on their own league. It’s like insider trading. They can be privy to information that the betting public doesn’t have, like their college buddy on another team says he feels like he’s coming down with the flu on Saturday night.
King and Florio talk the QBs
Peter King things Hooker goes in the first half of the first round. Wow.
https://youtu.be/irX6LawxfC0
Mike Tannenbaum was on Around the NFL today and said that Hooker is his QB 1, followed by Young, then Anderson.
Sounds crazy to me, but he was a real NFL GM for two different teams. If he’s being honest, and I don’t see why he’d lie, it’s possible there are other, current NFL GM’s who feel the same way. We may be in for some shocking picks on Thursday….
The problem for Mike is he picked some great talent….but he whiffed hard at qb and coach.
Is it just me or is this year the most volatile draft ever. I am not buying the Texans passing on Stroud or Levis…sure you can pray for mr Irrelivant but Stroud is way to talented and Levis way to determined of a player to pass up
I think you’re underestimating how the Texans hate working with Stroud’s agent. Think about how the Watson stuff ended, even before the sexual assaults were revealed. Why spend a high pick on a QB that will be a pain in the ass to sign 4-5 years down the line?
good point
Cigar Thoughts podcast was cool. Liked the Rage Mock angle to it. Kind of helped with some levity thrown after you kept being like, “well, I’m not a huge fan of JSN, I’m not a huge fan of Carter.” Lol
ViSN interview was awesome! You’re very good on camera. Much better then all the old establishment guys on ESPN and the like. Appreciate what you do man! Keep up the good fight.
Here is a little bit of advice to NFL players who want to place bets get someone to make the bets for you a runner just saying.And Rob quick question for you Coach Ryans came from the 49ers organization where they like big interior defense lineman Buckner and Armsted for example do you think Tyree Wilson has the body frame to add 15 to 20 pounds and move him inside
Username checks out.
To quote Chris Carter “you need to get a fall guy.”
If we can’t get Anderson or Richardson, I think I’ll feel a little disappointed at this point.
Sure, Levis and Stroud or Young are cool too. I never dreamed we’d be in position to get any of these players at the start of the season either so that isn’t lost on me.
Being so close to high upside, high character players at premium positions is such a rarity, Hawks must capitalize.
I’d like to see a Community-inspired darkest timeline mock. Hosted by Evil Rob.
If the Seahawks draft Jalen Carter they will need Jeff Winger to give him a pep talk
https://youtu.be/j2odOu0Oguo
Draft talk words I badly need a break from:
Screams
Generational
Narrative
Meltdown
Smokescreen
What are yours?
2.0
A trifecta of T’s:
Tweener
Twitch
Touch
Jalen Carter
12th chuck for the win
Motor
Bend
In-phase
Potential
Fit/Scheme
Character
Explosive
Reach
Steal
Particularly on ESPN the talking head begins their point by saying “Listen, …”
Of course we are listening. We have the volume up and the channel turned on. Stop telling me to listen!
And if it’s on mute, telling people to listen is a moot point
genius geoff
Raw
Project
Explosive
Dominant
Tape (mostly because 99% of people who use it clearly have not watched tape)
I’m still trying to figure out what “a willing blocker” is. Are there any “unwilling blockers and if so, why are they on ANY team?” Then there is the whole – what constitutes a “catch” BS that is interpreted in multiple ways that have changed game outcomes.
I also hate commentators that talk extensively about “back in 1985 when I played….” while there is action on the field that is being ignored, not to mention the sideline interviews that go on and on, while there is action on the field. We, as fans, watch for the football and not BS like that. End of Rant.
Willing blockers LOOK for somebody to hit. As opposed to others who block the guy in front of them and are done with their job for the play.
Watch Penny Hart on this play. He drives his guy nearly 10 yards off the ball, chips Devin Bush and then takes off running to make a third block.
That is a willing blocker.
https://twitter.com/Steelers_DB/status/1558821325988417537
If you need a smokescreen, I live about 45 minutes from one of the largest fireworks wearhouses in the world. Shelton Fireworks, right across the border in Alabama, is open all year round.
Remember, always buy your fireworks from the guy missing a few fingers. He knows the good stuff.
You got most of them.
-positional value
Your daily dose of hot mock mess:
https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/news/nfl-mock-draft-2023-anthony-richardson-c-j-stroud-fall-below-top-10-bears-take-lb-lions-seahawks-add-rbs/
As long as we get Jalen Carter, since it is certain to get us A+ post-draft grades from all the “experts”, which is the only thing that really matters here folks.
CBS sports mock tend to be the most smooth brained mocks out there. Yeah let’s pass on Richardson and Stroud for Jalen Lazyass…..
Pretty sure it’s most draft picks wins.
Rob,
If the unthinkable were to happen and somehow both Will Anderson and Anthony Richardson were available at #5. Do you think Seattle should trade back up to 6th and get both even though the cost is high? Do you think that both prospects would be better than what they could draft later in this draft and the first round of next year, or couple of years drafts?
Thanks,
Obviously not Rob, but he has mentioned on numerous occasions that he thinks the Seahawks top target is Will Anderson and if he is there he will be the pick. Richardson would be the the top option if Anderson isn’t there at 5, in Rob’s opinion.
Rob has scouted this draft group extensively. I was just curious if he thought that if Both were available are they good enough prospects that Seattle should try to get both. It is kinda a win now and next year type of move. It would cost us 3 to 4 draft picks between this year and next year. Plus Seattle would need to move on from a couple players or renegotiate some contracts with their current cap situation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykv75ZFx4to
Good to see players giving back to the kids in the community.
“This is a peak Pete Carroll pick and it makes total sense for the Seahawks here.”
How could we possibly pass on him when it makes total sense?
Well, changing back to a 4-3 kind of changes a lot. Doesn’t seem like something Sherm would have just made up, does it? Or was he just pulling Geno’s/everyone’s leg about how bad the defense has been?
FWIW Sherman still has lots of ties to Seattle, and he did interview Q Diggs recently…
That’s what I mean. He’s tight with several players, around the facility last season, and didn’t he also mentor Woolen at some point too? He’s connected; I don’t think that comment came out of nowhere.
Tippman’s 2021 & 2022 stats @ Wisconsin; he totaled 1445-snaps at center & gave up a total of 4-QB Hurries, 4-QB hits & 1-sack. Per this site, he’s very athletic, strong+ & has a high football IQ (sounds ideal for a center), with the major negative being that he doesn’t always play with the best leverage, an opinion that doesn’t seem to be very well supported by the stats IMO. Some guys just get the job done in spite of their negative flaws.
Many negative flaws may be corrected and improved with good coaching and practice.
I like the “Tipp – Man” a lot.
Reference: https://www.nfldraftbuzz.com/Player/Joe-Tippmann-OL-Wisconsin
Didn’t Lamar Jackson fail some testing miserably? I’m trying to locate on google but nothing I can see.
Point being, if watching Stroud tape where he’s dissecting teams apart translates to slow processing, then maybe the test is better suited for really good gamers that hit controllers quickly.
He didn’t do any testing!
Lamar basically messed up his pre draft process
Great advise from is mom… I mean manager..
Kurt Cousins and Sam Bradford will go down and the Kings on how to play the NFL system. Lamar might go down as the player who has managed the system the worst. From his draft process to not signing an early extension like Josh Allen he had literally left tens of millions of dollars on the table.
“Lamar basically messed up his pre draft process”. Now LaMarr is messing up[ his next contract. LaMarr did not do himself any favors by having his mother represent him as his agent.
Correct
Great piece from the Ringer:
https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2023/4/21/23691946/2023-nfl-draft-prospects-who-change-football-darnell-washington-bijan-robinson-anthony-richardson
I especially like the line: “Take a sheet of printer paper: that’s how big Darnell Washington’s hands are”
With Washington’s size, length and mobility I am surprised no one has talked about turning him into an LT. He would certainly make more $ as an elite LT.
Reading that article I was thinking how sick the Hawks offense would be if they took all 3 of those guys at 5,20 and 37. Will never happen but 3 freaks like that on the same offense with DK and Walker would be pretty sick.
Imagine playing Pete-ball, close games every week decided by AR throwing 70 yard hail marys to DK and Washington
Gottta admit that would be fun.
Stroud score:
https://twitter.com/barstoolsports/status/1649487048640716806?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1649487048640716806%7Ctwgr%5Eb2aa737f914d3b7f8157e9edb8d7f1f7a51923a4%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.barstoolsports.com%2Fblog%2F3464307%2Fweve-never-had-somebody-grade-low-and-play-well-the-s2-cognition-test-could-tank-cj-strouds-draft-stock
Remember when Beavis ans Butthead took the I.Q. test at the sperm bank and filled in the bubbles to spell out their favorite bands.
That’s what happened.
S2 guy says the leak is fake on PFF podcast.
Let’s play “Bullshit or not?”
Let’s say neither…..if Stroud is good and young is just so-so it pretty immediately will but the stop to the veracity of their test.
I’ll take it one further…..
Does anyone here know that you can actually train for the S2? Because you do now.
They have a suite of training and development portals right in their website that you, a trainer, or coach can access.
I feel like this is years ago all over when folks on this site called garret Bolles an actual idiot for “failing,” his wonderlic.
Does anyone here know if the players did the S2 blind or trained for it?
As Rob would say ” just saying.”
Bryce Young trained for it and has taken the test multiple times
That has been noted
Thanks for this Rob.
That’s what I’ve heard as well. Players can “practice” test this thing to death. If CJ Stroud’s agent was Rosenhaus, it would have been all over the media by 3pm that it’s fake results.
Curious thought… what if Anderson, Richardson and Stroud are all there at #5? Would you trade #20, #37, and #52 to Detroit for #6? They need WR’s now and that would be a haul of picks in the right range for them.
Not sure I’d do it, but Will Anderson and your QBOTF would be some fun toys to play with while we wait for the third round to come around, lol.
Or maybe #20, #37, and Dee Eskridge?
Let say JS/PC like Richardson, why do we care who all are available. Just take the player you like for future.
This is about taking the QB you love AND Will Anderson. Would you be willing to give up that capital to take the top 2 players on your board back to back at 5 & 6?
+100!!!!!!!!! Ashish
that would take some serious discussions before the clock started ticking. I don’t see a team at 6 suddenly dropping that late if they’ve ran a million scenarios at the top.
I’m starting to prepare myself for the inevitable let down of them taking Tyree Wilson. Odds of Richardson falling to 20 would be zero to none.
Having said that, 2010 I was all in for taking Jimmy Clausen at 6 with an aging but still effective Hasselbeck. Wonder if PC/JS are having some deja vu from that first draft they did together.
Oooof – Jimmy Clausen. There’s a golden oldie.
That would be a hell of a move. My only concern would be that you might be able to pull in a really good trio with those other picks. Imagine it Michael Mayer or Bijan Robinson is there at 20. Could end up with one of them and possibly any two of Keion White, Ade Ade, Will Mcdonald, Josh Downs, JMS, or Joe Tippman (obviously a lot of other great options too). But I would love to see the aggression. I mostly want to see PC/JS show a level of enthusiasm for their picks that we’ve only really seen with RW and Tyler Lockett.
I’m starting to think it’s a foregone conclusion that Anthony Richardson will be the pick. Even if Stroud or Anderson is there. He just screams PC/JS. A year ago if you were to say there would be a guy with Cam Newton level talent, but with a plus attitude in the next draft, it would seem like a no brainer pick. So I’m betting (and hoping) that he won’t get past us.
I, and most of the commenters here, are with you on this. If the Anthony Richardson Experience is there at #5, I can’t see any way John Schneider doesn’t use every ounce of pull he has in the organization to make that pick.
Brandon Perna will have a melt down if we do. That should be fun.
His schtick is that QBs are a total crapshoot and waste of draft capital, do I have that right?
I’m not that familiar with him but recall a video of his in one of my feeds recently where he pointed out that all but 1 of the 15 QBs drafted in 2016 had been traded or cut.
So while we are in small hours…
I know that many of you would like to go to the Senior Bowl practices like I did this year. But the problem is it’s in Alabama. Nobody, no sane person at least, wants to go on vacation in Mobile. Also, most of you are nowhere near it.
From my time in Steilacoom, I knew many people who scuba dived out off of Sunnyside, Titlow, and Point Defiance. I’m sure some of you have scuba dived before. So I am wondering if any of you have considered diving the Oriskany.
In 2004, the Navy Scuttled the USS Oriskany 22.5 nautical miles of the coast of Pensacola, to form an artificial reef. It sank to a depth of 212 feet. I talked to a girl at the dog beach recently that did it. She said that on that day the water was so clear you could see the deck of the carrier from the surface.
Where else can you dive to the deck of an aircraft carrier? Midway? The Coral Sea. That’s really far away and the water is probably very deep.
There is also the beach here in Pensacola or Fort Walton, and the Senior Bowl is right before all the college spring breakers invade them. The University of South Alabama is less than an hour from my driveway.
Just thought I would put this out there. Here are a couple of links.
https://myescambia.com/our-services/natural-resources-management/marine-resources/artificial-reefs/oriskany-reef
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Oriskany_(CV-34)
Hope you don’t mind a dissenting vote on this draft…
They’re not taking a QB at 5. You keep saying Schneider loves a traits-based QB but they’ve drafted a total of 2 QB’s in 12 yrs, and despite the rumored interest in Allen and Mahomes, they didn’t pull the trigger to go get them. This being the gm mind you who gave up 1st rd picks and an all pro player such as Unger to go get guys they TRULY liked — Adams, Harvey, Jimmy Graham. All three extremely-to-recklessly expensive.
Meaning, Schneider will absolutely pay up for someone he truly wants — but hasn’t ever for a QB, even a Mahomes or an Allen. Which I’m guessing has a heavy dose of influence from his true boss Pete Carroll.
So I’ll be very surprised if they take a QB at 5. More surprised than if they take Bijon, who feels more like the type of player Pete really likes.
But I think it’s defense all the way at 5, if one of Carter Anderson or Witherspoon (in that order) are in the board at 5.
As we approach, a lot of this is starting to feel inevitable. And yet I can’t help but expect chaos. Way to stick with it, Rob.
My personal feelings are that 2 WR’s you have at the top of the second go in the first (Downs, Flowers, Mingo). If NE or someone in the middle doesn’t go after Zay, then I’m confident KC will take him. It’s a toss up for me which of the other two sneaks in. (For context, I think Nolan Smith falls to the end of the round and Gibbs/Ade/Hooker go day two.)
In any case, your coverage has been killer this year. Thanks for what you do.
$100 wager says Seattle’s takes a QB at 5!!! Let’s Go!